From: mit-eddie!wsl.dec.com!kent@eddie.mit.edu
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 90 18:09:49 PST
[ Chris discovers that his exhaust system came from Midas... ]
Is it worth trying to salvage this, or should I just get a new exhaust
system/rear half? If I should get new, any recommendations on what to
get?
Well, if you decide to replace it completely, all of the original-type
components are available from the usual suspects. But, if you have
recently won the lottery and plan to keep the car for a while, the
Falcon stainless steel systems are wonderful. (beautiful, last almost
forever, you can take them apart after five years, etc..)
[ Rattley valves... ]
I check and set the gaps -- they're almost all off some. I think I got
them right this time, though I can never decide just how much pressure
is 'too much' to try to get the feeler in -- can you advise on this?
The gauge sort of "snaps through"; definite but light clicking feel.
Also, one of the pushrods is visibly bent -- when I rotate it, I see the
clearance to the sealing tube change. Should I worry? Replace it?
Well, as Mark B. mentioned, the bent pushrod is a bit of a problem. Here
are a couple of other things to look out for:
a) The valve stems are harder than the rocker arms. After a while,
specially if the clearance has been too large for a time, the stem
pounds a dent in the rocker, and it becomes impossible to adjust the
valves right. When that happens, I have had good luck pulling the
rockers and carefully remachining the ends to a sembalance of their
original shape (which you can see from the unworn part of the arm),
but I suppose it would be better to get new ones if you can. Anybody
know if they were case-hardened???
b) Both the rocker shaft and the bushings in the rocker arm can wear.
This seems to be almost inevitable on even a moderately old engine.
Sometimes when this happens it will block the oil hole in the bushing,
and that rocker will squirt less oil than the others. On every one of
these I've seen, the wear has been incredibly uneven - one or two
places where the rocker shaft has worn through the hardening and been
destroyed, and just a little bushing wear on the others. No idea why.
Third question. The water pump bearing seems to be making a lot of
noise. There's supposed to be a grease nipple to lubricate it, but there
isn't -- just a boss where it should have been drilled and tapped. I
suspect a replacement pump. Is there anything to do other than pull the
pump, disassemble and lubricate? (I guess I'll drill and tap while I'm
at it...)
Might be too late. If the bearing's making a lot of noise, it likely
means that either it ran out of grease and wore out, or the water seal
died and the bearing has been running in antifreeze. I'd also be
inclined to think that in a pump without the grease fitting
originally, the bearings would be the sealed kind and wouldn't benefit
from having a fitting added.
-john
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