Carburetor problem?? Cont.

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Blair
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2017 9:03 pm

Carburetor problem?? Cont.

Post by Blair »

Thank you everyone for all the advice. The oil leak does not come from the exhaust. It smokes from the engine. Maybe a cracked oil pan?? When I checked it out I didn't really look for an exact point as it seemed to be coming from everywhere. I'm nervous about running it because I might damage it. One thing I noticed was wen I took the oil cap off, a lot came from inside. And also there was oil in the air filter and coming out of the pipe going to the air filter. I will include pictures later. Could someone please tell me what it could be and how much it would cost and the time it would take to repair it myself? And information about a vacuum leak?? I'm 20 years old and this is my first project car so I don't know a lot. I'm quick at learning this type of thing. I always wanted to bring an old car back to life and this was my first opportunity to do so
Last edited by Blair on Mon Aug 07, 2017 8:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
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bbodie52
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Re: Carburetor problem??

Post by bbodie52 »

:welcome2: :wave: Welcome to the Corvair Forum!

It sounds like you're trying to bring a Corvair back to life that is been in storage for some time. Since many problem areas can overlap, the cause of various symptoms can be difficult to determine because of the overall "cloudy" environment of unknowns. A combination, for example, of vacuum leaks and dirty carburetors can produce symptoms that could be caused by either one. You must check all potential sources of vacuum leaks and eliminate them as a cause. At the same time, aging and dirty carburetors are not going to heal themselves. Worn replaceable components and clogged passages within the carburetors can be assumed to exist. The Delco Rochester carburetors on the Corvair are not complicated or difficult to repair. I first tackled this kind of job when I was 16 years old during my summer vacation from high school. I learned to remove the powertrain, disassemble the engine for an overhaul, and rebuild the carburetors, distributor, etc. The end result was a successful one, and I only had the factory shop manual to guide me. Helpful sources such as the Corvair Forum, CORSA (Corvair Society of America) club chapters, parts suppliers like Clark's Corvair Parts, research via the Internet, etc. were not available in 1969 — but all are available to you now! You need a place to work, hand tools, a 1961 Corvair shop manual and a 1964 supplement (both can be downloaded for free or purchased in hard copy from a source like Clark's Corvair Parts), a budget for parts, and time to work through the tasks at hand. You can count on plenty of support from the Corvair Forum, and depending on your location (where are you?) potential support from a local CORSA club chapter — if it exists.

Removing your car from storage/Reviving a Dead Corvair
:link: viewtopic.php?f=225&t=5030

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The above chart should help you with checking your system for vacuum leaks. Look for loose, missing, split, or cracked hoses. I have also attached several sections of the Corvair Shop Manual and supplements, and a copy of the DELCO ROCHESTER - Models H, HV Carburetor Service Manual, which is an excellent supplement to the information provided by the shop manual. About half of this reference covers operational theory of the various carburetor subsystems and how they function. The other half of the manual provides guidance for overhauling and adjusting the carburetors. You will need a couple of carburetor rebuild kits from a source like Clark's Corvair Parts, and a gallon can of carburetor parts cleaner to soak the metal components after the carburetors have been disassembled. If you take your time and follow the guidance in the shop manual and Delco Rochester manual, you should find the carburetor overhaul procedure relatively easy. It may seem intimidating at first, and many choose to pay to have an outside vendor overhaul the carburetors for them on an exchange basis. But rebuild carburetors can contain errors that were undetected when they were overhauled. I prefer to learn how these systems work and to become familiar with them by doing the work myself. The knowledge you gain in overhauling your own carburetors can be very useful should you have operational problems with your car later that requires some type of roadside repair and troubleshooting.

If you choose to rebuild your carburetors please note that you normally do not want to remove the choke butterfly or throttle butterfly plate screws. This is normally not necessary unless you detect excessive wear or damage to the throttle mechanism. The screws that secure the choke butterfly and throttle butterfly plates were staked (exposed screw threads intentionally damaged) at the factory to prevent them from loosening and possibly coming unscrewed (where they could be sucked into the engine intake and potentially cause engine damage). Removing the screws requires grinding off the exposed threads, unscrewing and disposing of the old screws, and purchasing replacement screws from a source like Clark's Corvair Parts. They have to be re-staked when they are installed. Unless you have a reason for the removal they should be left alone.

You also may require replacement carburetor insulators, as the old plastic insulators at the base of the carburetor can become cracked or damaged with age and removal. These insulators are not included in the normal rebuild kit. The carburetor should not be installed with only a gasket, because this can permit excessive heat to be transferred from the aluminum cylinder head and integral intake manifold to the aluminum carburetor body. That kind of heat transfer can cause the gasoline to become overheated inside the carburetor and to possibly boil — causing operational problems and possible vapor lock.

Below are some sample pages from the Clark's Corvair Parts online catalog. The pages in this section cover the insulators, rebuild kits, air cleaner and air cleaner assembly gaskets that you may need…

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:link: http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog ... IN&page=61
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:link: http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog ... IN&page=56
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:link: http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog ... IN&page=57
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The ignition system also needs to be addressed. You should examine the spark plugs, spark plug wires and the distributor to determine their condition. Your distributor may still contain the original ignition points and condenser, or a previous owner may have installed an electronic breakerless upgrade system that replaces the ignition points (a mechanical switch) with an electronic sensor that uses either a magnetic pulse or an optical trigger to control the ignition coil. This type of upgrade is often done to improve reliability and eliminate the need for periodically replacing the ignition points and condenser. It is an upgrade that I would recommend you consider if it has already not been done. Spending the money on the distributor upgrade at this point (if needed) can provide a more stable ignition system. Alternately you might consider the purchase of a newly available replacement distributor that includes an electronic ignition system as well as a new cap and rotor — a system that can become more economical than replacing individual distributor components in performing an electronic ignition upgrade to the original factory distributor. All of these options might be considered before you start spending money on a standard distributor cap and rotor, replacement ignition points and condenser, etc. The money might be better spent on a distributor replacement that addresses all of these items with a brand-new electronic breakerless distributor rather than trying to overhaul and upgrade a 50+ year old distributor. This is the heart of your ignition system, so I suggest you carefully consider your options and approach to accomplishing an ignition system tune-up before you make a choice.

:link: https://www.perfvair.com/stinger-ignition-distributors/
Blair" wrote:...Also, is it even a carb problem? Doesn't accelerate fast or go more than about 20 mph, it can't idle on its own.. I have to give it gas in neutral. And to even drive I have to get the rpms up then throw it in drive before it stalls out. VERY hard to start. And it burns a ton of oil...
Automatic transmission? The vacuum modulator on the right side of the automatic transmission has a limited lifespan. The internal vacuum diaphragm can develop leaks that will allow automatic transmission fluid to be drawn through the vacuum hose and into the engine. If you disconnect the vacuum hose on the side of the automatic transmission and detect transmission fluid inside the hose, the vacuum modulator will need to be replaced.
:link: http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog ... N&page=135

Also, the Powerglide automatic transmission in the Corvair has a good reputation. It is critically important to maintain the proper transmission fluid level to protect your transmission from internal damage. Low fluid levels can produce internal operation problems and slippage of internal bands and clutches. High fluid levels can also cause problems because the rotating components can spin in a bath of transmission fluid, which can cause foaming and other operational problems. You should check the existing fluid for level and condition. If the fluid has a burned smell or is brown in color (it should be red), this would be an indicator of internal slippage and burning clutches and bands, which can lead to the need for a transmission overhaul. If the fluid is clean and red in color you are in luck. Continue to maintain proper fluid levels to protect your transmission.

The other issues you list may be covered as you check for vacuum leaks, overhaul the carburetors, and overhaul or upgrade your ignition system. The spark plug wires and spark plugs should probably be replaced. A compression test should be done on all cylinders to determine the mechanical condition of the pistons, piston rings, cylinder walls, intake and exhaust valves, etc. The procedure is covered in the tuneup section of the shop manual.

When you say it "burns a ton of oil" are you indicating that it leaks oil or burns it? Burning oil can indicate a problem with the piston rings, valve guides and seals in the cylinder heads, etc., that allows oil to seep into the combustion chamber where it is burned during the ignition process. This type of problem generally produces a blue smoke from the tailpipe. Leaking oil can come from a number of sources around the engine, such as bad seals, a leaky oil cooler, bad push rod tube seals, a leaky oil pan gasket, etc. Excessive blow-by past the piston rings and/or a dirty positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system can cause excessive crankcase pressure buildup which can force oil to be expelled through the dipstick tube. So please be more specific as to the nature and symptoms that is causing your engine to leak or burn oil.

The following Corvair Forum link can provide you with a list of useful websites that should be helpful as a Corvair owner...

Common and Useful Corvair Websites

Corvair Forum :link: viewtopic.php?f=225&t=6007

:dontknow: I would like to invite you to expand on your initial post and tell us more about yourself, your Corvair, etc. If you can describe your personal assessment of your mechanical skills and abilities, that would help a lot. Members of the Corvair Forum love to be helpful in assisting other Corvair owners with technical support and advice, but it helps a lot if we have some understanding of your technical background and mechanical abilities, your Corvair-related knowledge, etc. Helping us to know more about you and your Corvair will help us to write comments to you that are tailored to your needs and experience. Pictures are great too, because pictures of your Corvair will help us to visualize where you are with your Corvair and its condition at the present time. Knowing your geographic location is also useful, because knowing where you live can sometimes suggest possibilities to resolve some issues or problems.

:welcome:

:chevy:
Attachments
1961 Chevrolet Corvair Shop Manual - Section 7 - Engine Tune-Up.pdf
1961 Chevrolet Corvair Shop Manual - Section 7 - Engine Tune-Up
(644.51 KiB) Downloaded 21 times
1964 Supplement - Chevrolet Corvair Shop Manual - Section 7 - Engine Tune-Up.pdf
1964 Supplement - Chevrolet Corvair Shop Manual - Section 7 - Engine Tune-Up
(931.65 KiB) Downloaded 21 times
1961 Chevrolet Corvair Shop Manual - Section 9 - Fuel & Exhaust Systems.pdf
1961 Chevrolet Corvair Shop Manual - Section 9 - Fuel & Exhaust Systems
(1.31 MiB) Downloaded 18 times
1964 Supplement - Chevrolet Corvair Shop Manual - Section 9 - Fuel & Exhaust Systems.pdf
1964 Supplement - Chevrolet Corvair Shop Manual - Section 9 - Fuel & Exhaust Systems
(3.99 MiB) Downloaded 22 times
DELCO ROCHESTER - Models H, HV Carburetor Service Manual.pdf
DELCO ROCHESTER - Models H, HV Carburetor Service Manual
(1.79 MiB) Downloaded 33 times
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
Gearfinger
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2017 8:44 am

Re: Carburetor problem??

Post by Gearfinger »

You might want to find and identify your problems before throwing money and parts at them...
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