Letting the wagon go... :(

Sorry to hear you are throwing in the towel. If you were closer I'd be interested.
You can easily check for restricted exhaust with a vacuum gauge. Attach the gauge to manifold vacuum and holod revs STEADY at 2,000 or so and observe the gauge. If the reading drops off you likely have restriction.
I feel your pain regarding bodywork as I too am at the mercy of others in that department.

 

This is definately worth the time. I forgot about that.

 

For sure. Plus it's way silly to give up over what, a muffler.

 

I just spent a week making a custom instrument shrine for my vacuum gauge. I won't drive the car without it, and the voltmeter. They suck air in and fart it out. The smoother the movement the better.

 

I've been wanting a vacuum gauge for my gas guzzling van for a while. All anyone carries on the shelf are Boost/vacuum gauges that look straight from "The Fast & Furious". What's an old geezer to do?
Guess I'll need to order online. What's yours?

 

A Boost/Vacuum cheapie I picked up for $9.95. They got rid of them so fast that they brought the same one back at $29.95. A decent one is about $44.95 up here, you'd likely be in the $35 to $40 range. The innards are the same, basically. I just didn't like the 7-colour LEDs so I took all that crap out and wired into the main harness instrument lites, with a hole for the stock Ford lampholders.





Didn't like the flimsy metal mount either, so I rolled my own.

 

Thanks. Well, the car will miss and bog down under load, so I am not sure... will restricted exhaust cause that?

Here is one video I took with it in gear and me depressing the pedal... I am pressing it almost all the way to the floor... you can hear the car bog down and miss. At the end, you can hear my neighbor blurt out, "its in the fire". LOL. Keep in mind when you hear this, the car has new plugs, new plug wires, new points, new cap, new cam, new lifters, rebuilt carburator, etc.



Still going to find that other one and post it.

 

Tony, I just saw the video and I would first check the Distributor. I believe that you have already checked these, but I would re-check the points, the timing and the position of the Distributor. The Rotor needs to be pointing at the number 1 terminal on the Cap (follow the first plug closest to the radiator on the drivers side, if it's correct), with the Piston at the top of the Power Stroke (take out the #1 Plug, put your finger over the hole while someone is cranking and you will feel the Power Stroke pressure, as soon as you feel the pressure stop cranking right away). Then dail it in by moving the Timing Mark to 0, then check the Rotor position. It also wouldn't hurt to make sure all the Plug Wires are correct. The Firing Order on the Cap is 18436572 (Clockwise), Engine Numbers are (Front to Back) 1, 3, 5, 7 on the Drivers side, 2, 4, 6, 8 on the Pass side. If you can take a close up picture of the Distributor Cap (Top View), then another with the Cap off, we can help you determine the Rotor pointing to the Number 1 position.

I always check the simple things first. If all that proves to be OK, I would then work on the Exhaust. I would probably pull the Muffler first or just loosen the pipe at the Manifolds.

The videos are great. Keep taking pictures and videos and we may have your car fix by online help. Would be the first for me.

Bill

 

Thanks Bill... I will check this over again and let you know.

Meanwhile, HERE is the video I wanted to post initially. Where they were saved on my computer, it didnt tell me which was which, so I had to download 5 videos to finally get the right one. Forgive the movement at first, this was when I was backing this tank down the driveway. You can see me struggling to get up the hill. It dont look like I am depressing the accelerator that much, but I am almost flooring the car on the hill... it wont go. I have to get a "running-go" up the hill in order to make the grade....

http://s39.photobucket.com/albums/e...ngswood Estate/?action=view&current=027-1.mp4

 

the problem is your drives too steep...just move

from everything youve described...it sounds like lack of fuel pressure..or lack of voltage to the distributor.

ps...the vid made me woozy....

 

Tony, OMG the videos really tell the story. BillT's suggestion is spot on. The car will not produce any power. You've got to get the timing right first then:

With the engine off, aircleaner off preferably on a cold engine with a good flashlight looking in the carb open the throttle. There should be a strong squirt of gas. Stong, not dribbles. This will confirm that the accelerator pump is working. If there's no or only a dribble of fuel that has to be fixed before you can go on.

If that's OK:

In the right exhaust manifold there's a heat riser. Does it move? If not it could be stuck shut. It's there to assist with a faster warm up of the engine. If it's stuck it needs to be freed up with a penetrant so that it can open. I'm not sure of the Chevy configuration but you should see the end of a shaft and maybe a flat coil on it.

If that's OK:

Definately do the vacuum check that was suggested as it will indicate a blockage in the exhaust.

The video's sound told me much more than the video itself. You have an exhaust leak sound. It could be a blown out seal where the exhaust pipe is attached to the engine exhaust manifold. Those seals can burn out over time but can "blow" out due to restrictions in the exhaust as well. An exhaust manifold gasket can also blow out due to a restriction including the heat riser not opening.

The misfiring certainly can be caused by restricted exhaust as well.

To sum up:

1. Make sure the timing is correct.
2. See if there's a strong squirt of fuel in the carb when opening the throttle.
3. Check for restricted exhaust using a vacuum gage.

 

Thanks for these replies... it will be a couple of weeks before I have a chance to take a look at it again... not off again until next Wednesday-Thursday and I will be out of town both days.

Meanwhile, here is a car someone had approached me about trading for... 73 Cadillac Sedan DeVille - 64K miles. Ride and drive....

my first car was a 72 Sedan DeVille, much like this one, so I have a soft spot for these early 70s Cadillacs... (would like to give the wagon another try though on getting the engine up to par, but I do love this Caddy...

 

Nice Caddy. I'd go for the trade. Once a car is spoiled in your mind it may never satisfy you. And, you'd be sure that the wagon would be cared for.

 

I was just the opposite. I thought he should keep the wagon. BUT...TB brings up a very good point. It seems you are bummed with this wagon, king. And, as TB points out...once you get turned off with a car it may be time to dump it. I still like that wagon and I know it can be fixed but you are not happy with it anymore. It has been sitting and that's not good for it either. I would like to see that wagon come to life again....by you or someone else. I think you are avoiding it because it has disappointed you and it saddens you to approach it anymore. The solution is to either fix it or sell it to someone that will. Before it sits and rusts to pieces.

 

Yeah, its nice... its a solid local car about 100 miles from here. I am not wild about the white leather interior, but I could live with it. I love the cloth interior on the 73 DeVilles, but its in nice shape. Seems to need less body work than my wagon and its ready to go. The PO was a derbier in the past, but he said he dont do it anymore... as he was too old for that now... I really hope so... I do not want it to get crashed up.

Silverfox.... I could not have said it better myself... you are right - exactly right. I want nothing more than to drive this wagon to the local cruise... but like you said below... its true. I am going to give it another whirl with the latest tips I have gotten.