C2 Steering Damper

[Rich G.]

Should a 66 L79 without power steering have a damper?

[Gary B.]

C2 Steering Damper

Rich,

That's how my 66 L79 came. I've spoken with all previous owners and the damper is original with the correct date code.

Gary

[Duke W.]

Re: C2 Steering Damper

Not sure, but I think the '65 L-79 included the "big" pan as used on SHP engines with mechanical lifters. This precluded the installation of the damper or power steering.

Changing the L-79 configuration to the "small" pan allowed power steering to be installed as an option and the damper with manual steering. This may have been a running change in '65, but, for sure, was implemented by the beginning of the '66 model year.

Duke

[Gary B.]

Steering damper on 66 L79

Rich, Duke,

I did an informal survey about 6 months ago and found 5 other people with 66 L79s (all HT engine codes, I think) without power steering and with the damper, so that's definitely how these 66s came from the factory.

Gary

[Rich G.]

Re: Steering damper on 66 L79

Gary, Duke

Thanks. Mine has one, which is leaking, so I talked to my friend who services a lot of C2's and he didn't think it belonged. I do remember your discussion now that you mention it, Gary. I definately have the smaller oil pan. Being new to this and having a car of "questionable lineage", I thought I'd ask.

My 66 was built in Feb of 66 and the engine assy date is Jan 20th 66. It is an HT code.

Thanks for the quick response.

Rich Giannotti

[Mike M.]

Re: Steering damper on 66 L79

you guys may want to check the AIM. I thought l-79 had big oil pan which negates ability to mount the damper but i've been wrong B4. mike

[Joe C.]

Re: C2 Steering Damper

Rich:

I don't think that the L79 had the "6 quart" pan. All cars equipped with "5 quart" pans were available with power steering, if not, then they had a steering damper. Remember, that power steering was available with L79, but not with SHP. Additionally, I believe that Chevrolet engineers did not consider oiling to be as critical an issue with hydraulic cammed engines. The L79 had the standard 60 PSI oil pressure gauge (in 1965, at least). Because of this, I must assume that they also used the standard (as opposed to the SHP high pressure) oil pump. It also follows that they used the standard "5 quart" pan without the windage tray, lower dipstick tube, and extended length oil pickup tube. But then again, what the heck do I know.

[Joe C.]

More

"6 quart" pan means 5 plus 1 in the filter
"5 quart" pan means 4 plus 1 in the filter

[Gary B.]

Joe, I think you're correct

Joe,

I think the L79's (with the engines HT codes at least) used the "5 quart" pan, meaning 4 quarts in the pan plus 1 in the filter and not the deep pan.

Gary

[Duke W.]

Re: C2 Steering Damper

L-79 is considered to be a Special High Performance engine. The P&A catalog distiguishes between the L-79, 350HP engine and L-76, 365 HP engine as "Special High Performance with hydraulic lifters" and "Special High Performance with mechanical lifters", respectively.

A quick review of my 9-77 P&A catalog indicates that the '65-up L-79 had the "small pan" - same at the lower HP engines. A different number is called out for '63-'65 W/ F.I., SP.H/PER., W/MECH. LIFTERS.

Duke

[Joe C.]

Re: C2 Steering Damper

Here we go again with semantics. Yes, I know that the L79 was marketed as a SHP engine. I don't consider it a true SHP, though. I believe that when they rolled out the "SHP" L79 engine in 1965, Chevrolet, in its infinite wisdom was fully committed to the MKIV engine, and fully de-emphasized the smallblock. The plans were already in place to discontinue the L76 and L84 in 1966. Since there were no more SHP smallblocks (with mechanical lifters), then they had to hang the "SHP" label on the only remaining high perf. smallblock, the L79.

[Duke W.]

Re: C2 Steering Damper

Chevrolet designed, built, and named the engine. Less confusion results if we all refer to engines or other components using the names from the "GM playbook" as opposed to everyone coming up with their own.

For sure if you want to order parts from GM you need to know the official nomenclature for your engine.

Duke

[Joe C.]

Re: C2 Steering Damper

Duke:

With all due respect, the official nomenclature of the engine in question is "L79" . But then again, what the heck do I know.

Joe

[Duke W.]

Re: C2 Steering Damper

L-79 was the official option number, but did not apply if you were ordering parts. For parts ordering purposes the L-79 is referenced specifically as:

327, SP.H/PER.w/HYD.LIFTERS

Parts are either referenced as EXC. (except) or W/ (with).

If a part is applicable to 327 SHP engines with both mechanical and hydraulic lifters, no reference to lifter type is provided. If a 327 SHP part was specific to whether it was a L-76 or L-79 the lifter type is specified.

Duke

[Joe C.]

Re: C2 Steering Damper

As far as the "bean counters" are concerned, then you are right, but not the engineers. I am surprised at you!