63 assy manual and RPMs

[Gasman63]

Hi all.

With my Vair being a 63 vert with 65+ engine Ive managed to get a 61 manual and 63 update. Also a 65 book for the engine work. Just wanted to have them on hand just encase.
But now I'm wondering if a 63 assy manual is worth buying. Having the Spyder dash I'm wondering if the assy manual would help with details when it comes to working on the dash wiring. If mich is different from a standard dash.

Also, being an air cooled engine im thinking higher rpms would be best. So with standard city driving do you shift at 3k to 4k rpms? Lower or higher? Keeping in mind that an old original engine you might not want to push very hard, but Im not in that situation. My issue is my daily driver is a 2010 with an automatic trans plus i drive a semi truck all day long shifting around 1400 to 1700 rpms so my ear is not tuned to corvair driving.

So what is your personal opinion on shifting rpms with a 4 speed trans and assy manuals.

[VairPS]

I'll admit to being a literature collector, but I've had an assembly manual for every year Corvair I've ever had. They are amazing resources, each and every one.

I strongly recommend one.

[66vairguy]

That is a good question, but it will invite many opinions.

Contrary to some opinions the air cooled Corvair engine has an adequate cooling system for NORMAL driving. Wide open throttle for long periods can be a problem, especially for turbo motors. Long steep hill climbs could be an issue. On flat ground keeping the throttle open for more than a minute or less will put you at maximum and illegal speeds!! Stopped at idle the fan produces more than enough cooling. GM tested these cars in the summer at the Arizona proving grounds and there were no overheating issues even with A/C, until the air injection and retarded timing emissions controls were added.

Commercial diesel truck engines are typically designed for maximum torque and minimum fuel use (relatively speaking) so you want to keep the RPM in the narrow RPM optimal working range at different speeds, requires a lot of transmission gears!

The Corvair engine is a 60's design and it did not have modern features like oil squirters on the rods to lube/cool pistons and wrist pins. That is done by good ol sling and splash. So "lugging" a Corvair engine at low RPM (or any 1960's gasoline engine) is not good for it. Under load you really don't want to drop below 1,800 RPM since you need oil sling off the crank and rods to lube cylinders and wrist pins. Above 3,500 is just wasting power unless you are wide open throttle. Finally look at the torque curve peak for the engine. Just me, but I up shift at around 2,500 RPM for normal (not in a hurry) driving. Keep in mind these engine can run at up to 3,500 RPM all day long without issue, even if it sounds busy compared to today's overdrive transmission cars.

Other's will have their own suggestions and opinions.

[66vairguy]

I'll admit to being a literature collector, but I've had an assembly manual for every year Corvair I've ever had. They are amazing resources, each and every one.

I strongly recommend one.

Agree -- I even find torque specifications in the Assy. Man. I can't find in any other Corvair book.

[davemotohead]

I have every book available for every year, can't go wrong with manuals and literature.

Corvairs love to rev, I beat the crap out of my cars, My yellow Corsa has a 280 cam and 4:11 gears and barks 3rd gear posi rubber! I cruise at 75-80 at 4000+ rpm all day long, I shift at 6800 Rpm and rev to 7000.

[Gasman63]

Im finding reprints of these assy manuals shipped for under 40 bucks. New reprint. Guessing this is good enough. Finding an original book would be nice but the price would go up a bunch and Im not a book collector.

Any opinions on reprints or more comments on the assy manuals? Im all ears.

Thanks for your detailed explanation 66. Im always willing to have many different opinions. People are different and drive different. The 1800 minimum was great info to have. I hadn't thought about that part if driving.

Wow, Dave. Get on it bro. I bet it runs like a great race car. Id love to go for a ride with ya.

[66vairguy]

Reprints are the norm now. That said you want a GOOD reprint, not some amateur poor quality reprint. Usually good reprints have the GM statement of approval to reproduce.

Original manuals are nice IF in good condition, but I suspect few original (lightly used) factory assembly manuals made it into private hands.

While GM dumped a lot of documentation they did sell some of it. The folks at M&H Electric Fabricators told me they bought the old GM wiring harness build documents and computerized them.

[bbodie52]

The 1961 Corvair Shop Manual is needed, but it was poorly written. The wiring diagrams were almost useless, reminding me of what I would expect to see as engineering developmental notes, but not easy to follow for circuit analysis in troubleshooting and fault isolation to correct wiring issues. The diagrams in the 1962 and later supplements set the pace for what we saw in the remaining model years, manuals and supplements. The assembly manuals cover a very real gap in knowledge and guidance that just is not there in the shop manuals and supplements alone. Much of the 1965 Corvair Chassis Shop Manual is much-better, and can be helpful for almost any year Corvair. A different manual transmission was introduced in 1966, so that supplement is needed for those who have that transmission. The later model year Corvairs incorporated some wiring color code differences from year to year, and also integrated some wiring components and switches from other GM products in their layout — so the applicable 1966 and later supplements may be needed to match your Corvair model year.


Many downloadable manuals and reference books can be found using this link...

Common and Useful Corvair Websites
Corvair Forum viewtopic.php?f=225&t=6007

I attempted to make some corrections and improve the end-to-end wiring schematics for some model years. They can be found here...

CORVAIR COMBINED WIRING SCHEMATIC DIAGRAMS



viewtopic.php?t=12968


The attached DELCO ROCHESTER - Models H, HV Carburetor Service Manual describes the year to year variations in carburetors, and reveals a great deal of information about the carburetor subsystems and design that can be of great help in troubleshooting and correcting carburetor problems.

The supplemental books by Bob Helt are essential for a good Corvair technical library. I discovered the original How to Hotrod Corvair Engines book when I was a teenager back in the late 1960s, and I found it to be a wealth of information. The later revised edition is well-worth owning and reading. Many of these Corvair books are offered through Amazon.com, Clark's Corvair Parts, and can also be found on the Internet by performing a Google search or by searching eBay. Amazon.com offers a number of good Corvair books that are well-worth considering to complete your technical library, and the pages of Clark's online catalog offers many specialty books and reprints that you cannot find anywhere else!





https://ssl.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalo ... _page=243A


Other sources that have often helped me and I would highly recommend to help the DIY "Shade Tree Mechanic" with troubleshooting and fault isolation, tuning, and repairing the Corvair carburetors are listed below...

As a teen and beginner, I gained some basic knowledge and understanding from a stack of Petersen's Publications books I had collected, read, and reread. (This series was published long ago (1960s-1970s) by Petersen Publishing Company, which was also associated with Hot Rod Magazine. With titles like Petersen's Basic Cams, Valves and Exhaust Systems, Petersen's Basic Ignition and Electrical Systems, and Petersen's Basic Carburetion and Fuel Systems, I found the knowledge and explanations they contained to be very helpful. Internet research opportunities were far in the future, so old-fashioned books and the Corvair Shop Manual were my only guide.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Hot+rod+maga ... nb_sb_noss

ebay https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=b ... c&_sacat=0

The material in those books is now somewhat dated because of the change to computer-controlled electronic fuel injection and other sophisticated technologies that have been introduced in the subsequent decades. But I do feel a Corvair owner or any classic car owner could benefit from the material in these books. Many of them are listed as available on Amazon.com (and from other sources like eBay). You might consider the possibility of reading through some of this material, the above links may help you to find them. The cost of these used books is low, and the investment in time that you might make in reading them may help you to develop a foundation of knowledge that will help you to leap ahead in your DIY maintenance efforts on your Corvair.

The two videos below about Corvair Rochester carburetors are very informative, and you may find some clues or information that may help to clear up carburetor problems.

Over the many years, some Corvair carburetors became a mix of different model year components — something of a "Frankenstein" carburetor made up of mismatched components that don't work well together. These videos may help you to identify such a problem, or to avoid purchasing a replacement carburetor from a poorly-qualified rebuilder.


Rochester Carburetors CORSA Meet Up August 2021: Evolution and Identification with Larry Claypool...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4FOoWoEJXI


Best Carburetors for your Corvair: recommended by Larry Claypool...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8VJ_xoa2q4

Here are some additional CORSA/Larry Claypool video treasures...

The attached manual may offer further detailed information about the evolution and function of the Corvair carburetor...

[Gasman63]

Thanks for the comments and links Brad.
I used the Clarks link to sign up and ordered the assy manual. Also got a catalog coming. Figured I should probably have one on hand. Like the Sears and Robuck wish book. But I wont store it in an outhouse. Lol

They are a bit proud of there shipping costs but the book was a decent price. Plus I figured Im going to be a lifetime buyer so guess I should get started.

Thanks to all on the replys. If anyone has any other comments on shifting RPM Id love to hear it.

[davemotohead]

I get all my books signed by the original author, I have a collection of them, Hard to do now because a lot of them have passed away!

Also you can ask Clarks for economy shipping and they will give you a better deal.

As far as shifting, Corvair engines do not like to be lugged, so rev them a bit before shifting, my old 80 HP Rampside was "Hold it to the floor and row the shifter like a boat!" 80 HP engines only rev to about 4500 rpm but you can drive them floored all day!

I did get a speeding ticket once in my old High school triple weber car!

[Gasman63]

Thanks for your input Dave. BTW, Im only a few months older than you. So we are both just kids.

[Dennis66]

145 in a 55. I'm impressed. So how did it play out? Dennis

[davemotohead]

145 in a 55. I'm impressed. So how did it play out? Dennis

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My dad taught me to fight every ticket I ever get as the police hardly ever show up, so I did and the police man did not show up, the judge ask me, 145 in a corvair? I said I don't know, the speedo only goes to 140! We both laughed and I walked out! Back in those days in a small town things were different than they are today.

About 3 months later I got hit head on by a drunk in a 67 lincoln continental with the suicide doors and totaled the car and my face, that is why I am so ugly today! Was a bummer I loved that car!

[bbodie52]

[Frank DuVal]

66 Said:

. Keep in mind these engine can run at up to 3,500 RPM all day long without issue, even if it sounds busy compared to today's overdrive transmission cars.

Right. With a 3:55 rear axle ratio and stock 13" tire size 3500 RPM is just 70 MPH.

[66vairguy]

66 Said:

. Keep in mind these engine can run at up to 3,500 RPM all day long without issue, even if it sounds busy compared to today's overdrive transmission cars.

Right. With a 3:55 rear axle ratio and stock 13" tire size 3500 RPM is just 70 MPH.

Yes, and with a 3.27 rear axle it is about 3,200 RPM at 70MPH. Not much difference, but is is quieter.