Off my rocker

The transmission had to wait a little longer than expected and in fact I took a day's vacation to get it finished. Popped on the linkages and refilled with fluid and started her up. Moved it through the gears to get the fluid circulated and checked and adjusted the level as necessary. Easy Peasy. Let's hope the garage floor appreciates it.

Then on to the much needed valve job. I'd plugged in my vacuum gauge and it was holding at around 17" but was flickering much like scenario #3 on this site. However the description isn't correct (it's not a high powered engine). A valve job on a slant 6 needs the engine fully warmed up and is done while it's running. I popped off the rocker cover to reveal this gunky mess. 

 

However closer inspection showed that #4 intake valve rocker had jumped off the pushrod! No wonder it was sounding a bit tappety and lacked power from a standing start. It was a small miracle that it was idling at all!

 

 

Loosened off the adjuster and reinstalled the pushrod and set about adjusting the valves. 0.010" for intake and 0.020" for exhaust. Feels weird at first putting a wrench on a moving rocker but after a while it becomes pretty easy. Several trips down the rocker shaft checking and adjusting and rechecking each one and it's now much quieter. A new rocker cover gasket and we are back in business and the annoying hesistation from a standing start has all but disappeared. Need to replace the vacuum hoses to the PCV/ carb and the choke pull off but it's running MUCH better.

More leaks

The weather here has been typical for the time of year, hot, sunny and humid in the morning with daily afternoon thunderstorms. Due to this, I've not driven the Dart for weeks. Mrs P had to "press" it into action the other week when her car was in the shop being repaired and she needed something to drop the kids at school with.

The fuel line mod has improved hot starting (according to Mrs P) although I need to get the electric choke adjusted as it hardly does anything  on a cold start at present.

The tranmission has been leaking for a while and where it has sat in the garage for nearly 3 months a large puddle has formed under it. Decided I needed to fix it and spotted that it was leaking from the shift shaft seal. There are 3 options to fix it this

1. get a $45 tool that's designed to pull out the old seal and push in the new one from above with everything still in place. Sounds easy but access above is severely limited.
2. drop the transmission pan, remove the valve body and punch out the seal from below and press a new one with a long bolt and several large washers
3. pay someone else to do it.

I went with option 2 despite never having opened up a gearbox in my life. Ordered a new seal and quality Wix transmission filter and got a new rigid style transmission pan gasket from the Chrysler dealer. Apparently this new part is for a 96 Dodge Ram but it fits a '67 904 transmission just perfectly.

Here's a couple of shots of the valve body with the pan and filter removed.

At this point I was seriously thinking that option 3 may have been the wiser route as it's a really messy job in cramped conditions. Typically most of the "action" was on the driver's side, hidden behind the exhaust pipe, transmission cooler lines and neutral safety switch wire. My wrist/forearm look like they've seen some Demi Lovato action (and not the eating disorder either).

It's nearly all back together, just need to connect up the gear shift and kickdown linkages (the really fiddly part) and refill with fluid but that can wait til the weekend. 

Everything keeps breaking

Nothing to report on the Dart, progress has stalled in fitting the new fuel line. However the Playstation 3 decided to give up the ghost and wouldn't turn on. Well actually it would, beep 3 times and then shut down immediately. This is known as the Yellow Light Of Death or YLOD. Searching t'internet reveals a fix involving new thermal paste (Artic Silver #5) and a heat gun to reflow the solder. Did this and now it's all working again and the kids can watch Netflix again.

The Expedition went to the garage last week for a transmission flush, a new fuel filter and an A/C check (as it's not been blowing that cold recently). Got it back and the air was ICE cold but I was warned that the compressor was showing signs of wear. "It could last 5 years like that mate" was the mechanics opinion, however it lasted just 5 days and now there's no A/C at all. Back to the garage today and am now looking at a $1200 repair bill.

Ups and downs

Vegas was a blast and my mate did really well in the WSOP H.O.R.S.E poker tournament he entered. He made it to the second day and finished in the top 20%, given that there were nearly 900 entrants I'll leave you to do the math as to roughly where he finished. Unfortunately he was 60 or so places short of cashing in.

However I'm poor now and so I've just started my first batch of "Turbo Cider". 3 gallons of supermarket brand apple juice and a sachet of champagne yeast all thrown together in a large plastic bucket and left to ferment. Should be ready to prime in the bottle in a week or 2.

Fuel line madness

Not had a chance to drive the Dart since I fitted the new tank last weekend as Tropical Storm Beryl paid a visit and it rained most of the weekend and into this week. In fact I've not even gotten round to putting any gas in it. However on the plus side I've managed to obtain the parts I need to do the fuel line mod.

Basically with the factory set up the fuel pump is on the passenger side of the engine and the metal fuel line to the carb passes towards the front of the car then turns across the front of the engine block, up and over the exhaust manifold and finally ends at the carb. What tends to happen is that when you turn off the car having driven it for a while, the heat from the engine and exhaust causes the fuel to boil and evaporate. This means that the car can be a b1tch to start when it's hot as there's no fuel where it needs to be.

With this fix you ditch the metal fuel line, fit a 90 deg° fitting (Dorman part number 492-024) to the fuel pump, and using fuel injection hose, come straight up the side of the block, over the rocker cover and direct lyinto the carb, using another fitting (Dorman part number 492-023). Trouble is that part 492-024 is only available in packs of 5 for like $25 + shipping and I only needed one. Someone on Slantsix.org had bought a set and was selling off what he didn't need @ $4 each, I jumped on the chance.

Off to Vegas next week...

Today's lesson

Took the Dart to the local car show last weekend, I didn't "enter" as I couldn't make it for the morning and didn't fancy spending $20 to register, when I can park in the car park for for free. Got down there no problem, but then realised I hadn't got my phone, the battery on the camera was dead and the car smelled of gas. Spent about an hour walking round the cars then left. 20 mins after getting home I noticed a small puddle under the gas tank.

Further investigation was immediate and it turned out it was leaking from the repair I'd effected back in November.  After much messing about with syphons (tip: cheap ones don't work) and electric fuel pumps I managed to drain the tank below the leak. Ordered a new one from RockAuto. CR11B is the one needed and they had one in stock for $170.

New tank arrived Friday and fitted it Monday. Nothing too difficult but the lesson of the day is fix it right first time then you won't have to fix it again.

Texas Style

Spent the latter part of last week (including the weekend) visiting the "outlaws" in Texas as Mrs P's cousin was getting married. We spent some time with her Uncle on his ranch doing man stuff and playing with his "toys" including his semi automatic rifle.

 

Call of Duty?

Peppered that S.O.A.B

Took the dirt bike round the ranch too. It had been sitting unused for a while and wouldn't stay running without plenty of throttle but after a 20 minute or so ride the fresh gas must have cleaned out the carb cos it started running like a top.



I know what you're thinking, me and Steve McQueen
could have been separated at birth

We then stayed at Mrs P's other cousin's lake house (the one not getting married) where we played around with his "toys" comprising a powerboat and jetski.

In between all of this we managed to get to the wedding too.

Running on Empty

The Dart is back on the road again! After a long warm up and short test ride the motor quit and wouldn't restart. This necessitated a push back into the garage for diagnosis. I was kinda hoping that the ignition system or some part of it had failed so that I could justify an electronic ignition upgrade to Mrs P. However it turns out that it had just run out of gas and a quick trip to the gas station soon put this right.

Tried to then take it out for a spin but hadn't realized just how much fluid had leaked out of the transmission. I got maybe 400 yards out of the neighborhood on the main highway when the trans started to slip and then not shift into top gear. Limped home and stuck a quart of trans oil in and then another and another and it's still not on the full mark. It does however drive now and shift fine but I'll top it off soon enough. Now that the exhaust is quiet I can hear that it needs the tappets done except no-one here has a clue what I'm talking about when I say that so I'll call it a valve adjustment. Likewise they've never heard of a rocker cover and rockers are in fact the sills. So not only am I trying to find long obsolete parts but they don't even speak the right language.

I still have a hankering for an XR4Ti and they are dirt cheap too

Deepwater Horizon

The garage floor is awash with transmission fluid! I managed to crack one of the transmission cooler lines while trying to "persuade" it to line up with the new (thicker) radiator. I didn't realise this until I started the car and reversed it out of the garage. I've bought a short 20" length of 5/16" OD steel line and some brass fittings so hopefully I can bend and shape it replace the busted section. Ideally I'd replace the entire line but at $75 for the preformed set I'll have to pass on that for the time being.

As you may have infered from the above the engine is back together and the car is now running. It took a while as the fuel had drained back into the tank and before the mechanical pump could draw it through to the carb the battery had gone flat. An overnight recharge and a turkey baster full of gas to prime the carb bowl and we were good to go. Not sure I've got the electric choke set up correctly but it idled well once it was good and warm.

I flushed the block thoroughly by removing the thermostat and reinstalling the housing then I disconected the upper hose from the radiator and stuffed a hose pipe into the rad opening. Turn on the water and start the car and use the upper hose to direct the "waste" water away from the fan. After a few minutes the water should start to run clear and the old antifreeze and old accumulated crud is flushed out.

In other news we've just returned from 11 days in the "old country" and I've developed a fascination with 80's Turbo cars including the Mitsubishi Starion/Chrysler Conquest, XR4Ti and Dodge Charger. I want turbo lag and I want it...............now!

You nod and I'll hit it

New radiator arrived and brought with it more troubles. Because it's a bigger radiator the inlet and outlets aren't in the same place as the original 19" one so I've been trying to find the correct hoses. Further research shows that the radiator is in fact designed for the 70-73 Dart and the 68-73 Valiant so I've ordered an upper and lower hose that look like they may fit. Rockauto show 15 different upper and 7 different lower hoses so it's anyones guess what will work.

With work on the car at a halt I took the opportunity to install a new cat door in the garage. The easiest option would be to put it in the (fiberglass) garage doors but this also looks the worst. Best option is through the concrete block wall to the side and nicely out of sight. The wall is 8" thick, however the blocks are hollow center and look like the ones below so I figure it'd be pretty easy to drill all around the perimeter of the hole and then smash it out with a club hammer and chisel.

What I didn't bargain on was the hollow centers being backfilled with concrete, and this stuff is even harder than the block. Took me a full day to drill and hammer out a hole 9 inches square and it cost me 2 blisters and purple thumb where I missed the chisel and whacked it. Another half day to line the hole with plywood and repair the mortar and the job is all but complete. Those cats better appreciate it.



Best musical ever made????

This could possibly be my new favourite movie. Yes it's camp, yes it bombed in the cinema, yes it only scores 15% on RottenTomatoes, yes it's the Beatles music BUT it is the Bee Gees and it's very 70's and it's just arrived on Netflix.

It has possibly the greatest cast assembled since The Great Escape with so many unexpected cameos. Check out the movie trailer courtesy of YouTube.

Back to the car, I've been trying to get the new manifolds to fit properly. This has involved grinding away at them to ensure that they are free and clear of the new studs. I want that 'baby' to be able to slide as intended and not crack. Here's a shot of the new pairing in situ.

It's a heavy beast to lift in and out to test fit and while doing so for the umpteenth time I managed to knock the flashlight off the fender into the engine bay. It bounced of the power steering pump and put a hole in the radiator! On closer inspection it has a lot of verdigris staining down one side so i suspect it was leaking and on its way out.

I've ordered a new heavy duty one (Spectra Premium CU527) from RockAuto and its designed for a car with A/C, this was due to availability and cost ($160 v $300). These HD ones are 22" wide as opposed the non A/C ones which are only 19" so this should help the car stay cooler in the Florida summers.

Stud maker

Had a great day in the garage and started with installing the new studs. Degreased the holes and mounting face with brake cleaner and dried them with compressed air. Applied some thread sealant to the stud threads (as the open into the water jacket) and screwed them in hand tight. Using the double nut method I tightened the studs so that they are nice and secure. Yeah I know that rocker cover needs some work that's next on the list once I've got the car back together.

On to the exhaust manifold next. I couldn't get any suitable studs for the choke pocket, I needed 1/4"-28 on both ends but it wasn't to be had anywhere. Best I could find was a 1/4" - 28 bolt that was only part threaded. I cut the head off and attempted to use a die to thread the other end. Unfortunately the bolt was grade 8 material and was too tough. I kept slipping in my vice no matter how hard I tightened the handle. Gave up and went to Plan 'B' which was to make my own from 1/4" steel rod. This proved easier than first imagined and the super long studs can be seen below. I'll trim them off once I know how long they need to be.

Finally the block off plate. I ended using a piece of 2" wide 3/16" flat steel bar to make the block off plate. First attempt was pretty dire and managed to make a complete mess of the second cut so had to junk it. I blamed this on being hungry and a ham and mustard sandwich soon had me back on track. Second attempt went much better, I made a new template and then using a combination of angle grinder, Dremel 4000, hand file and emery cloth I made the new plate. I'll spray it up to match the exhaust manifold so it will blend in a bit better.

The promise of things to come

Not much real progress been taken on the car but I've been busy collecting all the pieces of Humpty Dumpty. Unfortunately not one place stocks all the studs, nuts, bolts, gaskets etc etc so I've had to order from multiple retailers and pay each of them their extortionate shipping and handling. I mean does it REALLY cost $8 to ship six 5/16" nuts??

Mr Gasket Exhaust gasket material from JEGS to seal off the choke pocket

Castellated Nut, 5/16-24 from Pegasus Racing

Brass Manifold nuts from Napa

Electric Choke Conversion from CarbsOnly

High temp thread sealer (not threadlocker), high temp RTV gasket, high temp anti seize lubricant all from ACE hardware.

Anyhow I've got tomorrow off work, Mrs P is away in Orlando, the kids are at school so I'm hoping to get some spannering time in. Watch this space....

I'd tap that

Managed to get some more time on the car today and focussed on drilling and tapping the 3 broken studs. All were sorted with out too much hassle and much safer than risking easy-outs. Learnt my lesson there.

I had to get a new drill bit and tap set as I didn't own the required 'F' sized bit to drill a 5/16" - 18 hole, HomeDepot got me sorted. To make things easier I had to remove the thermostat housing and found a relatively new looking t-stat heavily stuck in place with a load of gasket sealer. The housing is pretty beat up and corroded so I've ordered a new one (along with a new t-stat) from RockAuto.

Now I've just got to deal with the one remaining stud and figuring the best way to get it out.

Crack kills

January and February are busy months for us as 4 family birthdays fall at this time, plus if  you throw in the 2 weeks of everyone being sick then not much progress has been made on the car. However past couple of weeks I'm been working on the exhaust manifold.
I've had the new (used) intake and exhaust manifold sitting in the garage for a while now. It's from a 70-72 model, which means the choke pocket is open to the exhaust gases. Originally there was a stainless steel cup that sat in the hole but this is no longer available new and NOS is super pricey.  As I'm going to convert to an electric choke I don't need this pocket so I just need to make a plate up and cap this off and then I'll be good to go.

Went to a friend's workshop and used his bead blaster to strip and clean the new intake and exhaust manifolds. They came up really well and while we were there tackled the broken stud. The left hand bolt hole had a snapped off stud in it. I had already drilled and tried an "easy-out" on it which I'd also snapped. Those things are made from super hard steel and can't be drilled. Luckily we managed to punch it through the stud and could redrill and tap it. The other stud was stretched and bent and again snapped during removal, but was drilled and tapped too.

I sprayed the intake manifold with VHT silver and it looks like new. I need to find some black super high temp paint for the exhaust manifold and then it will look like the dog's proverbials.

I decided to try and take the existing manifold off and have been soaking the bolt in PB Blaster. Yes I said bolts as some previous owner or "mechanic" ditched the Dodge/Chrysler installation procedure of studs and special hardware in favour of an assortment of bolts and multiple washers.The manifolds are designed to float so that as they get hot they can expand. If they can't expand and slide then this happens.

Yep, cracked in to two pieces no wonder it was noisy, smelly and low on power. There are also 2 other cracks on it so it's fair to say it's junk.

Here's the block sans manifolds. I snapped one of the studs off (one of 2 remaining) and the last one is chewed up and needs replacing too.There were also 2 studs snapped off in the head already so I'll drill and retap these too. I've got the new studs already from silver seal and the new exhaust manifold from Remflex so I'm pretty much ready to go. I'd like to use brass nuts on assembly but I'm having a hard time locating them, so may have to switch to stainless.

It's a simple life

Tonight's dinner. Mrs P made Oysters Rockefeller, I made shrimp in cream and champagne sauce, and one of our neighbors (who happens to be French) supplied a homemade pate. Best not over do it in the new year though eh?