Excited!

[opieonekanobi]

I've posted on this a few times before about my 84 Eagle.  However, it's been 2 years in the making of a TOTAL rebuild on my 258.  I get it all back together and no spark!  I was at wits end trying to find the problem.  A technician friend of mine came over to take a look and within 10 min.  he says "did you check your spark plug gaps?"  My jaw LITERALLY dropped to the floor.  We gapped the spark plugs, adjusted the belt and timing.... and it fired right up!  I have a few lose ends to clean up (carb adjustments and alignment) but I'm EXCITED!  After looking at this beast sit in my drive way for 2 years it finally runs! 
I guess the leason here for anyone new to AMCs... don't give up and be sure to pay attention to the little things.  It may take some time and ALOT of patience but in the end you will have a TRUELY unique car that will be sure to turn some heads.  that's my story hope it brings some hope to people

[shanebo]

Mine has been apart alot longer than I would have liked it. Its stories like yours that keeps me motivated. I tell ya after a few months, let alone years it hard to get that ball rollin again. Congradulation on getting that baby running. heres an egg for stickin with it!

[opieonekanobi]

So an Update.  Came time to start driving the Eagle.  My rental got takin away (whole-nother story).
So first, We suspected gas was getting into the oil.  I've heard that this can cause the oil to be a milky color, though I've never actually witnessed this.  I drained the oil and I don't know if you could call it "milky" but it was more of a silver color.  So we drained the oil out, put fresh oil in and figured I'd try to run Sea Foam through the crank case to clean it out.  It ran, and we got a decent smoke show, but the car just stalled out.  Tried starting it and it wouldn't.  Thought it was possibly vapor lock due to a over-rich fuel mixture, but I haven't been able to get the car started since this happend. (even with starter fluid)
Discouraging but, I've invested this much into it to let it go.  I've been busy trying to solve the issue so I haven't been able to post any additional pictures of it.  They're coming.  Right now I've got a back up car I'm working on to get me around until my eagle is running.  I'll post updates as they come.  And any advise would be great too.

Cheers

[eaglefreek]

I assumed you ran Seafoam through the carb also, since you got a smoke show? Your plugs are probably fouled. Seen it happen a couple times. Trying installing new plugs. Why do you think you got fuel in the oil? Is there a carb problem? If your engine is a fresh rebuilt engine, there is no reason to run Seafoam through it.

[opieonekanobi]

I guess I should have explained a little further sorry. In the process of rebuilding, the dip stick tube (?) was broken. It broke where it meets the top of the block. I attempted to use JB weld to fix the problem, but the temp dropped too low over night for it to set properly. It probably wasn't the best solution either. So, I ran the car for a while and took
It for a test drive to identify any other problems It may be having and noticed when I got it back home the JB weld didn't set and there was "milky" colored oil all over the passenger side of the engine.  My first thought was the engine heat melted the JB weld and it leaked down into the oil pan. I pulled the oil cap off and noticed the bottom of the cap was covered in the "milky" color. It wasn't sticky or thicker than oil and it smelled somewhat of gas. I ran the sea foam in case it was JB weld in hopes that maybe it would be able to burn it off. But it stalled before I could get a good run with the sea foam in it

[eagleman]

Is your water level going down? Sounds like possibly water or antifreeze getting into your oil. Either through the head gasket or a cracked block or some other means.

[eaglefreek]

Putting Srafoam in the oil will not cause a "smoke show" only if you run it through the carb or a vacuum line. If you are getting smoke without putting the Seafoam in the carb you have some other problems like eagleman suggested.

[Sunny]

Is your water level going down? Sounds like possibly water or antifreeze getting into your oil. Either through the head gasket or a cracked block or some other means.

That was my thought right away.