From time to time I will be updating this spot with what is going on with my 1948 GMC Truck.
January 15, 2010:
For the last week, due to a busy schedule, have not spent much time on the truck. Although, major mile-marker was passed.
As of this week, after working some on the starter and the carburetor, the truck runs. It still needs a bit more fine tuning but when you crank it, it sets there and purrs. Yea!
With the flywheel, when it was put back on after finishing the engine and transmission, I forgot to set the motor on top-dead-center and align the flywheel properly. Instead I lifted it up and bolted it on… Lesson learned for the next time but as it turns out, God blessed me with that 25% chance that it would get be correct. As it turned out, it went on correct and lined up top-dead-center.
To set the timing took some learning. A few times, or several times I had to turn back to the service manual to get a good understanding of what it was saying and what I understood. The manual says to first turn the flywheel to align the marks to top-dead-center and then move on to the distributer.
With the distributer cap off and the clamping brace loosened, lift the distributer and turn the rotor to point to the number one cylinder wire. From there lower the distributer back down and then rotate the distributer in a clockwise (or counter clockwise) to close the points. To me, I assumed this, closing the points would be that small spark inside the distributer. From there you take off the wire from the Ignition coil to the distributer cap. This being called the high-wire. After pulling the end off the distributer cap and space it out about a quarter of an inch from something that grounds on the truck and then turn the distributor clockwise until it sparks. Again, the manual said to turn the distributer one way and I did and it didn’t work, that is get a spark, so I turned it back the other way and it sparked… That was fun; so I spun it back and forth a few times to make sure where the distributer was suppose to be… From there you gently tighten up the clamp, put on the distributor cap and reattach the high-wire and your good to go.
With the motor now running, I still need to pull out the timing light and double check the timing. Most likely I will pay with it some as for advancing and retarding the timing to see what happens. (This is a learning project for me) From there do some fine tuning on the carb. Once that is done, tie up a few lose ends and on to the inner fenders.
January 5, 2010:
Updated the web site today and added to the list, ‘Oil Lines’.
January 4, 2010:
Happy New Year!
As of right now, I still have a few things left to complete with the doors. Putting in new glass and window frames along with installing new panels and hardware. From there I will be working on running the new wiring harness down the back of the frame so that it will be ready when the time comes to do the bed. After that, picking up a few loose ends as I wait on a new starter to come in.
Over the holidays I rigged up a steel rod on a cordless drill to run the oil pump and get oil running through the motor. This in preparation to getting the motor to run. As it turns out, I was unable to get it to crank up. If the battery is not fully charged, the starter wouldn’t turn the motor over. The starter is weak and on a 12 volt system, it should be humming. Then again, when it does turn over, I am still unable to get the motor to run. For that, it has to be the timing. Timing I am still working on getting set in.
The service manual lines it all out for me but yet, I have had no success. Then again, tomorrow is another day.
