"MM54" (mm54mk2)
10/16/2017 at 19:40 • Filed to: '71Chevelle
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"MM54" (mm54mk2)
10/16/2017 at 19:40 • Filed to: '71Chevelle | 3
| 8 |
Got the Chevelle back together yesterday evening and tried it out today. The clutch engagement is riiiight at the end of travel, but it does release all the way (non-synchro reverse goes in okay), and throwout bearing lash is (barely) in spec. Not sure what’s different now than before, unless trimming my bumpstop made that much of a difference.
So what’s next? It needs washed, my cover for it needs washed (which means hanging out at a laundromat for a couple hours, woo), and I should probably make some effort to connect the speedometer. Otherwise, it’ll get driven now and then until it goes into winter storage. Hopefully the clutch wears in a little during that time. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to gauge when the last tank of gas is going in and add stabilizer.
The short test drive was fun, it is way more eager to Go than with the powerglide. I may have even heard the faintest of tire chirps going into second on one not-too-aggressive shift. Lots of oil smoke out the exhaust as always. The transmission is also pretty gear-noisey, some gears more than others (duh) but it’s got a whine for sure, which is odd since it probably shouldn’t - it’s not an M22. Sounds like a next-year problem.
Birddog
> MM54
10/16/2017 at 20:24 |
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I don’t think the clutch is going to get any better while sitting in storage.
The gear noise could be from the fluid. Wrong weight? What trans are you running?
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MM54
> Birddog
10/16/2017 at 20:32 |
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Rotting in the salt is worse than having a too-tight clutch :)
It’s a Muncie M20, with correct GL4 80w90. I’m not sure how much whine might be expected from this but I’m surprised. I think that’s a 2018 problem, though.
lone_liberal
> MM54
10/16/2017 at 20:49 |
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Congrats! Sort of! I knew you were switching from an auto but I didn’t realize you were starting with a Powerglide. Unless you’re building an old-school drag car anything would be an improvement over that.
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MM54
> lone_liberal
10/16/2017 at 20:58 |
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Yeah back when I dailied this car I guess I didn’t realize how miserable it was; after reviving it from years of storage last year, I quickly realized how awful it was on the street. Hence I’ve doubled the gears and probably quadrupled the fun... though the engine smokes like a oil-filled chimney and there’s some rust to sort out - those are next year’s problems, though!
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Birddog
> MM54
10/16/2017 at 21:08 |
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Ha! Right on man.
The M20 is a noisy box. Especially after cutting a hole in the floor right above it. It’s not Rock Crusher loud but you know it’s there.
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MM54
> Birddog
10/16/2017 at 21:23 |
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I don’t mind a bit of noise, it’s a very old-school feeling trans (appropriately) so the sound is fine by me - hopefully it doesn’t let go or get worse, though. Next year I’m rebuilding the engine, emphasis on ‘building’
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Birddog
> MM54
10/16/2017 at 21:27 |
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The engine was going to be my next question. I like the way you’re tackling this.
What did you do with the PG?
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MM54
> Birddog
10/16/2017 at 21:31 |
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The powerglide is currently sitting on a harbor freight furniture dolly beside the car. Need to get it to the shed before winter I think. No real plans for it - it’s original to the car so it’d almost be a shame to sell it, but at the same time it works and there’s no way I’m putting it back in.