VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1958-1960 1958 biscayne

i just bought a 58 and have a lot of questions ''ohh by the way i am new here lol.. anyway
1st can i use the electronic points ??
2nd and i need a shop manual is there one on line ?
3rd what about the valves are they hyd or solid ??? i need to adjust them i guess

thanks guys i will be searching a lot

Hi lilrobo -

An ex-Kentuckian here, from Bowling Green.

I don't have a '58, but I did some searching for manuals ...

> '58 Shop Manual - I didn't find one free on-line. These are available from the Car & Truck Shop and probably other suppliers:
'58 Shop Manual - $20; '58 wiring diagram - $6
http://www.truckandcarshop.com/58-72car/c58_215.html

> 1955 Chevrolet Passenger Car Shop Manual
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1955/index.html

> 1959 1960 Chevrolet Passenger Car Shop Manual Supplement
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1959_60/index.htm

> '58 Owners Manual
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyowner/58omindex.htm

> '58 Specifications
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/58index.htm

> 1958 Chevrolet Parts and Accessories Supplement
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/1958chevyparts/index.htm

> Keith Hardy's OLD ONLINE CHEVY MANUALS
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/
Scroll down to the window "Manuals, Booklets, etc. Listed in order of Year" to search for items specifically for 1958.

- Lonnie

so would a shop manual be the best???

Yes.

In my opinion, yes. The 1958 Shop Manual for cars is the best source of info for most problems that you will encounter. Well worth $20. Even a dufus like me can read and follow the instructions to fix a problem. Go ahead an buy a wiring diagram at the same time.

Don't know if a Factory Assembly Manual is available for '58 automobiles. If it is, that would be my second purchase.

The 1958 Specifications ( http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/58index.htm
) has numbers info, adjustment specs, and a world of other information about your car. The same specs can also also be downloaded from the GM Heritage Center ( http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-heritage-archive/docs/Chevrolet/1958-Chevrolet.pdf ). The info on the oldcarmanualproject site is much easier to use. You can buy a "restoration pack" with the info from the GM Heritage Center for $50, but the on-line link is good enough. The printed pack was free from GM about 10-15 years ago.

The on-line '58 owners manual gives a good overview of operating your car. Reprints are available. Nice to have in your glove box for "show."

I bought an Accessories Installation Manual for my '54 pickup that has been valuable and worth the cost. Don't know if a similar book is available for '58 cars.

The rest of the links that I listed are nice-to-have, not necessarily need-to-have. But you can never have too much info.

- Lonnie

where is the best place to get it ? there is wiring in it also ??

thanks

update ,, i was able to fix the temp .. it was the sending unit i changed it and now it reads just a little past halfway i saw it raise when i had it off for a few min and it came back down
one of many fixes to come

well i thought i had everything fixed ,,, well i was about 15 miles out ( it was hot ) and it start ticking again real loud so i limped on to our restaurant and i check out the engine department and i saw anti freeze around the radiator and a large spot of oil underneath so after we eat i got 3 large water to go ( for radiator ) and started it up and it sounded fine until, about 15 miles back and it started again,, i made it back home, i guess i need lifters they just not holding pressure i guess .
so i will need to fix the rear seal, flush rad ( or replace ) add fan shroud ( maybe ) and work on lifters....

so back to work huhh

well i drove the car today, and started ticking loud , i brought in the garage and adjusted the valves she quieten down nice , wait until i turned it off and guess what right back the ticking was there ,, i am ordering a set come mon , i think i have developed a knock now ,,( 1 thing after another ) could be a wrist pin or a rod ,, what would you guys do redo the motor or change it to a v8

thanks

update

well i check the oil pressure
cold is 40 psi
hot about 5
i guess i need a oil pump ????

What oil are you using? The amount of drop in pressure indicates excessive wear in the engine. It could be the pump but more likely main bearings and other gaps that have a big affect on oil pressure.

i was using rotella 30w ,i almost have the oil pan off now i want to see the pump and screen , so you seem to think that the pump is ok??? because i have 40 psi to start with and as the engine warms up it drops, cause i guess that if the pump is bad i would have bad pressure all the time ??

That is what I was thinking. Typically if the oil pump has problems the pressures are not up to normal under all conditions. Oil pumps are not normally a problem but can be. Of course heat can be a cause of pressure loss as well as leakage.

i cant the pan out lol i have jacked the motor all the way up and i dont see how it can come out , the main member in the front is blocking it i dont know what else to do.i have --
removed the motor mounts ( both sides )
removed the tranny bolts ( 2 )
removed the rad hoses ( up and lower )
the pan is lose but wont come out lol
i'll keep trying
ohh i am jacking it by the tranny is that ok ???

Does it make a differnce were you jack it up ?..

You can turn the engine over and get more clearance for the throws on the crankshaft.

the pan is hitting the tranny

lilrobo, you are lifting the motor from the top, yes? The '58 model was the first year where oil pan removal required an very long procedure because Chevy enlarged the front crossmember. Both engine AND tranny must be drained and everything disconnected. RAdiator must come out, driveshaft disconnected and slid back, TRanny support crossmember removed then depending on the type of engine hoist you use the motor can be lifted high enough for the pan to clear crossmember, crank throws and oil sump. UNFORTUNATELY, many hoists, even cherry picker types bump the hood as you lift so attach the lift arm as close as possible to the motor. I remember removing the hood anyway because it makes all the disconnecting easier. If you do pull the hood be sure to scribe around the hinge connection so easier to replace.
Actually, I remember pulling the motor totally out since all the 'work' was already done. Your frustration level is probably pretty high at this point-----part of auto mechanics. It don't get any easier on the new ones!
DFC

i was lifting the motor at the front right in front of oil pan , the pan is sitting on cross member and hitting the tranny ,,so your saying that motor has to come out ??? right now the tranny is hitting firewall ,, i hate the motor has to come out . wow

yeah i am doing research on the oil pan,, i dont see how it will come out, turning the motor isnt the problem , its hitting the tranny looks like it needs to go up about 2 more inches , it up now about 2 or more got me

had an old man tell me i might have to jack the tranny up a little as well as the motor , i'll see this evening ,, i need a little luck

if I remember correctly the pan could be dropped much more easily with the standard transmission but did require some fanagling also.

oil pan 1 me 0,, i put the pan back on , i will live another day to fight lol

Hey guys,i found a 327 motor, came for a 60's truck or something like that , he said i could have and try it and if i like it pay him 150 if not bring it back and pay nothing ,,,you guys think it might be ok to try ? He says it needs a carb, it floods bad now. I know i will have to change motor mounts,,and do pips ,, what else, will the linkage work for tranny ?

Thanks guys

lilrobo, if you have never heard this 327 run, it may be no better than the 235 and you will put alot of $ and work into putting it in your car.Unless you trust the seller a whole lot a money back guarantee is no good deal from my view. The tranny kick down rod on a V8 is different from your six but that change is only one of many this swap requires.It will keep you out in the garage alot and running to the parts store.
DFC