PUNISHER VETTE

go easy on me....i'm still learning.


I'll start with the ones that'll I'll need answers to the quickest. Just got my 1969 with a possible 70's 350 SB and i'm changing the fluids out before i start driving it some.

1. How much oil does one usually take? I definitely drained at least 10 quarts of oil out of it if not 11. Wasn't expecting that much as my 96 usually has 5-6....

2. I was going to drain/flush the radiator but didn't want to waste my time if it can't be saved. The radiator is rusty and there are some fins bent all over. Didn't know if i can sand blast the top/bottom and paint and know it'll still work well.

2b. Also the water pump is more rusty then most other things on the car. Is it worth trying to sandblast/paint without even knowing if it's still good or not, or is that another part worth just buying a new one?

2c. Is there a way to check the radiator fluid level? I don't see some kind of reservoir or place to check it....

3. How can i tell if i have power steering and/or power brakes?

Attfay Elleybay

2b - water pumps aren't expensive, just replace it.
2c - remove the radiator cap (when cold), you should see fluid.
3 - if it stops and turns like a newer car, you have power steering and brakes.

power steering pump is under the alt. if you have a belt going to it, it's got power steering.

76yellow

First of all, if you drained that much oil out you have a problem. (gas or anti freeze in the oil) Does the oil smell like gas ?
I would take the radiator to a radiator shop & have them pressure check it. They should be able to tell you if its worth putting back in. If the car sat for a number of years I would get an OEM replacement water pump.
There has to be a cap to fill the coolant, either on the radiator or an over flow tank.
If you have power steering there will be a brake booster behind the master cylinder. If you have power steering there will be a pump on the left side front of the engine down low. There will also be a long cylinder & a control valve down by your left side tie rods.

skaping

Power brakes have the big round booster mounted behind the master cylinder.

Standard brakes have the master cylinder mounted to the firewall without the booster. These examples are '73 'vettes

PUNISHER VETTE

Thanks for the brake help. I'll learn a little every day!


My car does not have power brakes it looks like. So what does that mean in terms of non power vs. power brakes? Harder to stop?


And i was just under the car and saw what i believed to be the long cylinder/actuator type deal. As well as a place to put power steering fluid far down in front of the block.

76yellow

OK....you've got power steering. Good luck. There is lots of knowledge & helpful folks on this forum ! Just keep asking.

Goody

The stock SBC oil pan holds 5 qts. so if you actually got that much out of it then there are big issues at play....that or the worlds largest oil pan on a SBC engine.

If that water pump is original dated 1969 component and if you ever intend to go through a restore on this car then keep it so it can be rebuilt. The guts can be replaced. You can buy a cheap unit to use in the mean time so don't get rid of the old unit if it has the date code on it.

It isn't hard to straighten the fins in a radiator as there is a tool available to do that, depending on how severe the damage though. I would not recommend sand blasting a radiator as it will just make a small issue much larger. They are brass and aluminum and will not hold up to sand blasting.... Do as already suggested and see if it is any good by having it pressure tested. You can do this yourself if you have the ability to plug the ends and don't go hog wild with the air pressure. Only needs to hold about 18-20psi.

The coolant resevoir bottle should have the cap on it to allow you to add new coolant located on the passenger fender area.

Brakes question already answered. If you have the big vaccum system behind the brake master cylinder then you have power brakes.

Power steering will have the hoses going to the assist ram connecting to the tie rods, no leaking hoses means no power steering. Also easy to tell because of the pump located under the alterator.

Get yourself the AIM and Service Manual as those two documents will answer your questions more accurately then we will....I think.....

PUNISHER VETTE

I should definitely get some manuals and books but being that my engine is not original to the car i just don't want to buy a book for my 69 and have it not be very useful since the motor might be a 1970...

So would i want to get a 1970's assembly manual?

whitehause

There is a "pad" on the front of the engine,passenger side, where the head meets the block. It looks like a flat spot sticking out from the block about 3"wide by 1/2" deep. You might have to spray it with some carb cleaner and wipe it a few times, but there should be a series of numbers on it. With those you can tell exactly what engine you have.

Goody

The manuals cover all of the car, the engine is only one component of the entire unit. There really isn't that much difference at the stock level between those two years design wise. There are many books out there on the ins and outs of the SBC so you have that source as well.

What you might want to do is take a pen and pad out to the car and start finding all the casting numbers for the major components that you can see to figure out exactly what you have on your hands......I would only do this if it is of genuine concern to you. If the car is just a tinker toy and showing, judging and all that goes with that tedious route isn't important to you then don't worry yourself about the details and just work on the car as a nice driver.

PUNISHER VETTE

Already did. Turns out that flat spot has no information on my engine

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...lp-please.html

mdj21

sounds like your block has been decked if that pad is totally blank.

you can still learn a few things about your engine. the casting number and casting date are cast into the block at the drivers side at the back on the flange that the bell housing attaches to. the casting number will be large (3/4") numbers. the casting date will be small numbers just above the casting number.

here is a usefull site for information about casting numbers :
http://www.ajgeneral.com/sbc_block_casting_numbers/

if you pop the valve covers off, you will find the casting numbers for your heads. if you have a quadra-jet carburator, the carb number will be on the drivers side towards the back. do a google search to find information about these casting numbers.

good luck and if you need more help, just post more questions.

Mike.

Alan 71

Hi PV,
I believe you'll find the 1969 version of the GM CHASSIS SERVICE MANUAL will be very useful to you regardless of the engine in your car.
Regards,
Alan

PUNISHER VETTE

does the chassis service manual just deal with chassis? what about the assembly manual?

mandingo214

Does the car have an automatic transmission? You know the difference between the trans drain and engine drain, correct?

vettehardt

The chassis service manual covers all the mechanical parts for the car including the engine and drive train. It will tell you step by step how to service teh car. The Assembly manual will show how to assemble all the parts of the car. It shows everyting inside and outside. It is just a bunch of engineering drawings and doesn't explain anything about how to do any work to the parts. Its still a great reference as to how things go together.

As stated above, the difference in the years of manuals isn't too big for the engines. The 69 manual will be your best bet. If you keep finding things not in the manual, you can pick up a manual for the year of your engine.

PUNISHER VETTE

manual transmission....

replaced the oil in it tonight. still didn't build any oil pressure on the guage. So how can i test that easily? get a compression tester?

and it looks like I'll be getting a chassis manual

skaping

I wonder if the pickup fell off the pump so someone filled the pan to the top to get oil pressure?

Rally68

Alan 71 is right, ABSOLUTELY buy the GM Service Manual--AND the AIM. If you take anything apart on the car, you'll find the AIM is worth twice the price for the torque specs alone. I found them cheap on Ebay. Also, I recommend getting a book on rebuilding the SB Chevy, like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/How-Rebuild-Yo.../dp/1557880298
A wealth of information, even if you have no plans to rebuild. Just keep it by the uh---throne--and read a little every day

PUNISHER VETTE

Okay i've got another set of questions.

I had some bad gaskets around the headers so i decided to take them off, they needed sandblasting and painting anyway.

I got the passenger side off just fine but i don't know whether to go up or down to get the driver side out of there. Seems like down i'd have to take off some sort of rod connected from the block to the clutch linkage...didn't know what was in it or anything about it so i didn't want to touch it.

I could go up but it's looking like my steering box will be in the way if not other things.



ALSO i had this plug on the driver side in between two of the spark plugs that had a wire coming off of it, turns out there was coolant behind it. but the previous owner had electrical tape on the connection and i didn't know what it was for.