RazzNdazz

I got a couple different spacers and I’m thinking about trying a 2” filter instead of 3”. It’ll at least give different combination options until I get it where I want it.

Oh! Well that is a good idea! I did not know that. Mine is currently held by plastic clips.

Thanks for the feedback gentlemen! I think I can live without the blanket! I like the sound of that big block anyways! Lol

I put an electric choke on my carb and had to put a spacer under my air cleaner and now my blanket rides on the air cleaner cover. That’s why I’m thinking about taking the blanket out.

What are some pros and cons of using a heat blanket under the hood? Is it really necessary or important? Thinking about removing mine but not before I weigh out the +/-‘s.

Have you put a vacuum gauge on your carb/intake to test how many in. it’s creating? I recently had some brake boost troubles and I tested mine; I’m at around 5,000ft elevation and have a cam too and I’m pulling 11in of vacuum. And it’s still plenty of boost to stop my car easily. I had a tear in the diaphragm inside my booster. Replaced the booster and even with only 11in, it stops like dream!

Hey fellas, I found this on ss396.comonly $20! and I spoke to one of the managers at Prothane over the phone, he’s mailing me a single bushing free of charge! What a pal!

Ok great! That makes sense! Thanks MC1!!

So, I talked to my parts guy. He’s ordered me a stock bushing. We’ll see if it fits. Better than no bushing lol. I got a couple wrecking yards in my area too, so if the stock bushing doesn’t come with a cap or if my Chevy dealer can’t get me one, I’ll definitely go scrap-yard hunting! You guys are awesome, and I greatly appreciate you helping steer me in the right direction! 👍🏼

My car has (I believe) Prothane bushings in the control arms. But I’m missing the front bushing on the passenger side. Not only that, I’m missing the cap, lock washer, and bolt too! The other three bolts/bushings were loose. I will tighten those ones. My problem is Prothane only sells the bushings in kits that include all the bushings for the control arms. But the assistant from Prothane couldn’t seem to tell me if the kit includes the cap. I can get a bolt and lock washer from any hardware or parts store, but I need the cap. The assistant said “the kit includes shells.” Are the shells the “caps” I’m referring too?

Well, it’s not the ball joints! I’m missing the front, upper control arm bushing, bolt, cap, and lock washer!

My pickle fork has a removable handle and you can then plug the shaft into an air hammer. I doubt those ball joints will put up much of a fight against that. But ya never know. I got a BFH too if I need lol.

I ordered some new MOOG ones. They’re not expensive so I’ll just swap them out and go from there.

I have a set of forks. Couple different sizes. I just haven’t seen these bolt-on ball joints before. I’ve done the other style with a ball joint press, so I’m looking forward to swapping these ones to see what they’re like!

Perfect!! EZ-PZ! Lol. Thanks!!

Ok, I kinda wondered that! Makes sense about the hanging. So those ball joints have a cap looking thing around them that appears to bolt into the A-arm. Do you know if I can unbolt them and swap them for fresh ones easily, or if I’ll have to ram them out with an air hammer or ball joint press; like a traditional ball joint? Thanks!

So I think I might have something funky going on with my upper ball joints. Does this look normal to any of you? It doesn’t look normal to me. Both sides are like this pic. Looks to me like they’re on a heck of an angle. Boots won’t stay tight together. They’re MOOG parts and I don’t know how long they’ve been on the car, but the boots are still soft and pliable. When I turn the wheels to the right, just before lock, I can hear a clunk and feel it in the car. (Body, not the steering wheel) I thought it was the sway bar linkages because they were dang near touching the castle nuts on the upper ball joints. I cut the linkages down a little shorter with a sawsall and the clunk is still there. Also when I brake, and the calipers start to grab the rotors, the same clunk is happening even if the wheels are straight. The steering box, steering arm, idler arm, tie rod ends, sway bar ends all feel tight and the boots are all soft and still holding grease, (except for the upper joints like I said.) no clunking when wheels go over a bump, and I when I lift the car and pull the hub up and down, left-right, side to side, etc., the hub has no play.

Now I have some suspension questions lol. But I’ll put that on a new thread!

Well boys, I got the new booster installed today. BINGO!! It definitely was the issue. The car brakes so smoothly and easily now! So much relieved now lol. It’s like a whole new car. I’m not 100% sure there’s 0.020” gap between the pushrod and the master cylinder, but there’s no drag on the pads and rotors, so I know there is some gap. Also, I can feel the brakes take-up right after I depress the pedal, so I don’t think it’s over-gapped enough to cause an issue. I may drive it around a while and if I feel like I need to, I’ll make a small adjustment to sneak the rod a little closer to the cylinder. But for now, it feels and actuates nearly flawlessly!! Thank you all for your advice/input/help, it is much appreciated. What a cool group to be in! Happy cruising!

I had some other business come up that needed my attention. Sadly I was not able to spend any time working on my Monte last night. And I’m going in to work tonight for another crew. Looking like maybe tomorrow evening or Wednesday before I’ll be able to finish up.

I must’ve missed it. But the pedal tests I did all felt to me like it was holding vacuum until I pulled that valve out and realized there was no wooshing. I’m on graveyard shift for a couple more nights, so I won’t be putting the new booster in until Sunday night. I’ll update when I get it set up. Thanks again for your help!

Oh, and his vacuum draw was 12-13in. 1998 GMC 1/2ton Sierra 5.3l vortec.

I put a vacuum gauge on the air line coming from the carburetor port to test the draw. Was coming in at 11-12in. I’m at 4,500-ish ft elevation. My buddy came by the shop and was helping me for a while. Then I decided to test the vacuum draw in his pickup just to compare. His truck had been sitting and shut off for nearly an hour by then. When I pulled his check valve and hose out of his booster, it went “Woosh” and I knew it was the atmosphere rushing into the booster because his diaphragm is properly working and holding vacuum. Then it dawned on me!! So I started my car up again, let it idle for a minute, turned it off and yanked my check valve and hose off of the booster and voila, nothing! No air rushing into the can.

Got the booster out last night. Should be picking up the new one at my local parts store tomorrow. My goal is to put it in Sunday night.

Yes! I’m really looking forward to it!