Powerhouse

Hello, Any one have some pointers on why a squeeling sound or vibration in front driver's brake would occur when turning to the left. Not vibrating like tire hitting something. It is more like the squeeling turns into a vibration. If I step on the brakes when noise starts it tends to silence it. I have replaced the shoes recently. Drums are turned as well. Thanks for any ideas.

never since I've had it...and that's about 10 years or so. I wonder if anyone can do them around here?

Thanks much for the replies all. Very helpfull as usual. The procedure for a 39 steering adjustment is pretty much the same as new years...but there are variously sized shims around the base of the sector gear assembly/steering shaft(whatever you prefer) that need to be removed in order to get a tighter adjustment when the worm wears down. Judging from the caked up grease that was almost as hard as a thick rubber pad that steering shaft has never been out. The shims were pretty much fused to the case with hardened "lubricant". I took one out and did the adjustment. Took about Half of the play out! So no it's down to abut 3 to 4" of play at steering wheel. It used to have closer to 8 inches of play when I actually measured it. I noticed I have tire wear on the inner tread. I wonder if that has to do with the slop I took out of the steering. Everything was replaced before I bought the car. But who knows if it was done correctly.

thanks. It seems like that play might be helpful in the free spin back of the steering wheel. Along with the high point on the worm gear.

I took out the whole thing last night. What a pain. Had to jack the front end up as much as possible and twist and turn the assembly in just the right way to clear the suspension. Looked ok...what a nasty caked up greasy mess...inside and out. I even found an IRON CROSS stamped into the case underneath...next to the DCPD.hahaha Top bearing and race were worn a little. Replaced them and other bearings/seals. Sector gear had some washer shims around it. I tightened all down nicely without adjustment screw in. Had to add one thin shim to free up worm gear just right. Installed and adjusted screw...but still has a little play at each stop(extreme right or left)...is that normal? I wonder if those shims around sector gear should be lessened. There were quite a few. Maybe that would let the sector meet the worm a bit sooner. I have not tested since not all back in car yet. I figure I can do that with it installed.

so far I replaced the pads...they were toast. New pads from bbaums...were $35...but the dang things were not made correctly for my 39. The insulation collars were on the wrong side...so i cut them off...works fine. WHAT a difference that made! I will rebuild the thing tonite hopefully. I bought the two bearings/races, seals & 2 bushings as well in a kit. That should be fun.

I will give this a good read and figure it out... http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Lit/Master/028/Cover.htm

well...hahaha...I normally do check first but am at work and figured I should ask and see what pointers and help I can get when I get home after work. As it is I shouldn't be checking the forum so much. Kind of a slow day today though. Thanks for all the pointers so far.

Hello, I have NO experience with steering gears and such. I think I may have a problem with my steering in my 39. When on the freeway it feel like I can move the steering wheel about 8 inches before affecting the direction of the car. It is quite a pain to drive on freeways because of this. Very annoying. I have new radials tires and it doesn't seem much different than the old bias plys at high speeds. They do not grab the ruts or lines in the road though. Any idea what this could be. Thanks. I am thinking of rebuilding whatever I can in the steering box....but that will be like opening up a can of worms I fear. Pun intended.

hello all, Sorry for the vague description. 20 at idle hot. 60 at higher rpms hot...I willl check rpms next time. But it sounds like the readings are ok. Yes, I did change the cam bearings when I rebuilt it. All though I had the guy who machined my block do that...I didn't do it personally as I have no tool to d that with and he was well versed in that.

I think if it doesn't have them in any car pre-68 you are not required to install them. BUT if you do have them in the pre-68 car and do not use them...I believe you can get fined. But not sure. I installed them in my car...a little safer now...but I have heard of people surviving accidents because they didn't have seat belts.

oil pump pressure while hot at 20ish...60ish when cold Is that OK. Used to be high all the time after rebuild little over 1 1/2 years ago. Running 10w40.

That is exactly what I did after seeing this photo a little while back. Since I am no good at welding...this was pretty much a "bolt-on". I had to make a plate with 4 holes for the cover, plug up the two holes for the heat riser rod, cut a hole in the bottom for outlet...and originally welded a plate to separate the front and rear 3 cylinders....which didn't last obviously or this thread wouldn't be here. hahaha

Howdy folks, I drove up to Long Beach and back over the weekend..about 100 miles each way. Seemed to drive strong and smooth(aside from the OD tranny noise and sloppy steering.) The "open flow" dual exhaust did however make it quite a bit louder/"throatier" than with the plate in there at high speeds. We were stuck in bumper to bumper traffic from Camp Pendleton to San Juan Capistrano, over 1/3 of the drive. Didn't get hot a bit but what a pain.

yeah...that was literally my 2nd time welding...and without supervision...it was fun though. I love having access to tools like that at work. I've seen my father in law weld many times and have helped him hold things in place. So I kinda new what to do. I just made sure the settings and material were all correct on the machine and started melting some metal together. It lasted for about 2 months...noise started right in the middle of doing a valve lash adjustment and scared the crap out of me...I thought something busted when I did the adjustment. hahaha Pretty good trick on me! Took it out today...It sounds a bit throatier now...I kinda like it.

Anyone know if this would be a bad thing? I don't see why...it just like running a larger exhaust pipe... So if a stock exhaust had a dump out back(as stock) and a second dump in the middle...where the riser used to be. That's what I have now since my bad welding didn't hold the seperation plate I put in there. The thing cam loose and rattles around insanely! SOUNDS horrible! Listen: http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a9/m_maringola/?action=view&current=MVI_0050.mp4 See:

drove it around last night after the fix...and it was so nice. this morning on the way to work was different story....the freakin carbs are now overflowing into the secondary barrels and causing it to chugg like crazy at idle and almost cut out!!!!! The fun never ends folks..as I am sure you all have experienced. hahaha I am guessing Both carbs have blockage....out of no where! Seriously getting too be ridiculous with this car.

http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a9/m_maringola/?action=view&current=MVI_0050.mp4 FIGURED IT OUT! That stethoscope sure did help. The noise would come and go...so I new it was something wierd. It was my poor welding that was the problem. The plate I put in to block off the other end of the exhaust came loose nd was get tossed back and forth in the exhaust. After the valve job the exhaust was more powerfull I guess and rattled that thing loose. If I take it out and just run it as a dual dump with no cut off/sepeartion between first 3 cylinders and last 3 cylinders would that hurt anything?

It does kind of have that sound to it...but I don't have a heat riser on my manifold anymore. I have a sort of customized stock manifold setup. The intake is a dual carb tube type manifold and the exhaust is a stocker with the heat riser, top port(ti int manifold) and passage to other end sealed up and a second dump out of the center from a circular whole I machined out. Works rather nicely. I am beginning to wonder if it is a wrist pin or something like mentioned on the forum before....but the noise occurs at a different time and in a different place...hahaha.

I listened to that fuel pump last night but the noise is definitely coming from up by the valves. I will take a video clip ASAP. It seems to die out at higher rpms while driving...and then when I slow down it starts back up again. It almost sounds like a loose washer or something rattling around in a tin can but it is pretty loud and seems to be coming from the valve/manifold area according to the stethoscope. With the stetho I can hear it pretty plainly on the manifold..but not very plainly on the valve covers? I tis not a steady noise as if it were happening every stroke...kind of more "rattley" I pulled the plugs out and checked for anything weird...looked fine. I even pushed on the valve heads for the heck of it to see if they wiggles at all..nothing...luckily.

I reinstalled covers with nice fat new rubber gaskets...and checked timing...still noisy. Motor seems as powerful as before if not better. It is really wierd that I am getting this ticking/rattleing noise when they weren't noisy to begin with. Any ideas on what else could make a noise that is constant with rpms? Sounds as if it is coming from the manifold side of the engine too...what the heck?! I guess I should take a video and post it but I have to get batteries for the camera...will do tomorow.

well...i checked them again. I had to go out and buy a new set of gauges at the auto store...a whole $6. Mine were kinda old and the tips were all out of shape. I checked them all cold. They still needed tightening up a tad. I set the ex at .014 and the int at .010. I checked them again while running and hot....ex - .010, int - .008. The seemed just right. It does sound a bit quieter but The noise didn't quiet down while inserting the gauges at all. I am beginning to think something else decided to start making noise just when I decided to do the valves. I have no idea what though. It runs strong though..so I guess it's fine. I will play with the timing next...maybe that will do t? I don't see why though.

Thanks. I tried that to no avail. No difference across the board. The confusing thing is...that clacking noise wasn't there before I did the adjustment. I am definitely closing the gap and not opening it. I just don't get it... It sounds like crap now...kind of like a tin can with a bunch of washers in it. I should have just let it be. But I read and was told to make sure and adjust the valves after the rebuild.

Hello all. I decided to do the valve gap adjustment finally at 1000 miles after the rebuild. I did it hot running and then not running as well. The diagram I made came in handy. BUT...It seems to clack louder now. I don't get it. I even slowed the rpm down to where I could read the DCPD on the lifters! hahaha Anyway, it seems to be not changing the clack from the valves. Any pointers? I set hot Intake at 8 and hot exhaust at 10.

I was able to put a hose together with brass fitting and 1/4" red hose. Works great. The supplier is going to send me a different one. He asked if it looked old stock. I said it sure smelled like it. He is going to see if they are sending out old ones. He said they should be new.