ignition point\spark plugs

[dutchair]

Hello forummers,

I have a problem with overheating of the engine of my 65 110 hp corvair.

After i've driven a few kilometers the engine is getting very hot ( hot air is coming of the engine when I open the hood ).

I already cleaned the oil cooler, no dirt under the fan, and the shrouds are open

What i did'nt check was the ignition point and spark plugs because the car starts and runs well.
But a mechanic told me that it's possible that the engine becomes hot because the ignition point is wrong and maybe the spark plugs are not the originals.
So my question is: what is the ignition point for a 110 hp engine ? and what spark plugs do i need ?
I haven't got a technical manual, so i can't look it up

thank you,

gr, dutchair

[GriffinGuru]

Well I am only an amateur and new to corvairs myself, but I did just check my point gap and timing this weekend and I have a factory manual.

According to the manual the point gap is to be 0.016" for used points and 0.019" for new points. My points were used, but not for a long time: only a 100miles put on by the previous owner after rebuild and I am not driving mine yet because I am trying to get it to run properly after sitting for a few years. I set my gap to 0.016".

I put it on TDC and then with the dist cap and rotor/dust shield off, I rotated the crank to get the point arm right at the peak of the hexagon on distributer shaft. I measured the point gap with a clean feeler guage and loosened the bottom plate just enough to move the point base. I set it so I can insert the feeler and just feel some slight drag as the feeler goes between the points, but is not pushing the breaker arm away as I insert the feeler.

That's what I did and it seems to work Ok for me, but I have not actually driven my car yet, so you can take everything I just said with some grain of salt, unless someone with more experience can make sure you and I are actually doing this right.

[bbodie52]

Corvair cooling systems are not very complicated. As long as the cooling fan is being driven by the fan belt, it normally forces air over the cooling fins in the heads and cylinder barrels, and out the thermostat doors to the rear of the car. Small animals sometimes crawl under the sheet metal shroud and build nests from twigs, branches, leaves, etc. that can block airflow through the cooling fins.







If the thermostats fail, they open fully by default, so it is unlikely that the thermostat doors would be blocked in the closed position. Spark plug boots, heater duct hoses, etc. should be in-place on the upper shroud to ensure that cooling air is properly routed downward past the cooling fins on the engine.

It is doubtful that a slight ignition setting error would cause serious overheating. Even a plugged oil cooler would not cause an overheat condition under normal operating conditions. Are you certain that the engine is overheating?

You can download shop manuals and other Corvair-related technical guides in Adobe Reader (.pdf) format at no cost using some of the websites listed at the following link...

Common and Useful Corvair Websites

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

I would like to encourage you to expand on your initial post and tell us more about yourself, your Corvair, and your goals for your Corvair. 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, 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 location is also useful, because knowing where you live can sometimes suggest possibilities to resolve some issues or problems.

[64powerglide]

Spark plugs listed in Clark's catalog.

http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog ... N&page=75A

http://www.corvair.org/chapters/corvanatics/manuals.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[cad-kid]

A point and shoot infrared thermometer can be helpful for checking things out.

5 minutes after shutdown my engine compartment gets quite warm - normal. The engines fan moves a lot of air so while running the compartment is relatively cool.

Question- do you have all the perimeter sheet metal and seal on your engine?

[66vairguy]

Hello forummers,

I have a problem with overheating of the engine of my 65 110 hp corvair.

After i've driven a few kilometers the engine is getting very hot ( hot air is coming of the engine when I open the hood ).

I already cleaned the oil cooler, no dirt under the fan, and the shrouds are open

What i did'nt check was the ignition point and spark plugs because the car starts and runs well.
But a mechanic told me that it's possible that the engine becomes hot because the ignition point is wrong and maybe the spark plugs are not the originals.
So my question is: what is the ignition point for a 110 hp engine ? and what spark plugs do i need ?
I haven't got a technical manual, so i can't look it up

thank you,

gr, dutchair

Please don't go back to the so called "mechanic" who said it was the points or plugs. As others said make sure you have an overheating problem and check the timing. BTW changing the points gap/dwell changes the timing, BUT changing the timing has no effect on the points gap/dwell. So set the gap/dwell FIRST then set the timing per the shop manual. The Corvair cooling system does a good job in most conditions if there is no debris blocking air flow. BTW - did you check to make sure the cylinder baffles are in place. Sometimes missing which will cause the lower side of the cylinder to run hot and allows excess air flows at the cylinders so the heads get less air flow and run hotter.

[bbodie52]

Over the decades it would be easy for someone to forget putting those sheet metal air baffles back in place, and without them the lower side of the cylinder barrels could run hot.

[dutchair]

thanks everyone for your reply,

it did sound like a strange story "overheating because of a wrong timing point"

I've checked everyting, and i can find what the problem is so the best thing i can do is bringing the car to a garage witch is specialized in american classic cars

BTW 66 vair guy, what exactly are "cilinder baffles"? some kind of sheet metal ? (maybe you have a pic ?)


gr, dutchair

[dutchair]

Just saw that bbodie already placed a pic

[bbodie52]

The sheet metal baffles are each held in-place by two metal spring clips (shown below)...





Each baffle is positioned between the three cylinder barrels and the six push rod tubes, so removal and installation requires the removal of the push rods and push rod tubes.

[66vairguy]

thanks everyone for your reply,

it did sound like a strange story "overheating because of a wrong timing point"

I've checked everyting, and i can find what the problem is so the best thing i can do is bringing the car to a garage witch is specialized in american classic cars

BTW 66 vair guy, what exactly are "cilinder baffles"? some kind of sheet metal ? (maybe you have a pic ?)


gr, dutchair

You'll have to find a Corvair shop. A shop specializing in "American classic cars" probably won't have experience to work on Corvairs. In fact most "classic repair shops" specialize in a brand, sometimes just one model!

Time to find a club and ask for help/advice.

BTW - I'm still not sure if you actually have an overheating problem based on your explanation.

[Corventure Dave]

I recommend you check for debris under the fan area that may be obstructing the air flow.
You said it's over heating. But you did not say the engine was pinging or experiencing detonation in the
cylinders upon acceleration. If it is not showing those symptoms, it likely is not overheating.
There are quite a few things that can be done to make a Corvair engine run cooler. But ignition points and
spark plugs are not usually any issue for overheating.

Be sure to have the correct ignition parts.
Check for debris as mentioned.
The dampner doors on the bottom of the engine, should open when running. Or test by unhooking them and leave open.
Cleaning aluminum flashing, from casting, out of the cylinder heads.
Clean oil cooler of debris, oil residue and dirt.
Engine timing.
Carburetor jet size.


Corventure Dave

[dutchair]

66vairguy,

I also have my doubts if it's really a overheating problem.

I've checked everyting.

cleaned up the oil cooler, cilinders are all clean, no dirt under the fan shrouds are open. last thing i can do is checking the ignition point. but i wonder if this makes any difference.
What if noticed while the engine was running is that the oil filter became very hot !!! So could it be a problem with the oil pump ? (but if so i geuss the engine already stopt running ????)


gr, dutchair

[thewolfe]

Does the engine run fine? The oil filter is going to get hot. It has hot oil flowing through it. What are your exact symptoms besides "the engine feels hot"? Is it running poorly? Smoking? If it is running fine and the temp idiot light is not coming on then I would say you don't have a problem.

[funvairs]

66vairguy,


What if noticed while the engine was running is that the oil filter became very hot !!!


gr, dutchair

Operating temp for the engine oil will be in the range of 200°.

[66vairguy]

I don't recall anybody asking if your flexible perimeter seal was intact. Sometimes they rip or pull off the engine tin letting hot air from the bottom of the car back into the top of the engine compartment.

Yes oil filters get HOT. 180 to 200F (82 - 93C) is typical, hot enough to burn skin. The oil heats up much slower than the rest of the engine, but it does get hot.

As others said --- get an infrared temperature reader to check temperatures.