That is a good idea. Not sure if I'll do it or not. But thanks for the suggestion!
66 Coronet 500 Driver, Light Resto
- Thread starter Nxcoupe
- Start date
We picked it up and it looks great. I wasn't expecting a show quality job for what I paid but dang, it looks fantastic compared to what it was.
Unfortunately, the engine sounds terrible. It has a clanking, rattling, metallic noise coming out of the front of it and I'm not sure what it is. So that, combined with the weak cylinders means the engine just needs to come out and get rebuilt. I need to do the trans as well, as it leaks a little but works fine. This noise showed up in August, so I stopped driving it. Going to get it home and put away for now. I'll figure out a plan for it soon.
Unfortunately, the engine sounds terrible. It has a clanking, rattling, metallic noise coming out of the front of it and I'm not sure what it is. So that, combined with the weak cylinders means the engine just needs to come out and get rebuilt. I need to do the trans as well, as it leaks a little but works fine. This noise showed up in August, so I stopped driving it. Going to get it home and put away for now. I'll figure out a plan for it soon.
A thought:
I have a 318 paired to a 727......sitting here, doing nothing.....still sitting on the "K" member.
I pulled it out of a 66 Coronet 440 ( 4 door grocery-getter, with bad rear body rot), the drive train was good.
It's been on a trailer, under a tarp.....waiting to live again.
It was one of four parts-cars used, when I restored a 66 Coronet 500, with a 361 and still have it/love it. I'd personally keep the 361, but you could be driving it while you check out the engine issue and give you time to consider options.
Aside from the the bores, the 361 is the same block as a 383. You could punch it out to a 4.125" bore and get the additional power......just saying
I have a 318 paired to a 727......sitting here, doing nothing.....still sitting on the "K" member.
I pulled it out of a 66 Coronet 440 ( 4 door grocery-getter, with bad rear body rot), the drive train was good.
It's been on a trailer, under a tarp.....waiting to live again.
It was one of four parts-cars used, when I restored a 66 Coronet 500, with a 361 and still have it/love it. I'd personally keep the 361, but you could be driving it while you check out the engine issue and give you time to consider options.
Aside from the the bores, the 361 is the same block as a 383. You could punch it out to a 4.125" bore and get the additional power......just saying
Weather sucks here for driving it anyway, but thanks. I just need to finish up a bunch of customer work before I can even think about doing anything to mine. I had thought about boring or stroking this engine but I believe a .030" bore will suffice. I am leaning towards a set of 440 source heads to keep the stock appearance, same with an intake if it will all fit under the hood with the factory style air cleaner I have.
I got it...and agree. As God created it, or as close to that as you can re-create it. Just offering a cheap way to get it rolling again. I have a lot of the part on hand.
The 361's only came out as a "2bbl" in the Coronet....and was a disappointment for power, and had to change that (it struggled getting up my hill).
I found a 66 383 intake and put a 1406 Edelbrock on it, as the bolt pattern worked. New carbs have a larger mouth and the stock air cleaner won't fit.
Do yourself a favor and get a newer style intake, as stock ones have the heat-channel under the carb and you'll need to insulate between the carb and manifold....and there will be a clearance issue, with the hood.
Many of the 361's in the Coronet's had the 383 heads.....and the forged crank, mine did. Mine is a factory 4 speed, not sure if that made a difference
The 361's only came out as a "2bbl" in the Coronet....and was a disappointment for power, and had to change that (it struggled getting up my hill).
I found a 66 383 intake and put a 1406 Edelbrock on it, as the bolt pattern worked. New carbs have a larger mouth and the stock air cleaner won't fit.
Do yourself a favor and get a newer style intake, as stock ones have the heat-channel under the carb and you'll need to insulate between the carb and manifold....and there will be a clearance issue, with the hood.
Many of the 361's in the Coronet's had the 383 heads.....and the forged crank, mine did. Mine is a factory 4 speed, not sure if that made a difference
With the help of my buddy Neil, i put the coronet on the 4 post rack and ran it up with him in the car. I had him start it and used my stethoscope to isolate and locate the noise. Turns out it was in the bellhousing! Just shows you how noises propagate through the driveline, since I thought it was in the timing cover. Pulled the inspection plate off to take a look because I had a good idea of what it was. Got an 1 1/4 socket on the crank bolt and rotated the engine looking at the torque converter bolts. Here is what I found.
I also found the trans pan is leaking and the gasket needs replaced. I am planning on getting a new sfi flexplate for it and just doing gasket, filter and fresh fluid while I'm at it since the trans has to come out to replace the flexplate anyway. If the noise wasn't so annoying, I wouldn't worry about it, but it's like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Glad I figured it out.
I also found the trans pan is leaking and the gasket needs replaced. I am planning on getting a new sfi flexplate for it and just doing gasket, filter and fresh fluid while I'm at it since the trans has to come out to replace the flexplate anyway. If the noise wasn't so annoying, I wouldn't worry about it, but it's like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Glad I figured it out.
I got the car in a lift and got it up in the air. Someone had put a drain plug in the pan so I drained the fluid out. I dropped the pan and the filter too. The pan had lots of wear debris but not bad for such an old car. The bands were way out of adjustment. I kind of assumed that by the delayed reverse engagement it had. I searched for a video and found one on how to do it and got them adjusted, both front and rear. I cleaned the pan and the trans surfaces and wiped it all down until it was clean. I got it tightened up after letting it sit for about an hour just finger snug. I drained the oil and removed the filter, too. I had not changed the oil since I got it almost 3 years ago. I used valvoline hot rod oil that has lots of zinc additive. I pulled the driveshaft and then lowered the car down. I disconnected the battery and then poured in 5 quarts of oil. I raised it back up and tightened all the trans pan bolts. Figured it was time to call it a night
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ckessel
Well-Known Member
Love having a drain plug there. Keeps you from getting an ATF bath.
I agree, thiught the same thing.
Just realized I didn't finish this. I got the flexplate out and it was badly cracked. I could flex it and it would make that clicking noise I heard with it running. I replaced the pan gasket and filter before I pulled the trans. It came out relatively easily. I got the driveshaft out and slid the trans back far enough so I could get to the flexplate.
Got it all back together and let it down to put fluid in. I put 4 in and figured that was good enough to start with. Man, these thjngs are thirsty! I think I ended up with 7 qts in it. Couldn't believe it. So got it up to the hash marks almost to full, as it wasn't hot yet. It went into gear, forward and reverse. Backed it out iff the rack and pulled it back into the shop so I could do a couple other little things to it.
I swapped out the coil with this one from MSD, it isn't filled with oil, it's filled with epoxy and can be installed in any position. I opted for it because I needed a new 12V coil anyway for my electronic ignition since it runs without a ballast.
I swapped out the coil with this one from MSD, it isn't filled with oil, it's filled with epoxy and can be installed in any position. I opted for it because I needed a new 12V coil anyway for my electronic ignition since it runs without a ballast.
So I thought all was well, until I walked in the shop and walked by the car to see a small stream of fluid coming from under the car. Sweet! I figured it was the pan gasket or the dipstick tube. So back on the lift after playing car tetris to get it there. I got it up in the air and to my surprise, the darn output shift seal is pouring out. Sweet!. So I figure I'll pull the tailshaft housing and replace seal and bushing while I'm at it, right? Well, nope, turns out the entire trans has to come apart to get the tailshaft housing off. So plan B, I am just replacing the rear seal. Hopefully that will fix the leak so I can drive it.
Put the new seal in. Wasn't a hard job at all on the rack. Old seal was hard and cracking. New seal in. Test drove it a bunch and no leaks!! At least so far. I want to drive it to Columbus and back just to see if it leaks any. Currently, it's dry everywhere under the car save the power steering box.
Today, I took the car out for a drive, and just decided to look under the seat and see if there was any way to move the seat back, so I wasn't sitting on the wheel. It was really uncomfortable, as I'm a tall, big guy. I looked and low and behold, the base has 4 adjuster bolts and slots. After closer inspection, I found they were adustable front to rear(they were all the way forward) and also up and down(they were all the way up). I grabbed my ratchet and 9/16" socket and 15 minutes later, my seat was low and about 3 or 4" further back. It is so much more comfortable now. My driving position is fantastic. Can't wait to take it on a long drive now.
Here are some pics for posterity.
Here are some pics for posterity.
After I got the seat adjusted, I went ahead and charged the ac back up. I put the R134 fittings on and just left them on after I was finished. It only took 2 cans and it was blowing 35* air out. Perfect for our freezing cold climate. Lol. That's it for now, next project is to hook up the idle bump to the ac clutch power wire so the computer knows to bump the idle up when it's on. That'll be next weekend.
Well crap! A setback knabbed me today. I filled the car up yesterday and tiday I got a strong smell of fuel in the shop and saw some spots under the car. Got it on the 4 post lift and low and behold the fuel sender I made is leaking. I need to get it onto the 2 post rack so the rear end will hang down out of the way and I'll be able to see exactly where the leak is. It is definitely somewhere in that vicinity. It just sucks, as I want to drive it.
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