Coupe weekend
It was a rainy overcast weekend in Maine, so it was a good time to give the coupe some needed attention. I had a long list of things I wanted to do to it, including:
• Realigning the RH vent window. Somehow it got put back crooked 4 yrs or so ago when I had it repainted and would not open. Now it's fixed.
• Removing the speedometer so it can be repaired. It makes a loud noise and gyrates widely in low temperatures.
• Correctly aligning the wiper transmission levers so the wipers will point to the outside at rest.
• Installing a emergency brake boot to seal that hole through the floor. It lets in a lot of heat in the summer, right on the passenger.
• Sealing other leaks and cracks in the floor and firewall.
• Reinstalling the wire harness clamp.
• Adjusting the valves.
• Adjusting the steering box.
The latter two took the most time and effort. Friend Paul Austin came over to teach me about valves, something I have never done in all my years of owning this car. We adjusted them cold, to 0.011", but had trouble figuring out when each valve pair was in optimal position (TDC). We hand turned the engine until it looked right, but why didn't they mark the flywheel for each cylinder, not just #1? Andy has since told me that hooking up a light to a plug will tell you when it is TDC (when it lights). I still have some tappet noise, so may try again. It turns out to be easy enough to do.
UPDATE: After reading the shop manual more closely, it says to adjust them to 0.011 hot for highway driving. So I went back and did them at .012 cold. I also figured out how to find TDC: use the distributor points to tell you! Duh! They sound great now.
The steering was also interesting. Once I got the steering link off the Pitman arm (not easy), I just followed the directions in the shop manual. It turned out that things were way off: it took 1.5 turns to hit the left stop, but 2.5 to hit the right one! I got it all centered and things adjusted to about 2 lbs+ of spring scale pressure on the wheel (what the book calls for), so we'll see how it handles how. I never knew it was off until getting the Cabriolet box rebuilt and seeing how easily it steered.
Next up will be replacing the windshield gasket, which leaks. I've got a continuous molded replacement a year or so ago, but haven't got around to tackling that job. Can't say I'm looking forward to it, but guess I'll try when I have a son around to help.
Here are pictures of Paul and me working on the valves.
• Realigning the RH vent window. Somehow it got put back crooked 4 yrs or so ago when I had it repainted and would not open. Now it's fixed.
• Removing the speedometer so it can be repaired. It makes a loud noise and gyrates widely in low temperatures.
• Correctly aligning the wiper transmission levers so the wipers will point to the outside at rest.
• Installing a emergency brake boot to seal that hole through the floor. It lets in a lot of heat in the summer, right on the passenger.
• Sealing other leaks and cracks in the floor and firewall.
• Reinstalling the wire harness clamp.
• Adjusting the valves.
• Adjusting the steering box.
The latter two took the most time and effort. Friend Paul Austin came over to teach me about valves, something I have never done in all my years of owning this car. We adjusted them cold, to 0.011", but had trouble figuring out when each valve pair was in optimal position (TDC). We hand turned the engine until it looked right, but why didn't they mark the flywheel for each cylinder, not just #1? Andy has since told me that hooking up a light to a plug will tell you when it is TDC (when it lights). I still have some tappet noise, so may try again. It turns out to be easy enough to do.
UPDATE: After reading the shop manual more closely, it says to adjust them to 0.011 hot for highway driving. So I went back and did them at .012 cold. I also figured out how to find TDC: use the distributor points to tell you! Duh! They sound great now.
The steering was also interesting. Once I got the steering link off the Pitman arm (not easy), I just followed the directions in the shop manual. It turned out that things were way off: it took 1.5 turns to hit the left stop, but 2.5 to hit the right one! I got it all centered and things adjusted to about 2 lbs+ of spring scale pressure on the wheel (what the book calls for), so we'll see how it handles how. I never knew it was off until getting the Cabriolet box rebuilt and seeing how easily it steered.
Next up will be replacing the windshield gasket, which leaks. I've got a continuous molded replacement a year or so ago, but haven't got around to tackling that job. Can't say I'm looking forward to it, but guess I'll try when I have a son around to help.
Here are pictures of Paul and me working on the valves.
posted by Bob Shafto at 6:57 PM
1 Comments:
Hey, Bob Shafto! You haven't changed a bit. Just another aha with you-fixing old cars. You will try just about anything. I use to fix corvettes and drag them so I may understand a bit of your interest. Anyway, looking to get a hold of you so I googled and found this. Please call me asap 622-7187. I will try another way to get to you, also.
Post a Comment
<< Home