curtish57

Hey All, I think my booster is going out on my 70, I still have stopping power without any real issue but when I am holding pressure on the pedal for any length of time, like coming to a stop or holding the car at a light, the brake pedal will slowly sink to the floor. I don't lose any braking power and if I release it I have the pedal again right at the top but if I hold it it will sink. I have the original 11" setup but I think I want to go with something like these: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-760241/make/chevrolet/model/monte-carlo/year/1970 https://www.summitracing.com/parts/rsd-g81310971/make/chevrolet/model/monte-carlo/year/1970 Does anyone have experience with these units in particular or any other relatively affordable upgrades? Is it worth it to go from single to dual diaphragm? Thank you.

I didn't really find any gunk in the break in oil honestly it look good when it came out. I will look at those guide plates and look for wear marks.

Is there a way to check that these are set correctly? Or adjust them? It is pretty stock yes. The problem is I bought it from a guy who had it built at the shop so any warranty would have been for him not me. Also that being said and for reference according to the paperwork I got. The receipt from the engine shop is paid for May 2023, I bought the engine from the guy in April 2024 and broke in the cam in late June 24.

Ok I can do this with a valve over that has the top cut out of it too right? Do I need both sides off at the same time to adjust or can I do one at a time?

No to both. I think I get what you're saying. So if I get it warm, let it idle, pull the valve covers and physically inspect each pushrod that oil is getting out of the top adequately and if it's no that's indictive of it being too tight and needing to be adjusted. At that point shut the engine down and adjust accordingly. If you are saying to do it while it's running I would be comfortable doing that I just never have. Do you have a youtube link instructional that you trust you could point me to? I've never adjusted the valves since I put the motor together so whatever the engine shop adjusted it to is what it has been. Is there anything to my theory on the oil pickup screen and/or the type of oil I am using? I've read 20-50 high zinc lucas is better but also read the one I am running is fine I don't know how to sort out the truth. I don't know honestly I wouldn't know how to look for that. When I had the intake off everything looked fine as in no unusual wear marks etc..

I don't know if this matters but here is the oil I am using: Lucas Oil 10631 SAE 30 Racing Engine Break-in Oil - 5 Quart- https://www.amazon.com/Lucas-Oil-10631

I didn't soak the lifters no I bought the engine from a shop that built it. I just installed accessories, intake, carb etc. I pulled the valve covers and turned it over to the other day and thought enough oil was getting up there, here is the video: PXL_20250625_012227909.mp4 Sorry I am no videographer lol and this is the only clip that will upload. I think because of the size of the videos I can't really go beyond about 15 seconds. Anyway, just thinking out load here, if I'm not getting enough up there could my oil pump pickup screen be clogged or restricted? That would maybe explain the oil pressure and the squeaking due to lack of oil on the top end? I have changed the oil in the car once since initial break in of the cam but didn't drop the pan to check the screen. PXL_20250625_012157347.mp4

I used the stethoscope on the engine last night and I really think it's coming from the valvetrain. The air listener didn't pick anything up that I could decern. The other one worked and I couldn't hear the squeaking in the distributor but when I stick it to the valve covers I can hear it the loudest. It builds as it gets warmer. It's essentially not there at all when its first started but you can hear it build as it warms. I double check oil level, and it's good, also plenty of oil pressure. Any thoughts?

I ordered on of those stethoscopes I'll try it later today or tomorrow. How should I check the distributer for noise?

I forgot to mention when I checked the torque converter bolts and 1 of the 3 I would call loose. Not crazy like finger spin loose but definitely not torqued. I would call the other 2 "tight" but not torqued all the way down. I tightened them and drove approximately 8 miles and put it back on the lift. The bolts hadn't loosened up and the noise is less to me down there. The video in the link shows that, to me at least my ears are very bad. The bad drive in the distributer is curious to me. Have you had one make that noise> I do have another China MSD knockoff I could try and see if it is that. I am thinking about this as well as the video demonstrates the vacuum fluctuating at idle when warm. Check the distributer for vacuum leaks? One thing I am just thinking/writing out loud here is the distributer just has like a molly gasket material around the base (it's an MSD) so I didn't use the gasket that would normally go there. I could pop that on? I took the intake off a couple weeks ago looking for the source of the noise as well and it's back the same way after I reinstalled the intake. Also would a vac leak present itself only when it's warm?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/m97ePNZsTjVb3Wgo9 That's the link to the videos. I don't know if they are too long or something maybe but it won't upload. It's not a virus, I'm not a scammer I just want to figure out this infernal squeaking!!!!

Thank you for the responses. Here are some follow up videos. The one with it up on the lift just for context the bit of oil is from when I had the valve covers off and I just didn't wipe it away after I took the inspection cover off. There isn't any active leak. Again this noise only occurs after the motor is warm. The other two videos from the top side just show where the squeaking is more it seems. I notice the vacuum jumping a bit too, I don't know if that's related? I have good oil pressure, it's not low on oil, I'm at a loss. PS I'll try to upload the video in a follow up post it keeps erroring out.

I'll post another video that's a little longer. I'll check the torque converter bolts as well. The headers are clear and have wrap so I don't think it's that.

Hey all, I am at a loss for the sound coming from my engine after it has warmed up. I initially thought maybe it was the water pump but as you can see in the video the belt is removed and the noise remains. I pulled the valve covers and checked that oil was getting all the way up there as I was told maybe it was an issue of oil not getting to the top end. I have 60+ lbs oil pressure when it's cold and right around 40 when it it warm. The engine is new, not even 500 miles on it. Flat tappet cam that I just got done checking by pulling the intake and inspecting. It all looked fine but the squeak is there regardless. Does anyone have any idea what this could be? PXL_20250625_003914994.mp4 PXL_20250625_003948396.mp4

I seem to have this problem as well. If I understand what you are saying anyway. With my pedal all the way to the floor it doesn't touch the switch at all, like doesn't come close to actuating it. It can only go on one way I think and it matched the assembly manual. Is there a different pedal for this setup? The car was a 350/350 so it didn't come with the switch I installed it.