Start of a Dart
I hit a little burnout on the Dart, so I pulled in the Valiant for some TLC. Since I bought it five years ago I've done nothing but stop all the leaks and drive it. I gave it a full tune-up with points, plugs, condenser, cap, and rotor. I adjusted the valves, timing, points, and carb. Methinks, perhaps this would have been a good idea to do a long time ago. The plugs were majorly crapped up and running pig rich, with gaps all over the place and the aluminum rings still on even though I have a drool tube head. No wonder it was leaking oil.
The timing was WAY off, about 10 degrees ATDC, the carb was running super rich, and the valves were way too tight. All is right in the land of Mopar at the moment however. The above likely contributed to the putrid gas mileage I got - like maybe double digits if I was lucky. We shall see what the changes bring. Some good news, the top of the head and the rockers were all looking good.
I needed to work on the suspension some, it has been sagging in the rear and resting on the stops in the front. Hey, wait a minute, this also describes the owner, yikes! Anyway, I added helper springs that came off the Dart. This was a nightmare chore, as the u-bolts were the most stubborn thing I've ever worked on. It took days of soaking, loosening, lather-rinse-repeat to get them off and this was using a 30" cheater on the ratchet. My 1/2" impact wouldn't budge them.
Impact: Ratatatatatatatatatat.
U-bolt: Haha sissy boy, is that all ya got? I ain't goin' nowhere with you.
However as with many things in life a bit of stubbornness goes a long way toward crossing the finish line. I almost tore up my shoulder in the process but the springs are in and raised the back end almost 2". I adjusted the t-bars up quite a bit but still need to go another 1/2-3/4 inch which will happen tonight.
What car project would be complete without a debacle? I am the crown prince of screwups I'm sorry to say. I'm under the car sweating bullets and all but dropping a nut trying to get the u-bolts loose when I look at the bottom of the gas tank and think well what idiot put a floor jack UNDER THE GAS TANK to lift the car? It's all bent up. Then I look closer, and see the marks on the tank are pretty fresh. OK, that's putting a kindhearted spin on it - the marks are real fresh. I guess I don't have to go far to find my idiot, he's right here. :eek:
Like the Ginzu Knife commercial..... But Wait! There's More! I see what looks like a greasy spot in the middle of the bent-up damage and wipe if off. Oops! Under the grease is a pinhole, which is now showering everything in gas. I'm screwed, because it's late at night, the parts stores are all closed, and this thing is going to piss gas all over the shop in short order. So, I grabbed some wheel bearing grease and smeared it all over which didn't solve the problem but at least it showed it way down. I put a huge catch pan under it and only lost about five gallons overnight.
Yesterday morning I'm up bright and early (well, it's tough to claim the bright part the way things have been going, but at least it was early) and hotfoot it to the parts store for gas tank fixit stuff. I have to educate the clerk who should have been mowing lawns instead of selling car parts, as to what I need. He is clueless that you can fix a gas tank leak. He asks his buddy who tells me where to look and bingo, I have a repair kit. Back home, prep the tank and slap the epoxy on and the leak is sealed up. Carnac the Magnificent says I will be replacing the gas tank this winter. Smart guy, that Carnac. It almost looks like blood, eh?
Lastly, we part with some good news. The car is back together, it runs like a sewing machine, I filled the gas tank which does not leak, the car rides a ton better, and tomorrow is a bright new day! Here are before and after pics showing what the spring work accomplished. Previously it was a bit on the low-rider side of things which isn't necessarily bad, but not where I wanted to go. Much improved stance currently.
I hit a little burnout on the Dart, so I pulled in the Valiant for some TLC. Since I bought it five years ago I've done nothing but stop all the leaks and drive it. I gave it a full tune-up with points, plugs, condenser, cap, and rotor. I adjusted the valves, timing, points, and carb. Methinks, perhaps this would have been a good idea to do a long time ago. The plugs were majorly crapped up and running pig rich, with gaps all over the place and the aluminum rings still on even though I have a drool tube head. No wonder it was leaking oil.
The timing was WAY off, about 10 degrees ATDC, the carb was running super rich, and the valves were way too tight. All is right in the land of Mopar at the moment however. The above likely contributed to the putrid gas mileage I got - like maybe double digits if I was lucky. We shall see what the changes bring. Some good news, the top of the head and the rockers were all looking good.
I needed to work on the suspension some, it has been sagging in the rear and resting on the stops in the front. Hey, wait a minute, this also describes the owner, yikes! Anyway, I added helper springs that came off the Dart. This was a nightmare chore, as the u-bolts were the most stubborn thing I've ever worked on. It took days of soaking, loosening, lather-rinse-repeat to get them off and this was using a 30" cheater on the ratchet. My 1/2" impact wouldn't budge them.
Impact: Ratatatatatatatatatat.
U-bolt: Haha sissy boy, is that all ya got? I ain't goin' nowhere with you.
However as with many things in life a bit of stubbornness goes a long way toward crossing the finish line. I almost tore up my shoulder in the process but the springs are in and raised the back end almost 2". I adjusted the t-bars up quite a bit but still need to go another 1/2-3/4 inch which will happen tonight.
What car project would be complete without a debacle? I am the crown prince of screwups I'm sorry to say. I'm under the car sweating bullets and all but dropping a nut trying to get the u-bolts loose when I look at the bottom of the gas tank and think well what idiot put a floor jack UNDER THE GAS TANK to lift the car? It's all bent up. Then I look closer, and see the marks on the tank are pretty fresh. OK, that's putting a kindhearted spin on it - the marks are real fresh. I guess I don't have to go far to find my idiot, he's right here. :eek:
Like the Ginzu Knife commercial..... But Wait! There's More! I see what looks like a greasy spot in the middle of the bent-up damage and wipe if off. Oops! Under the grease is a pinhole, which is now showering everything in gas. I'm screwed, because it's late at night, the parts stores are all closed, and this thing is going to piss gas all over the shop in short order. So, I grabbed some wheel bearing grease and smeared it all over which didn't solve the problem but at least it showed it way down. I put a huge catch pan under it and only lost about five gallons overnight.
Yesterday morning I'm up bright and early (well, it's tough to claim the bright part the way things have been going, but at least it was early) and hotfoot it to the parts store for gas tank fixit stuff. I have to educate the clerk who should have been mowing lawns instead of selling car parts, as to what I need. He is clueless that you can fix a gas tank leak. He asks his buddy who tells me where to look and bingo, I have a repair kit. Back home, prep the tank and slap the epoxy on and the leak is sealed up. Carnac the Magnificent says I will be replacing the gas tank this winter. Smart guy, that Carnac. It almost looks like blood, eh?
Lastly, we part with some good news. The car is back together, it runs like a sewing machine, I filled the gas tank which does not leak, the car rides a ton better, and tomorrow is a bright new day! Here are before and after pics showing what the spring work accomplished. Previously it was a bit on the low-rider side of things which isn't necessarily bad, but not where I wanted to go. Much improved stance currently.
