Just bought a Chevy

[audijunky]

I just bought a 1980 C10 inline 6 auto trans truck. Any one worked on one of these before? It runs but not well and I want to getting it running good and looking good too. Where do I begin? I have got a haynes manual on the way, I guess that is a good starting point. Any one got any advice?

[John]

I would dump that 'hot water six' and scrounge up a good small block to start with. Go from there. Other than a good tune up, and loose all of the pollution control crap, if allowed by law, check for vacuum leaks. That can cause it to run poorly. It's hard to trouble shoot something over a computer.

[DiverRay]

Unlike John, I'd keep the six, and just do a GOOD tune and check. Replace the dist. cap, rotor, AND coil. New plugs and wires, run some seafoam or Berryman's B12 through the fuel system, and you should be good to go.
If you have a compression gauge, do a test before you spend any money. Don't forget to keep the throttle open as you test.

[audijunky]

I'm with you Diver for now. Dont have the means to upgrade yet. (dont worry John it will be in the works sooner or later)I just want it run good. Really just gonna be used as a trash and bike hauler. But I also want it to look good. So do the comp test first. I assume the haynes should have the specs?

[DiverRay]

The big thing is all six should be within 10% of each other. my guess is about 135 psi is close to new, and anything above 110 psi is good. If all six are good, spend the money on the tune up parts, and new filters all around. Don't forget the fuel, as this is a F.I. engine, the fuel filter will be a can under the cab, probably inside the frame on the passenger side.

[audijunky]

I dont think it is fuel injected, actually I am pretty sure it isn't. It has a carb, with one of those big round air filters on top. But I may be wrong, havent really looked at it good yet. been working on the bike with all my free time.

[John]

It's a 1980, so it wouldn't be fuel injected. The Chevy trucks didn't get fuel injection until about 88 or so.

[panshovel]

IF it has HEI check the roteo for spider web like lines on the bottom of it, replace the cap and rotor put new plug wires and plugs in it and see how she runs then. The rotor is the weak link in the HEI.

[audijunky]

What do I do if the comp test is bad?

[DiverRay]

How bad is it??? There are some "questionable" products out that claim to fix "bad" compression. I have used one that had pellets and a liquid that did help a little, on an old Vega engine!
I would do the test, and then squirt a little oil in the low cylinder. If that helps it, the rings are probably bad, if not, it's probably the valves. Once you have an idea of the condition, you can look at options...

[Snow]

I also used one of these products on my beloved '82 Camaro Berlinetta... developed rod knock a couple days later

[audijunky]

I haven't actually done one yet, I am just bored and wondering what would/could be the problem if it was bad. Thanks
I'll post again when I get results.

[ZXDavid]

My FIL had one of those. Is the the one with the funny looking valve cover? I remember that no matter what we did it had NO POWER at all. You had to go wide open to make it up any hills. You might check into putting a older style cylinder head and carb on it. I think that was the problem with those.

[audijunky]

OK took the truck on a dump run and when I got back it was smoking a little near the back of the engine. I smeeled the smoke and it is not oil but it is coolant. I also noticed that pretty much around the entire rear lower end of the block looked wet any one know of any common leaking areas ?

[Snow]

Perhaps rear intake seal? Also perhaps heater hose has a leak? Did you look while it was running and warmed up?