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timecapsule

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Posts posted by timecapsule

  1. For several months I've been hearing and feeling a "klunk" noise when I take off in my 1930 Hudson.  It's coming from the rear of the car.  Imagine replacing the leaf spring shackle pin/bolt with one much smaller in diameter.  When you'd take off all those components (shackles, pin, leaf spring) would make a similar sound to what I'm hearing and feeling.  Or perhaps if all the lug nuts were loose.

    I've run out of things to check.   Universal joints, all components of the brake assemblies, leaf spring shackles, leaf springs for breaks, U-bolts that hold the differential to the leaf springs.  Plus I've given the suspension a complete grease job.   I've taken off the differential backing place and drained the differential oil, and checked the oil and the bottom of the differential housing for any metal. I've inspected the wear on the ring gear and pinion and that looks normal.  I'm about to check the pinion backlash, but just by moving the ring gear back and forth, it doesn't look suspicious.  I replaced the pinion/differential gear assembly last year and the pinion backlash was within specs.  I checked that before installing. 

     

    To check the backlash while the differential assembly is still in the car, I'm assuming to get a proper reading I should at least lock the driveshaft in a fixed position.  But I'm not sure if I need to slide out both axles or not.  I think there might be enough free play with those cluster gears,  that it won't effect a reading.  But I might be wrong there.  My backlash spec is between .006th and .008th.  When I installed it the backlash was .007th.   I've tried to inspect the 4 cluster gears in the differential but that's really limited since it's difficult to view them completely, without pulling everything out completely and separating the differential halves.  But from what I can see as I rotate the wheels in a full rotation they all look pretty good.  No excessive wear.  

     

    I recently had one axle out ( 100 miles ago) and the hardfacing on the end of it is still looking good and undisturbed.  I had both axles hardfaced when I installed the replacement differential/pinion assembly, so I could get the proper axle end play.

     

    Now we come to the real puzzling part.   This "klunk" only happens when the car has been sitting for a number of hours.  Overnight for sure.  It will happen within a few hundred feet of taking off.  But then it won't happen again no matter how many stop signs I come to.  Or no matter how fast and hard I try to take off.  I can let it sit for at least a few hours and not get that "klunk" .  But if I'm in my shop all day, then when I leave I get the "klunk"

     

    But,,,,  when I do take off for the first time, if I take off ever so slowly.  I'm talking really slow, slower than walking speed.  Just put the car in gear and let the engine pull it along without any gas for a hundred feet or so.  Then gradually try to increase speed without applying any torgue to the drive wheel by just barely touching the gas pedal.  Once I travel maybe the length of a football field and get up to 30 mph, then it's all good and after that I can stop the car and take off again without the "klunk" noise. 

     

    This next theory might be stretching it a bit, but one thought is that one or more of the shocks might be making the noise.  They were all empty when I got the car and I filled them with hydraulic fluid.  But they all slowly leaked out.  I have a spare one that I have pulled apart to see how they work.  The problem is the shaft is worn on one side.  They have felt seals, so no wonder they leak.  To fix the problem, I have to fill the worn area on the shaft, and then turn them to match a speedie sleeve, and then install the matching modern seal to match that speedie sleeve.  I don't own a lathe,,,, yet.  But it's my next tool to buy.  The cost of a used lathe would probably be less than the labour bill at a machine shop to rebuild all 4 shocks.

    Anyway, so maybe, just maybe, they are getting hung up when at rest and sort of break loose ("klunk") once torque is applied to the differential which the arm is attached to.  Like I said that's a bit of a stretch.  I've even tried rocking the car dramatically before I take off to get the shocks moving.  

     

    Has anybody experienced such a thing?

  2. Just to update,,,  I finally got it.  I credit all you guys for helping me along with this.   So it was a combinations of everyone's suggestions that paid off.   However one big factor was the flasher.  I went and got one of those 550 flashers that Bloo recommended.  Which was the one I remember from the good old days.  Sure enough once I plugged it in everything worked fine.  

    So thanks everyone for all your help with this.

    Yes I've wrapped masking tape around each wire identifying where it goes, incase I happen to forget before I do the switch and wire it into the car.

    Cheers

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  3. Perhaps I spoke too soon Joe.  After giving it a bit of thought, the flasher you're talking about is the old school bimetallic strip kind, like the 550 Bloo mentioned.  The one I've been using ( link above) is a electromechanical type.  Whatever that means.  But it probably doesn't have that bi metal strip that is heat sensitive. So perhaps the length of wire might not make any difference. 

    Just a guess, since I'm way out of my league now.

    • Like 1
  4. 2 minutes ago, joe_padavano said:

    Coming back in late, as it appears that you are on the right path. The mechanical flashers are just a self-resetting circuit breaker. If the resistance in the system (which includes the wire length in addition to the bulbs) isn't sufficient to generate enough heat in the bimetallic strip in the flasher, they won't flash. I was going to suggest that an electronic flasher that uses a timing circuit independent of current draw rather than a bimetallic strip might be a better choice.

    hummm!  so from what you just said could the reason I'm not getting a flash be that the wire length on each of the 4 lights on my bench test set up, is about 8" long?  

  5. Thanks Bloo,  When I bought that flasher that I'm using some time ago ( the Napa one in the link), I got that over the counter and I asked for an old school flasher with the X,L, and P terminals.  Granted the guy at the counter was still wearing diapers so I'm guessing he just grabbed the first one he saw.   I'll go to Amazon and select an old school flasher suited for my application.  In the mean time. I'll try to fine tune my bench set up.  With the correct bulbs if the ones I'm using are not the right ones.

    • Like 1
  6. Well it wasn't exactly a slam dunk today with the "bench test drive" for my turn signal unit. 

    But at least, thanks to you guys, I know what's going on and what each wire does.  

    I struggled even after I got it all wired up on the bench with 4 bulbs wired in.  After some time and a multi-meter in hand, I figured out that I wasn't getting continuity, and I tracked it down to the slider piece and the plastic board with all the contacts are.  So I cleaned off all the old grease and then cleaned it further with electrical contact cleaner and I've got that working much better.  However I still think I have one lazy contact.  I think I'll take it apart again and stretch out the tiny springs that are putting pressure on the slider bar to make contact on those (12) round contacts on the black plastic board.  

     

    The other issue I think I am having is a faulty flasher.  

    If I have a fused wire from a battery going to the X terminal, then I should have 12 volts going from the L terminal, into the turn signal assembly, right?

    I have everything lighting up as it should.  Two lights come on when I activate the brake light switch that I installed.

    When I move the turn signal lever to one side two lights light up.

    When I move the turn signal lever to the opposite side, the other two lights light up

    When I push in the 4 way flasher, all 4 light light up

    However nothing flashes. Yes I have grounded the turn signal assembly.

    Btw, I used the white wire for the brake light because nothing happened when I hooked up the orange wire to the brake light switch.  I think that was a continuity issue. 

     

    But to throw a wrench into the whole thing, if I disconnect the flasher from the turn signal assembly, and then run a fused wire from the battery to the X terminal on the flasher and then a bulb and socket and wire to the L terminal and then ground the socket to the negative post, the bulb will flash.  ????  go figure.

     

    I'm using an electromechanical flasher X, L, P terminals.  I also have an electronic flasher  X, L, - ( ground) terminals.  Will that work, assuming I forget about pilot light?  Or should I go buy another electromechanical flasher?  Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

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    • Like 1
  7. 3 minutes ago, 37_Roadmaster_C said:

    Here it goes...

     

    Yellow - flasher main connection  Normally "B"

    White - Park light feed from headlight switch

    Orange - Brake light feed from brake switch

     

    Green - Front left or right (pairs with Blue)

    Blue - Rear left or right (pairs with Green)

     

    Red - Front left or right (pairs with Brown)

    Brown - Rear left or right (pairs with red)

     

    Black - to flasher pilot connection  Normally "P"

     

    Also, connect the "B" flasher terminal to power and make sure to ground the switch assembly

     

    I hope this helps

    Thanks.  I'm assuming "B" means battery.  My flasher has an "X"  for that one.  "P" for pilot light and "L" for load

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  8. I think this will be the most helpful picture.  The activator arm is removed.  Under it is this sliding bar that activates the 4 way flasher.  When it moves forward it pushes both of those plastic half round pieces at once.  If one was to apply the left turn signal, that 4 way activator along with the turn signal arm is pulled down, which inturn slides only the half round plastic slide up which  makes contact with blue, green, and yellow.  If the turn signal lever is pushed in the opposite direction then the red brown and yellow all make contact.

    When 4 way flasher is activated by sliding the arm straight in, then blue, green, red, brown all make contact with yellow.

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  9. So here is what's going on inside the turn signal assembly.  From the wiring, I can see which wires go where as far as each turn signal light.  I'm assuming that one of the wires ( orange, white, or yellow ) goes to the "L" on the flasher. Which one?  I'm also assuming that one of those 3 wires will go to the brake light switch. Which one?  How about the third wire?

    I sent along a diagram to help show which wire goes where.  

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  10. 16 minutes ago, californiamilleghia said:

    Just to be sure , the contact on the Amp gauge is just to get "+ power"  and has nothing to do with the Amp gauge , just in case  your car does not have an Amp Gauge .

    I do have an ammeter.  all wiring goes to a fuse panel and then on to the ammeter.  I'll be posting pictures of the inside components and a diagram in a few minutes.

  11. 2 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

    As I said in my first post, the wire to the headlight switch is the feed for the parking lights. If your car only has single filament bulbs in the front parking lights, you need to run the front park light circuit through this switch. If you have dual filament bulbs then you can ignore that connection. The ammeter connection is just the power source. If you don't have an ammeter, connect that wire to a circuit that is hot with ignition on.

    So are you saying without that wire connected to the ammeter in the car, (battery on the bench) that the bench test won't function properly? 

  12. 12 minutes ago, Bloo said:

    More current if it is the flasher wire, but only 2 bulbs vs 1. You usually don't see that. The brake switch wiere also feeds 2 bulbs. Maybe 4 bulbs at at time for the orange wire if there is a 4-way flasher function?

     

    Yes there is a 4 way flasher function.  However there is also a 4 way flasher function in the existing 7 wire one on the car now with all tiny wires.

  13. 16 minutes ago, joe_padavano said:

    This switch is from a different manufacturer (Signal Stat) and obviously uses different colors, but it is an eight wire switch. The eighth wire is a feed from the park light circuit on the headlight switch. Apparently this is for cars that only use single-filament bulbs at the front and the park light feed to the front is treated like the brake light feed to the rear - the turn signal switch overrides the front park light (or rear brake light) on the side selected for the turn signal and flashes that filament instead.

     

    inkedsignalstat800diagram-marked-up-for-

    I saw that diagram during my search and it confused me because one wire is going to the headlight switch and then on to ampmeter.  What's that all about??  Maybe that's the 8th wire, which would probably be the white wire.  

  14. 8 minutes ago, Bloo said:

    I don't know why 8 wires. There are 2 types of switch, 4 wire and 7 wire. They don't always have exactly 4 or 7 wires. Despite making no sense, that terminology has become ubiquitous. Given this one has 8 wires, I am guessing it is a 7 wire switch. It probably isn't a 4 wire....

     

    6v vs 12v does not matter at all beyond changing the pilot light bulb or bulbs on units that have lights inside.

     

    Ignore colors completely. They don't mean a thing. In the IT industry they say the nice thing about standards is there are so many to chose from... :D  If you can find instructions for this particular make and model of switch, then I guess colors mean something. Otherwise, you are on your own on that front.

     

    That all sounds correct.

     

    A traditional thermal flasher won't flash without a load, or may flash at the wrong speed with the wrong number of bulbs connected. You should be able to make them all turn on though.

     

    You should have 2 wires for right and 2 wires for left. This is the main difference between 4 wire and 7 wire. 7 wire is capable of sharing the brake lights with the signal lights, and so you have separate wires for front and rear.

     

    There is a wire in the bundle somewhere that i supposed to come from the brake light switch. If you make that one hot with the signal switch "off", both rear light wires should become hot. When you turn the signal switch on, one of them should go out, on the side you turned on. This is how the share feature works. If everything was hooked up, it would have disconnected that rear bulb from one side, and connected it to power from the flasher.

     

    The front signals are completely separate switching, and simple. You turn a side on, the switch connects that side's front bulb to the flasher.

     

    My guess is you will probably have to take it apart to figure it out.

     

    Another guess I have is that the extra (8th) wire is a ground. You should be able to see for sure if you have it open. Most 7-wire switches ground through the mounting, and one of the most common problems is the pilot not working because it does not have a good ground.

     

     

     

    I was wondering what I might find if I try to take it all apart.  Obviously I have taken the top off to expose the bulb socket and the black wire going to it.  There are two screws in that portion so I guess I'll take them out and dig deeper and see what I discover.  I'm hoping this unit is pre circuit board and the wiring will be self explanatory once I get in there.

    • Like 1
  15. I'm fed up with the 7 wire assembly that I have on my car now.  It's a terrible design and the wire going to the pilot light gets so much wear and tear that it has snapped off twice in about a year and a half.  So now I have just finished designing a method that will reduce that wire movement within the assembly.  

     

    But I want to be prepared for it too fail eventually.  So at a swap meet this summer I bought a new turn signal assembly.  It's made by Dominion Auto of Toronto, P/N 70-8033.  Probably 60's vintage but by the condition of the ends of the wires, that have about a 1/16" of bare wire showing it tells me that it has never been installed on a car.  I did as much research on that unit and it seems like it could also be a 6 volt unit, So I checked the pilot light bulb and its a # 53.  So that tells me it's a 12 volt unit

     

    I've done considerable searching on the internet for the wiring diagram but I can't find anything.   Not only that, but the wire designation is different from the 7 wire that I have now.  On that one (7 wire), the blue wire is for the pilot light.  On the Dominion one (8 wire), the black wire is for the pilot light.  The other wiring designation that is different is that on the 7 wire unit the brown is for rear right.  I have done a bench test on the 8 wire unit, and the only wire that I can get the pilot light, and test bulb, and flasher to flash is the brown wire when the lever is set for the left side of the car.  So the  brown is for left on the 8 wire unit.  But that is the only wire that responds when testing it with a bulb. ???  The picture below shows the colours.  red. black, blue, orange, white, green, yellow, and black.  Except for the orange, all the wires are 18 ga.  The orange is 16, or maybe 14 ga.  So I ran that one to the L on the flasher.  I ran the X terminal on the flasher to the battery with a 20 amp fuse in line.  I ran the black wire to the P on the flasher.  

     

    As I've mentioned in previous posts. I'm as stupid as a stick when it comes to auto electrics.  For some reason beyond my "expertise", I'm wondering if all the wires must be connected to bulbs before it completely wakes up the turn signal unit?  I'm thinking I have everything configured properly since I get the brown to flash appropriately. I've grounded the turn signal unit to the ground post of the battery and I've also grounded the test light bulb to the negative post of the battery.  

     

    Yes I could just start disconnecting the wires on the unit that is installed on the car now, and hopefully and eventually sort it out by trial and error.  But the days are short now and I want to get the wiring transferred over in a few hours since my shop isn't where I live and I prefer not walking home in the dark, because I got stumped over confusing wiring.

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  16. 1 hour ago, 39BuickEight said:

    I really can’t believe that the NHTSA approves these new headlights.  On a bumpy road from, it looks like they are flashing.   They are incredibly bright and dangerous.  Also, unnecessary.  I’ve never had trouble seeing at night with any car I’ve ever owned. 

    I agree 100%.  Back in the 60's with the typical seal beam, ( 1004 was the P/N I think ) I could see just fine. Even without the high beams on.   

    Like I mentioned in my post here.  People need to die, in large numbers, before the politicians do anything about it.  Of course, at that point they're just playing the sympathy card to get votes.  What  messed up world we live in these days.

    • Like 4
  17. I've come up with a solution that works great.  I made up this tool that is a piece of darkest tint plexiglass attached to a UHMW round rod.  I simply hold it up between my eyes and my windshield and position it so I'm blocking out the oncoming car.  I can see everything around the headlights that I'm blocking out.  Also if I'm at a 4 way stop I can block out the car at 90 degrees to me by holding the tool to block out their headlights.  When not in use, I rest the tool across my lap and the curve on the bottom of tinted plexiglass rests on the inside of my left elbow.  Even when turning corners I can use both hands on the wheel and the tool stays in place.  

    As for the rear view mirror.  I have a piece of felt tucked in to the headliner and the other end rolled up behind the mirror.  When a car is behind me, I simply flip the felt in front of the mirror.

     

    As for a number of comments about people driving with their high beam on.  I think it's actually their low beams.  That's how insanely bright the new lights are.  Then of course the aftermarket companies all want to outdo each other so they in turn come out with even brighter lights.  I believe it's only a matter of time before studies are done to confirm that many head on collisions are caused because of the bright lights.  But then of course it will take multiple deaths before anything is done about it.

    bright lights3.jpg

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    • Like 2
  18. 6 hours ago, paulrhd29nz said:

    Pete. Pictured below is the lock from one of our 28’s. 29 is the same , likely 30 is as well. Your missing the stepped pine I show. IMG_4598.jpeg.84876b89f5b5b9b28e321dd66e653ed5.jpegIMG_4597.jpeg.057fce27326de1dbea7f9187b4f0530d.jpeg

    Thanks Paul.  I figured it was shaped something like that.  I'll improvise and create my own contraption.  I'll go see Ian at Acme Safe on Fort St. in Victoria.  He's not only a good locksmith, but he's also a vintage car guy, as well as the president of the Island Chrysler chapter.  His web page shows a couple similar year, door locks that he has rebuilt.  Between the two of us we should be able to come up with something.  Thanks again.

  19. 26 minutes ago, Hans1 said:

    When removing handle, I use my thumb to press the lock latch inward and the handle square shaft with the of set square near the end, comes out.

     

    The locking mechanism is part of the lock cylinder, with in the handle shaft.

     

    My 1930 Essex is the same as your Hudson.

    That locking mechanism is what I'm missing.  I got the lock cylinder out today but it came out in two pieces.  But there was no clues as to what creates the handle to lock.  Perhaps the lock cylinder wasn't stock and someone just put it in there to fill the hole and make it look like it was functional.   It seems to me that the locking mechanism has something to do with that offset rectangular slot going through the handle.  However that slot is nowhere near anything.  ???  It's inside the escutcheon which isn't even inside the door. 

    20231017_143112.jpg

  20. As many of you know, the 1930, and perhaps other years around there, have one locking door.  Which is the front passenger door.  All the rest lock from the inside by pushing the inside door handle forward.  For whatever reason the door mechanism is designed to not be able to do that on the front passenger side.  Not sure why that is. 

    Anyways, I don't have a key, so I've taken the assembly apart so I can have it rekeyed.  While doing this, I discovered that in order to remove the door handle, one has to pull the handle  down slightly. To about the 4:30 ( clock) position and then pull it out along with the square rod.  That took about an hour of head scratching to figure that one out.  

    Once I got the handle and square rod out, I still couldn't figure out how by turning the key, it would actually prevent the door handle from moving.  

    I'm thinking there should be something in the rectangular slot that goes through the handle assembly.  That should protrude, when the key is turned.  That in turn should fit into the squared off sections in the door panel.  Which in turn would prevent the handle from moving.  But as you can see in the pictures, the rectangular slot is not in the right place. The arrow in one of the pictures shows where it should be.  That point was calculated by sliding the depth gauge end of a dial indicator through the door handle escutcheon when it was in place without the handle.  Also the tumbler mechanism would have to be quite long so as to go as far as that rectangular opening.  I also noticed that that opening is not in the centre of the round portion of the door handle, but it is slightly offset.  There must be a reason for that I would think.  Not only that but the slot does not line up with the notched out portions on the door.  If we think of the door panel notches at 9 and 3 on the clock.  The opening on the door handle when on the door would be at about 11 and 5.  Which seems to make no sense.

    From other pictures on line of 1930 Hudson's I think my door handles are stock.  I couldn't find an illustration in the parts catalog showing this.  Has anyone had one of these apart that might have the answer?

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