patman
Sep 1st, 08, 07:08 PM
The inspection sticker on the Nova expired in July '07, and one of my pre-new-engine todo items is to get it legal again.
Our story so far: When I parked it in October '06, no problems, ran about as well as the old engine ever did. Then I tried to go for a drive with it during a warm snap in December, and it ran like crap. Didn't even make it out of the garage. I changed out the carb, plugs, wires, added an MSD box, adjusted the valves, checked timing...still ran like crap. Then I figured out I was :o:o out of gas. By that time, the warm day was gone and winter was back.
P.O. had plumbed part of the fuel line with copper tubing, which I never trusted, so I figured since the tank was empty, it was a good time to redo the fuel lines. I grabbed a few lengths of pre-flared straight 3/8" tubing and some brass fittings and went at it...slowly, like always. After much colorful language, I got the job done. New line from the tank all the way up to the mechanical fuel pump in the front.
This spring I put some gas in and started 'er up and checked for leaks. No leaks. Still wasn't running great, but...then again I added a bunch of new parts, so... I wasn't real interested in spending what little time I had on troubleshooting the old engine, I'd rather spend it building the new one. So, more time passed...
A couple of weeks ago there was a car show in the area, and I figured I'd try to get the car legal to go for that. Well, I missed the window there, but I got the car running. All I needed was to throw in more than 1 gallon of gas (all I had in the can at the time) and drive over to get a sticker. Battery was dead, but it did start with a jump, and everything seemed to be working reasonably well. I played with the timing and the idle a bit, and called it done.
So Friday I introduced a 5 gallon jug of gasoline to the gas tank. Today I pulled all the accumulated crap out of the way, and start the car up to back it out of the garage. The carb was dry, but it caught eventually. RumpRumpRump...sounds decent idling. I start moving the last couple of things out of the way while it's warming up, and notice this big puddle forming under the car.
It's leaking gas like a sieve. And to make matters even more interesting, it's running down the gas line, and dripping directly onto the exhaust pipe, then running forward from there and dripping off the collector. :eek::eek::eek:
So...I shut it off quick, and we push it out of the garage. The flare coupling I used in one spot is leaking like no tomorrow. Tightening it only makes it leak worse for some reason, so I grab a plastic storage bin to catch the gas, and find a rubber plug. I disconnected the coupling (so it's literally pouring out now...) and put the plug on. Finally...no leak, but I'm soaked to the elbow in gas...
Did I ever mention how much I hate plumbing?
I ended up draining the tank, and putting it all back in the gas can. Then I cut out the flares and coupler, and used a compression fitting coupler instead. Buttoned it all back up again, put all the gas back in the tank again...and it works! No leaks. So...hopefully some lunchtime this week, I'll get a sticker on it. What started out as putting gas in the tank and dusting it off turned into an afternoon of work.
I wanted to get it legal before I put in the new engine/trans so I didn't have to worry about driving it on the road while I was still sorting out the new stuff. Once the sticker is on, I take it apart for the new engine. And with the new NH DOT rules, antique cars can have a 2 year sticker that expires in April (instead of your birthday month), so I'll be good until April 2010. Let's hope it doesn't take that long.
Fingers crossed...it was good to see it moving under it's own power again at least...
Our story so far: When I parked it in October '06, no problems, ran about as well as the old engine ever did. Then I tried to go for a drive with it during a warm snap in December, and it ran like crap. Didn't even make it out of the garage. I changed out the carb, plugs, wires, added an MSD box, adjusted the valves, checked timing...still ran like crap. Then I figured out I was :o:o out of gas. By that time, the warm day was gone and winter was back.
P.O. had plumbed part of the fuel line with copper tubing, which I never trusted, so I figured since the tank was empty, it was a good time to redo the fuel lines. I grabbed a few lengths of pre-flared straight 3/8" tubing and some brass fittings and went at it...slowly, like always. After much colorful language, I got the job done. New line from the tank all the way up to the mechanical fuel pump in the front.
This spring I put some gas in and started 'er up and checked for leaks. No leaks. Still wasn't running great, but...then again I added a bunch of new parts, so... I wasn't real interested in spending what little time I had on troubleshooting the old engine, I'd rather spend it building the new one. So, more time passed...
A couple of weeks ago there was a car show in the area, and I figured I'd try to get the car legal to go for that. Well, I missed the window there, but I got the car running. All I needed was to throw in more than 1 gallon of gas (all I had in the can at the time) and drive over to get a sticker. Battery was dead, but it did start with a jump, and everything seemed to be working reasonably well. I played with the timing and the idle a bit, and called it done.
So Friday I introduced a 5 gallon jug of gasoline to the gas tank. Today I pulled all the accumulated crap out of the way, and start the car up to back it out of the garage. The carb was dry, but it caught eventually. RumpRumpRump...sounds decent idling. I start moving the last couple of things out of the way while it's warming up, and notice this big puddle forming under the car.
It's leaking gas like a sieve. And to make matters even more interesting, it's running down the gas line, and dripping directly onto the exhaust pipe, then running forward from there and dripping off the collector. :eek::eek::eek:
So...I shut it off quick, and we push it out of the garage. The flare coupling I used in one spot is leaking like no tomorrow. Tightening it only makes it leak worse for some reason, so I grab a plastic storage bin to catch the gas, and find a rubber plug. I disconnected the coupling (so it's literally pouring out now...) and put the plug on. Finally...no leak, but I'm soaked to the elbow in gas...
Did I ever mention how much I hate plumbing?
I ended up draining the tank, and putting it all back in the gas can. Then I cut out the flares and coupler, and used a compression fitting coupler instead. Buttoned it all back up again, put all the gas back in the tank again...and it works! No leaks. So...hopefully some lunchtime this week, I'll get a sticker on it. What started out as putting gas in the tank and dusting it off turned into an afternoon of work.
I wanted to get it legal before I put in the new engine/trans so I didn't have to worry about driving it on the road while I was still sorting out the new stuff. Once the sticker is on, I take it apart for the new engine. And with the new NH DOT rules, antique cars can have a 2 year sticker that expires in April (instead of your birthday month), so I'll be good until April 2010. Let's hope it doesn't take that long.
Fingers crossed...it was good to see it moving under it's own power again at least...