[NoVa-Corvairs] RE: Car Questions

[Ghee, Howard]

Welcome, Mike!  I look forward to meeting you (when I finally make another appearance!) and seeing the car!

Howard E. Ghee, Jr., BS, MS
Finance and Accounting Analyst
Cherokee Information Services, Inc.
1215 Jefferson Davis Highway-Suite 800
Arlington, VA  22202-4341

703-416-0720


-----Original Message-----
From: Puglisi, Michael [mailto:PuglisiM@cder.fda.gov]
Sent: Monday, April 26, 2004 11:35 AM
To: 'curtis l shimp'; 'novacc-list@corvair.org'
Subject: [NoVa-Corvairs] RE: Car Questions


Curt (and all)-

Thanks for all the great advice.  I'm sending this response (with many new
questions)to the whole group.  Thanks for the address.

Concerning the floorboard, there are several holes about the size of a dime
and one about the size of a quarter.  So it sounds like the POR-15 with
fiberglass or POR-15 then cover with sheet metal is the way to go.  I
suppose you screw the sheet metal to the top of the floorboard (inside the
cabin- and not to the underside)?

Concerning the engine, I don't know whether the bell housing was out when
the clutch was worked on.  Wouldn't that problem be immediately evident?  We
drove it home from the shop without any trouble.  The clutch seems okay.
The car seems to go into and out of gears fine (rolls in neutral, doesn't in
gear).   

Anyway, I'd love to get it to turn over without pulling it out or apart.  I
guess its worth another try with penetrating oil in the cylinders.  I read
somewhere to mix kerosene with marvel mystery oil in a 1 to 1 ratio.  Any
thoughts on that?  I guess I need to keep working that crankshaft bolt with
as big a wrench as I can find.  I was told to use a breaker bar but I can't
get a socket on that bolt because there's not enough clearance.  So I've
just been using a combination wrench (and not getting much leverage).  I
guess I should only be trying to turn that bolt one way (counter clockwise).
Right?

I also read somewhere a jammed starter could cause a no crank situation. I
guess that's worth a shot.  

If it turns out nothing else frees the engine, I'm guessing it's probably
the piston rings adhered (rusted) to the cylinder wall(s).  Agree?  Or is it
just as likely to be a something else stuck (could it just be a valve)?  I
guess what I'm getting at is, if the problem is rings or something in the
head, wouldn't it be easier to pull off the head (one or the other, or both)
with the engine in the car?  Obviously, its much easier to work on the
engine out of the car but is it worth the trouble?  

Last question- I'm about to buy a floor jack.  I plan to buy a middle to
high end one at Sears.
On some jacks, the part that makes contact with the car is a relatively
large diameter metal dish(maybe 6 inches wide).  On others, that part is
much smaller.  I was planning on buying one with a wide dish unless someone
suggests otherwise.  

I welcome all comments/advice anyone has about these issues or anything else
for that matter. 
For those on this distribution list who don't know who I am, I'm new to the
NVCC.  I have my grandmother's '61 500 coupe (80 hp, 3-speed) that I'm
trying to get running.  Assuming I do get it running, I plan to keep the car
and enjoy it (as long as I can do it justice).  

Thanks to all.  I look forward to your reply.

-Mike Puglisi
 email- PUGLISIM@CDER.FDA.GOV 
	or ANNEPUGS@AOL.COM
 Phone- 301-942-2396 (h)
	  301-827-2522 (w)		    

  



-----Original Message-----
From: curtis l shimp [mailto:clshimp@juno.com] 
Sent: Sunday, April 25, 2004 3:44 PM
To: PuglisiM@cder.fda.gov
Subject: Re: Car Questions


Mike:

Thanks for the note and it was good to see a fresh face at the last meeting.

Regarding small holes in the floor boards, I think the POR-15 and then
POR-15 plus fiberglass will work well.  If the holes are small enough, paint
the floor with the POR-15 and then you could also use tape under the holes
and just mix up some J B Weld (epoxy) and fill the holes.  It is a simpler
way to go.  If the holes are too big, say larger then a pencil, then the
fiber glass would be a better patch.  For even larger holes you could use
the POR-15 and then patch with galvanized metal sheet, screw it to the floor
and with a caulk or silicone sealer around the parameter.

About the engine, I would spend more time ensuring yourself that the engine
can not be freed  while in place.  While the clutch could been frozen
between the pressure plate and the flywheel (it does happen) that is not
keeping the engine from turning.  When the car is in neutral you should be
able to turn over the engine and the clutch/pressure plate assembly.  Was
the flywheel and bell housing out during the clutch replacement??  It
normally does not need to be but if it was, it is not unusual to put the
bell housing bolts in the wrong holes.  The bolts are not all the same
length and some use washers under the head and some definitely don't use
washers.  This will lock up the engine.  Anyway using the penetrating oil in
through the spark plug holes I would fill them up and let it soak a week and
try again.  The trans can come off the engine with out pulling the engine
put it puts a lot of strain on the motor mounts and on the long (over 20')
input shaft from the trans to the flywheel.

I don't know anyone personally that has the equipment to tow but if you have
some one with hitch on the back of a pickup truck all you need is a tow
dolly (the rear of the Corvair goes on the dolly) and some magnetic mounted
brake lights.  However, you need someway, a winch?, of pulling the Corvair
up on the tow dolly.

Yes, the club has a e-mail membership list, novacc-list@corvair.org, to
which you can send all of you Corvair questions or comments.  Not everyone
in the club is on the list but if you would like to have your address
included, e-mail the list administrator, Bryan Blackwell (he was at the last
meeting with the Corvair van) at "bryan@skiblack.com".

				Curt Shimp

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