Deerslayer Maintenance Log

DEERSLAYER LINKS including vendor sites for parts and tools as well as sites for old truck and hot rod organizations

TINKERING WITH DEERSLAYER chronicles the day-by-day maintenance and improvements episodes for Deerslayer, a '37 Chevy farm truck hot rod.

CRUISIN' WITH DEERSLAYER Roadtrips, cruise-in's and truck show stories and tall tales.

TONY'S DUNGEON Tony Pascarella's forum entries at OldGMCtrucks.com regarding Deerslayer, particularly the 302 GMC engine build in his farmhouse basement.

DEERSLAYER MAINTENANCE Ever changing detailing, oil change, lube, etc. maintenance routines specifically developed for Deerslayer, including required tools, materials and procedures.

PROJECT NAILHEAD Chronicles the rebuild of a 1954 Buick Roadmaster 322 nailhead engine as a future replacement for Deerslayer's Jimmy 302.

Ever changing detailing, oil change, lube, etc. maintenance routines specifically developed for Deerslayer, including required tools, materials and procedures.

Detailing Consumables

The table below lists to products I'm currently using in my detailing efforts.

Chassis Detailing Procedures

Degreasing/Washing Front

1. Gather tools - air compressor, floor jack, jackstands, grime blaster, scrub brush, garden hose and water source, one gal 10/90 purple degreaser/water mix;
2. warm up engine, jack up front end and place on jackstands;
3. spray bottom of engine and chassis with 10/90 degreaser/water mix, use brushes on thick build-ups, rinse engine bottom and chassis with water, blow water off with compressed air;
4. remove jackstands and put front end back on the ground.

Degreasing/Washing Middle

1. Gather tools - air compressor, flat blade and phillips screwdrivers, grime blaster, scrub brush, garden hose and water source, one gal 10/90 purple degreaser/water mix;
2. remove floor mats and floor board with screwdrivers;
3. spray top of transmission and chassis with 10/90 degreaser/water mix, use brushes on thick build-ups, rinse transmission top and chassis with water, blow water off with compressed air;
4. replace floor board and mats.

Engine Detailing Procedures

Engine Degreasing

1. Gather tools - air compressor, grime blaster, scrub brush, garden hose and water source, one gal 10/90 purple degreaser/water mix;
2. warm up engine;
3. spray engine and firewall with 10/90 degreaser/water mix, use brushes on thick build-ups, rinse engine and firewall with water, blow water off with compressed air.

Carb Detailing

1. Gather tools - Wash Wax All degreaser spray, microfiber towel, spray on carb cleaner, small artist brush, paper towels;
2. clean air cleaner with degreaser spray and microfiber towel;
3. clean carb with carb cleaner, artist brush and paper towels.

Firewall Detailing

1. Gather tools - Wash Wax All degreaser spray, microfiber towel;
2. clean firewall and coolant expansion tank with degreaser spray and microfiber towel;

Engine Detailing

1. Gather tools - Wash Wax All degreaser spray, microfiber towel;
2. clean valve cover, crankcase filter housings, and intake manifold with degreaser spray and microfiber towel;

Monthly Maintenance

Check Lights

1. park in front of glass doors or storefront so you can see the reflection of the lights from the driver's seat;
2. check parking lights and turn signals, check headlights high and low beam;
3. turn vehicle around and check taillights, brake lights and turn signals

Check Differential

1. gather tools - creeper, shop rag, Red Line MT-90 SAE 75W90 Synthetic Gear Oil, 3/4" open end wrench;
2. remove square nut plug at rear of differential;
3. add gear oil if fluid level is not up to bottom of plug hole, and replace plug

Check Brake Master Cylinder

1. gather tools - DOT 3 brake fluid, squeeze bulb filler tool, big ass screwdriver;
2. turn back floor mat on driver's side to expose master cylinder access floor hole;
3. remove filler cap retainer from top of master cylinder with screwdriver carefully (keep dirt out);
4. using filler tool, add brake fluid, if needed, so that level is 1/4" below top surfave (don't overfill), and replace master cylinder cap and floor mat

Check Battery

1. gather tools - electrolyte, filler tool, volt meter;
2. turn back floor mat on passenger side to expose battery access panel and remove panel;
3. pry off cell cap(s) carefully (keep dirt out);
4. using filler tool, add electrolyte, if needed, so that level is just touching split-ring filler port extension (about 1/2" above plates), don't overfill, and replace cell cap(s);
5. using volt meter check voltage across battery terminals (should be a little more than 12 volts on a twelve volt system), replace access panel and floor mat
6. during off-season, to avoid sulfation, cables should be disconnected and battery should be charged every thirty days or put it on an automatic float charger

Check Engine Oil

1. gather tools - Valvoline VR1 20W-50 Racing motor oil, filler spout, shop rag;
2. pull out and wipe dipstick, return and pull out again, determine oil level;
3. if necessary, add oil through filler tube with oil spout tool

Check Radiator

1. let engine cool first, if hot;
2. remove radiator cap and top off with 50/50 coolant/water mix, if necessary

Check Tires

1. gather tools - air compressor, tire filler attachment, tire pressure gauge;
2. check each tire and bring up to 35/35 PSI front/rear (P205/75R15 front, P225/75R15 rear tubeless radials), 35 PSI for spare (P205/75R15)

Quarterly Maintenance

Lube Chassis (24 zerk fittings)

1. gather tools - floor jack, jackstands, wheel chocks, creeper, shop rags, air compressor, air powered grease gun, chassis grease, MAPP torch, blade and phillips screwdrivers;
2. put front of vehicle up on jackstands, lube front suspension and steering linkage fittings, lube drive shaft universal joint fittings and lube rear suspension fittings;
3. put vehicle back on ground, remove floor mat and floor panel with screwdrivers, lube clutch pedal and brake pedal shaft fittings;
4. if any fittings won't take grease, carefully heat them up with the MAPP torch to liquidify the old grease

Check Transmission (5 speed manual)

1. gather tools - creeper, shop rag, Red Line D4 ATF Synthetic tranny fluid, fluid quart pump, 1/2" open end wrenches, 7/16" open end and socket wrenches, 8mm allen wrench, golf tee;
2. remove parking brake assembly from side of the tranny with the 1/2" and 7/16" wrenches and set off to the side;
3. remove upper allen head filler plug at passenger side of transmission;
4. insert ball end of golf tee in filler hole to determine fluid level;
5. add fluid oil if level is not up to bottom of plug hole, and replace plug;
6. re-install parking brake assembly

Distributor Grease Cup (points distributor)

1. turn distributor grease cup down one turn;
2. When grease cup is screwed down as far as it will go, remove it and refill with chassis grease, start over with grease cup at top of its travel

Check Steering Gear ('46 Chevy gear box)

1. gather tools - GM steering gear lube, 7/16" open end wrench;
2. remove square nut plug top of steering gear box;
3. add steering gear lube, if required, and replace plug

Lube Throttle Linkage

1. lubricate throttle linkage pivots between carb and pedal with motor oil

Oil Change

Change Oil and Filter

1. gather tools and parts - creeper, drain pan, filter wrench, 1-1/8" socket ratchet wrench, filler spout, ziplock bag, shop rags, threadlocker blue, Valvoline VR1 20W-50 Racing motor oil, Purolator PureONE PL30001 Filter
2. warm up engine, place drain pan, remove oil pan bolt and drain old oil;
3. wipe and reinstall oil pan bolt with threadlocker, loosen filter with filter wrench, place ziplock bag abound old filter and remove filter rest of the way, fill new filter with fresh oil and lubricate filter gasket with thin film of oil, install new filter (hand tighten only);
4. Pour seven quarts new oil into oil filler tube;
5. replace cap, start engine and check oil pressure and for leaks (especially at filter);
6. turn off engine, wait for oil to drain down some and check dipstick

Engine Tune-Up

Additive

1. Gather tools - 1 pint SeaFoam Motor Treatment ;
2. a week or so before the tune-up, run a can of SeaFoam thru the gas system to clean up the engine internals (add half a can at two sucessive gas fillups).

Compression

1. Gather tools - 14 mm spark plug wrench socket, ratchet and extension, wood clothespins marked 1 thru 6 to id plug wires, wood block with holes drilled and marked 1 thru 6 to hold plugs, remote starter switch, bungie cord, note pad and pen, compression gauge with 14 mm adapter;
2. Warm up engine to operating temperature, Shut engine off;
3. Block throttle open (bungie cord on linkage), mark and remove spark plugs, connect remote starter, set parking brake and put tranny in neutral;
4. Check compression on each cylinder with compression gauge and note highest setting (crank engine with remote starter switch until gauge reaches highest reading - about 8 revs or 4 compression cycles);
5. Compression should be about 190 lbs or better and all cylinders should be within 5 or 10 lbs of each other (hotrod GMC 302 cid inline six).
6. Replace plugs and coil wire, remove remote starter switch, unblock throttle.

Spark Plugs

1. Gather tools - 14 mm spark plug wrench socket, ratchet and extension, wood clothespins marked 1 thru 6 to id plug wires, wood block with holes drilled and marked 1 thru 6 to hold plugs, spark plug gap gauge/tool, replacement plugs NGK R5670-7 Racing Non-Resistor Spark Plugs, anti-seize compound and dielectric grease;
2. Warm up engine to operating temperature, Shut engine off;
3. Mark wires with clothepins and remove spark plugs;
4. Mark new plug boxes 1 thru 6 and put old plugs in boxes for later analyzation and cleaning;
5. Check new plug gaps and adjust if necessary to 0.040" (HEI distributor) or 0.035" (original points distributor);
6. Install new plugs with anti-seize compound on threads, tighten to 20-25 ft-lbs;
7. Replace plug wires with a dab of dielectric grease in the boots.

HEI Distributor

1. Gather tools - small flat blade screwdriver, 7/32" socket wrench, wood clothespins marked 1 thru 6 to id plug wires, new distributor cap, rotor and dielectric grease;
2. one-by-one, tag and remove spark plug wires from distributor cap and plugs and examine terminals for corrosion, check wires for insulation damage and oil soaking, apply dieletric grease to terminal and insert in same location in new cap;
3. remove old distributor cap and rotor, inspect for cracks, burns and pitted contacts;
4. check distributor mech advance by turning distributor shaft clockwise as far as possible, release shaft and to see if springs return to retarded position;
5. install new rotor and cap, reconnect plug wires, check coil wires for corrosion and tightness.

Ignition Timing

1. Gather tools - 1/2" box end wrench, timing light;
2. Attach timing light induction clamp to #1 spark plug wire a few inches from the spark plug, attach positive alligator clip to starter hot wire and negative clip to ground (thermostat housing bolt);
3. put tranny in neutral and set parking brake, start engine and run at idle, aim timing light at crankshaft damper;
4. remove vacuum advance hose, loosen distributor clamp bolt (1/2" wrench) and rotate distributor body until pointer is about 1/3 of the way between the top dead center mark and the total advance mark;
5. run engine up to 3,000 RPM to check that pointer is at total advance mark of 34 degrees;
6. tighten distributor clamp bolt, replace vacuum hose and check timing again, turn off engine and remove timing light.

Air Filters

1. Gather tools - small blade screwdriver, soft bristle brush, K & N Recharger Kit;
2. remove crankcase filter hose clamps with screwdriver, remove main air filter wingnut;
3. clean built-up residue from filters with soft bristle brush;
4. spray filters with cleaning solution, let set for ten minutes, rinse with tap water, let dry;
5. recharge dry filters with air filter oil and re-install.

PCV Valve

1. Replace PCV valve with new one.

Valve Clearance

1. Gather tools - remote starter switch, mechanix gloves, medium blade screwdriver, 5/8" box end wrench, feeler gauge;
2. Connect remote starter switch to starter solenoid, put tranny in neutral and set parking brake, warm engine up to operating temperature (use choke to idle at 1,000 rpm for warmup), turn off engine;
3. Disconnect PCV valve and distributor vacuum line and move aside, remove valve cover nuts with 5/8" wrench and lift off valve cover;
4. First cylinder - use the remote starter to nudge the engine while watching the exhaust valve on that particular cylinder, when the exhaust valve begins to open, stop and adjust that cylinder's intake valve;
5. Use the feeler gauge (0.005") to set to the correct valve lash, place between the tip of the valve stem and rocker arm, adjust until the proper setting is arrived at (with the screwdriver on the adjuster) and lock the adjuster in place with the 5/8" wrench;
6. After the intake valve has been adjusted, continue to rotate the engine with the remote starter, watching that same intake valve, the intake valve will go to full lift and then begin to close, when the intake valve is almost closed, stop and adjust the exhaust valve on that particular cylinder (0.005");
7. Both valves on the first cylinder are now adjusted, move to the next cylinder and repeat steps d, e and f until the valve lash on all six cylinders are adjusted;
8. Replace the valve cover and valve cover nutes with the 5/8" wrench, reconnect the PCV valve and distributor vacuum line.

Carb Adjust

1. Gather tools - dwell/tach meter, medium blade screwdriver;
2. fully warm up engine and make sure choke is fully open;
3. air cleaner in place;
4. Set desired speed (500 RPM) with the air screw;
5. adjust the idle mix screw on one side to get max possible rpm;
6. if idle speed changed more than 40 RPM, readjust air screw;
7. adjust other idle mix screw to get max possible rpm;
8. readjsut speed again with air screw;
9. carefully trim each idle mix screw again to get max idle rpm;
10. go leaner (clockwise) just enough for a 20 RPM drop in speed;
11. reset speed to desired rpm (500 RPM).

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Issued Saturday April 18, 2009

Updated Friday June 29, 2018

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