1971 Firebird - Page 6 - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

usp55 · 08-28-2009, 09:08 AM

on the steering rack, my uncle was giving the car a once over and mentioned that there is supposed to be these little foam disks around the ball joints in the steering system. Now i remember them when i was taking the car apart but the were so beat up and falling apart they fell out when poping those joints.

BonzoHansen · 08-28-2009, 09:21 AM

You're car does not have a steering rack

oh, you mean the center link where it bolts to the pitman arm and idler arm. Did you replace the center link? I'd have guessed the seal for the pitman arm would have came with it. I'd have to look, I thought the idler arm had a boot too, but maybe the older ones differ. I know there are some minor variations of front end parts over the years.

Anyhoo, check your local parts store they may have a line on what you want. I know they have replacement boots in the catalogs.

usp55 · 08-28-2009, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

You're car does not have a steering rack

oh, you mean the center link where it bolts to the pitman arm and idler arm. Did you replace the center link? I'd have guessed the seal for the pitman arm would have came with it. I'd have to look, I thought the idler arm had a boot too, but maybe the older ones differ. I know there are some minor variations of front end parts over the years.

Anyhoo, check your local parts store they may have a line on what you want. I know they have replacement boots in the catalogs.

oh haha, come on man by now u have to realize im a car idiot at this point.

no i didn't replace anything with the steering, yet. Everything seemed tight and in good shape for now so i left it alone. Will more than likely replace down the road.

BonzoHansen · 08-28-2009, 09:48 AM

Ok, for some reason I can't find a center link on rock auto for your car, but i found this pic for my car.

spicer: 2 boots

.

moog: boot & washer

Those are the seals you want. I got the moog and the boot is for the idler arm-to-CL and the felt washer is for pitman-to-cl.

Poke around, you might need to go to a real parts store for assistance. Maybe take that pic with you.

Center links and idler arms are big wear items in these cars, in my experience far more than tie rods or even ball joints. Pitman is non-wear.

usp55 · 08-28-2009, 10:20 AM

good stuff thanks for the info as always, i just added that to my todo list and ill prob make my way down to napa and talk to them.

"watch the leather maaannn"
love that movie

PolarBear · 08-28-2009, 10:28 AM

With my 3rd gen front end parts I too got the little foa doughnuts to put in there. All they do is hold a little more grease in place. I used the rubber boots in there instead but after a few weeks I noticed they had ripped already.

usp55 · 09-07-2009, 01:34 PM

Sep 7th update:

Got a new three row aluminum radiator installed and new overflow tank. Also now have an electric cooling fan. Picked up a new engine as well from camaro2you, thanks again. 1970 block with number 11 heads. More power than my 73. I plan on getting the car running with the 73 engine first and haven't decided what I want to do with the side engine as of yet.

Also got he fenders and inner fenders on and cleaned up. New coat of semi gloss and undercoat.

PolarBear · 09-07-2009, 01:37 PM

FYI you should really have that overflow hose to the bottom of the tank so it can be reclaimed into the system, otherwise it is really just a surge tank. If you have it at the bottom it will function more like a factory system.

Looking good!

camaro2you · 09-07-2009, 01:37 PM

Best of luck with it! Let me know when you want to drop that plate off.

BonzoHansen · 09-07-2009, 06:38 PM

Nice! Look at that shiny radiator!

Tru2Chevy · 09-07-2009, 08:01 PM

Looks like it's coming together very nicely!

- Justin

usp55 · 09-09-2009, 08:30 AM

Thanks guys

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolarBear

FYI you should really have that overflow hose to the bottom of the tank so it can be reclaimed into the system, otherwise it is really just a surge tank. If you have it at the bottom it will function more like a factory system.

Looking good!

At the bottle there is a fitting but its got a ball valve on it. I thought there was a tube inside the tank that would draw coolant out caused by the coolant in the radiator cooling off creating a vacuum in the system.

PolarBear · 09-09-2009, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usp55

At the bottle there is a fitting but its got a ball valve on it. I thought there was a tube inside the tank that would draw coolant out caused by the coolant in the radiator cooling off creating a vacuum in the system.

I dont think so, the ball valve at the bottom is just to be able to close the thing and remove without having to drip anywhere.
I could be wrong depending on the manufacturer but most of them just have the ball valve and a barb on them. Plus if you have the ball closed then the tank could build pressure and blow the hose off the barb and if you leave the ball open.... same as nothing.

usp55 · 09-09-2009, 03:23 PM

well ill get a longer hose and put it to the bottom and make sure the ball is open then

Tru2Chevy · 09-09-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usp55

well ill get a longer hose and put it to the bottom and make sure the ball is open then

Then run another hose from the top pointed down towards the ground, that way if you ever do manage to fill the overflow tank, your engine won't get a direct spray of hot coolant on it, only the ground will.

- Justin

PolarBear · 09-09-2009, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

Then run another hose from the top pointed down towards the ground, that way if you ever do manage to fill the overflow tank, your engine won't get a direct spray of hot coolant on it, only the ground will.

- Justin

Ya, good point. I did that on my car too, mostly so if that overflowed it wouldnt get on the shiny tank,

ib4200 · 09-28-2009, 12:16 AM

done yet?

usp55 · 09-28-2009, 09:56 AM

lol almost. they only thing i have to figure out so i can start it up again is the hei. engine originally had old style points on it. the new engine i picked up has an hei. Now there is a connection coming from the base that im pretty sure is supposed to connect to the cap but it wont fit.

also have to run power to the unit itself. not quite sure yet how to do that but someone on another board said to run 10g wire to the fusebox but i dont see anyplace to connect the wire to the hei itself. i migh just put the points system back on but i hate the coil on the firewall. i want to start it up this week. get a video as soon as i do.

camaro2you · 09-28-2009, 02:48 PM

For the cap you have a power and tach wire that needs to be connected, I honestly forget what the wire on the dizzy itself is for hopefully someone else will chime in.

PolarBear · 09-28-2009, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usp55

lol almost. they only thing i have to figure out so i can start it up again is the hei. engine originally had old style points on it. the new engine i picked up has an hei. Now there is a connection coming from the base that im pretty sure is supposed to connect to the cap but it wont fit.

also have to run power to the unit itself. not quite sure yet how to do that but someone on another board said to run 10g wire to the fusebox but i dont see anyplace to connect the wire to the hei itself. i migh just put the points system back on but i hate the coil on the firewall. i want to start it up this week. get a video as soon as i do.

HEI is as simple as hooking up the hot wire to a switched ignition source and then you can hook up the tach (seperate ground? I dont remember). There is one other little point to mention. With my car, 73 camaro, it was a points car too. The previous owner put in HEI and it mostly worked fine to start the car, occasionally it would take a little time to crank. I wound up swapping the intake a a few other things and afterwards the car would crank but no spark. I later realized the hot wire was switched ignition and is not hot during crank. I had to run a wire to the second post on the starter (basically, I have a FORD style relay and has the second post) so the coil has power while cranking. I think Scott put a relay and fuse in that circuit though to protect the coil and wiring. Once I figured that out it starts almost immediately, before I would have to let go of the key and hope the engine was still spinning fast enough to get the coil power to get it fired up.

**EDIT*** I THINK the connection you are referring to is the pickup? Post a picture of what you are talking about

usp55 · 09-29-2009, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolarBear

**EDIT*** I THINK the connection you are referring to is the pickup? Post a picture of what you are talking about

will do - ill be home tonight and ill post them around 6ish

tonight im also going to pick up a thermostat/switch for the fan, are the radiator probe ones ok and reliable?

BonzoHansen · 09-29-2009, 07:39 AM

IMO for a single switch setup it's hard to beat the oe type that screws into the heads or t-stat housing.

usp55 · 09-29-2009, 07:59 AM

Prob right but the oe stype screw ins have a much higher price. $70-$100. can pick up a probe style for $30ish. Gona search some more but cost might play a factor here. Aslong as its reliable and does the same job then im ok with that.

PolarBear · 09-29-2009, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usp55

Prob right but the oe stype screw ins have a much higher price. $70-$100. can pick up a probe style for $30ish. Gona search some more but cost might play a factor here. Aslong as its reliable and does the same job then im ok with that.

What are you looking at? Local places or online?

usp55 · 09-29-2009, 08:02 AM

Both, I try to buy most things online just because things are usually cheaper. if were are talking within 10bucks thatn the convience of havng it that day is better than waiting for the mail to deliver it so ill pick something up local in that case.