Machine Gun
-
Posts
738 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
1
Content Type
Forums
Gallery
Events
Posts posted by Machine Gun
-
-
I had only limited time yesterday to investigate the source of the leak, but I did learn some things after I hosed down the outside of the car. First, it's a fresh water leak coming from the outside. Second, my earlier seal of the radio antenna cable entry point remained intact and dry. Third, the windshield seal remained nice and dry (thank you, God!). Finally, the water comes in from around the heater box where it meets the firewall in the front passenger footwell. When facing the heater box from inside the cabin, water trickles down from the lower right corner of the box. I'll do a more thorough investigation within the next week to locate the entry point and determine how best to fix it.
-
1
-
-
9 minutes ago, avgwarhawk said:
Heater core?
Better that than a leak around the windshield! The leak appeared last week after the car sat for a couple of days in heavy rains so I don't think it's coolant, but I'll check. I'm going to have my wife hose down the car later today and see if I can determine where the water is getting in. I had this very problem under similar circumstances in 2021 while on my first Route 66 trip. The problem was a rotted grommet in the hole where the radio antenna lead enters the passenger compartment. If I'm lucky that's the problem again. If I'm not lucky it'll be the windshield. A few years ago I had a leak around the rear windshield that I corrected by having the glass removed and the channel repaired and resealed. I dread the thought of having to go through that again, mostly because of the risk of breaking the glass.
-
2
-
-
All fixed. You guys were right about the clamp. I couldn't get my head around how there was that much upward force, if any, on the shaft to move it when I used a puller to get the steering wheel off. That was until I loosened the clamp and found that it wasn't as tight and secure as it should have been. Thanx to @Bloo, @rocketraider, @EmTee, @avgwarhawk, @Loren@65GS.com, and @JohnD1956 for weighing in. Now on to my next issue: a water leak on the passenger side front footwell. Not a big leak, but I'm not going to leave it for obvious reasons.
-
3
-
-
17 hours ago, Loren@65GS.com said:
There is a spring and clamp on the engine compartment side of the steering column. I have seen the clamp move allowing the scenario you have. It will take two people to adjust the clamp in the engine compartment side. While one person pushes on the steering wheel, the other person adjusts the clamp.
Loren@65GS.com
Looking into that is on my to-do list for today. I pulled the steering wheel off again yesterday, and once again confirmed that there's no obvious issue with the splines or anything else at that end of things. The manual indicates that the distance from the end of the steering shaft to the edge of the bowl on the steering column should be 1-27/32", adjusted at the clamp inside the engine compartment as you indicated. You guys probably identified the issue. I'll confirm.
-
@avgwarhawk I never heard of hammering off a part that way, and it's probably a good thing that I didn't when I was younger and started messing with cars. How using a puller can force the shaft upwards escapes me. I'm not arguing the point, I'm just not seeing how putting equal an opposite forces on an assembly can cause the entire works to move when no force is applied against the steering column or anything else. I will recheck for a keyed spline when I take the wheel off again, but as I said there are index marks that establish proper alignment of the wheel with the shaft.
@EmTee The steering wheel moves through its entire travel with no abnormalities.
@JohnD1956 Yes, there is a washer under the nut, but it's where it belongs.
The car comes home from the shop tomorrow, so I will get back to this issue sometime later in the week. The only reason I took the wheel off in the first place is because the turn signal stalk came loose and I had to tighten the screw. It looks like the plastic piece that holds the screw is cracked, so I expect that it will eventually come loose again. While I have the wheel off I'll try to come up with a permanent solution to that problem.
-
@Bloo I'm not sure what you mean by "master spline," but there are factory index marks on the splined wheel hub and the shaft to indicate proper alignment. I put the wheel back in the exact position it was in when I first removed it.
@rocketraider Hammer it off? Really??? I used a puller with the bolts threaded into the holes in the steering wheel that were put there for that purpose. No need to assume that the gap wasn't there before I removed the wheel: "...the wheel didn't go all the way on to where it was to begin with."
I thought of the lower bearing and rag joint as possible culprits but they seem unlikely causes because the wheel sat properly before I removed it. Use of a puller didn't put any stress on those parts. However, I'm not going to rule out those possibilities until I have another look at the situation.
Thank you both for your input. The car is going to the shop this morning for axle bearing work and I won't have a chance to do any more with the steering wheel until I get the car back. I'll keep you posted.
-
1
-
-
I will be there. And I'll bring $795 to buy that '36. Consider it sold 😀
-
1
-
1
-
-
I recently removed my steering wheel to tighten the turn signal stalk. When I reinstalled the wheel and tightened the nut to the proper torque the wheel didn't go all the way on to where it was to begin with. I removed the wheel again to ensure that the splines were clean and had no burrs, and then put it back again. Same deal. The wheel slides on the spline smoothly but it only wants to go on so far, even if I attempt to tighten the nut further. The turn signal cancel cog does its job just fine and everything works as it should, but it looks like crap. Any suggestions on how to get the wheel to seat further on the shaft?
-
16 hours ago, JanZverina said:
Good sleuthing, EmTee -thanks!
Much better than me, for sure! Geez, you'd think I would know since I have a '64 Skylark. Now I feel stupid...
-
I can't find that specific part number in the parts book, but it appears to be a grille emblem from a 60s model. Sorry I can't be of more help.
-
I'll check my parts book and let you know.
-
Never buy from anyone who shouts, and whose only puncuation mark is the exclamation point. It's a written equivalent of a Billy Mays TV ad.
-
1
-
1
-
2
-
-
The larger one might be from a Special or Skylark with the standard steering wheel. Is there a part number on it anywhere?
(247)
-
6 hours ago, Paul White said:
Toyota GT86, which has barely covered 15000 kilometres in 7 years...
It seems to me that you have the wrong car in the storage unit. Just sayin'.
-
1
-
1
-
-
Congratulations on winning a trophy!
-
1
-
-
16 hours ago, OldGerman said:
Sorry, I have not made any pictures with hot girls.
I hope you don't let your mother-in-law see what you wrote by her picture!
-
1
-
4
-
-
15 hours ago, MrEarl said:
Check out the tire tread
And where might one find such a thing?
-
I planned to install the new timing cover gasket and get the Skylark back together this weekend. On Friday I had the car apart, the gasket surfaces cleaned, and had everything ready to put it back together. Then Roseann's spirit showed up and said "It's always something." Sure enough it was.
I opened up the gasket set and found two timing cover gaskets like there's supposed to be to cover two variations of cover design. Well there were two gaskets alright, but they're identical. Enter Mr. Murphy: they're two of the type I don't need. Rock Auto issued me a refund almost immediately. NAPA to the rescue. Gaskets are due here sometime this week.
Yes, hobbies are supposed to be relaxing. No, I did not take my blood pressure that day.
-
1
-
8
-
-
20 hours ago, JohnD1956 said:
Works during the day but not at night?
Look on the bright side (no pun intended), at least it's definitely not a vampire.
-
1
-
3
-
-
Sadly, my Skylark will be off the road at least until mid-July. Need rear axle bearings, I have to remove the intake to re-drill and tap the water fitting for the stock carburetor (coolant-operated choke), and it developed a leak in the timing chain cover where it meets the driver side head. Humbug. I really shouldn't complain. I put more than 10,000 trouble-free miles on it since September. I guess it wants a rest.
-
Wow! Just Wow! I want to go to there. Here's to wishing you many years of healthy enjoyment.
-
1
-
1
-
-
7 hours ago, rodneybeauchamp said:
There is another Buick coming and I need the garage space. Watch this space!
I can't wait for the unveiling!
-
Many thanks for your help John, but I may have found a solution to my problem. Apparently similar fittings are readily available, so I'll order from one of the sources I found. FYI, the fitting is 1/4" NPT male where it threads into the manifold and sits at a 45 degree angle. One of the photos shows a similar fitting. Also FYI, I shot a photo of the location where the fitting goes. The hole is currently plugged. When the old fitting broke off I drilled and tapped the hole for a 1/8 NPT plug. When time comes for me to reinstall the 2GC I'll re-tap the hole for the proper thread size.
-
1
-
-
OK, here's my long-shot-of-the-month request: I need an angled water fitting for my Skylark. It's the fitting that sits atop the intake manifold behind the carburetor. The fitting supples water to the carburetor choke. I removed the fitting with the intention of plugging the hole when I replaced the 2GC with a new Holley. It snapped off instead of unscrewing. Does anyone here have one, or perhaps could point me to a possible source for one? Although the Holley works well enough, I want to give the 2GC anther chance because it performed better. I can come up with something easily enough, but I prefer to have the original style fitting.
1964 Skylark Steering Wheel Reinstallation Issue
in Buick - Post War
Posted
@EmTee I share yours and Loren's suspicions about the heater box seal. If I eventually have to remove the heater box I'll install a new heater core.
@Loren@65GS.com I agree, I see no way for water to get where it's been going unless it's getting in from the engine side of the works. When I did my quick and dirty check the other day I hosed down the windshield and the cowl grille. The only visible water getting inside came from the heater box. However, the next time I give it a look I'll hose down only the cowl grille area to start, thus eliminating the possibility of a breach in the A-pillar windshield seal. Thanx for the suggestion.
My hope is that I'll be able to see an obvious crack in the heater box seal in the engine compartment that I'll be able to seal up without taking things apart. On the other hand, I'm not getting any younger and if I have to take out the heater box it's probably better to do it before my body comes up with yet another part to make sore.
Question: Did Buick use a tar-like substance to waterproof the heater box area? The heater box perimeter is coated with some gunk that even covers some of the wiring. It has me wondering if a prior owner was in there and slathered up the works.