It's been a while, time for an update. It's been a long slow process, but progress is happening. I spent 2 weeks working on them in my spare time, to no positive results. I tried every method I know, as well as others suggested by the internet to get the broken bolts out. Welded nuts on them, heated the bolts, heated the heads, tried solvents, wax, nothing worked. Finally I spent a long Saturday afternoon at a friend's drill press after I discovered that the exhaust flanges were parallel to the intake faces.


I got them as far as I could to where I almost hit threads, still couldn't them to move.

I finally gave up myself and took them to a non-automotive machinist who has an EDM machine.

More to come,

Devin

 

So to continue the story, the machinist with the EDM machine was able to burn out the remainder of the bolts in a few days, for a fee of course. After getting them back I sent them off to an automotive machinist we deal with at work who rebuilt them with new guides, hardened seats and new springs. I just couldn't see putting them back on the way they were.




One of the things that came up during the conversation regarding these heads was that he has a set of what he calls 1968 Cobra Jet heads. I didn't investigate further, but I may consider them for a future larger FE. He said the exhaust bolts were different, and from what I can find in pictures, it looks like my headers would bolt up to 4 bolt exhaust flanges with the top and bottom bolts.

Anyway, once the heads were home, I ordered up a gasket set from Summit, which is usually 1 day out, sometimes 2, but of course, they are m
direct shipped from manufacturer, and take a week longer.

So this weekend with rebuilt heads, gaskets in hand and all parts cleaned up and painted I'm ready to go back together. The weather is calling for rain by noon on Saturday, so I'm out working at 9 am. With the decks cleaned off, I got the driver's side head on and it starts to rain at 10, running off the back of the hood and down into the engine. I shut things down and went in the house, after an hour or so it quit, but I was into something inside by that time. It kept threatening, but didn't start up again during the afternoon, so with the help of my oldest son and right-hand man, we got back to it.



With his help, within a couple hours both heads were on and the headers were fitted. We ended up pulling the starter, dropping in the header, and finagling everything in place to get it to fit. Normal process with headers, just not that familiar with that on this truck, yet. My other cars I can do in my sleep.




Today we completed buttoning everything up on the motor. I put off lifting that iron intake as long as possible, but in the end, we did it 3 times. First time the hose to the water pump was about 1/4" too long, holding it back, then after removing and trimming the hose, we discovered the gasket on the driver's side was upside down, so off it came again. Once all was right it went back on for the final time, then on went the rockers, valve covers, carb and everything else.



We cranked it over a few times, confirmed fuel and spark, timing is out. The distributor isn't in the right place. I didn't pay attention to the rotor when we took it apart, so need to find TDC and get it fired off. Open headers of course. My neighbors love me.

Devin

 

If you did not change the oil yet you'll need to as, I found a lot of coolant goes into pan when removing the intake.

Orich

 

Nice job Burnt! Good call Orich on changing the oil.

 

I've more or less come to the conclusion that this truck hates me. What should have been a simple exhaust job has turned into much more, with no end in sight. I haven't posted anything for a few weeks. Not because of not doing anything however. I finally got the timing close enough to fire, but the starter decided to crap out. It cranked over fine, then it would crank slowly, and like it had the jitters, and the battery cables got hot while doing so. I had looked at the starter before putting it back in, and noted the teeth were chipped, but it had never given me any trouble. So last week I had some new 0 gauge battery cables made up and today I bought a starter. Off came the passenger side header again....

It's all buttoned up now, but I need to get a heat sleeve for the starter wire before I connect it to the starter to keep it from melting on the header. I know myself too well, if I do it "temporary" now and it works, I'll never get back to it until it's too late.

So at this point I still don't have it fired off, or exhaust run past the headers. I was looking at the collector fitment today. I sure hope this system clears the crossmember, it looks like it's pointed straight at it.

Devin

 

This is a problem with long tube headers on these trucks. That dang cross member is right in the way! I think you should jump the starter and see if you can get the truck to run.

 

Today was the day. I normally start my Saturdays with yard cleanup, and as I was doing so my son was bored and inquired as to what the truck needed. I informed him the wire from the solenoid to the starter needed to be installed, but I was going to put the original one back on until I could buy some heat shielding for the 0 gauge one I had made so it didn't get burned on the headers. He took care of that, checked in with me and then it was ready to fire. He tried it, it putted a little in the most advanced position, much faster than it has ever cranked in the time we've had it. Zero gauge wires and a new starter make a big difference. I had him pull the distributor, move it back one tooth and drop it back in while I finished my yard chores. Set the timing about mid way, and it fired right off and ran about 5 seconds. Everything sounded ok, so he ran down to the local parts store for an oil filter and oil. He got back and changed it, started it up again and I set the timing. It's really loud, but still stock low compression BLUB BLUB BLUB with open headers. The exhaust kit Summit sells is garbage. I'll be taking it down to my local exhaust shop this week to put pipes on it.

After that, my son was still interested in doing further work and inquired about the tach I had been procrastinating on for years, so after agreeing on wire routing, he installed it for me.



It was only a $10 swap meet special, so I was pleasantly surprised when it worked. And the truck moved under it's own power out of the driveway.

Devin

 

 

It's been a long run, and a much more expensive one than anticipated, but now I can say the exhaust is done. Tonight I heard it run through the new mufflers, it's remarkably quiet. To recap, I bought the Summit exhaust kit for these trucks, just under $400. It included Flowtek headers, Thrush mufflers, and some not mandrel bent pipe. When removing the manifolds, 7 out of the 8 top manifold bolts broke. So I pulled the heads, drilled the holes until thread were almost visible. Then I took them to a local non-automotive machinist with an EDM machine, he charged me $135 to get the remains of the bolts out. Then, seeing as how the exhaust seats were all sunk, I sent them off to the machinist we deal with at work, who rebuilt them for another $580. After that it was a top end gasket kit for $60, paint, and then once it was back together and running, the muffler shop charged me another $236 today to run intermediate pipes, install the mufflers and tail pipes, and hang it all. I'll post pics soon, maybe a video with sound.

Devin

 

Great progress! Sometimes the road takes a couple left turns before you get back to what should have been a simple destination. I find with exhaust that it is always a crap shoot and you never know what's going to happen, it's either straight forward or painful all the way thru.

D

 

Burnt out exh valves an leaky exhaust is the two main reasons these old iron trucks get parked.<br />An you've now gone past those two points now.<br /><br />Rust repair can be a pain in the azz depending on what parts are needed in todays world as not many junk yards that theses classic are still waiting to be picked over like once was.<br />in many places.<br />Good Luck on your next fix an find if you need any junk yard parts..<br /><br />Orich

 

 

I drove my truck today for the first time since all the work was done, other than driving it the mile down to the muffler shop. I'm pleased with how it runs, and how quiet it is. I discovered I have a coolant seep at the manifold on both sides, I'll need to pull that back off and replace the gaskets soon. I tried to get pics of the exhaust, but I can't get far enough away while laying on my back under it.

Driving it, however, reminded me of the things I have not yet fixed. It still wants to pull left, and the windows are really hard to roll up and down. I also have better tires I need to put on it too.

Devin

 

I don't have much to report lately, other than after having let it sit for 2 weeks, I pumped the gas twice, hit the key and it started right up. It used to fight me if it sat for more than a few days, so I'm pleased with that.

Devin

 

Cool. Glad to hear good news.