paulrhd29nz Posted November 25, 2020 Share Posted November 25, 2020 Again , the 7psi cap needs to be kept. Or you could always buy lots of head gaskets and keep them in the trunk along with lots of tools for when you go on road trips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted November 26, 2020 Author Share Posted November 26, 2020 Not changing the radiator cap. The points are pretty well trashed, pitted. And the condenser, old, unreliable aftet it gets warm Im sure. I cleaned the carbon off of the dist cap and rotor, and checked all of the plug and dist boots and now with the #5 plug wire on completely it should run better, the cap was just dangling from the plug. Will spend the long weekend foxing odds and ends, lubing stuff, cleaning wire contacts, etc. I found the source of some steering play, the steering box shaft moves up and down when the wheel is turned. The manual describes reducing the end play by removing a shim from the end cap by loosening the end cap screws and sliding one out. Will there be lube poaring out when I do this? I should replace the lube while Im there. The manual breifly describes these steps but no diagrams and its hard to reach and to see anything down there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted December 2, 2020 Author Share Posted December 2, 2020 Just picked up my recored radiator, will install it tonight. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted December 3, 2020 Author Share Posted December 3, 2020 The radiator worked out great and the sputtering was from the disconnected spark plug wire, runs smooth and shifts smooth, but now it has a steady gas drip coming from somewhere around the fuel pump. Have to jack the car up to get a look under there, or maybe a mirror to see up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Wildeisen Posted December 3, 2020 Share Posted December 3, 2020 If you don't mind sharing, what was the cost on the radiator? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted December 3, 2020 Author Share Posted December 3, 2020 It was 440.00 with tax. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne sheldon Posted December 3, 2020 Share Posted December 3, 2020 It may be a bit too new for my interests? But I am enjoying these updates! I like to see people enjoying this their version of the hobby. It is a neat car regardless! Too far away for me actually, but I quickly wonder what they might charge to re-core a brass era model T radiator? (No need to ask them) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted December 3, 2020 Author Share Posted December 3, 2020 You could ask them, they are a small shop and had all sorts of radiators in for repairs, they use a company in Maine to custom make the cores. Quick turn-around. Thats a common radiator I would estimate $ about what I paid. By mail is a good option if you can make a plywood box for shipping back and forth. Branford Radiator 203-488-7346. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted December 13, 2020 Author Share Posted December 13, 2020 Im trying to get my oil pan off, it hits either the steering control arm or the front cross member. I turned the crank so that the lobes are flat with least interference. I think I would have to remove the control arm, looks like 5 ball joints to pull, or jack up the front of the engine to clear the front cross member. Not sure which is easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 On my Sunbird they made it real easy to pull two bolts and jack the engine up to get the rear spark plug out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 I only had to jack it up 3/8" and the pan came right out. Lots of gooey molasses inside! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tate Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 I bet you are glad you took the time to drop the pan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted December 19, 2020 Author Share Posted December 19, 2020 Yes, I am. Its nice to know that its clean, and to get rid of the leaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 On 11/6/2020 at 12:35 PM, padgett said: I'd run a quart of ATF in the oil for about 50-100 miles, then drop the pan. Well, if it is sludged up then that should destroy his engine quite nicely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 On 12/18/2020 at 10:13 AM, supercub said: I only had to jack it up 3/8" and the pan came right out. Lots of gooey molasses inside! That is actually good - I have seen tons worse. You may also want to pull the access panels off for valves and see if there is junk around valves. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 John - on reflection I agree with you, ATF is more appropriate for a car that has been running/driving already and not one that has been sitting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted December 21, 2020 Author Share Posted December 21, 2020 I want to clean in the valve pocket as another project, checking the valve clearances and freeing the manifold thermo shaft. Someone I met actually suggested pouring kerosine in the pan to dilute the sludge, draining and then change the oil as opposed to dropping a pan, I thought to myself thats suicidal. I have never been a fan of adding anything to oil or gas for any reason, for magic benefits. I got the pan back on after cleaning the pan and pickup nozzle, painting the pan and skidplate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 Back in the day ATF was a really high detergent 20 wt. Could wash you hands with it. Back in the day would run a quart for about 100 miles and if pulled the valve covers everything would look squeaky clean (back then it wasn't uncommon for a used car prospect to shine a light into a oil filler or breather on the valve cover). ps remember an engineer telling me that STP would save an engine for about 3 seconds if you lost oil pressure (common in really hard corners). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted December 22, 2020 Author Share Posted December 22, 2020 (edited) I have some up and down end play in the steering box, the pitman arm shaft can be seen moving up and down, with some wheel play. Reading in the manual, it describes the adjustment as removing a shim from under the box cover. If I loosen the screws to remove a shim, should I expect that the cover would be spring loaded? Could I remove the cover completely to make it easier to remove the shim? It is in tight quarters. Also I would like to change the lubricant. Edited December 22, 2020 by supercub (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted December 23, 2020 Share Posted December 23, 2020 After reading the instructions I don't think I would remove the cover. Just loosen that 1/8 inch that is suggested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted December 24, 2020 Author Share Posted December 24, 2020 The bolt in the middle of the cover was loose, I tightened it and the play went away, the steering feels about right, not tight, not sloppy. There is a star washer under the bolt, it was never bent up to retain the bolt. I bent it up but the star is just loosely restrained by the nut next to it, but it should be fine. I dont know what the side nut does but it has a small tab sticking out of it. This box sounds more like the Rambler one described in the manual, I dont think there are shims under the cover. I would like to change the lube but unsure how, and its really hard to see down there. Probably wont take the car out for a week anyway to try out, until the salt gets washed off of the roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted December 24, 2020 Share Posted December 24, 2020 My guess that tab washer is probably a brake of sorts that might keep the bolt from turning. It doesn't took like one that should be bent up, I would guess that it probably is not anchored to what ever you are thinking it is supposed to hold. In other words it probably turns with the bolt. My guess on the smaller bolt is that it is where you add lubricant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted December 25, 2020 Author Share Posted December 25, 2020 The bolt did allow full tightening without the steering being overly tight. The star is constrained by the raised boss of the adjacent bolt. I bent it up and took some force but its a good safety check. It could be that the smaller one is for lube. I could remove it and siphon out the old lube maybe? I pulled the gas tank out, it had a leak on top when the tank was full, the bottom is dented, and I wanted to check the inside. The coating on the inside has peeled away in big pieces. Im not sure but it looks like the factory sealant because it was a very even thin coating, silver glossy plastic looking stuff. The exposed metal isnt that rusty. I put a piece of the coating in acetone to see if it dissolves. If so, I can remove it all and recoat with Caswell, or just scrape out the loose stuff and clean it out. I think I can remove most of the dents by accessing through the filler hole. The leak I am sure was due to dried up sealant at the outlet tube flange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted December 25, 2020 Share Posted December 25, 2020 On a Saginaw it is a hex screw/locknut you tighten (but not too far) to adjust. Same place in the cover. Have to be careful that tightening in the center does not make if bind near lock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted December 25, 2020 Author Share Posted December 25, 2020 I havent driven it yet after adjusting but the wheel turns freely lock to lock with no play anywhere. All of the ball joints are good. One front wheel bearing is a little sloppy but not bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted December 29, 2020 Author Share Posted December 29, 2020 I have my gas tank out of the car. The lining is peeling away and it has alot of dents on the bottom. I have poured natural clay kitty litter inside to absorb the gas fumes. I will knock out the dents as much as possible and clean the inside with soapy water using driveway stones to dislodge as much of the loose lining as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted January 3, 2021 Author Share Posted January 3, 2021 (edited) I had to pull my heater blower motor out due to squealing and noticed that the heater element was full of brass grindings from ???. He didnt rinse the radiator out very good. It looked fine when I picked it up but I should have rinsed it myself to be sure. He also painted over the residues and the paint was starting to come off of it. I removed the radiator to flush it out and sanded it down for repainting. The system will have to be flushed out and thats a pita in this cold weather. Edited January 10, 2021 by supercub Correct source of particles. (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 I just figured out the real source of the particles. When I first changed the coolant, I brought it from walmart. I opened the jug and noticed that the tin foil seal had been opened. I looked inside and saw fresh green antifreeze so I poured it in the radiator. It was dark out. Next went in a gallon of distilled water and from there more was added from a fresh unbreached jug. I found the old jug in my shed yesterday and poured out the little bit on the bottom onto a paper towel and found the same particles. Someone had used leak sealer and drained it out into the jug and returned it to walmart. Now Im stuck with a ton of sludge in my system that Ive read that isnt removable. I did get the particles out of the radiator and heater element. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GARY F Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 What a p---- that guy was. Maybe some evaporust will clean it some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted January 20, 2021 Author Share Posted January 20, 2021 (edited) I would like to pull the hydromatic fluid pan off to clean and replace the gasket, does anyone know if the pan would clear the crossmember? Its a little hard to see, but the gap between the pan shoulder and the crossmember lip is less than tbe pan shoulder height and I can see from the manual that the pan is pretty populated. Edited January 20, 2021 by supercub (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 Probably wouldn't hurt to take the tranny to X-member bolts out and jack it up a couple of inches. There should be a gasket and filter kit available somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted January 21, 2021 Author Share Posted January 21, 2021 Yea I think it has to be jacked up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkyardjeff Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 I think those trans had a cleanable filter and would only need a pan gasket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted January 22, 2021 Author Share Posted January 22, 2021 I drained the fluid, it was clean. I may have to wait until warmer weather to jack it up on all fours to get under it outside but in the meantime I will change the fluid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted January 24, 2021 Author Share Posted January 24, 2021 The thing hanging down with the old cloth tape wrapped around it is the broken off piece of the brake cable that would pull the rear brakes to stop the car in the event of a hydraulic failure. The other end is still attached to the ebrake junction. I want to fix that, I have a sailboat rigger in my town that can make one for me unless I can find one nos. I like the feature. Didn't know the car had it, the manual doesn't describe it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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