Projects Mild custom '51 Pontiac Chieftain

Been driving about some more.

Went get dinner and groceries. At the same time I had noticed a small weep from the join between the radiator and the top tank, which was causing all the pressure in the cooling system to be lost. Normally not a problem but it was leakng coolant particularly when it's parked up.

I bought some gloop and stuck it in the radiator. Evidently I did it right because now it builds pressure and holds temperature much better. It also appears to not be overcooling also so I gotta say I'm impressed with how much of a change it's made for the better.

Phil

 

This is one of my favorite threads here... No cubic money, just tons of patience!

 

Me too!! great thread we're following ya.

 

I also have been following from the start. It's just a thread of the everyday trials and maintenance of driving a 50's car every day. Without just throwing tons of money at the problems. I remember my dad having some of the same issues with his 53 Olds when I was a kid. Please keep the posts coming.

 

Hope it works for you. It sure surprised me.

 

Washed the engine.

Started it to dry it off. Greeted by noisy waterpump bearing again.

Guess that's on the to-do list for sure, it's moved from the "ignore" position it was in until now.

Phil

 

Oil leak is notably better so that's a start. Won't last, I'm sure but I'll take less oil patches on the driveway. Radiator stop leak worked very well also.

The plugs looked okay, a bit oil fouled but not wet. Still, the carburetor wasn't doing what it's meant to do, so I pulled it off and took it bits.

Started to look at the service diagrams for the carb and noticed something amiss, other than the brown sandy sediment in the float bowl.

That ball isn't meant to be down there. Don't ask me why it's there. I have no idea. Either way, that's the reason the needles weren't being drawn down with engine vacuum. Liberated the ball and re***embled the carburetor.

Put the Colortune on to check the flame burn and it looked real good, but a stutter on acceleration showed the accelerator pump wasn't working, but the main jets were taking up for the demand before because they were wide open.

Turns out the leather cup seal was quite crispy, and not doing a whole lot of anything.

Spent a good while with leather oil and Vaseline until it was supple again.

Reinstalled and tested, functional. Much better, no hesitation on pushing the gas now.

Given a test run, at 35 it'll hold 17" of vacuum now, which is an improvement. It'll hold temperature well now, running hotter which seems to have helped the rings seal better; there's hardly any blow-by now which is also an improvement. I'll give it while and then do an economy run and see what difference it's made.

Phil

 

Gotta love a good satisfying cheap fix!!

Always enjoy your posts sir, good job!

 

Great thread Phil!

 

Love those leather acceleration pump cups. I’ve brought some really old and shriveled ones back to life with Neatsfoot oil.

 

Bringing them back around isn't too difficult- the detergent solvents in modern fuel seem to be the reason the oils are leeched out from the leather in the first place.
I used some leather conditioner from Otter Wax (same stuff I used as a conditioner for my leather seats) and upon reading a little, Vaseline to be pressed into the pores seems to be a help in keeping it supple longer.

 

Time to go get a Milkshake!

 

Pulled #2 out and took a look again. That looks better, but after the abuse these plugs got I think it's time for a change.

Chocolate malt is a tempting proposition...

Phil

 

Bought a set of new Delco R45's.

Gapped them all. Waited for a break in the rain and head outside.

Yuck. Spent ten minutes cleaning the plug holes and seats.

Two batches of plugs, the right hand 4 ran differently.

Stuck the new ones in. It runs, at least. Too much rain right now to be venturing out places.

Phil

 

Always a favorite Thanks Phil.

 

Tune up worked. Had to be keeping up with traffic yesterday, crew change at the seaport.

The speeeeeeeeed. It drives quite well at that rate of knots, which is impressive. I don't feel like pushing it much faster, even though it's still got quite a lot of beans left.

Phil

 

I'm curious why water is / may be standing in the spark plug valleys, to corrode? Not a deal breaker by any means, but I would choose to clean and paint that area and keep an eye on it. How is it getting there to sit and rust?

 

One of the openings in the quadrajet base should contain a ball bearing (valve).

 

Because the engine sits so far back, and there's a number of holes in the hood for the waterfall trim, when it rains the water drips onto the firewall and down onto the engine.
Normally it's not a problem because the car is driven and any water is boiled off pretty quickly. It sat for over half a year after the hurricane because we weren't home as we rebuilt the house, and the old plugs dated from before that time.

Phil

 

Yeah that one has that ball in for the valve, as it should. This ball bearing was in the wrong place. It's even a size that isn't used...

 

Well, things have been somewhat busy around here recently.
Saturday night I had a trip to ER; by 1am Sunday morning I was in the operating room having heart surgery.
Back to work now, and recovering. Ended up it being a major heart attack. I had a couple stents inserted which have resolved the problems. Not great fun, don't recommend it.
Need to take it easy for a while now.

Phil

 

"]Well, things have been somewhat busy around here recently.---
master of the understatement there!-glad to hear-,prob good therapy to have a quiet drive in the injun...

 

Phil, I think you're about the only guy who I know who can make a "major heart attack" seem like nothing out of the ordinary. Take care of yourself and get better, so we can enjoy some more of your "adventures".

 

Wow Phil, glad you caught it and they fixed it. Been there and done that, twice. Do as your cardiologist says, take your pills religiously, watch your diet and exercise to the best of your abilities. Hope you’re feeling better.

 

I'm feeling better. I've changed my diet and lifestyle, to what it should have been years ago.

Phil

 

I did take it for a quick drive yesterday evening while the weather was nice.

What else can I do, but try to carry on? Anything else seems like giving up.

 

30+ year survivor of a 7.5 hour open hears surgery here (Surgeon called it a train wreck). I was given the following dietary advice:

"It it tastes good, spit it out"

Russ

 

Phil, glad to hear that you're on the route to recovery. I had my "incident" two years ago and it led to a pretty thorough overhaul of my lifestyle. Healthier eating, regular exercise and whatever else was needed. I'll admit that I sometimes miss a good hamburger! I'm feeling and looking better than I have in decades. I've been following your thread and enjoy following your story. I bought a '46 Plymouth a year and a half ago and I'm having fun tinkering with it. Best of luck and health.

 

Phil, good for you with going forward. I'm sure it isn't easy, but it sounds like you have a positive at***ude AND are doing it.

Thanks for letting me follow along and rekindle my interest in the old Chieftain my Dad used to drive back around 1954-55.