<VV> Strange drive train experience, excuse the lenthy post.

[JKFG717 at aol.com]

While driving my 65 Monza vert, 110 PG 59 K miles, more often with the  nice 
weather. yesterday I drove the car about 13 miles, left it for about four  
hours. Then drove it another 13 miles. On the second 13 I heard a noise from  
what I thought was the rear of the car. Hard to do in a convertible but it  
sounded like a rubbing sound. Once up to speed I either couldn't hear it or it  
went away. I got home and it sat for about 40 mins. I restarted and set out for  
a 25 mile drive. While driving the car acted like for no other description 
like  it was held back. Like when you forget the emergency brake. No odd smells 
or  overheat though. Gradually it seemed ok. Interestingly our local club 
president  was behind me and I didn't know it. He didn't mention any thing when we 
got  along side each other at the light. When I got to my destination the car 
sat for  about 5 hours. When I set out to drive home the temp had dropped 
about 10  degrees. I noticed again the same noise from earlier that day. four or 
five  miles into the drive the car felt like either: the alignment had just 
changed a  lot, a wheel was loose, a tire was going flat. It was shaking enough 
to cause  the drivers door glass to rattle, and you could feel it like it was 
going  through the whole car, not just the front end. It got progressively 
worse with  speed increase, at 50 mph I backed off because I got too nervous. At 
about the  20 mile mark it was really noticeable. It just feels like the car is 
dragging,  then shaking. The Trans shifts fine. The carbs need a little 
adjustment,(they  are new), and some minor tune issues. I parked the car in the 
garage and lifted  the hood. No unusual heat or smells there. You could now smell 
what is best  described as melting plastic mixed with rubber. None of the 
smell in the very  warm engine though. Moving around the back of the car on my 
hands and knees I  noticed a strange very black liquid dripping from the area 
between the end on  the engine and whatever is attached there before the 
transmission. I couldn't  figure out from the shop manual what that area is called. 
The bell housing?  Anyway moving from the rear to the right side over the tire 
was about 5 times  hotter than the left side. If you hold your hand over the 
right rear tire are,  not the tire itself, it was very warm. The left side was 
warm but much cooler,  like the engine compartment. There are no lower shrouds 
on the car. This morning  the smell was gone. Everything was cool. The black 
fluid was about the size of a  football on brown cardboard I put there that 
night. The car has no other leaks,  believe it or not. I checked all the 
dipsticks(3), all clean and full, nothing  black. So, is it a seal? A wheel bearing? 
Any help with diagnosis would be  helpful. I was planning to get the car 
aligned soon too. The tires are brand new  and balanced properly, all correctly 
inflated 13 inch radials. 22 lbs front, 32  lbs, rear. 
 
Thanks,
 
Jim Govoni
CORSA
Group Corvair



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