Reproduction Parts for 1916-1964 Chevrolet Passenger Cars & 1918-1987 Chevrolet & GMC Trucks
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Hello,
I'm in the UK and new to this but I've seen a '53 6100 truck that was imported and registered here five years ago. Body and chassis are in good order and it appears to have original engine and power train. Gears work fine and it runs and drives well enough. (The only gauge working is oil pressure and that seems fine.)
I've done small scale mechanical work but I'm not confident about identifying issues so any advice on the following would be gratefully received.
There was some noise when the clutch was depressed; not that loud but obvious. I assume this is the thrust (throw-out) bearing. Does the noise mean it's going to collapse soon or could it last for ages, if that's not an impossible question to answer? I guess changing it would require the engine to come out. Is it a dry clutch that can it be greased and is that likely to help?
Engine oil looked clean and it started and ran well - no tappet or obvious mechanical noises but a little smoke came from the oil filter cap when I took it off, after the test drive. It was a hot day but the engine didn't seem too hot so I wondered if this was from blow-by or just normal oil fumes, that old engines produce, in the absence of crankcase recirculation. Would a compression test be helpful to get an idea of the condition of the top end or maybe I should just expect an unrestored engine to have some blow by?
Thanks in advance.
A compression test will tell a lot of stories both good and bad, all in all worth doing for peace of mind. If the clutch noise happens as soon as you touch the pedal it is probably thrust bearing and if it is when the clutch is fully released and the gearbox is in gear it is most likely the pilot bearing. Either way the remedy is the same, the gearbox is behind the engine mounts so easier to just drop the gearbox off then the thrust bearing is there or drop the clutch off the flywheel to access the pilot bearing.
Tony
The smoke out of the breather cap is normal. Every internal combustion engine has it. Modern engines capture it and run it through the engine again. These old cars and trucks weren't designed for saving the planet so they just let it out. It will gradually get worse as the rings wear. As a kid I had an old Ford that had so much blow-by I'd fog the neighborhood when I shut if off or if I sat idling in one place very long.
7046 old site posts
Save a life, adopt a senior shelter pet
1938 Master Business Coupe
1953 210 Sedan
Dad bought a second hand 1952 Mercury 3 ton in 1957.
He swapped out the 255 flat head for a rebuilt 239 shortly after because he said he couldn't stay ahead of the smoke coming out of the breather any more.
Seriously.
Ole S Olson
Saskatoon, Sask, Canada
1139 old site posts
Much appreciated advice.
I wondered if I could remove the g/box instead of the engine so thanks for the help on that.
I do remember myself many seventies engines producing fumes from the oil filler - forgot about that.
I'm also now reading about compression tests.
I've seen people put an old sock over the breather in an attempt to stop the smoke. I have no idea whether they're successful or not since I never tried that myself. If it's very bad you would need a lot of old socks because they'll get full of oil pretty quickly.
7046 old site posts
Save a life, adopt a senior shelter pet
1938 Master Business Coupe
1953 210 Sedan
Apparently you Chaps across the pond are not familiar with the often used adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". It seems to me like your truck is acting and sounding exactly as a 71 year old Chevy truck should. I am 75 years old and have been known to make some rude and unsettling noises on occasion.
Drive, enjoy, smile and wave to your neighbors. Pretty soon those sounds, sights, and smells will seem perfectly normal to you and you will not longer concern yourself with such trivia. Keep calm and Truck On. Welcome to Chat.
Mike, Owner of 1936 Chevy 1-1/2 ton truck
Many Miles of Happy Motoring
3469 Posts on Old VCCA Chat
@35mike Be careful Markspark is in the UK (Old Blighty) not accross the pond or Down Under though you have the rest of your comment right, as far as the smoke is concerned it is only the last 30 or so years that the smoke has become a problem for those that dont have a good truck like ours that smokes and leaks.
Tony
That's all useful stuff, thanks. Yes, I want to run it around, gently. Hopefully she has a few good miles left in her without major work. But I'm prepared to get stuck in, if an overhaul is eventually required.
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