1979 automatic

[94touring]

The guy I share shop space with who's a certified mechanic says they were always taught just to chunk out old master cylinders because they tend to fail half the time when redoing seals. 

[94touring]

More fiddling around today.  I put the new switch plate and trim piece together for the dash and ran the new heater, choke, and throttle cables.  I had a brand new heater valve for the block, but the cable isn't long enough to work with it.  Not only that but the cable barely reaches an older style valve I have.  Was disappointed with that.  Spend some time rigging the choke cable and had the carbs on and off several times getting things just right with the rod that ties into the choke mechanism.     

[94touring]

Today I rebuilt the wiper motor and linkages.  I took the motor apart and the magnets on the inside completely fell apart, so went digging through my scrap pile and found a new top section to use.  I bought a new plinth kit for the wipers but they didn't come with the needed bolt to tighten them down.  Came with a few other worthless pieces of plastic though, so was confused about that.  Also I got two extra sets of arms and didn't get the blades.  I bought this really fancy stainless rear view mirror, pulled it out of the box, and the glass was broken.   :-[  Visors are in though and the broken mirror for now till I can see if they'll send a new one or if I need to cut a piece of glass or something.  Dunno.  I bought new coolant lines for the heater assembly and fitted those, added fluid and no leaks.  New fuel lines and filter in.  Steering column in and the new wheel and boss kit installed.  Found the harness for the rear of the car but damned if instead of unplugging it from the front of the harness they cut it about 3 feet short.  Tomorrow I will recreate the missing section.  The fuel tank and rear lights are ready to go in, with all new gaskets back there.  After that's done, I need to run the hand brake assemble, put in the carpet, and figure out these new belts.  After that I think I'm limited to electrical gremlins and I need to build the doors.  I can start to see light at the end of the tunnel. 

[94touring]

Got out there today to mess with the harness.  Got the extension in and the dome light figured out.  Running wires to it was no easy task.  Started in on the hand brake but we're missing some parts for it also.  Got the car on some steelies though and it's rolling! 

[94touring]

I've been banging my head against the wall with this car.  The harness was/is a disaster.  I have things sorted out to the ignition and starter finally.  The fuel pump didn't pump fuel after all and I ended up putting on an electric pump.  Got fuel, got spark, but not getting it to fire up at the moment.  I believe I installed the 123 dizzy correctly. I'm thinking the crazy wide gaps on the rockers may be the problem, but also I noticed something today that has me concerned.  There appears to be a slight amount of coolant making its way from the gasket below the tstat housing.  It's damp and after wiping it dry, comes back over a period of time.  I have my work cut out for me.   :( 

   

[Merlin]

Is it brown, or is that just rust? Was the car running under its own power before the restoration? Re-torque all of the head studs?

[94touring]

That's just crud after wiping the area down, a little oil overrun from the oil change the other day.   The car was said to run prior to the previous owner tearing it down.   I will need to check torque next week. 

[Merlin]

No milk in the oil change? Hopefully its something stupid like a head stud loose or a head stud with no sealant on it and its seeping out. I guess a worn head gasket wouldn't be the worst to change if it was a bad gasket.

[94touring]

Nah old oil was fine.  I guess that's a good sign.  I put on a new gasket when I had the head off inspecting the cylinders. 

[94touring]

Head wasn't tight enough, go figure.  I got it running and pretty much tuned up.  Vid coming soon.  In typical rebuild fashion the heater box is leaking fluid.

[94touring]

Vroom Vroom.  Better than the Vroom boom backfire Vroom I initially had going. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6PANvofeis&feature=youtu.be

[94touring]

Oh also...I got the new master in.  One of the brake line fittings is a completely different size.   8.gif :-[  Off to hunt down something to adapt it and get the brakes done for the 2nd time. 

[Mudhen]

Vroom Vroom.  Better than the Vroom boom backfire Vroom I initially had going. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6PANvofeis&feature=youtu.be

4.gif

[94touring]

New master in.  I had to make 2 trips to the auto parts store due to the lower fitting being a 12mm rather than the standard 10mm.  The reducer was fine threads on the male end but course threads on the female end.  Found a fitting that would work and re flared the line, bled like crazy, adjusted the rears, and it should stop on a dime now. 

[94touring]

Been awhile since I've had any updates.  First day back to the shop.  It was 30 and snowing.  At any rate I got the headlights, high beams, rear lights, brake lights, turn signals, heater fan, and horn working.  The emergency flashers are only working on one side and the wipers keep blowing the fuse.  At the moment I'm stumped with those two issues.  Initially the flasher units themselves were bad, but I had some spares to use to diagnose issues.  I need to buy more fuses and some connectors to tidy up the heater box and horn.  Rally lights to be installed soon.  In hindsight I wish I had bought a new harness.  I also got the extended studs in the rear to mount the spaced drums.  Now that I'm back in town, I get to leave again tomorrow.   20.gif   

[Willie_B]

Does the wiper motor run smooth and even? If there is excessive drag in the system it will draw extra current to overcome that. May be time to clean/lube the moving parts. Or at least adjust them to free them up. My wiper system binds if I tighten the nuts too tight under the wiper arm.

[94touring]

As soon as I flip the wiper arm the fuse blows.  I did have it apart before I installed it and cleaned it up/lubed it good.  I may have to wire direct to the motor and see if it even works. 

[Willie_B]

If it blows that fast I suspect there could be a short inside the motor.

[94touring]

I'll yank it out next time and double check my work.  Thanks for the  9.gif

[94touring]

Back in town but only for a day.  I took apart the old wiper motor and found some broken connections that fit up against the motor shaft.  Swapped in a motor I borrowed from another car and it finally works.  I also got the rally lights installed and working. 

[Merlin]

You need another working rotor? I have a single speed that I used for parts on my workbench. brushes are in good shape.

[94touring]

I couldn't remember the term when I wrote that, but the brushes had fallen apart on the old motor.  A piece was lodged and I suspect caused the short.  I am just going to use what I have in there now.  Thanks though.

[Willie_B]

Way to go.  77.gif

[94touring]

Lights  4.gif

[Merlin]

They will probably end up in the trash if you don't take 'em, so let me know if you change your mind.