Good luck. Sounds like 2 honest people on this.
Epic Road Trip Begins
- Thread starter pv40924ss
- Start date
Sounds like #4 is getting oil but from where? Probably more likely to be valve guide/seal or intake manifold leak rather than rings.
When we moved from Florida to Ca. in 82 I drove my 62 Corvette oil burner stopping about every 75 miles to change the plugs. It would run fine for about 50 miles then start smoking and running rough until the next set of plugs. I had 3 sets of plugs and just rotated them with a carb cleaner overhaul between changes.
When we moved from Florida to Ca. in 82 I drove my 62 Corvette oil burner stopping about every 75 miles to change the plugs. It would run fine for about 50 miles then start smoking and running rough until the next set of plugs. I had 3 sets of plugs and just rotated them with a carb cleaner overhaul between changes.
Agreed on the 2 honest parties statement
Andrew this is the most entertaining thread on here in a while! Thanks for the pics. Some great replies on this one too.
Sorry to hear she has to go the rest of the way on the hook but, keep us posted!
Andrew this is the most entertaining thread on here in a while! Thanks for the pics. Some great replies on this one too.Sorry to hear she has to go the rest of the way on the hook but, keep us posted!
Well, we are talking our time getting home and sitting at Denny's in Winslow, AZ. I thought about getting a picture of the car next to the statue (standin on the corner in Winslow, AZ. Such a fine sight to see) but decided to just go eat and get gas in the UHaul. I think the "potholes to China" road between Payson and Winslow beat us up so bad we had to stop for a break. Ha ha
Attached are some pics... still smiling with the car on the trailer. My wife is such a saint to put up with me. I promised her an epic trip! Lol too bad she did not have as much fun yesterday as I did. It was just too hot for her.
7 of the plugs looked like the one, the oily one is #4.
The clean pipe is the drivers side, the oily one is the passenger, all caused by #4 fouling.
There is the transmission leak-easy fix for it.
The Dodge truck is in a GCU campus parking lot next to my daughter's apartment. I thought about swapping the Bel Air for the Power Wagon.... lol
We were on our way to OldSkyDog's place and passed this van. I'm sure it would cost more than a 1963 409 dual quad 4-speed convertible Impala but if one of you really want I can go back to get betters pics if you are serious.
Oldskydog, thank you for letting us stop by and visit with you and your wife. It was a nice break from the craziness. You have a wonderful wife and your place is fantastic. I could spend days there. Who knows, maybe one weekend I come down and help you make room for your truck. The way our two wives were talking they would never even care if we spent hours in that shop of yours.
Thanks to everyone for your help, and I am glad this is entertaining. we all need to laugh and smile once in awhile and I really have not done that myself much lately.
Attached are some pics... still smiling with the car on the trailer. My wife is such a saint to put up with me. I promised her an epic trip! Lol too bad she did not have as much fun yesterday as I did. It was just too hot for her.
7 of the plugs looked like the one, the oily one is #4.
The clean pipe is the drivers side, the oily one is the passenger, all caused by #4 fouling.
There is the transmission leak-easy fix for it.
The Dodge truck is in a GCU campus parking lot next to my daughter's apartment. I thought about swapping the Bel Air for the Power Wagon.... lol
We were on our way to OldSkyDog's place and passed this van. I'm sure it would cost more than a 1963 409 dual quad 4-speed convertible Impala but if one of you really want I can go back to get betters pics if you are serious.
Oldskydog, thank you for letting us stop by and visit with you and your wife. It was a nice break from the craziness. You have a wonderful wife and your place is fantastic. I could spend days there. Who knows, maybe one weekend I come down and help you make room for your truck. The way our two wives were talking they would never even care if we spent hours in that shop of yours.
Thanks to everyone for your help, and I am glad this is entertaining. we all need to laugh and smile once in awhile and I really have not done that myself much lately.
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Maybe rings are not seated? Sometimes they take a few thousand miles, new build needs breaking in?
Had one bad valve seal on a 327, it smoked out passenger side, my 283 smoked quite a bit until the rings were seated.
Good luck on the rest of your trip.
Had one bad valve seal on a 327, it smoked out passenger side, my 283 smoked quite a bit until the rings were seated.
Good luck on the rest of your trip.
What are your plans for the car as far as engine (409) and the interior exterior???
This is Bill the one who sold the car to Andrew. I have been communicating with Andrew every day since his journey began. I will work with him to get this fouled plug issue resolved. I am baffled how this car ran great then somehow this happened. There was no dis colorization on that tail pipe when he started his trip. He said he has a good mechanic to investigate the problem. Stay tuned.
Kudos to you Bill...
Seems like a couple of stand up guys on this deal. Hard to find anymore.
Seems like a couple of stand up guys on this deal. Hard to find anymore.
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Hi, now that I am rested up from the trip home I thought I would get back to this thread. As Bill said, we have been in contact every day. Neither he nor I can understand what happened as the car ran beautiful when we started our trip home. I have racked my brain and he has racked his trying to figure out what changed. We are both alike and get very frustrated when we know we did something correctly but then something wrong happens. He is a great guy, and my wife & I believe we have made good new friends with him & his wife.
Although we did drive another 60 miles into Phoenix with it running like this and I ran it to re-time it, at this point, I decided to not drive the car until I know more as to what is going on with it. Hidden issues can often lead to bigger problems and I do not want to risk anything to this engine. I have been told it could be a intake manifold leak, the #4 plug not firing and rings not quite seated yet after 800 or so miles allowing oil up into the combustion chamber, a broken oil ring, rocker arm issue, a flattened cam lobe, or a bad valve guide/seal. The plan this weekend is to do both a compression test, a leak-down test, and put a screwdriver in the #4 plug wire to see if there is spark. I believe the issue will show itself after these are all done. I will post again after the tests are done, which will be hopefully Friday, or Saturday at the latest.
Thank you all for the support to both Bill & I.
Although we did drive another 60 miles into Phoenix with it running like this and I ran it to re-time it, at this point, I decided to not drive the car until I know more as to what is going on with it. Hidden issues can often lead to bigger problems and I do not want to risk anything to this engine. I have been told it could be a intake manifold leak, the #4 plug not firing and rings not quite seated yet after 800 or so miles allowing oil up into the combustion chamber, a broken oil ring, rocker arm issue, a flattened cam lobe, or a bad valve guide/seal. The plan this weekend is to do both a compression test, a leak-down test, and put a screwdriver in the #4 plug wire to see if there is spark. I believe the issue will show itself after these are all done. I will post again after the tests are done, which will be hopefully Friday, or Saturday at the latest.
Thank you all for the support to both Bill & I.
Well, let's wrap this post up on a very positive note. The 327 is running fantastic with 150 psi compression in all 8 cylinders. The #4 exhaust valve rocker arm "cup" (where the nut sits) broke in 3 pieces and the rocker arm was not sitting squarely above the valve spring. All broken pieces were recovered as I put the rocker arm back together like a jigsaw puzzle. I have since driven about 90 miles or so, after replacing the rocker arm and readjusting the valves, on I-40, I-25, and for about 3 hours today thru the streets of Albuquerque. This Bel Air ran smooth, although I do need to adjust the Carter carburetor for being at high-altitude.
Many thanks to @oldskydog , @pvs409 , and @409 Chevy Performance for their phone calls, texts, emails, and private messages with advice, guidance, and most of all patience. I actually owe everyone who commented on this thread many thanks as yoru thoughts contributed to the direction of the diagnosis.I only had 1 to maybe 1.5 days each week to diagnose this issue because the DIY shop I am using is closed on Sundays & Mondays, and although cleanup on the other days is not until 6:30 pm....I wish I could say I am not working my regular job up until that time, or past...but, I am.
And major, major props to @William Malik who I bought the car from. Bill & I are life-long friends at this point. He & I were so frustrated at the temporary outcome of things, but never with each other. As I re-learned to wrench on a car Bill was very patient with me, just like the others. I had my 19 year old daughter and my wife out helping me, which made my Dad jealous. He told them "you never help me on my cars when you are out visiting." lol And, having somebody re-learn to wrench with two very complete novices as assistants means the person providing the advice best have patience.
Again, issue is resolved and I am very happy with the outcome.
Andrew
PS.......for other positive and breaking news, see my other post from today, titled "62 Bel Air - Into the Deep End We Go" in "Builds and Projects"
Many thanks to @oldskydog , @pvs409 , and @409 Chevy Performance for their phone calls, texts, emails, and private messages with advice, guidance, and most of all patience. I actually owe everyone who commented on this thread many thanks as yoru thoughts contributed to the direction of the diagnosis.I only had 1 to maybe 1.5 days each week to diagnose this issue because the DIY shop I am using is closed on Sundays & Mondays, and although cleanup on the other days is not until 6:30 pm....I wish I could say I am not working my regular job up until that time, or past...but, I am.
And major, major props to @William Malik who I bought the car from. Bill & I are life-long friends at this point. He & I were so frustrated at the temporary outcome of things, but never with each other. As I re-learned to wrench on a car Bill was very patient with me, just like the others. I had my 19 year old daughter and my wife out helping me, which made my Dad jealous. He told them "you never help me on my cars when you are out visiting." lol And, having somebody re-learn to wrench with two very complete novices as assistants means the person providing the advice best have patience.
Again, issue is resolved and I am very happy with the outcome.
Andrew
PS.......for other positive and breaking news, see my other post from today, titled "62 Bel Air - Into the Deep End We Go" in "Builds and Projects"
Good deal 
Well, let's wrap this post up on a very positive note. The 327 is running fantastic with 150 psi compression in all 8 cylinders. The #4 exhaust valve rocker arm "cup" (where the nut sits) broke in 3 pieces and the rocker arm was not sitting squarely above the valve spring. All broken pieces were recovered as I put the rocker arm back together like a jigsaw puzzle. I have since driven about 90 miles or so, after replacing the rocker arm and readjusting the valves, on I-40, I-25, and for about 3 hours today thru the streets of Albuquerque. This Bel Air ran smooth, although I do need to adjust the Carter carburetor for being at high-altitude.
Many thanks to @oldskydog , @pvs409 , and @409 Chevy Performance for their phone calls, texts, emails, and private messages with advice, guidance, and most of all patience. I actually owe everyone who commented on this thread many thanks as yoru thoughts contributed to the direction of the diagnosis.I only had 1 to maybe 1.5 days each week to diagnose this issue because the DIY shop I am using is closed on Sundays & Mondays, and although cleanup on the other days is not until 6:30 pm....I wish I could say I am not working my regular job up until that time, or past...but, I am.
And major, major props to @William Malik who I bought the car from. Bill & I are life-long friends at this point. He & I were so frustrated at the temporary outcome of things, but never with each other. As I re-learned to wrench on a car Bill was very patient with me, just like the others. I had my 19 year old daughter and my wife out helping me, which made my Dad jealous. He told them "you never help me on my cars when you are out visiting." lol And, having somebody re-learn to wrench with two very complete novices as assistants means the person providing the advice best have patience.
Again, issue is resolved and I am very happy with the outcome.
Andrew
PS.......for other positive and breaking news, see my other post from today, titled "62 Bel Air - Into the Deep End We Go" in "Builds and Projects"
What a great story and an awesome group of people coming together to help you through this.
People working together like this are unheard of today....
Glad to hear of the positive outcome!