Yes I’m playing catch up with these. I’ll have another engine series coming up. Enjoy.
9/19/1970 – The Pinto debuted
1970 Pinto
9/21/1895 Duryea Motor Wagon Company was created. One of the first companies in the US to build gas powered cars. Their first was the one-cylinder “Ladies Phaeton”.
a one-cylinder "Ladies Phaeton"
9/23/1969 – Here’s a biggie….the debut of the Dodge Challenger.
1969 Challenger (this is the TA)
9/24/1909 Virgil Exner was born in Ann Arbor, Mi Who? Oh..you didn’t just ask that!?!?!?! Car designer for Chevy, Studebaker and Chrysler.
One thing I really hate is a leaky car. I don’t like it when stuff leaks inside the car and I don’t like it when stuff leaks out of the car.
I have a friend that alway says…”Hey…old cars leak. That’s just what they do.” To this I normally just respond with “Yeah…I guess so.” I say this because he has pride in his work he does on his cars and I’m not going to poke at him about it.
What I want to say is “Bullstuff!!!!” Not this day in age, there all kinds of reproduction parts and hoses that can be molded and even entire businesses that make custom hoses. If it’s a gasket that’s leaking you can make your own, there’s all kind of gasket material on the market.
If you remember back a bunch of post ago, you may recall my power steering issue with my C4 Vette. Oh…yes…my poor old vette (which now has a new home), leaking everywhere!!!!. I hated that, but it was all fixable, right down to having a place in town customize a power steering hose ( it didn’t actually get that far, the oddly shaped hose turned out to not be the issue.).
The reality is that chasing down a leak is sometimes difficult, almost always time-consuming and the likelihood that it will be expensive is high. So, no old cars don’t have to leak.
What old cars do do (that’s just as funny to type as it is to say) is vibrate. My ’70 Mustang is mostly stock parts, with the exception of polyurethane motor mounts, and it will shake stuff loose, is it a pretty raw machine. A good portion of leaks can be attributed to that alone.
A few weeks ago, I notice a dime sized dot of oil in my driveway….errrkkk….no I’m not a neat freak, my drive has spots (been meaning to get it power washed), but with my older cars I like to keep an eye out for issues. So I climbed under the car and looked around and it appeared that the leak might be from the oil plug it’s self. So I grab my 5/8 ” open end wrench and gave it a bit of a crank. Now you have to be careful, especially with the type of oil pan I have (aftermarket chrome) as it can get out of shape if you over torque the drain plug and really leak. I wiped down the pan so I could tell later on if there might be another leak.
Chrome Oil Pan and Plug
A few drives later I noticed another dime size drip. Only this time it was a bit further back. OF NOTE: My driveway is sloped, and pretty good incline at that. This causes a bit of a problem determining exactly where liquid might originate, that whole gravity thing, ya know. This drip did seem a bit further back then the last.
Again I check the oil pan and this time the oil pan gasket between the engine and the block. Nope no oil. So I go topside and start checking the valve covers. And sure enough there, there appears to be a leak in the rear of the left value cover. Not really a big deal, looks like it’ll just need new valve cover gasket, this 302 engine is wide open in the engine bay with lots of room (nothing like the 84 Vette was to get to).
Lots of room in this engine bay to work.
Valve Cover, you can see the bit of oil grunge along the bottom.
I then recalled that FelPro gaskets were used and I specifically chose the type used on drag cars, designed so that you can pop the valve covers over between heats to make adjustments. This particular set of valve covers that I purchased when restoring the car came with bolts that tighten with an allen wrench.
Screw with allen wrench (or hex wrench).
Just in case:
Allen Wrench/Hex Wrench
Hexagon end of allen wrench
So I thought…to myself (really….can you think to anyone else?) “I wonder if they are all tight?” Sure enough they were all loose. Hence the oil leak. I tightened them all down, wiped down the engine where I could reach and drove it a couple of days. No leaks!!! Now I make it a habit to check those every so often. This is BTW a good tip if you drive your muscle or vintage car.
Now the latest leak, I noticed a couple of days ago. I check the liquid laying in my drive (only about the size of a quarter) and it was power steering fluid. I’m thinking oh…NO..not again!!! I didn’t even look under the car and went straight to the computer and did a quick search for new power steering parts for my 70 Mustang. What I found wasn’t horrible, as in, well no retirement for me, got to fix up this ‘stang, but bad enough price wise to see if it was repairable.
So I crawled under the Mustang (or hunk of iron, as my wife calls it…or maybe she was calling me the hunk :^ ) and took a look. Yup, there was a leak but it appeared to be coming from the flared steel hose fitting going into the power steering unit.
Steel hose and the leaky mess.
A couple turns with a 1/2″ open end wrench and again wiped down area. I keep checking back to see if any new leaks appear.
I can say… right now…. that my 70 Mustang doesn’t leak….I don’t think!!!
So now I stand corrected, sort of. Old car do leak, hey new cars leak!! However, they don’t have to stay that way.
Tips:
1. Check under your muscle or vintage car for any liquid (hey…it’s ok if is just water from you AC..usually) on a regular basis.
2. Get under the hood and after your ooo’ss and aaahhh’s at your magnificent creation, tight things up. ( I always ooo and aaahhh!!!)
3. Get the car up in the air “”SAFELY”” and check the fittings you can’t see or reach from the top side.
4. Chase down the leaks and clean the area to make checking for a continued leak easier.
Well, I’ve been preoccupied over the past week with …ok…don’t shoot me, you classic car lovers…….working a trade for a 2007 Corvette with my 84 Corvette. Yeah, I know..WTH???
I know, I know. I love my 84, it’s unique and the value has increased since I’ve purchased it. But there is a desire to upgrade. This isn’t the first time I’ve considered getting another Vette, I actually considered a trade for my Mustang for a second Corvette.
I have to admit the recent troubles with my 84 does play a small part of the desire to replace it. And this 2007 Black on black C6 with 4oo plus hp, with a 6 six speed manual trans, with only 40k miles. Still under factory warranty. But the price was just unbelievable. The original deal fell through because we couldn’t agree on a good price for my Vette. But it looks like I might have a second shot at it tomorrow.
Even if, it’s hard to get rid of my first Vette and there is always the concern that you’ll regret it later. So I figured, I just add a third car to my stable!!!!!…..oh….that’s funnier then you might think….considering how UNDERSTANDING my wife has been with my current stable of classics….but even I know that’s way…yea…way too much for even a saint such that she is. “Love you cutie” (just in case she gets really bored and actually decides to read my dribble.)
So I’ll catch you all up by the end of the weekend.
Oh..here’s what we are looking at. Drop me a note and let me know what you would do!!!
2007 Vette Trade or not too Trade????
Another view...give you view....trade or not to trade???
I have a fun give way coming up as well as some more auto factoids and a quick fix for my Mustang.
So I bring the Vette home and the steering feels pretty good and although my 70 Mustang has power steering (I had been driving that all week..yeah..I know..”poor baby!!!”) there really is no comparison between the two. I get home and park it for the night.
Next morning I’m up early going to wash both cars, so jump behind the wheel of the Vette to pull it forward a bit and…..nothing!!! No power, nor lights, no key in the ignition buzzer, nothing. Hey, there wasn’t even a clicking noise when turning the key. I’m think great..what could I have left on that would kill the battery that badly. Answer was nothing.
Now if you’ve some of my earlier entires, you’ll recall that electricity and I mix like, um….like..um…Amps and water!!!! As long as it stays in the wire and gets from switch to device and nowhere else, I’m good. Have that perfect universe interrupted and I’m not hanging with that. I hate electrical work. I hate thinking about, hearing about it and living through it. And this isn’t limited to car, but that’s my topic here.
So I get out and raise the hood, but for I get to far I see a huge spot of fluid laying under the car. Right about now I’m starting to get that…”all old cars should be crushed” thought running through my head and then..”I’m gonna find the guy that did that work, right now, on a Sunday and drag his happy but out of church (if such a demon would be allowed in one) and rub his noise in my…yeah…you guessed it….power steering fluid!!! (Breath…breath..that was two weeks ago….come one now..simmer dow…………..HEY IT STILL FEELS LIKE YESTERDAY!!!! Ok….ok…better now, it’s over and it turned out….OH>>>WHOA….don’t tell them now they won’t read the next two posts and your rating will drop below 2 reads a day!!!…Yes…Yes must get a grip!!!!)
So I started up the Mustang (they sit side by side together in the driveway nose to butt – have to back the Vette in or it won’t clear the end of the driveway) and maneuvered it over to the Vette so I can jump it with jumper cables. I have a fairly new jump box but it never really seemed to work, and then I lost the power adapter ( stupid electricity) and it just sits in my garage. I hook the cars together with jumper cables and allow the Mustang to run on high idle. Get in the Vette and …nothing… not even single dash light. The charging when on for some time before I could get the Vette to turnover and she started up, but she wasn’t happy. I took the cables off and then for some unexplained reason I turn the vette off.
Crap!!! So I turned the key, but I already knew how that would because there was still no key in the ignition buzzer..nope….and no click of the starter solinoid…and that would be a triple “Crap”!!!! It took just as long to get her started again only this time I wasn’t going to turn it off. I drove it over to the guys that put in the rack and pinion steering (of course it’s Sunday and I call and let some one know I was leaving it and to put it inside. At this point I wasn’t happy, the power steering leak on a new system and now an electrical issue!!!!
Next day was a Monday and I called up my friend Tim and said, “Hey..uncool to find fluid leaking and my electrical system is f ‘ ed (short for fried….yeah right).
In the end it was just a hose that didn’t get tightened, oh and my alternator was in fact f ‘ed (short for fried). The alternator came that afternoon and the car was ready the next day. And that is that…end of ……………..yeah…nope…..I wish!!!!!
If you can guess what’s next, I’ll send you a DVD.
OH..here is the new rack and pinion all clean and nice looking!!!
New Rack and Pinion This was taken today 8/31/2010
Thanks for reading and yes Steve Sears..you have to wait for tomorrow for the rest.
Every one that reads this blog knows that older cars, no matter how careful you, or how much you baby your car you are going to have problems. That’s the nature of any relationship. Things break, undiscovered issues, or even your own missteps can issues. You just can’t through in the towel “Honey, I’m going to have to find another mate, you just can’t run as far as you use too.” or “Sorry but that broken leg changes everthing…ur outta hereeee.” (Lawyer up…my wife is fine, no injuries, still running fine..no worries…just wanted to be clear!!!!)
Well, over the past few weeks my Corvette has been a serving up a bunch of consternation.
If you remember a few posts back I had replaced one power steering hose and need help with the power steering reservoir. That got done. Shortly after that, a leak developed from the front end and over the course of two days it got a little worse. So I pulled it in to the garage and crawled under neight..and that’s no small effort.
The power steer of course provided hydraulic power to make the turning of the front wheels easier. (There you got the basics of the how it works.) This entire process insists that the fluid, in this case power steering fluid stays in place. Well my beauty failed conform to the standards.
Rack Pinion
If you look at the image above you’ll see the plastic boots (A) that cover and protect the shaft. Those are supposed to be dry. When I touched the boot on the left side of the Vette fluid poured out, clearly it was no longer dry. What was also very very clear at that exact moment was the pain in my wallet.
Basically, the you have two options when something that is supposed to be dry is wet on a car, replace it or rebuild it. I chose both. Lucky for me the complete unit for my 84 Vette is still available through on-line Corvette parts houses. EEERRRRKKKK..While I’m writing this I have the Speed channel up on up in the corner of my monitor, they are testing an Aston Martin DBS against a Bentley w/ W12 engine…soft girl cars…of course that girl’s got some skills, putting eyeliner on at 150 miles per hour!!….end of EERRRKKK – I’ll let you know how that turns out.
A quick trip down the street to Tim Sisk proved my investigative results. I’m the Average guy with Average skills, there was not something I wanted to attempt. Additionally, it requires a front end alignment. So I order one, and because I hate having the car in the shop I had it expressed shipped, or at least that’s what I asked. It didn’t shipped and took a total of four days. What…you say…”oooohhh poor baby, took 4 days to get it here!” Hey, that’s a life time for some car guys!!!!
Now ordering the rack and pinion requires a core charge (that’s where you have to return the old part or pay the core fee – they rebuild the old part and resell it) but as I stated I wanted to do both so I paid the core fee and kept the part. This allows me to either learn to rebuild the part or sent it out to have it rebuild and store it way. Plus I have the original part, although there isn’t much benefit in collector value for having the orignal rack and pinion (numbers matching) 84 Vette, well least not for another 20 years!!!!
The part was replaced and the car realigned, in total it was out of service for a solid 7 days. Picked the car up and drove it home and that was that…and if you believe that, I have some swamp land out here in AZ to sell ya!!! Stay tune for what happened next
Oh…the Aston Martin and Bentley match up. Here the details:
Braking 0-100 to 0 (time speeding getting up to 100 and then distance measured for stopping-shortest distance wind) ….15 second from 0 to 100 for both cars, breaking the Aston won at 40 feet shorter stopping distance.
60-130 test on roll – Bentley win 13.2 second, nearly a second faster than the Aston
The rolling mile – top speed 165 mph for Bentley, 1 second faster than the Aston – 159 mph
Road course – 55.6 seconds for the Bentley 53.8 seconds for the Aston
Like I said – girls car..my 84 Vette has a top speed of nearly 200 miles an hour. My personal best, 174 mile per hour in the Vette – yeah that’s just last year. Dyno proven.
OH….the Corvetttes at Carlisle is a huge event going on over in Carlisle PA. I might make it there one of these years.
For all you caddy lovers on 8/27/1902 the Cadillac company was born. Yup it was its own company.
This sure isnt' what one thinks of when they think of a Cadillac
Oh and this was the olds from around that era:
1897 Olds.
London, England had an auto (and plane) historical event this week. Charles Rolls was born on 8/27/1877 (Rolls Royce). Beside creating the an iconic car, they did plane engines and more.
8/8/55 – test of first solar car. William Cobb created a prototype, but it was only a 15 inch model. Basically, an electric current was produced that in turn powered a tiny motor. The motor turned the vehicle’s driveshaft, which was connected to its rear axle by a pulley. I couldn’t find a pic of this one. However, Alan Freeman developed the solar-powered car in 1979 that you could actually put a human in. Here’s the pic. (It’s really just a bike…I think.)
Alan's Solar Car.
8/11/66 Chevy introduced the Camaro. There is some discussion on whether there is such an animal as a 1966 Camaro, they were, build in 1966 but sold in 1967. Here a pic.
8/15/56 Packard no longer producing cars in Detroit. Previously the Packard company bought Studebaker and tried to keep the Packard name a live in 1957 by reworking a Studebaker and give it the Packard name.
1956Packard
1957 Packard...looks alot like Studebaker
8/21/1897 Oldsmobile becomes a company. Of course the company is no longer in business another icon gone.
Now the Mustang is a fairly simple machine, even the electrical system is easy to work through. Pls note, I hate electrical problems and I equally dislike having to chance them down and I don’t care how simple it is. My 84 Corvette is nothing short of a nightmare.
Keeping this stuff straight is hard to do. Now tearing out an engine doesn’t necessarily mean you are starting out with all new wiring, but it could. A tip I use is to label everyone single wire with (normally) white duct tape.
Like so: (not white duct tape!!)
This actually reads: Starter Relay. (Yeah...spelling issues..like you haven't noticed!!!)
This is eXtremely handy. For example there are no less than 18 different wires just on the driver’s door for the Corvette. I’ve taken the door apart so many times for repair, that I started leaving them labeled.
Of course you can use this for hoses, lines and parts.
