1969 L46 ignition shielding

[Richard R.]

I just got my ignition shielding set that I ordered a while ago and was excited about getting it on the engine. they are all original pieces, restored. but since I didn't have any shielding when I bought the car, I can't be sure that it is correct and could use some help on a couple of issues.
In general, the pieces look verygood for original and restored pieces. All but the top cover (a bit more hazy chrome) has the samefinish and in general look to be good quality.








There are two wire brackets that go in the uprights to hold the 4 wires from each side in the rear upright pieces. One is cad plated looking, the other is painted black. Are these the correct finishes?

Thanks for your help folks.

Rich

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

I just got my ignition shielding set that I ordered a while ago and was excited about getting it on the engine. they are all original pieces, restored. but since I didn't have any shielding when I bought the car, I can't be sure that it is correct and could use some help on a couple of issues.
In general, the pieces look verygood for original and restored pieces. All but the top cover (a bit more hazy chrome) has the samefinish and in general look to be good quality.

The lower “boomerang” pieceslook correct. I have the easy one (left) installed and will work on theother later this week. Top cover looks correct. Nice job on theplastic rivets and plastic sheet on the top cover. The right and left rear uprights lookcorrect. All the hardware looks correct.

Distributor Shield – the AIMshows this to be a two piece unit as opposed to the one piece I got. Paragon shows a reproduction that is two pieces. Not sure whatyear would use the one piece or if it would be acceptable to NCRSjudging?

The one upright bracket (right side of AIM page shows atab/flange with screw that is bent out 90 degrees from the bracket. Theone I got – pic below – does not have that. Not sure if that is abig deal or not.

Attached are pictures of theplug shielding. 2107 and 2108 show the plug shield that would try to goover the left rear of the engine. You can see that the shield doesn’thave a relief slot for the dipstick. 211 tries to show the rightfront shield (near the fuel filter). These look like it is just too bigfor the application since it extends way past the block and almost touches theA arm bushing. Which makes me think the other two plug shields areincorrect since the way they fit doesn’t seem correct (slots, notches etc don’tfit). Are there different shields for large vs small block?



There are two wire brackets that go in the uprights to hold the 4 wires from each side in the rear upright pieces. One is cad plated looking, the other is painted black. Are these the correct finishes?

Thanks for your help folks.

Rich

Richard------


You've got the shields in the wrong positions. The one you show in your second and third pictures looks sort of like the one that belongs on the right front position. For some reason, the shield you show in the second and third photos does not look quite right to me but it looks generally like the one that goes in the right forward position. It might also be the one for the right rear position. In any event, I think it's been modified.

The shield you show in the last photo goes on the left rear position

Early 1969 distributor surround shield was 1 piece; later was 2 piece. Just when the change occurred, I do not know. But, I do know that the 2 piece was in use by September, 1969.

Original 1969 "boomerang" shields were not designed for use with locking style motor mounts.

The plug wire supports should be as you described. The left side support is painted semi-gloss black and is used with a 4 in-line hole rubber grommet. The right side is zinc plated and has 4 slots, two on each side for the wires. The wire end is dipped in a rubberized coating.

Big blocks do not use RF shielding at the spark plugs, although the do use distributor shielding similar to the small block.

[Jimmy P.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

Richard,
The piece in your second and third pics appears to me to be upside down. Try turning it over and getting it to fit. The slots in it clear the plugs. It takes a lot of trial and error to get all these pieces to fit. The last piece should go on the left rear. That longer tab at the rear fits up underneath your left vertical shield at the bottom. Try that and see if it works. Hint! Don't tighten any piece completely until you get them all pieced together correctly and then secure. Also, make sure the right rear shielding piece clears your starter cables. That's a close fit there. If the shielding rubs the starter cable it will short out. ( Don't ask me how I know this!).
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Jimmy

[Ralph S.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

Also noticed your heat riser valve is in the wrong position.

[Richard R.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

Thanks for the tips guys. I swapped those two pieces and they seem to fit now. including room for the dipstick. the longer tab on the right rear piece is what confused me and I can now see how that is incorporated into the right rear vertical. Geez, what a puzzle.

I haven't got the right boomerang piece on yet but may tackle that today. and I will pay special attention to the wiring around the starter. it looks a bit tight anyhow. I may have to remove the starter to get that on, but I will try to avoid it if I can.

As for the one piece box, my car was a June 69 build date and without any specific knowledge of when the switch to two pieces occurred I will go with what I have.

I will check on the heat riser valve position as well. It is just hanging there until I get the pipes on for now.

Thanks so much for your help guys!!!

[Jimmy P.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

Your welcome Richard!
You will need to remove the starter to get the other boomerang on. I tried installing mine without removing it but could'nt clear it. I just let mine hang down gently. Don't forget to disconnect your battery. Have fun!
Regards,
Jimmy

[Richard R.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

UPDATE,

I got my left and right correct now, installed the right boomerang (yes, I removed the starter yet again), got the small clips on the oil pan on, fixed the heat riser valve position and in general made good progress. I have a small problem with the rear wire clips that is being corrected by the supplier, and I concluded the tab on the AIM picture for the upright brackets that hold the shielding box is for big block only (grounding clip) and as such what I have is going to work fine.

But still have a @!#!%!# time trying to get the left front shielding in place. It appears the heat shield (see pic) that I got from Paragon is interfering with the shield. I am thinking about doing some major heat shield bending to make it work, but thought I would pass these next pics on to see if anyone has ideas on what I am doing wrong, again.

Thanks guys.

Rich

[Jimmy P.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

Hi Rich,
I'm going out on a limb here, but I don't think that spark plug heat shield with the hole is right. It fits ok without the outer chrome shield over it. I see that Paragon lists it as correct. But it interfers with the chrome shielding. Before you try bending anything I would try the style heat shielding pictured below. This is a kit from the Doc Rebuild, but you can buy the left side separately from the venders. I don't have a 69, but I know what your going through. Just a suggestion, to try!
Regards,
Jimmy

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

UPDATE,

I got my left and right correct now, installed the right boomerang (yes, I removed the starter yet again), got the small clips on the oil pan on, fixed the heat riser valve position and in general made good progress. I have a small problem with the rear wire clips that is being corrected by the supplier, and I concluded the tab on the AIM picture for the upright brackets that hold the shielding box is for big block only (grounding clip) and as such what I have is going to work fine.

But still have a @!#!%!# time trying to get the left front shielding in place. It appears the heat shield (see pic) that I got from Paragon is interfering with the shield. I am thinking about doing some major heat shield bending to make it work, but thought I would pass these next pics on to see if anyone has ideas on what I am doing wrong, again.

Thanks guys.

Rich

Rich-------


Jimmy is correct. The spark plug heat shield you have pictured (with temp sending unit hole) will absolutely not work with the front left RFI shield you have pictured. No way. Period. GM says it's applicable to 1968-72 but it's not. It was used for L1970-72, after the fron RFI shields were eliminated.

The RFI shield you show is correct for your application. It is used with the same spark plug heat shield used for the right rear position. It will still be tough to install the RFI shield over the spark plug shield but it can be done. That's how my original 1969 small block was originally equipped and how I continued to re-install it over the years. It was a struggle, but it can be done.

[Richard R.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

Guess I need to do a bit of shopping. Thanks guys. You saved me additional frustration trying to make that one work. It would have been a masterpiece of sheet metal bending though. .......

Rich

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

Guess I need to do a bit of shopping. Thanks guys. You saved me additional frustration trying to make that one work. It would have been a masterpiece of sheet metal bending though. .......

Rich

Rich-------


By the way, did you paint the engine with Bill Hirsch-supplied Chevrolet orange?

[Richard R.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

yes. is that good or bad?

I used epoxy primer first, then the chev orange from Hirsch.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

yes. is that good or bad?

I used epoxy primer first, then the chev orange from Hirsch.

Rich------


I thought I recognized the unique and strange color. I made the same mistake myself. The good news is that the Bill Hirsch Chevy orange is a very high quality paint and they've got the gloss level perfect (at least, in the paint I used; yours looks a bit glossier). However, the bad news is they just don't have the color right. They claim it's made from the original formula. If so, it's a color I've NEVER seen on an original Chevrolet engine of ANY year.

You're stuck with it now just like me. If you try to paint over it, you'll end up with a way too thick looking paint. In fact, because you first used a primer (which I do not recommend because it makes the finished paint appear too thick), if you were to paint over it you'll have a 3 coat finish---WAY, WAY too thick appearing.

[Richard R.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

Joe,

well you are right, I am stuck with it now. No way I am taking this back apart to paint anyhow. Since I am a bit color blind, I would probably not notice it anyhow when looking at others side by side. Hopefully the judges will be a bit color blind too.

the epoxy primer was thinned and I did a very light coat (almost mist) for the reason you stated. no primer on the bell housing though.

Thanks for all of your help. When this thing is done, it will be a team effort!

[Richard R.]

Re: 1969 L46 ignition shielding

A progress update. Hopefully the last.

I got the correct heat shield for the left front and the RF shield now fits over it properly. I haven't attached the wire to the sending unit yet, but hopefully that won't be too difficult. see pic.



another question though - where the French lock for the exhaust manifold bolts wrap around the lower part of the manifold, they rub the RF shielding. I am tempted to push the French lock (lower U) towards the block and free up some space to make the RF shielding not rub. What is the proper position of the French lock as it relates to the RF shielding? See pic. this is the right rear, but all 4 corners do the same.


Rich