wondering what the signs are that I need to replace the head gasket (or the entire head for that matter).
I changed the oil for the first time since I've had it and the oil was quite thin and smelled of gas - allot. I put a new filter on it and new oil (20w-50) to see if it will thin this oil out as well. I'll drain it over the weekend and see what it's like.

Also the truck sounds quite loud - sort of like a deisel engine. Hard to describe but wondering if that meant anything (other than I have allot of work to do). Any help would be great. as for my pics in the gallery - do I or don't i need to hook up the EGR valve? It is even relavant for this set up or did it just come along with the later add ons that were insignificant to the truck? Thanks.

 

For the EGR valve, I would eliminate it and fabricate a spacer or locate a spacer that matched the thickness of the EGR one that is on it now. None of that stuff looks like it has been in use anyway and a new spacer would keep the carb at the same height for the breather to fit correctly.
The carb should have a screw in filter where the fuel line enters the carb. From the pic, it looks like it only has a couple of adapters screwed in there.
The gassy smelling oil may be coming from a cracked diaphram in the fuel pump. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to replace it anyway. Looks kinda old. Another source for gas in the oil would be a carb that leaks down while sitting, washing down the cylinders into the block. With no visible filter, I wouldn't be suprised if the carb is loaded with debris to cause that. Rebuilding the carb would fix that.
A compression test would find a head gasket problem "most" of the time. Usually an indicator would be white smoke out the exhaust (coolant getting into the combustion chamber), motor oil getting into the radiator, coolant in the oil pan, or a combination of the three. Plus it should run like crap if it is too bad.

Where in GA are you? I'm in Conyers. Good looking truck in my opinion! Wouldn't mind helpin' you out some if you are close enough.

 

Just read your other thread. Choke half way out to stay running = vacuum leak. Source of vacuum leak is probably cracked vacuum hose to dizzy, one or more of those "bolt" plugs, or carb base gasket/spacer gasket. You ain't looking at a whole lot of money to get the thing running right, just a bunch of general maintainence stuff that looks to have been neglected for a long time.

 

Yeah, general maintenance i guess. A little trouble shooting too.
hdgapeach - I'm in Atlanta and would GREATLY appreciate your assistance if you have the time or inclination. As you can tell I am not the most mech inclined but to have a strong desire to learn from someone who has more experience with this stuff than i do.

PLEASE help me out here. I could get the truck to you if you like (not driving it out there though - towing). Or maybe you could look at it here - I'll make it worth your effort if you decide to help out. Lemme know what you think. I'm gonna work on it this weekend. New fuel pump and carb rebuild I think. Would I be better to rebuild the carb or get a new one from the parts store?

Thanks

 

so I drained the radiator and it looked all brown - but not particularly oily. I ran it over my hand and rubbed my fingers together but is just seemed like water. could the head gasket be busted and it still have no oil in the radiator?

 

Yeah it could but signs of that would be coolant in the oil pan and/or white clouds out the exhaust pipe. If your radiator was full, the color was probably just rust and other contaminates in the cooling passages.

 

no white smoke to speak of - a lttle puff here and there but not consistent and not "clouds".

When i drained the oil in a bucket I let it is for a while to see if I noticed it separating or anything - if water were in there would it have separated? It really smelled like gas more than anything!

Any last minute tips on replacing the fuel filter? gonna give that a shot tomorrow.
thanks

 

The fuel filter is part of the fuel pump. That can shaped part of the fuel pump should unscrew and a filter element should be inside. Just replace the filter element and make sure the seal is good and re-install the can. But if you have gas in the oil, that is a good indicator that the fuel pump diaphragm is leaking gas into the crank case. That requires a new fuel pump.

If there is water in the oil it will eventually separate. Might have to let it sit overnight for it to be obvious.

 

Sorry. I mean fuel PUMP. I have a new one to instal tomorrow, b/c I thought it might be a leaky diaphram. So that "can" thing on top does unscrew. okay.I can not get the new one to unscrew but i only gave it about an 80% try - I'll try harder tomorrow. Think the pump comes with a filter in it already or i need to get one to instal prior to installing the new pump.

I'll try again - Any last minute tips on installing a new FUEL PUMP?

thanks for bearing with me! Long day at work.

 

I'd remove the old one and take it with me to the parts store when you go to get a new one. That way you are assured you will get one that will fit. If you can, get one that doesn't have the built in fuel filter. That way you can install one of those clear in-line filters that are easier to tell when they need changing and easier to replace. There should be a later model version that will have the same mounting surface pattern. Make sure the gasket is included and a little blue silicone gasket maker will help seal imperfect surfaces so there won't be any oil leaks. When you insere the pump shaft into the block, make sure to angle it down some so that it goes under the shaft that it rides on. Rarely happens but I have saw pumps forced in on top of the shaft and the folks wondered why the new pump wouldn't push gas.

Be sure to take the old one with you to the store to match one with. I don't know what year engine you actually have in the truck to ask for a year model pump. The carb set up is definitely from the smog era and your truck is pre-smog era. If you can find a date code cast into the block, you'll be able to determine what year the engine is. That'll make getting parts for it easier. The casting number will start with a letter then a number. For example: C6#### would be a '66, a D6### would be a '76 and so on....

 

what if I instal an inline filter and still use this pump? The inline filter would catch any crud befor it even got to the pump, and, as you said, be easier to see and change. (I have a confesion - I laready put an inline one on there b/c I could not figure out where the freaking filter was!) I can take it out in about 2 mins though and run the fuel hose straight to the pump. thanks for the instal instructions.

 

That should work fine. Two filters are better than one. They both should be maintained though. Neglecting one of them might cause a clogged up system sometime in the future.

 

Georgia, read my other post in your "new pics thread". You got too many threads going here. Now that I read this one, you DEFINITELY need a new fuel pump. That is your problem. And, keep the pump with a filter. More capacity for all that rust in your tank.