What did you do to your g-body today 2025 Edition!

[Zeus1978]

Replaced the rear pinion seal, changed the oil, and got here out for a 150 mile jog around area.

 

[UC645]

It really looks like those 2 runners aren't being separated by the gasket.

They aren’t, I’m not sure why the gaskets are made like that though. I did run a bead of silicone on both sides when I put the intake back on to seal that area.


Got the motor back together, relocated the trans and power steering coolers, and tidied up some wiring. Still have to hook up evaporative emissions, lost the diverter valve for the charcoal canister somewhere a while back.

Fired up the car to burp the cooling system and check for leaks, but now the car has a very noticeable lope at idle. Maybe it was supposed to be like that this whole time? Still need to iron out a few things on it.

 

[UC645]

They aren’t, I’m not sure why the gaskets are made like that though. I did run a bead of silicone on both sides when I put the intake back on to seal that area.


Got the motor back together, relocated the trans and power steering coolers, and tidied up some wiring. Still have to hook up evaporative emissions, lost the diverter valve for the charcoal canister somewhere a while back.

Fired up the car to burp the cooling system and check for leaks, but now the car has a very noticeable lope at idle. Maybe it was supposed to be like that this whole time? Still need to iron out a few things on it.

Gave it 2 more degrees of initial timing, cleared the lope right up. Left it idle for 10 more minutes and pulled the plugs:

No oil on any threads!

Now I have to chase down a huge miss fire issue! Going to make up a new set of plug wires and swap back to the old analog 6A box tomorrow. If that doesn’t work, I’m pointing my finger at the MSD distributor. Found the timing gear shims were grinding off the bottom of the distributor body and a portion of the shims themselves, I replaced them with a tighter set but the distributor is making a tapping noise while running. No wandering timing however, so I’m at a loss as to what’s causing the breaking up under power.

 

[SS_Malibu]

I’ve always had pretty good luck with GM’s HEI distributor. GM has done a lot of things right and a lot of things wrong over the years, I think the HEI distributor was one of their better ideas. It’s fairly fail safe and dependable unless you need some crazy ignition timing.

 

[UC645]

I’ve always had pretty good luck with GM’s HEI distributor. GM has done a lot of things right and a lot of things wrong over the years, I think the HEI distributor was one of their better ideas. It’s fairly fail safe and dependable unless you need some crazy ignition timing.

If I end up needing a new distributor again, I’ll be going that route or buying something from Summit or Speedway’s in house brands. MSD stuff has started to leave a sour taste in my mouth.

Gave it 2 more degrees of initial timing, cleared the lope right up. Left it idle for 10 more minutes and pulled the plugs:
View attachment 254692

No oil on any threads!

View attachment 254693



Now I have to chase down a huge miss fire issue! Going to make up a new set of plug wires and swap back to the old analog 6A box tomorrow. If that doesn’t work, I’m pointing my finger at the MSD distributor. Found the timing gear shims were grinding off the bottom of the distributor body and a portion of the shims themselves, I replaced them with a tighter set but the distributor is making a tapping noise while running. No wandering timing however, so I’m at a loss as to what’s causing the breaking up under power.

Figured out it’s the coil again. Swapped out to the analog 6A, and with the coil cold, the car was fine. The miss got progressively worse as I test drove it. Ohm readings are about 100 off terminal to terminal, and 1k under spec from terminal to post. Thankfully it’s still under warranty. 🫠

I’ve got the parts on hand to convert the Chinese Ready-To-Run distributor to a magnetic pickup only deal, and that distributor ran without issue aside from the internal computer. That’ll be the next step if I can’t figure out why this MSD distributor is ticking like a bomb.

 

[MalibuDavyou5]

First I got new Rear Shocks put in to it this morning. Now that we have a warm Spring day I decided to put the Stripes on the Malibu. this particular set of stripes was probably the most difficult to work with as the adhesive of the back was very rough to pull off causing the decal to lift off the surface and bubble. This set of stripes came with instructions for using either Wet or Dry Methods. Stripe on the Front left/Driver side gave me the most trouble I used the dry instead which seems only slightly better for this Stripe Decal. Luckily I had bought enough to cover any mishaps that may happen and I have enough for when I can purchase Front and Rear Spoilers. Still trying to decide if I want to do the M81 side stripe I planned. . . That's another forum posting I'll update.

 

[UC645]

If I end up needing a new distributor again, I’ll be going that route or buying something from Summit or Speedway’s in house brands. MSD stuff has started to leave a sour taste in my mouth.


Figured out it’s the coil again. Swapped out to the analog 6A, and with the coil cold, the car was fine. The miss got progressively worse as I test drove it. Ohm readings are about 100 off terminal to terminal, and 1k under spec from terminal to post. Thankfully it’s still under warranty. 🫠

I’ve got the parts on hand to convert the Chinese Ready-To-Run distributor to a magnetic pickup only deal, and that distributor ran without issue aside from the internal computer. That’ll be the next step if I can’t figure out why this MSD distributor is ticking like a bomb.

Set up the Chinese dizzy with the spare MSD mag pickup, fits well! Had to use the old RTR circuit board to hold the wires in place since there’s a good portion of the main shaft exposed below the computer plate:

(Workshop looks like a natural disaster went through it at the moment)
I wasn’t able to test it though, as I’ve got .072 end play on the distributor gear with my current shim set. I did re adjust the MSD distributor’s end play with the shims I had on hand and I believe I found the problem. The rotor side of the shaft has too much of its own end play/ the advance weights aren’t secure enough or a combination of the two. Got the main end play down to .013-.014, .014 is tight, and the ticking quieted down substantially. I’ll run it for now.
Still tracing down the coil frying issue, I think my crimp on one end of the lead wire had something (leaning towards all) to do with it:

It’s hard to see, but at the 10 o’clock position, there’s a bit of exposed wire core. I got lightly zapped off a securing clamp when I was fiddling with the wire last night. Made a new one up. Hope this fixes the issues.

 

[melloelky]

First I got new Rear Shocks put in to it this morning. Now that we have a warm Spring day I decided to put the Stripes on the Malibu. this particular set of stripes was probably the most difficult to work with as the adhesive of the back was very rough to pull off causing the decal to lift off the surface and bubble. This set of stripes came with instructions for using either Wet or Dry Methods. Stripe on the Front left/Driver side gave me the most trouble I used the dry instead which seems only slightly better for this Stripe Decal. Luckily I had bought enough to cover any mishaps that may happen and I have enough for when I can purchase Front and Rear Spoilers. Still trying to decide if I want to do the M81 side stripe I planned. . . That's another forum posting I'll update.


View attachment 254758View attachment 254759

looking 😎

 

[Maverick's_Monte]

Major surgery. Getting ready to pull the heads and the intake. I did a compression test and during the process it was discovered that there is coolant in one of the cylinders (drivers side, closest to the firewall)...bummer. I wish I had discovered this in the fall before I buttoned things up for the winter, because I might have worked on this over the winter...but there is no point in dwelling on all of that. Anyway, hopefully, I will get lucky and I just need to replace the top end as a whole motor was certainly not in the plan for this year. Rear end, Drive shaft, transmission are all new or rebuilt and I have only done plugs, wires and oil changes to the motor since purchasing the car 16 years ago...in the words of the great Rafiki "It is time!".

 

[Jakefromstatefarm]

Major surgery. Getting ready to pull the heads and the intake. I did a compression test and during the process it was discovered that there is coolant in one of the cylinders (drivers side, closest to the firewall)...bummer. I wish I had discovered this in the fall before I buttoned things up for the winter, because I might have worked on this over the winter...but there is no point in dwelling on all of that. Anyway, hopefully, I will get lucky and I just need to replace the top end as a whole motor was certainly not in the plan for this year. Rear end, Drive shaft, transmission are all new or rebuilt and I have only done plugs, wires and oil changes to the motor since purchasing the car 16 years ago...in the words of the great Rafiki "It is time!".

The thing I always remember was Rafiki's chuckle/laugh. And that he WACKS Simba over the head and when asked why, "It doesnt matter, its in the past" hahaha.