Long Overdue Progress! My Retro Airbag

Changed the oil and filter. New oil is 5w-30, 10w-40 before. Slight reduction in startup pressure (65 vs. 68psi) with a mechanical gauge. So, it's not a restriction in the filter.

The long block has about 5000 miles on it and the top end is new. The pump is Melling. The cam is a Lunati retro-roller and I followed those instructions on start-up.
 
the ones to be concerned about on a BBC is the rearmost rockers.
I don't know about the red lube - and I mean, I've seen bad things with a motor assembled but not run - but that was decades (like 30 years). I'd be careful about thinner oil - with solid roller cams, they recommend 30w or 40w straight oil. Honestly, I think you're okay - the one I know of could barely be turned with a wrench, he thought the rings had stuck so he pulled it back apart to a mess....
Yes, it takes forever and a coon's age to get oil up and through all the various passages. If you're getting oil from the end rockers, you should be fine.
 
An unexpected thing happened today. I had a mechanical pressure gauge and the New Vintage sender in the same oil port. I was trying to measure the resistance value of the NV sender at different pressures and compare to the mechanical gauge pressure reading. On cold startup the NV gauge read 85psi and the mechanical gauge read 65psi. So, as the car warmed up the pressure dropped on both gauges but the NV gauge dropped to 70psi and the mechanical gauge dropped to 42psi. I'm thinking it flushed out the old oil? Not sure, but I can live with 42psi.

I also bought a Holley pressure sender same as I have for fuel pressure. It is super accurate so I'm investigating ways to use it to drive the gauge.
 
The Holley sender confirmed the mechanical gauge (although I don't have cold start psi). When warmed up, the Holley software says 42psi (same as mechanical gauge. So, I'm thinking my cold start pressure is actually ~ 65psi and settles to 42psi. That seems like the upper end of "normal" but it's acceptable. Better too high than low. Now I need to figure out how to fool the gauge into showing it's 42psi when it's reading 70psi.
 
Maybe they expect the user to adjust the calibration. Is there a way to enter new coefficients or gain and offset screws (digital or analog updates).

if they were 14.7 psi apart I'd say one is absolute pressure and the other is gage pressure.
 
if you look at the NV pressure gauge when it warmed up it settles at 70psi. At the same time the mechanical gauge and the Holley sensor are both reading 42psi. The resistance value of the sender is 240-33ohms (0psi-100psi). The good news is that it is linear. I have a 500ohm rheostat that I used to find the sender resistance at 70 and 42psi. It is 50ohms difference. Put a 50ohm resistor in the line so I hope that is the fix. I did the same thing with the temperature gauge.

Not sure why they can't get this right. These types of senders have been used for a century.
 
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I finally got the fuel and oil pressure gauges calibrated with inline resistors. 85psi at startup had me concerned to say the least. So now back to putting the dash back together before I bury the gauges behind it. Been trying to do this for months now! Now it's too cold in the garage to work. Maybe more in a couple of weeks.

Here is my oil pressure setup with Holley pressure sensor and old time mechanical sensor.

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Mr. Heater 30,000 BTU Vent-Free Natural Gas Radiant Heater

I get by with one of these. Under $200 when on sale. No odor, way better than the propane torpedo heater I used in the past.

Great that you got those gages working.
 
I do have a HF propane radiant heater and It will pretty quickly raise the temp 10 degrees. I'm a regular at the local propane refill store. they know what I need when I walk in the door. I hate cold and I have lived in Ohio most of my life.

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BBShark said:
I do have a HF propane radiant heater and It will pretty quickly raise the temp 10 degrees. I'm a regular at the local propane refill store. they know what I need when I walk in the door. I hate cold and I have lived in Ohio most of my life.

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my shop came with a stove made out of a steel pile. with proper banking I can get 700* out of it. take a wheelbarrow of wood per day but it heats 2/3rds of my shop (so 40x60 with 20 foot ceilings) to 63 when it's 15 outdoors.... the guy I bought it from knew what he was doing.
 
I was able to install both dash panels today. It took me so long because I had to finish wiring before covering it up.

Projects coming up:
  • I'm going to cast a replacement for the airbag, 1990 was the early days of airbags an it looks like a pillow. Going to try something that looks more retro.
  • Start working on the gauge/console
  • Electrical connection for the doors with contacts instead of wired. Door latches and electric windows.
  • 3D print a duct for the air filter
  • Probably a ton of other stuff

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BBShark said:
I was able to install both dash panels today. It took me so long because I had to finish wiring before covering it up.

Projects coming up:
  • I'm going to cast a replacement for the airbag, 1990 was the early days of airbags an it looks like a pillow. Going to try something that looks more retro.
  • Start working on the gauge/console
  • Electrical connection for the doors with contacts instead of wired. Door latches and electric windows.
  • 3D print a duct for the air filter
  • Probably a ton of other stuff

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Click to expand...
looks good, puts my C5 seats to shame
 
I'm thinking of doing something similar to what you did but the lower half of duct will seal against the hood (when closed).
 
Thanks.

So one thing off my list:

Projects coming up:
  • I'm going to cast a replacement for the airbag, 1990 was the early days of airbags an it looks like a pillow. Going to try something that looks more retro.
  • Start working on the gauge/console
  • Electrical connection for the doors with contacts instead of wired. Door latches and electric windows.
  • 3D print a duct for the air filter
  • Probably a ton of other stuff
I'm working on the airbag casting. Might get it cast this weekend
 
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