shyfty

The only thing I resoldered was the single wire activating the left turn signal. It's a rocker switch and, it being a clean solder, yeilded no misswiring. I touched that switch only; nothing else was removed (except for the useless black box, as stated earlier).

...I mean really This is a pretty big short, right? Where should I start looking? There are oodles of wires, but if there's someone who's redone their's and who knows of this kind of possibility....

Hi all, What kind of current draw would drain a fully-charged battery in 30 minutes? I'm trying to get an idea on where to start looking for this short I seem to have. To let you know what I know... I have an early '74. The blinkers weren't working, so I set out to fix that. I came across a hunk of wiring not really connected to anything: a couple wires were running hot to a little box that resembled a simple security system. I checked the FSM, and it appears this was factory installed, but in my case it was non-functional. So, I removed it and the wiring. It ending up me having to resolder the wires to the blinker switch to get the blinkers to work, which they then did...for a few minutes. The blinkers again do not work, and now I have a major short. Any ideas on where to start looking first?

Aluminum flywheel yay or nay? which clutch would you use? I have a Centerforce II...would that be a good setup?

my pre-removal thinking was bringing up ideas on a lighter flywheel. I had been eying that aluminum one, but $500 is just too much. searching some more, I came across some "flywheel lightening" threads. "hey, this could work." I started calling some places around town....but no one seems to know what I'm talking about. is there another name/term for this? how about the clutch itself, with the lighter flywheel, but it still being stock, would I still need to buy a better clutch? if I keep regular, I probably will end up replacing the whole clutch assembly since it's off. I got a price on an Advance Auto clutch kit: $99. anyone against that/them? ("them" being I will never buy another starter from them:stupid: )

I finally got the transmission off last night. man, what a bear it was to get the echaust lead pipe off. I eventually didn't (one rusted bolt wouldn't come off) so I had to work round it. anyway, so I had a friend help me pull the transmission. he's a Jeep guy, but I figured that the same basic prinicples apply to all clutches, and he has the experience around here pulling his four or five times. well, I don't know what you mean by that, Lance, because the clutch fork/release bearing/pilot bearing assembly is all there. my friend's idea is that the pressure plate is at fault. he thinks the fingers aren't sticking out enough. I've attatched a picture of this. what do you guys think?

I went on the hunt for a good deal just a few weeks ago. some minor differences: mine's a 260, I'm 18, and I was looking for it being a daily driver, but..... it mostly goes by region, and definitely your driving record (that reckless driving doesn't help me out at all ...live and learn) but for the most part, just liability ranged from $1,400-$1,800 (per 6mo.). I got a really good deal, though, with USAA: $812, and that's actually including comprehensive. Mostly that big difference came from having my parent having a policy with them (this was for a seperate policy, though). I dunno, you mostly just have to work with what you've got, but good luck.

oh, I didn't mention before that it's an early '74, if that helps any... finally got to it this afternoon. the entire hydraulic system checks out okay. so, my next assumption is internal. I do have a lead on that: the clutch fork can be easily moved back and forth. pulling the tranny, I see... could someone tell me 1. what this problem is (did it disconnect from the pilot bearing....is it prone to do that? my dad used to tell me stories of the clutch going out every once in a while on his 280....) and 2. while it's out, should I have anything replaced, the tranny rebuilt (for good measure....and maybe for the 3rd being a little rough on this 4-speed). what kind of price should I be expecting for someone to do this for me? or...I also have 5-speed with maybe 40k on it. should I just swap that in instead? thanks.

so, I'm cruising along until I get to one of those stop lights things(damn things...don't they know that Zeds were made to go? ). It's my turn to go, I attempt to shift into first, but it won't go. none of the gears will. I push the car off to the side of the road and do a quick checkover. I couldn't find anything externally: the pedal linkage is good, there's fluid in the reservoir (but, I checked the whole line anyway...no leaks) and I checked the slave cylinder. I only had enough time to have it towed home before I had to be at work, so I haven't had time to look at it yet. so, when I get started tomorrow, what should I be checking and how? a note about the slave cylinder: I really am new to this clutch thing, but the pushrod was looser than I figured it should be. I could pull it in and out quite easily, and it could jiggle side-to-side a bit, too. anyway, I think I'm something like the 3rd owner, with 157k, it doesn't look like anythin has been replaced. any suggestions while it's out of service and I have $1k to put into the car?

has anyone ever had any trouble with their dust shields? well, I have...... that there is the flared lip of the dust shield. it flares outside, toward the hub. if you look in the circle, the flare is bent inward (hard to see, yes, but it is). it bends like this for the whole of the lower half of the opening. I test-fitted it on the hub..it can clear, but with manipulation..the kind of manipulation not allowed by the hub being on the spindle. I didn't mention this earlier because I thought the difference was negligable, but when the rotor was rubbing, it wasn't pressed as hard to the top of the caliper as to the bottom. this explains that. the safest explanation I think would be that I too hastily pushed the hub on the spindle, denting the dust shield. slow and easy from now on. so, something was bent...but then, who would have thought of this? crazy :beard: the hub/rotor is back on, the caliper's back on, everything is hooked/lubed/filled up and it's working great. thanks for everyone's help!

of course use a straight edge...duh huh:stupid: :stupid: instead, I used a measuring stick and checked the gap between the bosses and the rotor. BUT,the straight edge confirms that they are not bent. when I check something, I should probably check everything about it, eh? all right, so beyond my stupidity...yes, the brake worked before removal. I checked the race thing (as in I removed it to see if more clearance was added, but it wasn't...so that must be fine). anything else? anything else bendable? the spindle, maybe? if it can be, then wait a sec...I've done another stupid thing: so, I have the car on jack stands, both front and rear, because I'm doing all the brakes at one time (btw, all the others are back on and normal ). maybe I did this backwards, but I lifted the car, and then decided to remove the wheels. the backs, of course, had the tranny to lock them, but here was the dumb part:finger:: the driver's side brake was actually the only one bad, so I did it first..taking everything of completely. that was fine becasue I had someone to hold down the brake. I didn't think about getting to the other wheel when I drained the line of fluid.... what to do? if this caused it, then I feel so stupid now, but....I wedged a wrench between the wheel spoke and the caliper...and the last lug to come off ended up being a good deal troublesome (my weight of 160lbs. pressing down on the lug wrench). I don't have the specs of the length of the bar and the angles and all that, but with physics and the properties of levers, you know, percentage of work force... should I already be pulling out my wallet?

over the past two days, I've probably put 12 hours into this problem: tinker, sleep, quick tinker, work, tinker, tinker...and it doesn't help that I'm working 3rd shift this week - try needing brake cleaner at 5AM (when I get off). good ol' WallyWorld. cheap stuff, though. all right, all right, here it is: everything that is supposed to be set up is set up correctly..double checked against all three manuals. I've gotten to where I'm just sitting there staring at the assembly...and I think it was getting to me on wanting (read: needing...daily driver) this problem fixed so badly that I started seeing things...bent things. the strut lobes! they're bent!! what? no it's hardened steel...can't be. oh, but yes they are: exactly the 1/8" I need. okay, so.... how did THAT happen? anybody have a set of huge plyers I can borrow?:stupid:

okay, I went back today for the last resort of borrowing back the old calipers. I had to talk him into it, and I had to leave him with the remanufactured, the receipt, and the $30 core charge in cash. by that point I was probably ready to him to say "gimme the title" and have me submitted to a full rectal examination :tapemouth ...sheesh. I blame it on our economy: people are so money-tight theses days. anyway....the old one didn't fit back on properly, either. :dead: ..... really, though...can stuff just "bend" out of whack? back to that washer idea: the washers are not to go where the caliper mounts, but where the rotor mounts to the hub, but yeah, hardened ones is the only way to go...if I go. should I go? what else is there? ...else being that I did something wrong...?

sorry guy, House wins... so, I trekked on down to the parts store. the guy wouldn't let me borrow the old caliper, but we did compare the two: except for the old one being really dirty and a little rusty, they're exactly alike. still at a loss, and not being able to think of anything else at the time, I slipped on the drivers-side caliper (upside down of course) to make absolutely sure that it would be the caliper. it wasn't. this other caliper rubbed, too. being bored, and having a measuring device in hand, I checked the thickness of all the lobes: the calipers' are the same, but the driver's side (on the strut) are thinner than the passenger's side. ??? new idea: instead of the butcher job of grinding down the lobes on the caliper...how about an 1/8" worth of washers between the hub and the rotor? there's a whole 1/4" of space on the inner side, so this should even it out. and if tightened down good this should be still safe, yes? ..I've probably taken everything off and put it back on close to 10 times. this is making me feel like this guy ---> :sick:

well, I'm assuming that it's because these are remanufactured calipers that I had to give the parts store my old ones. the store opens in an hour, so I'll take the caliper and check on that vented rotor thing. that seems the only feasible answer right now, though from memory, these look exactly like my old ones. thanks for the lead.

okay, I went back and pulled the whole hub assembly just to make sure.....but it's all correct: no extra washers or anything, and it's sitting perfectly. the hub-to-rotor alignment shouldn't be off since I didn't take that apart to have it turned (asked the guy, and he said I didn't need to do it...so I didn't:geek: ), but yes, it rubs the whole way around. I do have a half-brained idea to fix this, but I'm not sure of the tensile strength of the steel: the idea is to grind down (about an 1/8") the caliper-to-strut flanges/mounting surfaces/whatever. then, when I bolt it on, this should give me the necessary clearance. anyone against this?

okay, I ran a complete search of this site, checked Chilton's, Haynes...not even the FSM had any info on this: I replaced my calipers (when I ordered from the local parts store, I thought they'd be new, but they were rebuilt ones). the picture explains my problem. I had my rotors turned, too, so I took note of exactly how everything came off, and I put it all back on the same way. this rebuilt passenger-side caliper...the outer half is riding on the rotor. I don't know much, but I know that's not good..plus being that I can't get the pad in. anyone know what to do? btw, on the subject of pads, when i removed all the hardware (pins and anti-sqeal shims/springs) I noted that I am missing a shim/spring for, yes, the passenger outer pad. the guy at the store said I didn't need it, but when I pre-installed the pads/hardware, that pad was flopping all over the place. I bet it'd get to sqealing, too. anyone know where I could find just much?

what do you use for the replacement of the fusible links? yes, they are just wires, but obviously they have to be rated at a certain amperage (being fusible and all) ....but none of my manuals say what rating. I don't want to just hook new wires in there and fry the starter/alternator. does anybody know?

need it, and I need it fast. willing to pay for express shipping. MSA asking too much (I think, anyway....$75-ish) shipped to ZIP 29550 email me at wesd@post.com if you can help me out thanks!! *EDIT* this request has been filled. thanks to everyone for their offers.

will I have to just get down to it and start taking apart the motor to see what's been done? well, for that I first need to know what to look for....... after examining it, would I be able to tell the normal compression? I mean as "such-and-such" mod adds "this much" compression..and then just add and adjust? sorry...newbie to the extreme

what do you do if they're over the top? I've a '77 with the L28E. it's been sitting for 7 years. I did a test today and my numbers are (front to back) 215, 215, 215, 190, 220, 215. as an aside question, this will be my first time ever working on a motor (the '77 also being my first car ...a real beauty, though a little rough around the edges) and, well, where should I start? that 190 I know at least tells me that a new head gasket is needed. so, while I'm at that, what else should I do? btw, the previous owner dropped the FI system and mounted a triple Mikuni setup (which, I have no idea about either )

take a look at the picture..... I need tips, info, articles, recommended manuals, diagrams...hell, voodoo if it'll work. you would judge correctly in thinking I'm new at this...well, at least in trying to refresh a car. I'm getting the engine to turn over only by an over-ride switch straight from the battery to the starter, so... anyway, you can't see it in the picture, but a couple wires are cut. also, mentally remove anything that runs an EFI and replace it with carburetor. thanks in advance, wes