Never a dull moment here...
The engine and transmission are in Ed Guido’s VK wagon project and, after using a laser to help line everything up properly, we’re ready to get the back section of the driveshaft made up by Duggans.
Getting the engine and transmission sitting just right took patience. Among the factors we were juggling was getting adequate clearance for a radiator, having a little wiggle room around the custom-made headers, while working with a 304 block taken out to 355 and a TH700 four-speed auto.
In the end we used an adjustable transmission mount from the Castlemaine Rod Shop, and now we just need the final section of the driveshaft sorted. The front section is a VN sedan unit that we’ve adapted.
Clockworks
We have a lovely old Mercedes-Benz 450SL in the shop at the moment, which we’re gradually sorting out.
So far as the owner was concerned, by far the most annoying issue was the clock that was staring him in the face every day, making weird noises and refusing to work. Now I’ll be the first to admit that having some thick-fingered mechanic like me working on something as delicate as a clock doesn’t sit right. But since we couldn’t find a working replacement for love nor money, we had to get creative. So I found a couple of non-working spares. One I could use as the test dummy, for me to work on and figure out how it ticks (or not). Then I had two others that between them just might give me enough parts to combine into a working whole.
Believe it or not it worked! I’ve had it hooked up to battery for 12 hours so far, and it seems fine. I’ll give it 24 hours before I throw it back into the car. It’s amazing what you can do when you invest a bit of time and patience…
Here’s my tip:
Clean finish
What’s the best cooling system flush? Believe it or not, water with a litre of Pine-O-Clean mixed in. I have mentioned this tip before and it bears repeating. I have no idea how or why it works but it does – and it has to be the original amber-coloured liquid. What we do is throw it in the car, get the customer to drive around with it for a little while, then we drain it out and put in a proper coolant mix. It works a treat and it smells pine‑fresh!
LETTERS:
Datto Woes
Temperamental timing was a less than pleasing puzzle for Ben
Thank you for following up my previous email regarding the 1981 Datsun 720. However, it seems to have a habit of getting one problem fixed and another one starting, so here goes; It now runs-on, so I decided to check the carb settings and as it turned out, they were nowhere near right. So, after putting them where they should be (And spending a weekend trying to get the choke right) it ran brilliantly, but still ran-on and was pinging down low.
It also had a leak in the number one spark plug and I found that it was bent, leaving no room for spark. I bent it back and put it back in before checking it again a few days later and found it was right. When I put it back I found a mark on the socket and went to it to make sure it was horizontal in the block and after that it went extremely well (four cylinders are obviously better than three and a half) but still ran-on.
To try and eliminate this, I played with the mixture again until it was two turns out. It was at one and a quarter. I then started it, turned it off and it didn’t run-on so I left it there. Then when I tested it before it went well but was pinging a lot so I turned it off and it ran-on so I decided to retard the timing slightly. (Note: Up until this point it has been at approximately 30-35 degrees BTDC while factory specs are 10 degrees BTDC) so I did that and it ran-on again.
I did it again and the same happened so I started advancing again. (I noticed a slight lock-up upon starting after the advancement too) It ran-on after both of the two advancements so I just put it back in the shed and sent this email. Strangely it went even better than before the adjustments. (I accidentally spun in the gravel driveway uphill because this vehicle and power don’t usually match up) it seems like I can either have top-end power, low-end torque or no run-on but not all three.
Help!
Ben McIver
Time to go back to basics, Ben. Put your settings back to standard as a starting point.
We need to do a compression test to see what we’re working with. Then we need to do a true top dead centre test. With a helper, pull out the spark plugs and grab a fine piece of wire. Turn the motor over by hand until you establish the relevant piston is at TDC – in other words when it’s reached its highest point in the bore. You then need to have a look at the timing marks and see if they tally.
What was taught to me by Granddad way back when is the only two constants you have are TDC and engine vacuum. If either of those two are out, you have a major mechanical problem.
If TDC is out, it could indicate timing chain issues, whether it’s slack and or the positioning is out by a couple of teeth. Also, you want to check your distributor – is that in the right position?
With vacuum, on a perfect engine you will have 21 inches of mercury at idle. You don’t want to see lower than 17.
A simple adjustment for your timing is at idle with the vacuum gauge fitted, move the distributor to advance and then retard, watching the vacuum reading. You’ll see it peak somewhere in there, and that’s where you want the timing. You can get pretty close with a vacuum gauge.
Boxster Boy
Re Dave Morley’s 2000 Boxter S in issue 468: An improved IMS Bearing was fitted to the 2000 3.6 engine about halfway through the 2000 year, it had an extra oil gallery.
You can find the engine number online after which the modified units were fitted at the factory. This resolved the problem for all cars after that engine number Boxter S or 997 Carrera S with that motor. I have owned one of each.
It doesn’t solve a stuffed clutch but it is worth knowing as it can save a bundle.
Bob Morgan
Thanks, Bob. I think the 3.6 was a 911 rather than a Boxster engine.
Morley tells us he’s fitted a replacement aftermarket unit from LN Engineering in the USA.
There is another alternative, I think it’s from Mahle, which has an oil feed to a bronze bush. However there seems to be a bit of debate about the latter and whether it can be kept oil-tight. In any case, there is lots of knowledge out there on doing the fix and it doesn’t really seem to scare people anymore.
Antenna Tip
In reference to Rob Sloss Brougham bits (Issue 470, page 94) if he fills the repo aerial blue tip with Araldite and drill and tap it, that would do the trick.
Avid reader and fan,
Peter Davidson
Thanks, Peter. That sounds like good advice.
Rattle Trap
Many years ago, a friend bought a new VC Valiant locally from Austral Motors.
From day one, it had a ‘rattle’ in the right rear somewhere. The car was in the dealer’s shop four or five times before the ‘offender’ was found.
Under the upholstery panel on the ‘C’ panel was a large nut hanging on a piece of wire attached to the body.
A chalk message read, “Bet it took a while to find this ‘bastard”. True story!
Peter Collins
Wow, that’s clearly the work of an evil genius. We sometimes get called on to track down mystery noises and it really can be a test of patience with often surprising results. Creating one deliberately is just nasty…
Rattle Gun
Re Glenn Torrens’ recent column on fixing annoying rattles: I appreciate your story about annoying rattles. I had an annoying rattle in my car that I could not find and was getting ready to sell my car. Don’t know what made me have one last try before saying goodbye, but I did.
The problem was a rattle in my eTag. New eTag, problem solved. Always wondered how many others got rid of their car because of this problem. It was the original eTag design, not the current design.
Thanks for bringing this annoying topic back into my mind!
Denis Hyland
VJ Day
Torquey and strong as an ox, a good VJ is a great find
Hi Mick. I’m looking at buying a mate’s VJ Valiant which is in pretty decent shape. It’s a 265 auto, so what should I be looking for?
Also, he’s offered me a set of triple Webers, which he has lying on a bench in his shed. Would it be worth fitting them?
Bob Sunderland
We love a good VJ, Bob, and if it’s a solid car at the right price, grab it. These things are unlikely to go down in value over the long term. The usual caveats apply for this one. Rust can be an expensive project, so go over the body carefully so you know what you’re getting into.
I love the 265. They’re a big solid engine, as strong as an ox with heaps of torque and just perfect for a big cruiser like the VJ. The weak link can be the transmission. Most of the autos were the Borg Warner 35. You know they are about to go south when you lose reverse. The Torqueflites were a better unit.
In any case, a good service should see you right.
As for the Webers, you might fit them to a Charger six but I really wouldn’t bother in this case. There’s a bit of an art to setting them up and they introduce a fair bit of complexity for not much benefit in this case.
The front ends tend to be a little weak, so consider replacing the bushes and ball joints.
Parts supply is pretty good. In Melbourne we use a company called Elko Performance Parts and in Queensland we use Hemi Performance.
Benz Build
My husband has a 1974 Mercedes-Benz. It has wooden interior and the clear varnish is cracked in places. Just wondering how to repair this.
Thanks, Nerida
Hi Nerida. The veneers on cars can be quite thin and require a delicate touch, plus a lot of patience to fix. The solution is to sand very gently with a fine grade of paper and then consider a stain or tint if required, then a varnish. Some restorers recommend a marine varnish for the final touch, as it’s designed to be exposed to the elements.
Ideally you should try to get a spare piece of trim from a wrecker, so you have something to experiment and test with.
In any case it’s time-consuming and requires considerable patience.
It’s one of those jobs that you might consider getting a quote from a specialist. I see there’s a company called Fendertrim advertising on the web and they could be worth a try.
Trivial Pursuit
Permit me
The world’s first-ever driver permit is thought to have been issued to Karl Benz (yep, that Benz…) allowing him to operate his Motorwagen on public roads. It was issued in 1888 after neighbors started complaining about the racket and the smell.
Got a problem?
Want some advice on a build or a potential car purchase? Heck we’ll even tackle long distance diagnosis. Drop MIck a line at uniquecars@primecreative.com.au
From Unique Cars #471, Oct/Nov 2022