Rusty's not very quiet cuda progress

K, got off the pot & called summit, they will warrantee the regulator, so I'll give that one more try since it's easy to put back in, all set up for it.
before I mess with the fuel filter & making the return line work.
Also ordered the 20lb sender, the gauge/bracket/tee to put that in.
hope this doesn't open another can of worms!
 
You'll appreciate knowing the true pressure after it's installed. I have pressure gauges in all of my cars. There's a reason they call them "idiot" lights.
 
Yea I like the idea too, just not having to put it in.
Other car came with the 3 gauge set under the dash, I spent a LOT of money trying to keep the dash on this car factory, nixed the tach as I said earlier because of that, I would also like to have an idea of the rpm's, maybe now I'll put them both in???????
See how the gauge goes.
I'm just hoping this darn regulator works as it should!
That will go in first.
 
Almost all in, did the regulator first, started up with very low pressure, went almost all the way in on the adjustment & only reached 6, Set it on 5lbs at idle, shut it down to tackle the oil pressure junk.20250411_151928.jpg
Hmmmm almost fits in my blank clock space!20250411_124803.jpgThis was a ton of fun, mighty tight space to work. 20250411_151943.jpg
After much wailing & gnashing of teeth (miss ya Jass) I got the engine bay side done, fired it up again pressure on the gas already dropped, that's not making me feel any better.
Oil press 40 at idle, goes up about 5lbs when I rev it? 20250411_153454.jpgI think I have a spot under the dash to mount it if I can figure a good route in.
Hell maybe just mount it in the bay!
20250411_154253.jpgThat dang tubing does not want to uncurl!

So is 40 a good reading, up a tad from a 4lb sensor, now I'm wondering what my sensor was set for.

It was fun getting it out of the manifold, none of my sockets would catch that tiny squared off lip, finall found a metric that grabbed it enough to start it, that much fun for an 1/8" fitting is just NUTS!
 
RUSTY Cuda said:
So is 40 a good reading, up a tad from a 4lb sensor, now I'm wondering what my sensor was set for.
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Any reading between 20 - 60 throughout RPM range at full temp is very acceptable. You worry too much about details. 😊

One belief is 10# per 1000 rpm is minimum. You're well above that, so I'd say that you have a very solid motor.
 
I hope so, when the price kept going up to rebuild it to the point I could buy 2 crate motors I decided to take my chances, everything looked pretty clean in there?
Not knowing why they parked it is always rattling around in the back of my head.
Now I just need it to last a little longer till I decide it's time to let it go!
 
Now I have to see what that regulator does, not happy so far with it dropping off already, I will probably end up doing your filter & converting the vapor return to a full return!
Then you can hit me with the ole I told you so!
 
68R/T said:
at full temp
Click to expand...
This is what matters. I bought a gTx, had to work on it before I could drive it around, but it would start and idle all day in the garage with plenty of oil pressure.

Eventually I got it running and driving but was gobsmacked to see the oil pressure going to zero at stops. Yeah baby. It had eaten at least one bearing IIRC.

The moral of the story is you can't necessarily go by what you're seeing just running the car in the garage.

Sure does suck about your fuel pressure. It seems like mine with a new pump on the new motor was about 5-6, definitely not out of range. I'll pay attention the next time I start it.
 
Really not finding a good spot for the gauge in the car, where I'd like it the best it won't clear the A/C duct. 20250412_121640.jpgConsole had a nice screw spot but won't clear there either20250412_122101.jpgBy the blank clock it will go if I cut down the right side a bit20250412_121835.jpgBut how do I hide the oil tubing, I do need to disconnect my seat belt warning light, that system is always on, belts buckled or not, already removed the buzzer, that was driving me nuts.
Maybe I can fish it through the hole with that removed (& even use the wires for the light?
20250412_121845.jpg
It's that little circle on the side panel.
There's a spot in the bay that I could make work, but can't see that when I'm driving!!!
20250412_121358.jpg
Clamped to the valve cover wire bar.
 
You might be able to make a bracket to relocate / place it where it will work for you.

I started the Duster, my fuel pump holds right at 6. What is it you need, 4.5?
 
The Carb book said not over 6 1/2, my pump delivers 7.
I still can't figure these regulators, it's supposed to have a range of 4 to9
I could not get to 7, this time I did see 6, set it at five, after 1 shut down & restart it dropped below 4.
See where it is on next startup, the one I pulled went all the way down to 1, how can you trust something like that?
See what this one does, if it messes up like that, it's 68's filter with bypass idea!
 
Now I'm wondering if I should try the old fuel pump, I think I have an extra gasket.
I saved a lot of the parts I pulled because the dang thing did run when I got it albeit not too good.
Ignition control is already in new one failed there too.

Gotta see if I can find the bill for mine, I think it's a carter?
 
I'm getting way too close to sledge-o-matic on this car.

Found a good way in, A small piece of insulation near the gas pedal had 2 push pins, removed the upper & snaked it through there.
I problem solved.
Buy just tweaking the mounting bracket I got it to clear the A/C duct,
2nd problem solved.
20250413_164141 - Copy.jpg
Thought I was cruising when the friggen line kinked in 2 places.
Luckily I saved some extra tubing that came with the other car, started from scratch AGAIN! 20250413_150959.jpg20250413_150206.jpg
Started the car, regulator pressure was reading almost 4, so I was happy at least for the moment!

Goes even further into the abyss after that. had to raise the idle again to keep it running.
So I go for the test drive, now I'm reading just over 25lbs on the oil press, put it in gear & it drops to 20 & light flickers,
Drove around a bit & it got worse .
BOB!!!!! you jinxed me!!!!!!!!
Now even when I let off the gas for a stop it starts flickering, by the 3 or 4th stop it dropped to just about zero, I slapped it in neutral & the idle I raised is now way too high, but at least it brought the pressure back up, rest of the drive was put it in neutral for every stop & bang it into gear to get going.
Got it in the garage & wanted to check fuel pressure before I shut down, so neutral again & I go out & find this!!!!!!20250413_164112.jpgHolly crapoli, I'm going NUTS!

I guess this means I need a new oil pump?

I'm gonna call summit tech & see if I'm doing something wrong with those regulators!

Oh yea, oil never went above 25 even on the 45 mph road.
 
There's always Andy Granatellis old trick, a can of good old STP. Many times back in the 60's & 70's that was the quick & simple cure for ticking lifter & flickering oil lights. Today's engines are machined with tolerances requiring oil of around 5w-20w. These older engines that have not been redone work great with 10w-40w.
 
so that's STP oil treatment.
Guess it can't hurt to try a can, I think I'm running 10w30,
was goimg to change the oil soon anyway, should I get 10W40 ?
 
First, this sucks.

RUSTY Cuda said:
So I go for the test drive, now I'm reading just over 25lbs on the oil press, put it in gear & it drops to 20 & light flickers,
Drove around a bit & it got worse .
BOB!!!!! you jinxed me!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Well, that showed the pressure switch is working as advertised.

I don't know if knowing or not knowing is worse. If you didn't know you would keep driving it until it starts to fail, but now that you do know there's the question of parking the car and all that follows.

In my experience a thicker grade of oil only makes a difference when the engine is cold. Once it's warmed up it all seems about the same to me. 10w40 won't hurt anything, that what we ran in them when they were new.

RUSTY Cuda said:
I guess this means I need a new oil pump?
Click to expand...
On a small block you gotta pull the pan to do the oil pump so if you go that far you should go ahead and check the bearings while you're in there.

RUSTY Cuda said:
I'm gonna call summit tech & see if I'm doing something wrong with those regulators!
Click to expand...
You've had the same pump all this time, right? Two regulators both did the same thing, right? Are you sure it's not the pump?

What does the pressure show with the regulator out of the circuit?
 
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