Epic Road Trip Begins

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pv40924ss

Well Known Member
Many thanks to Bill and his wife. This 62 Bel Air is as advertised the beginning of epic road trip from Palm Springs to Phoenix to Albuquerque begins. Call me nuts to drive it back but you only live once. :) And, I have my wife Janice keeping me company. Thanks to all for your help these past few weeks.

Andrew
 
benchseat4speed

benchseat4speed

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 7
I thought you said you didn't like Biscaynes or Bel Airs!! Lol just giving you a hard time.

Just by chance I think I know which car you're referring to, and that's awesome that you bought it. I bet it'll get you all the way home no problem, and some good break in miles for that 327. Go man go!! We need pics Andrew!
 
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pv40924ss

Well Known Member
We are in Blythe, CA eating at the Wendy's at the Flying J. Water temp running constant at about 185 and oil pressure about 55 hot, noisy with the windows down, cross wind pretty strong, 107 miles and 7.847 galls at $5.059/gallon for premium = 13.63 mpg, varying speed between 50- 75 mph to help continue the engine break in. It has 476 miles on it when we left. Good job building this engine, Bill. It purrs like a kitten and pulls strong. 150 more miles to go today.
 
IMBVSUR?

IMBVSUR?

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
pv40924ss said:
Many thanks to Bill and his wife. This 62 Bel Air is as advertised the beginning of epic road trip from Palm Springs to Phoenix to Albuquerque begins. Call me nuts to drive it back but you only live once. :) And, I have my wife Janice keeping me company. Thanks to all for your help these past few weeks.

Andrew
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It's not nuts at all. These cars drove all over the country just fine. They still do. Have fun.
 
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pv40924ss

Well Known Member
Yes, I dropped from the Impala to the Bel Air. The Impalas are out of my price range, and this Bel Air is nice and solid, and within my price range.

But, the road trip has now become interesting in a bad way. Be prepared - long post I knew the risk of such a long shakedown trip and accepted the risk, knowing things could go wrong. But, honestly, this trip has been a blast for me! But, not so much for my wife. :( too hot lol We may end up flat towing it home the final 6 hours to Albuquerque. Anyone live here in the Phoenix area and willing to come help tomorrow, Sunday?

About 60 miles west of Phoenix we stopped at a rest area. Started the car to leave and it was running rough, like it had a misfire. No smoke, just not running as smooth as before. Still did good at highway speeds but at idle it is like a misfire and driving at the low speeds, or accelerating you can tell it is not running right. We put another 7 gallons of premium in it about miles out from the rest area and still got 13,8 mpg.

We hit heavy stop & go traffic due to construction on I-10 about 30 miles from our daughter at Grand Canyon University. I pulled over on the shoulder when it got to 205, 210 and shut it off. Popped the hood and something had sprayed over the inner fenders and bottom front of the engine. It was dripping clear liquid from the radiator overflow tube but not a lot. I ran my finger over the wet spots and it was clear so I think it is water. But, green Prestone is in the radiator so clear?

Temp dropped quickly with the heater on. I ran my finger inside the driver side exhaust and it was dry and my finger came back dark but not very dark. I ran my finger inside the passenger side exhaust pipe and it was slippery and my finger came back wet with a little bit of oil. :(

I also noticed I can move the distributor with one hand.

I stopped in front of my daughter's apartment building on the GCU campus & she got in to guide us to her parking spot so we could park in her spot. We stopped behind her car, let her out, pulled up out of the way so she could back out, and... could not move the column automatic shifter into reverse. I can't move it to low either. It is locked so I drive around the garage so I could pull into her spot.

I bought 8 new NGK copper plugs, a spark plug socket, extensions, a ratchet, a gapping tool, a timing light, and some white tire chalk. Tomorrow morning i will try to get the linkage free but I have not done this in years. I will learn fast. Once I get that done I will charge the plugs.

The engine was just rebuilt and had 476 miles when we started this trip. I have been varying the speed from 50 to 75, with one very gradual pull to 90 and back down. We have put 21 gallons of gas in it and one bottle of lead additive.

Could a plug gotten burned somehow? Were they newer plugs but not brand new plugs? I hope it is not a valve seal or valve guide. And, I hope the image is an easy fix.

Wish me luck, and if you live in the Phoenix area and can come help let me know.
 
Toms63SSQB

Toms63SSQB

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 8
When you disconnect the vacuum hose at the distributor you have to plug the hose or else it will create a vacuum leak. I think as you work on setting the timing you will start to remember.
 
benchseat4speed

benchseat4speed

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 7
What Ron said. If the distributer hold down comes loose, timing will retard. Retarded timing will make it run hot, it'll have terrible throttle response, it won't idle, it won't start easily, on and on. Everything you're describing.

Set it to 15 degrees or so at idle, give it some rpm and make sure the advance mechanism works, and if it knocks when you're cruising, back it off a couple degrees.

Factory specs want it timed at 0 or 2 degrees advanced or something like that. Don't do that. It won't have any power and it won't get good fuel mileage.
 
blkblk63ss

blkblk63ss

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 5
Check the radiator cap ,might be not holding pressure leaking out the overflow . Or if it is overheating just building too much pressure and exiting at overflow. Check for other slow leaks at all hose connections clamps. Check the spark plug wires . Maybe pull a wire one at a time on distributor while running you might be able to determine which cylinder is missing . I pull out all and lay in the cap hole before starting that way you can easily lift up each wire with little effort. You might have burned a wire laying against exhaust and it is shorting out a cylinder. Wouldn't worry about the oil in tail pipe till it's fully broke in and the rings seat in. You should be getting around 18 mpg on that 327 if everything is right of course not knowing what carb it has and so on. I would buy a large open element air cleaner . Those stock air cleaners are restrictive . When you have one installed and you put your foot in the carb you will hear a air roar ,that's good. Do you really need premium gas , I never buy it??? Good luck.Of course as mentioned reset the timing .
 
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pv40924ss

Well Known Member
@oldskydog i just saw your reply. We are going to flat tow it back to Albuquerque on a Haul auto transport with a 10' box truck as the tow vehicle. Can you pm me your #. If it is ok I would like to stop by on our way out of town for a short chat. We go thru Mesa to get up to Payson.

The #4 cylinder was fouled. The timing is now set at 10-12 before TDC and it is running better with 8 new NGK copper plugs gapped about 35.

The transmission lines are are leaking where they attach to the radiator. It is one quart oil down with just under 1,000 miles on this rebuilt engine.

There is a little bit of smoke out the passenger exhaust pipe but it's very very light, and hard to see. But, is it a broken oil ring , valve guide, etc. Who knows but to avoid further damage until a firm diagnosis is made we feel best to not drive it.

Now, for the seller Bill. Janice and I firmly believe he is as honest as they come. His thoughts as to what is wrong, telling us what he did to car, his thoughts as to our next steps, and his unsolicited offer of a full refund if we leave the car in Phoenix with his friend, or to help us with repairs in Albuquerque, is greatly appreciated. But, I fell in love with the car. I think I smiled the entire drive yesterday. It was fantastic!
 
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