[NoVa-Corvairs] Meeting Saturday

Sun Aug 18 09:00:34 EDT 2013

Justin

I'm far from an expert as I've only got one, but I have built it from zero, and took care to do that the best I could to avoid future problems. Here goes a few answers. On a Sunday morning I can comment easily while I have my coffee. Later I'm making the tail light rims for my Mini Pickup out of cast aluminum.

I've never been a fan of mechanical fuel pumps, as those are what I used to change regularly on my Studebakers back in the 50's, and read too many Corvair complaints about the mechanical pumps. So I put in the Airtex electric at the tank. But since you've replaced yours, hopefully with a good one, lets hope that functions well.

Carburetor settings are tricky with duals. I learned that back in 66 when I tuned my Bugeye Sprite. At that time I had not heard of the balancers o figured out how to make them, and did it with a hose to my ear. My hearing was better and I think I did well since it got 54 mpg when I finished (I used to drive it from Silver Spring to Long Island and back on $2.00 in gas). So always start with balancing the carbs. From memory (It's been about 3 years or so since I touched it), after making sure there was no play in the crossover (I made nylon bushings to eliminate that), You make sure both cabs are reacting at the same time, by bending the throttle rods until they are both touching and the movement is synchronized. At this point you can turn the screws to fine tune this to synch them completely. I originally used my ear, but maybe my hearing isn't what it was 45 years ago, since the little sync tool I made showed I was way off. That tool was a 15 minute project with bottles and hoses I had lying around. Actually you've got a great club there and I'm sure someone has a sync tool. It would probably be a cool idea to use it at a club meeting and re-check every member's car. Synching is probably the single most important step.
Remember that the idle mixture screws only affect idle. So you only need to set them (both same distances to start) for a smooth idle once warmed up and choke off, collar open)
And check the cooling fan collar. It should open completely when the engine is hot and close completely when cold (there is a distance in the manual). It will over heat if not opening all the way, and the little nut is easy to turn.
This becomes a good time to set the timing (assuming you have set the points). I put in a pertronix, so once set, it is basically forever. I recently bought a new timing gun, but haven't used it. I've set timing by ear since 1968 when I was traveling daily through the mountains and had to set it to the best point for the actual altitude, that could vary from 4000 ft to 16,000 feet several times in a day. You want it as advanced as possible without pinging, and with smooth idling. When I first set up my Corvair I had it running nicely at the office at 6300 ft above sea level, but it pinged at home at 5700 ft, so I had to set it back a touch for home. When I brought it here to Santa Cruz, I set it back further (after marking the previous point for when I take it back to Tarija). In the DC area you can safely set it to the book with a timing light and have most of the available power. 
The fast idle is the last thing you set. Once it is running and idle mixtures set, and choke set (clean that out if you haven't), you turn that in to where it will run fast enough at idle when cold so as to not die. I'm sure there is an rpm, but I'm old school.

On oil leaks, a good pressure washer is the best start. Then I'd let it sit and see if it leaks and from where. Once it is running the possibilities increase and the wind brings all oil to the back in that little catchall. I have had a perfectly dry garage for at least a year now, but even with all the new gaskets I used originally, I had leaks. From what I read, the frequent culprits are oil cooler seals and push rod tubes. I had no problems with these. 
My problems were in 4 places.
-- An oil pump cover bolt that sheared (not enough to leave the open hole, but enough to not put pressure on the plate. The oil migrated to the little catch-all. Had to drop the rear, pull the remaining part of the bolt, and put in a new one.
-- Valve covers. If you still have the original 60's, scrap them. Get a set of the stronger ones that use only 4 bolts and the spreaders.  Make sure they are straight. After experiments with all the recommendations (dry, silicon, contact cement, etc.) I made my gaskets (can't buy them off the shelf here) out of 5 mm cork/rubber instead of the standard 3 mm, and installed them with gasket shellac on both sides of both surfaces, using bolts that are ¼" longer than stock. I put all bolts in with the local version thread lock, and not too hard.
-- Oil pan. My oil pan looked like a piece of shriveled bacon. I straightened it and flattened the area around the holes, added the 5 mm gaskets, gasket shellac, and longer bolts. Making sure to put the gasket shellac closely around the bolt holes. I put all bolts in with the local version thread lock, and not too hard.
-- the oil seal on the shifter entrance to the transmission. Although my transmission was rebuilt in Kansas, it had been on the shelf for an unknown number of years. I pulled out the little seal, took it next door to the bearing store. He measured it and sold me a new one for a couple of bucks.

There is a lot more experience in the club, and I might have missed a couple of points. Other than solving the leaks, for the 3 years or so I've been driving it all I've done is fabricate the gas sender and replace the gauge with several donors until I found a NOS gauge at California Corvairs. With that I'm set. Last night the Governor dropped by our club meeting and fell in love with my car, so I guess it still steals the show.

Tuesday my brother-in-law is bringing me a set of the new door sills Clark's had reproduced.
_________________________________
Richard L. Widman | CEO
(591-3) 344-2233 / (591-7) 705-2487 
www.widman.biz
Widman International S.R.L.
Carretera al Norte km 6
Santa Cruz de la Sierra - Bolivia

On Aug 17, 2013, at 11:56 PM, Justin <jp0181 at yahoo.com> wrote:

Richard,
Thought I would hit you up on a few things. Your just as versed on everything as far as the 60 is concern! 
The fast idle behind the air cleaner! Besides looking in my shop manual, any pointers on how to set that? Any pointers on air and fuel mixture screws and how many turns if I don't have the sync tool or time to set up the water chemistry test you set up?
I've switch over my oil to the shell rotella t 5 10w30. Any pointers on securing oil leaks as they appear even after replacing numerous gaskets? 

I switched over my generator to an alternator, upgrade my fuel pump to the later model Corvair 61-64.

Amy routine items I need to stay up on let me know so I can keep my car running in tip top shame. Anywhere from fuel to regular maintenance items.

I completed a rear brake shoe replacement with springs with the club.

I replaced my exhaust with a performance and aftermarket exhaust.

Trying to make improvements where neccessary.

Send me things to do and perhaps resources to complete, purchase and keep my car engine pristine.

Thank you!

J. Smalley

On Jun 14, 2013, at 7:20 PM, Richard Widman <rwidman at gmail.com> wrote:

> I'm afraid I haven't paid attention to where you are meeting. I'm at my daughter's and if it is close to Warrenton or Manasas, I could probably sneak away for a while to say hi. 
> _________________________________
> Richard L. Widman | CEO
> (591-3) 344-2233 / (591-7) 705-2487 
> www.widman.biz
> Widman International S.R.L.
> Carretera al Norte km 6
> Santa Cruz de la Sierra - Bolivia
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Jun 14, 2013, at 4:54 PM, Darrin Hartzler <dhartzler at ifc.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> I am in Portland.  Let us know how it goes.
> 
> DArrin
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Jun 13, 2013, at 8:30 PM, "Justin" <jp0181 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
>> Would love to come and would help. Ill be out of town for my sons first
> birthday! Doug wish you best of luck, honestly! Ill catch up with you soon!
>> 
>> J. Smalley
>> 
>> 
>> On Jun 13, 2013, at 1:13 PM, Bryan Blackwell <bryan at skiblack.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi folks,
>>> 
>>> I chatted with Doug for a minute about the meeting, his project is to
> get the power top working again on the 'red' car.  Give him a call if
> you're coming 703-309-8705 so he gets enough bagels :-)
>>> 
>>> --Bryan
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