1969 Swinger 340

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It runs! I have a lot of things to work out, but the main hurdle is over!
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Pretty big setback yesterday, I went to start the car up and it ran for a few seconds and stalled. Tried to restart it and it acted like a dead battery. The engine is siezed! I suspect the oil pump never primed and I cooked it, but I will find out when I pull it back out. At least it ran long enough to test my wire harness...
 
:( Sorry to see/hear that...is there no way to prime the pump prior to starting the engine? Can you pack the pump with Vaseline to create a vacuum?
 
Thanks guys, I probably should have packed it with Vaseline because there is no way to prime it. I was going to put a mechanical gauge and crank it without spark and fuel, but I got ahead of myself and I got it running sooner than expected. I'll tear it down and start over I guess!
 
I'm new on here and can relate to your project as I'm in the process of getting started on my nice rust free Arizona 69 Swinger. Keep the faith as you progress and good luck.
 
Thanks bullzie, I think I would be happy if my finished car looked as nice as your start! Clean looking car, nice color!
 
Pulled the engine back out and got it torn down, it looks like I may have lucked out as only the number 1 main bearing was hurt. Every other bearing had enough assembly lube on it to protect it, and they look like new. I am going to polish the crank and re measure everything, but fingers crossed that I dodged a catastrophe with thus one. And the used oil pump will get replaced with a new one thus time just in case!
 

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Hope you get it put back together n all is well!! Lookin fwd to see how you like the trans!!
 
Re-polished the crank and it turned out pretty well. A few marks that weren't there the first time, but it was a used crank and not perfect to start with. Most of the parts are here, but will probably wait until next week to get started on it. I'm going to measure the oil clearance instead of plastgauge this time to be sure, and make damn sure I have oil pressure before it starts up!
 
Im happy for you! Sucks when hard work and money get burned up..
 
Definitely! I have bore brushes and am going to go through the block and crank passages again, although the only perk of no oil circulation may be that metal didn't get pumped though the engine!
 
Got the k member and suspension back out tonight, and I have Friday off, so hopefully I can get the short remeasured and possibly reassembled this weekend. Warm weather is on the horizon, and it should be much easier to make progress in fifty degree weather instead of ten!
 
I had a very productive weekend, assembled the shortblock on Friday, installed new lights in the shop on Saturday, and finished the engine this morning. I was able to bolt the clutch and trans to the engine, and then lowered the car back over the engine/k member. It's back in the car ready for hooking up the wiring again, and a meticulous prime this time!

As I was assembling the engine, I was cleaning passages and they were dry as a bone. I took apart the old oil pump and the passages were dry as well. I think I really lucked out that there wasn't more damage and it was saveable. This time I took the oil pump and manually drew oil through it, then while the engine was upside down I filled the pickup tube and rotated the engine over to fill the filter. I had a 5 quart jug of oil handy, and before I put the timing cover on I quickly spun the engine right side up on the stand and filled the pan. My thinking was that the oil in the pan would help the pickup tube from draining itself. Still going to spin the engine over with no plugs in it until I see pressure on the gauge, I don't know if I have a third time doing this in me!
 
Well I happened to look at my old oil pump one more time, and am embarrassed to say I just missed the fact that someone had tried to pull the core plug out of the pump and it had a hole in it! No wonder it wouldn't prime, I am happy I found the root cause, but feel sick that I overlooked such an obvious problem. Oh well... On a positive note I reinstalled the wiring and starter and spun the engine over without spark plugs and almost instantly had 45psi on the mechanical gauge. I will probably throw fuel at it again sometime this week and try it over again!
 

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Well it runs again, I'm back to where I was a month ago, only this time with oil pressure! Now that the weather is getting better, I'm hoping progress comes a little easier!

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A while back I scored a deal on a b body 8 3/4, with a 742 case 3.23 sure grip and 11x3 drum setup. Found it in a pull and pay yard, $100! So I pulled the 741 open out tonight and got the new one in, and I'm cleaning up the drum setup now. Now for some brake line plumbing!
 
I'm still learning on the 8 3/4s.... you pulled the 742 case off and used it to replace the 741 on your axel? At that point, did you also swap out the 11" backing plates and drums too? Thanks...
 
That's correct, I swapped just the center sections. The axles come out first, then the center section. The backing plates have to be changed while the axles are out.
 
Got a little bit done today, I was able to make all of the front brake lines, and I cleaned up the wiring a little bit and mounted the PCM and fuse box. I put the column back in and got my master cylinder pushrod working, and the clutch seems to be working as well. I am waiting on rear brake parts and I need to build the fuel system and get a driveshaft cut, but it may not be far from moving on its own!

 
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