'29 Chevy RPU from junk

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Trouble be my middle name

I was removing the 20 or so 1/4" bolts that hold the top of the manifold to the plenum when a lock washer slipped from my hand. It landed on edge and slow rolled toward a throttle bore hole in the top plate, and dropped through. Took the top plate off and it was nowhere to be seen. Pretty much knew which intake runner it rolled in. I probed the runner with a magnet on a stick for quite a while and came up with nothing. Pulled the valve cover and sure enough, that intake valve was open. I gotta believe it fell into the cylinder. Tomorrow I'll rotate the engine to bring that piston close to the top and see if I can get it through the spark plug hole with a telescoping magnet.

If that doesn't work it's off with the head. Ugh,:(

There's times I think I'm getting too old for this crap.:eek:
 
There's times I think I'm getting too old for this crap.:eek:

I have that same feeling more often lately!!!!!
What keeps me going is I don't want my wife to be able to say "I told you so."

I had the same thing happen when I built my Dodge 408 stroker motor as I was taking the lifting bracket off the intake manifold.

I couldn't get any results with the magnetic in the plug hole so I left the magnet in there and blew air in the hole with an air nozzle and stirred the nut around enough that it found the magnet.

I felt extremely lucky but it did work so....... You might try it.
Good luck with your fishing[P[P[P
 
Bob, many years ago, I bought a 66 GTO from a friend who had dropped a square nut that he had been using to hold the air cleaner on down the intake while the engine was running. He was so discouraged that he sold me the car for $800.

When I pulled the one head, there was a perfectly square hole punched through the top of one piston, I found the pieces in the oil pan. I bought one new piston and rings, put it all back together, and the car ran like a clock.

I hope you find yours.
 
Bob, if I printed what I would like to say, they might remove me from the forum. I did the same thing a couple times working on my race car motor, was never able to get the pieces out & had to pull blower/injector/intake & one head. I am feeling your pain. Good luck, I know you will get it running shortly. Why were you taking plate off? Other intake mods? Ain't hot rod building
fun. :(
 
Going nuts over a washer

My attempts to get the washer out through the spark plug hole were unsuccessful. In the high humidity and 90 degree heat I pulled the head after removing all the stuff attached to it.

I looked in the cylinder. No washer. I looked in all the cylinders. No washer. What is happening? I swear I saw it go in the manifold. Could it be the mushrooms the little woman served with supper? Too much Jim Beam? Time to get my eyes examined? Head examined? Maybe it dissolved?

Went to my favorite parts store and found out their warehouse no longer has head and intake gaskets for slant sixes. Luckily Rockauto has what I need.

Whole lot of sweat for nothing, but I had to be sure...
 
My attempts to get the washer out through the spark plug hole were unsuccessful. In the high humidity and 90 degree heat I pulled the head after removing all the stuff attached to it.

I looked in the cylinder. No washer. I looked in all the cylinders. No washer. What is happening? I swear I saw it go in the manifold. Could it be the mushrooms the little woman served with supper? Too much Jim Beam? Time to get my eyes examined? Head examined? Maybe it dissolved?

Went to my favorite parts store and found out their warehouse no longer has head and intake gaskets for slant sixes. Luckily Rockauto has what I need.

Whole lot of sweat for nothing, but I had to be sure...

I'd have done the same thing, bob.
Put the question remains...... Where did it go.:eek: [ddd
I told the young guy helping me on the boat project that when the day comes that we move it out of my shop we are gong to find more screws under it then in it..:p
Stay cool. I know the heat kicks my butt.
Torchie
 
Well Bob, ain't that the chits. Probably hit the intake, then the floor and rolled 20', You will find it some day. Good part is it ain't in the cylinder and you were able to check piston condition.;)

Now about that weather & heat. Good part was you dropped a few pounds to help lighten the Crosley in it's weight loss program. Most people just go to the gym, not Bob, he pulls motors apart. :rolleyes:
 
Upon Closer Inspection...

Got the head gasket from Rock Auto today. This is the box it came in. There was enough room in there to house an extended family of hamsters.

Before I put the head back on I took another look in the intake ports. In #2 port, tucked behind the valve guide, up against the valve pocket, was the missing lock washer. So I'm not crazy nor was I hallucinating. I did see the washer drop in there. I had rotated the head and thought that was enough to cause anything in there to fall out. Wrong! I really would have been upset if I put the head back on with the washer in there. Got unlucky first, then got lucky. Whew.

P.S. I switched from Jim Beam to Southern Comfort for my nightly nightcap.
 

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Got the head gasket from Rock Auto today. This is the box it came in. There was enough room in there to house an extended family of hamsters.

Before I put the head back on I took another look in the intake ports. In #2 port, tucked behind the valve guide, up against the valve pocket, was the missing lock washer. So I'm not crazy nor was I hallucinating. I did see the washer drop in there. I had rotated the head and thought that was enough to cause anything in there to fall out. Wrong! I really would have been upset if I put the head back on with the washer in there. Got unlucky first, then got lucky. Whew.

P.S. I switched from Jim Beam to Southern Comfort for my nightly nightcap.
[cl[cl[cl
:cool:
 
The transmission has been leaking. After 3 or 4 attempts I finally brazed the drain plug bung, straightened the pan flange and double gasketed the pan with high quality thicker gaskets. No drips after a day of sitting.
I noticed the voltmeter was pegged when running. Rather than mess with the chrome plated generator I replaced it with a one wire alternator. That should solve the problem but it isn't as cool now. Managed to modify the mounting bracket a bit to fit the alternator so that was good.
 

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Woe is me

I'm getting too old for this sh#t.

It looks like my tranny leaks are solved. The car moves back and forth under its own power in the garage. Engine seems to run nice.

But...There's a puddle of oil under the thing and I know why it is there. When I put the head gasket on it didn't feel right. I couldn't see it but the temp gauge capillary was pinched ever so slightly between the head and block across the very back corner. It nipped a bit of the head gasket off. I didn't think it would leak because it was the push rod area. So wrong. It's not a pressurized leak but is sure is messy. New gaskets are ordered from Rock Auto.
 

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