Hey all,

I hauled this truck home from a field a couple years ago and due to various circumstances It's been a SLOW process getting it up again.

Here's where I left off:

I bought a used Holley 4160 that I am rebuilding. It ran my engine but it would die when put into gear. Pretty sure someone rejetted it so I'll be putting in factory spec jets when Holley gets back to me with what size I need. (Carb number 80457-2)

It runs great, but when its been running for a while I get bubbles out the radiator. I was running straight water so as not to waste $ on coolant while getting her going. I was planning on putting in a 50/50 mix when she runs right. I don't have a shroud since it was missing when I bought the truck and the one I grabbed from the scrapyard was for a 302 so it's too low. Coolant is clean and oil is clean too. No signs of mixing.

Do I need to be worried about it being a head gasket/cracked head or should I check something else first? Shouldn't be intake gaskets as they are new last spring. It did seem pretty hot but the temp gauge wasn't working. I can probably borrow an Infrared thermometer from work to check after I get the carb redone. Fan clutch / water pump / thermostat / and radiator are new early last year.

The timing cover is leaking coolant (externally) so I need to replace the gasket, are these timing sets all steel? I'm hoping to get out of replacing it and keep it cheap but it has 130k on it and it was a farm truck so that means more hours than miles. I will check for play when I have the cover off.

The only vacuum lines I had hooked up were distributor advance, PCV, brake booster, and the modulator for the C6. Everything else is plugged or removed. Everything is supposed to be manifold vacuum except for the distributor right?


Thanks for the help guys, I'm really anxious to get her drivable this year!

-- Chris in NY

P.S. Looking for a passenger side radius arm bracket and brake master cylinder if anyone has one lying around.

 

Okay so Holley got back to me, my main jets are supposed to be 64, the ones in it are 63.

I've got the carb apart and I've got a couple q's about it. It's a 4160 600cfm.



Are those two holes with no screws supposed to have screws? I'd assume this could cause problems....



What is this vacuum line for? It looks out of place. It goes from just below where the air filter would sit and into the choke housing.

My secondary metering plate has several hairline cracks in it, should I replace it? I'm not sure if they are casting marks or if it's on borrowed time.

Lastly, are the throttle shaft seals brass on these carbs? I was going to soak the throttle plate assembly in cleaner but not if I'm going to ruin something. I'm using an industrial Acrylic Lacquer Thinner for the soak.

 

Okay, I found a deal on a head gasket set that was too good to pass up so I decided to cave and do it anyways.

The gaskets have a metal webbing of sorts on one side only, does it matter if this side goes up or down? I will be using a light coat of copper spray sealant on them when I put them in unless someone else has a better idea.

Is there anything special to installing a cork gasket? I've never used one before, always bought rubber gaskets but the valve cover gaskets in the kit are cork. Do they need to be soaked in oil or anything first?

 

The head gaskets are marked front, make sure the front goes to the front and all the water jackets line up, some use the spray, some don't, I've done it both ways with nothing significant to note on either.


I'm not a fan of the cork, I would get the rubber valve cover gaskets and a sealant called "The Right Stuff", it expensive, but you will never have an oil leak.

 

Hmm... I didn't see any marking on them but I'll look again. They appear to be exactly the same so if they are marked then one would have the metal side up and the other facing down. Either way I will make sure the water jackets line up.

I may get the rubber gaskets later. Right now I just want it running again! I'm dying to have this thing on the road finally.