Corvair Forum

Great Articles.
If anyone also has some advice especially on models not specifically covered in the articles attached please feel free to share.

Scott,

Thanks for the pre-purchase checklist. It is very exhaustive.

Larry

Timely post for me.
Thank you

Thanks Scott - I printed both of these out. Very helpful :)

Scott H wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:26 pm Great Articles.

Corvair buy checklist.doc
prebuychecks corvair.pdf

If anyone also has some advice especially on models not specifically covered in the articles attached please feel free to share.

@Scott H
Bundle of thanks for the list. You have done a excellent work.

Great stuff but the VIN location only applies to '65-'67. '68-'69 are under the windshield and EMs are on the door jamb.
#15 in the second doc talks about tires. There is no reason to discuss tires unless you are going to check the date code. If they are more than 5 years old it doesn't matter how good they look. You may be able to get away with much older tires but you are living on borrowed time and old tires shouldn't be a selling point.
The second article is mainly aimed at a Corsa. It has great info that can be applied to any Corvair.

Trying to figure out what year and size motor I have.
This is one of the stamps numbers I found on the motor under the heads
12GM3819615
Motor is a 6cl and has a turbo
Thanks, Brian Walker.

Trying to figure out what year and size motor I have.
This is one of the stamps numbers I found on the motor under the heads
12GM3819615
Motor is a 6cl and has a turbo
Thanks, Brian Walker.

Manufacturing casting part numbers are generally not helpful. The last two letters of the engine serial number and the cylinder head number at the end of the head are much-more useful. The attached CORSA Corvair Technical Guide 1+2 - Corvair Code Numbers will help you to decode these numbers.

Cm4-3851864 GM this is what I got

That number isn't on Clark's chart.

Sorry that I'm replying, but this has nothing to do with the subject!

I'm a new member having bought my 65 turbo coupe 5 days ago. It is a rust free, all there car but pretty rough. I looked for a place on this site to post , but could find it anywhere, thus this reply.

Can anyone tell me what the red idiot light is appearing in the middle of three lights on the dash panel at the top. The car has a oil temp guage and it was reading 262, oil pressure 50lbs + or -. Not having a manual, I was hoping someone could advise.

Also it appears that the that the crankcase was over filled by about a 1/2 quart. I discovered today the differential dip stick and that appears to be a little below the ADD line.

I plan to drive the car about 3 miles to have the oil and differential changed, any concern doing so? Also. what engine oil an differential fluid is recommended? My other car is 1964 Nova SS 283hp 4sp car and I run Shell Rotella in it for the zinc content, is that recommended for the Corsa?
In closing thanks in advance for any input you can give me.
Tom

The red light at the top is the high beam indicator.
I use Mobil1 0W40 in all my Corvairs.
The transmission and differential share oil. 75W90 GL4. The GL4 is important and most places don't carry it. Napa usually has some but it is thicker and can be an issue when cold. Do not use GL5 that says it is ok for GL4 unless it specifically says it is safe for brass.

Turbotom wrote: ↑Sun Apr 23, 2023 8:08 pm Sorry that I'm replying, but this has nothing to do with the subject!

I'm a new member having bought my 65 turbo coupe 5 days ago. It is a rust free, all there car but pretty rough. I looked for a place on this site to post , but could find it anywhere, thus this reply.

Can anyone tell me what the red idiot light is appearing in the middle of three lights on the dash panel at the top. The car has a oil temp guage and it was reading 262, oil pressure 50lbs + or -. Not having a manual, I was hoping someone could advise.

Also it appears that the that the crankcase was over filled by about a 1/2 quart. I discovered today the differential dip stick and that appears to be a little below the ADD line.

I plan to drive the car about 3 miles to have the oil and differential changed, any concern doing so? Also. what engine oil an differential fluid is recommended? My other car is 1964 Nova SS 283hp 4sp car and I run Shell Rotella in it for the zinc content, is that recommended for the Corsa?
In closing thanks in advance for any input you can give me.
Tom

To open a new topic go to the HOME button, then pick a SECTION and then you see the button NEW POST. They you can do a title and post.

Oh Boy! Asking what lubricant to use in a Corvair is like starting a fight - LOL!! Unless you are going racing just use what well regarded oil expert Richard Widman on the CCF suggests. Before reading Richard's comments I had all kinds of "good ideas", but I read Richards logical and factual information. The Corvair engineers knew what they were doing and they recommend 10W30 for NORMAL driving, which included testing at different temperatures. A 10W40 is fine if you are driving in very cold or hot conditions. Yes today's conventional oils have less ZDDP, but about the same as the 1960's. By the 1970's it was increased, then due to catalytic converters decreased. However as Richard stated --- today's motor oils are superior and the reduced ZDDP is not an issue. Since most hobby cars are not raced, or driven much, just change the oil at 1,000 miles (or at least once a year). ZDDP compensates for worn out oil to prevent camshaft to lifter scuffing. In the 1940 and 50's there was very little ZDDP in oil (and the oil was inferior to today's oils) and recommended oil changes were every 1,000 miles and camshaft failures were uncommon. The camshaft issues started in the 1960's when the BIG 3 all increased oil change intervals to "save the consumer money". That is when ZDDP was increased to compensate for worn out oil.

The manual transmission requires GL-4 (not GL4/GL5, not GL5) 80W90. The most commonly available GL-4 is Sta-Lube 85W90 which in cool/cold conditions is too thick and causes balky shifting. A fellow I respect suggested Brad-Penn (now called Penn-Grade) GL-4 80W90 which I've found provided better shifting. There are all kinds of expensive "boutique" oil company GL-4's, but for normal driving they are not necessary. In fact a Corvair transaxle is robust IF you keep the lube clean (the Operators manual makes no recommendation for changing the lube, typical GM in the 1960's). If the gear oil is black, then you'll want to change it again in a few hundred miles or when it turns black again (it will pick up old crud). After that every 30,000 miles is adequate.

Well let the counter opinion roll in - LOL.