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Kennie B.

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Posts posted by Kennie B.

  1. Power-shift, shifting sluggishly

    in 1963-64 Avanti

    Posted

    Well, let me start by thanking all who have weighed in and given their advise. I think my solution is essentially a blend of most all of it.

    I spent a good bit of time pondering my options (while recuperating from a nasty cold) and spoke with Jon Myers as well.

    When the parts come in next week, basically I'll be rebuilding what can be pulled from the bottom (control valve, servos, governor etc.) adjust (it's almost on now, I want it dead on) throttle control of the pressure valve as well as servos and top up trans with an appropriate amount of Seafoam trans tune or Lubriform.

    The goal is to hold off upgrading to a 200R4 auto until next year. While I intend to keep the car as original as I can, this is one mod that is pretty low key and easy to return to stock at a future date. Eventually I want to take this car on long tours, the 3.73:1 rear axle, well it gets tiresome when 70 mph requires 3,500 rpm indicated. And my commute takes nearly 10 miles on the fwy...going in the reverse direction of traffic. Most of time I can run between 65 and 80! While don't run the car for any great amount of time above 70, I have seen nearly 90 and frankly her chassis likes it there but her heart sounds likes she'd rather not be so hurried. I will let you all know how it works in the end.

    Hopefully I won't screw up the control valve like I did the power steering pump's pressure control valve. I got it figured out but there's a whole lot more options on that dude for screwing up.

  2. Power-shift, shifting sluggishly

    in 1963-64 Avanti

    Posted

    When I first revived the car, I started by just getting it running since the fluids all smelled and looked good. Once I could actually drive it safely, I then got everything good and warm before dumping the respective fluid. During that stage was when the trans started to act up but I had not yet changed the trans fluid. When I did make the change, I also drained the torque converter and dropped the pan. While there was evidence of metal fines on the bottom it was very little, just what a 90k mile car should have. Keep in mind, the car had been laid up for a decade. Fortunately I really do think the fluids were fresh at that time but I agree that they would have lost their additives and oxidized and I didn't try driving any distance until changing fluids

    I do think that the problem lies in the internal rubber and possibly varnish build up in the control valves. Once warm the unit works lovely. The shifting is smooth but strong. Nothing jerky, just very positive. My intent is to just do this service as a stopgap until next fall, allowing me to better firm up the game plan for this car. By then I am thinking of pulling the engine and trans to better detail the engine bay and take care of all the oil leaks from both the engine and trans and so forth.

  3. Power-shift, shifting sluggishly

    in 1963-64 Avanti

    Posted

    Here's the latest on 63R-2962.

    For the last month she's actually been a daily driver!

    Over the last few months she has been shown at the Pasadena Art Center's annual car show, had the opportunity to meet Bob Caser and others. It's been well received at the cars for coffee meets around Pasadena as well. To get her to this point I have had the carb and distributor rebuilt by Dave Thiebault, I have had the radiator recored and naturally all the hoses I replaced, even to the heater. The motor mounts are all new and even hot tanked the fuel tank. The one thing I sublet the labour on was mounting up the dual circuit master cylinder and bleeding the brakes. We found the rear cylinders were rusted up and rebuilt the slave cylinders as well as replaced the hoses. And yes, I did figure out what was wrong on my power steering rebuild. Put the pressure valve in backwards in the pump

    Now for the next problem. The trans doen't want to shift from second to third until the car has gone for about a mile and a half when the least bit cool. Once it makes the shift, all is well. The same for engaging reverse.

    I have tried changing the fluid and even trying both Lucas' and Prolong's miracles in a bottle. No joy.

    Now, I have never worked on an automatic transmission. Pulled apart and rebuilt Vickers Fluid Power transmissions, never an automotive automatic though.

    As I read the service manual and look over the parts manual, I think I am up to some of the diagnostic work and remediation. If I read right, the likely candidates are sticking valves and/or o-rings in the modulators. Perhaps (but I doubt) a sticking governor but that can be plan B.

    Any suggestions? Have any of you attempted working on a Power-shift?

  6. A/C Freon capacity

    in Avanti Information

    Posted

    Jeff,

    According to a tag on the pump on my car is should be 3 lbs of R12.

    How correct it is, I have no idea as it's my first and I have only had the car a couple of months. For all I know it may have been taken from another car and swapped in place, these York pumps were pretty common in the era

    Good luck,

    Ken

  9. No longer wishing

    in Avanti Pub

    Posted

    Thanks for the new leads and advise!

    Well, the steering pump is rebuilt and mounted. I was un-able to get the cylinder apart to replace the shaft seal. According to the factory manual, they say to use the pressure produced by the pump to literally blow the seal out so we'll see how that works. And yes, I did remember to remove the snap ring that retains the seal in end of the cylinder so I'm going to go all in on this one. First though, I need to get the new hoses in and I'll get that going on Thursday. By Sunday I should have power assisted steering once again.

    The one thing that still has me stumped is the rattling sound on over-run. It isn't consistent. It sounds like small marbles crossed with the sound those spring door stops make when twang them. It sometimes also happens when you shift into neutral from either drive or reverse. It seems to be strongest at the rear end of the valley. There seems to be a spring in place on the heat riser and holding it open doesn't seem to eliminate the sound. One thing I have noticed is that the exhaust pipe looks to touch the frame on the right side, perhaps this is actually the problem and the sound is transmitted upward. I'll look into that idea over the weekend and let you know.

    Best regards to all, Ken

  10. No longer wishing

    in Avanti Pub

    Posted

    Lew,

    I haven't had to deal with one of those for so long I completely forgot about that! When I had been looking over the car at different times, I did make sure it openned freely but never thought of there being a spring, that the weight held it shut at idle and back pressure blew it open.

    All those years lurking and absorbing as much knowledge as possible, yet the learning curve is still steep!

    Thanks guys for leasons thus learned (many) and those yet to be learned. Frankly had I not been lurking, I'd probably be in the garage dumbfounded but instead jumping in with both enthusiasm and a touch of caution

  11. No longer wishing

    in Avanti Pub

    Posted

    Anyway, on to more interesting news, a long overdue update.

    She RUNS! And pretty damned well if I do say so myself.

    I cheated and got another carburetor while Dave T. restores the original. Put it in and made the various mods to the plumbing as well as plumbing in the drip bottle to feed the carb. Two pumps on the throttle and about 1 crank revolution and we were off to the races. In short, this car wants to run.

    Naturally there were some adjustments to be made once warm the more critical issues were; a. no severe blow by, b. no leaks from engine, trans nor radiator and the brakes did seem to pick up a bit of boost as the vacuum built (quickly). The tach even works but the clock has given up the ghost.

    Put her into gear and drove down the driveway fine, reverse took its own time engaging and there was no boost to the power steering. Let's see what's up. Hmm, no trans fluid, topped that right up (2 quarts) and the powersteering is empty. Topped that up too and now gears engage smoothly and promptly as well as boosted steering. Huzzah!

    Drove up and down drive way again to be only met by long trail of fluid. Being neither Hansel nor Gretel, this is not a good thing. Look at powersteering pump and watch 2-3 drops per second coming out of pump shaft. Now I know why the fuel pump was covered with a mound of oily mud. So far though, nothing coming out of transmission, not then nor even now after the weekend is over. So, off comes the pump for a rebuild as well as the ram. At least now I can drive without too much of a mess.

    So at that point, I decided to put some fresh gas in the tank and run the engine with a fresh fuel line running into the gas can to purge any grunge in the fuel lines. Man, that pump moves some fuel. After about a gallon it was clear that the tubing was clear as well so hooked it up to the carb. Now she's mobile and what's a boy to do? If course we had to go on a road trip! It would only be around the block but I had to know, how good does she run through the gears. Just so you know, I putted. I did get up to 30 and at this point, it was very early on Sunday morning. If something goes wrong, kill it and coast to the curb. She really does run good but it was a good thing I parked her when I did, the fuel filter was filling up and the car starved for gas as I backed up to the garage. Once cleaned out, back to normal.

    There is one question. When I blip the throttle, on the over run, there is a clatter. It sounds like the lifters. While rev'ing up, not there. At idle, not there. Only when I release the throttle and once settled to idle, gone again. Any ideas?

  13. 'See Through' Avanti!

    in Avanti Trivia

    Posted

    Keep in mind, mirrors are a big variable. The Feds didn't require outside rear view mirrors of any kind as well as a number of states, noe of which required a right side mirror if the rear window wasn't obstructed. On my '63 I count 20 pieces total. The instrument lights don't count since they maybe glass but the red paint is on the outside. If they were LED with clear outer lenses, the mind swims with the counting possibilities.

  15. No longer wishing

    in Avanti Pub

    Posted · Edited by Kennie B.

    Well, a lot of little stuff has been accomplished.

    Dave Thibeualt has the carb and I should see that in about another 1-2 weeks. I've since sent him the original distributor to convert to pointless. The car still has one in it but it's a single point.

    One of the problems the seller had was that she had tried to rebuild the dual point distributor and muffed it up. When she re-installed the single point, she thought she was off a tooth or 2. It's kinda hard to ell when there isn't any point gap but I'm guessing 1 tooth advanced. It's now in the hunt, when the carb comes in, I'll dial it in with a light.

    As previously noted, all of the electrics work, even the radio. Even after I used Hondbrite and water to clean the engine compartment up and the lights still work. It's no where near show ready but at least I can identify where the bolt heads are holding the fuel pump on. I don't dare forget to order the rebuild kit for that tomorrow.

    As previously noted, I've been spraying Seafoam in mist form down the intake runners and spark plug holes. Not only does the engine turn over but with authority! Today, I left the plugs torqued down and just cranked away, still got over 10 psi of oil pressure.

    Also, I had noted I have bought a group 51R battery to use instead of the 3EE. It just fits but the hold down brackets won't work so my youngest son and I fabbed up a frame to hold it all down using the existing 4 bolts. Now though, I realized that the inner fender is cracked up at the radiator frame running horizontally in a straight line all the way acrossand then upwards by another 1 1/2". For now I think I'm going the make a doubler out of aluminum and screw it down to the fiberglass. I am trying the keep the car as much original as possible and where it won't be noticed make upgrades that can be reversed. This spot has me stumped because it is clear a collision repair was done early on in this area and as time has gone on, other issues arise. Time will tell.

    I am going to be lazy and give you guys a link to photobucket with a complete but dis-organized dump of pics taken. I am in the process of putting in titles and descriptions but this is taking time from doing some serious work...hah!

    http://s1083.photobucket.com/user/spokejr1/library/?view=recent&page=2

  18. Avanti 'Goof'!

    in Avanti Trivia

    Posted

    Most cars I have owned over the years with electric windows didn't work in the accessory position. The only exception is my 2001 Ford Club Wagon with the Powerstroke engine. Mercedes, Ford, Honda, Toyota and Lexus the accessory position in dead for windows. One cool thing about the Lexus though is that the key fob will roll down all the windows and open the sunroof if you hold down the unlock after the doors have unlocked. A very nice feature in the sothwest!

  19. No longer wishing

    in Avanti Pub

    Posted · Edited by Kennie B.

    Well, here's the latest, all good BTW.

    Two of my sons and I picked up the car on Monday and the trip went smoothly starting with getting the U-Haul trailer and running up to Hesperia after work. Traffic was the pits but wit the boys and I pushing, we were able to get the car out to the trailer and loaded in short order.

    As originally inspected, the cars worst offenses are varnish in the fuel tank (anybody refinishing a wood boat?) and the grubby interior.

    At this point I've pulled the carb and sent it off to Dave Thibeault. The distributor will follow shortly.

    I've misted the cylinders both through the spark plug holes as well as through the intake with Seafoam and let soak for 24 hours.

    This evening I hooked up a new battery (not the 3EE but a group 51R) and everything electrical seems to work fairly well with the possible exception of the clock. The engine does crank freely but I only hit the starter long enough to move the crank. BTW, the old oil had clearly been changed before it was laid up, stale smelling but a lovely, fresh, golden hue.

    Once I get the distributor out, I'll focus on cleaning the interior. I have tested Leatherique Conditioner and their Pristene Clean and it works phenomial. I ran out today but more will come in tomorrow.

    While I'm working on that, I'll be flushing out the fuel tank. It looked to have about a quarter tank to start. I picked up 4 gallons of E85 and mixed it with a bottle of Star-Tron fuel stabilizer. I dumped that into the tank and tomorrow I'll syphon that out. To get rid of it, I think I'll run it (a little at a time) through my truck, it's a flex fuel engine so if I filter the solids out it shouldn't be problem. Then it's onto replacing all the hoses. I'm thinking of adding a shut off valve along the frame rail while I'm there.

    Somewhere in there I need to keep up with the Honey-Do's this weekend as well.

  22. No longer wishing

    in Avanti Pub

    Posted

    Bob, thanks for the tip, one more way this luddite needs to catch up with the modern world.

    I do draw the line at using the metric system over imperial though.

    The ears can stay but the fuzzy dice gotta go!

    Monday is the day for pick-up.

  25. No longer wishing

    in Avanti Pub

    Posted

    Actually, I have some pics from a couple of years ago that are still representative of the car in its current state but I am having trouble posting the JPEG files. How do I do this.

    In the meantime, the VIN is 63R-2962 and the car is an R1 with Powershift, 3.73:1 ratio, A/C and armstrong power windows. I have seen the car personally in the last 2 weeks so I can attest to the pics being pretty accurate. Naturally, it is dirtier than the pics but not much more, the paint still shows a pretty good shine. Being stored indoors in the desert doesn't seem to help with dust issues though, just UV.

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