Roger's Idiot thread for a 302/C4 into a '70

Brush up on your angry vocabulary if you drop a cap, those needles are a bitch to get back where they need to be! Some fresh grease and a small flat blade screw diver with a bucket full of patience will get the job done. Probably not as bad as I make it sound but the last time I did one I was in dire need of carpal tunnel surgery!

 

how do you keep the caps on when pulling it off the joint? Can they be taped before removal? Or do you have to just try to hold them till you get it off?

 

If you're careful removing D/S, caps should stay in place. At least till you have a chance to wrap tape around(over) them. Assuming the grease seals are good, it should require at least a small amount of effort to pull cap off joint. That said, there probably isn't anyone that hasn't the joy of putting the needles back into cap(and have one or more missing). I'm for everyone having a equal opportunity.

 

They usually stay on until you carry your driveshaft somewhere....then they fall off when you are not looking. If they still have grease inside they stick. If they have been dry awhile, maybe not.

 

Fixed it for ya.

 

If you just loosen the u-bolts so there is just about an 1/8" of play you can pry the joint free from the yoke and then take the u-bolts off. This lessens the chance for sudden movement when taking it out of the yoke. It's those sudden movements that create unwanted surprises!

 

As soon as I pulled a u bolt off one of the caps fell straight to the ground. After a few cuss words I picked it up and it slid right back on. Does that mean it's okay or do I need to check the bearings or something?

 

I would inspect to see if all bearings are in cups and no dirt in assembly.

 

From your writing you did not say as to whether you inspected the cap and its needle bearings to ensure they were all in place around the inside circumference of the cap and none were laying in the bottom of the cap. Having said that, if the cap that fell off is fully seated (compare this cap to the other cap that did not fall off) and there is no space between the rubber seal and the U-joint shoulder you should be good to go. If there is a space between the shoulder and seal that means that one or more bearings are laying in the bottom of the cap and they need to be removed and put back in place.

If the cap is fully seated, I would leave it alone and not be too concerned about dirt having entered the cap. It would appear from your pictures you have a fairly clean work area.

Hopefully no bearings were dislodged! Continued good luck with your project Maverick.

 

Well the i6 is out. Anyone want to buy an i6?

 

For those of you still playing along, Thanks. Now onto the question... Carb plates and PCV ..
The plate on the left came with the 302. I was given the plate on the right. It does not have a place for the PCV. Do I need the PCV or can I just put one of those filter/breather things on it? I also read about running the PCV into a can?

 

You can run without PCV but I consider that system 110% essential. Ditch the EGR, forget you ever had it. Problem is the intake probably has a EGR port and may or may not have vacuum for PCV.

So right spacer is solid without port?

 

correct. Right is solid all the way around.

 

Can i just put the PCV on this vac tree or on the broken one there to the left that I have to plug?

 

The broken one on the left looks to be in a coolant passage. You would be fine connecting to the vacuum tee.