<VV> A Corvair adventure (part 4)

[Daniel Monasterio]

   BC, CANADA

   After several days hanging around and visiting my son in law's huge family,
and listening and answering all kind of comments about the trip and the car, I
decided it was time to change oil and filter. Did it on June 29th morning,
drove the car a few miles and stopped it at daughter's home driveway. By 5 PM
went into the car, started it and at running, a clacking noise on engine's
left side began, for a few seconds I thought it was a discharged lifter but it
was harder and I shuted off the engine. Thought on a loose valve seat but, on
a recently rebuilded 110 head ?
    Early, on next day, I took off the left valve cover and found that # 2
exhaust valve spring was compressed without been in contact with the rocker
arm. Will need a head !! (for the engine, still not for me). Got the roster
and phoned to Rob Hall, from Langley, he had several heads and was able to
help. Went to his place and after some talking he found a good one, putted it
on cleaning and offered to have it ready by afternoon. Went back to my car and
took off the bad one. Guess what ? The seat was perfectly on place but, the
valve was stucked in it's bronze guide. With some gently hammering and oil the
valve top went to it's seat then, took off the spring by the old way
(hammering) and got the valve out after some more gently hammering. The stem
looked, by about 1" on the middle, like roughly bronze plated. With a jewelers
flat file and care I took off most of that bronze, finishing the job with #
600 sandpaper while rotating the valve on a drill. The guide looked good and
there were only a small mark at the piston top. Checked the valve for any
bending and it was OK. Did the necessary lapping, and with Rob's valve spring
compressor (who gently brought it to home) the head was ready to bolt on. The
rest was a POC and the engine ran perfectly. Thanks a lot Rob !
     I never have had this kind of failure on my 36 years dealing with
Corvairs.To get some insurance against another gripped valve, started using a
top oil additive in fuel.

     BACK HOME

     It was a troubble free traveling. Left Canada on July 5th by afternoon,
took I-5 ,now South, went out by Talatin, OR to overnight at Newberg, OR. Next
morning went to Lon's place at McMinnville then, back to I-5S. Left it at exit
736 (Mount Shasta, CA) went into route 89 and 44 to Susanville, CA (the kind
of town where the road crosses by the middle of it like on many mexican
towns), then to Reno and by route 95 to Las Vegas where I had my worst driving
experience on all my traveling. I drove around all the area like being on a
fast merrygoround track. Most cars were speeding well over 10-20 miles over
the limits on 3 or 4 lanes full of cars, like soldier ants running from or to
the nest (6 PM). It took me more than half hour to be free and safe from the
four wheeled ants. Now I know how insects would feel been on the path of
soldier ants.
     Enjoyed Death Valley coloured mountains and views, drived thru Phoenix,
Tucson, Nogales border, Hermosillo, Culiacan, Mazatlan, Tepic and finally
Guadalajara by noon, Saturday, July 10th, after 4 weeks and 7,803 miles
behind.
     Portland ? ... don't thing so but, who knows ?....it is on the path to
BC.

     Daniel Monasterio
     Proudly member of VVB (Virtual Vairs Brotherhood)