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After much proding from many of you over on the general forum, I have brought the 62 home to work on. I intend this to be a project for my son to learn on and in the end, give us a car we can take out to have fun with. This is a low budget project and we will choose labor over new in most cases to keep costs down. I have watched NAS Backyard on his 61 and it has inspired me to move forward.
Many of you helped me get the engine free and my next step is to get the distributor out. It is not budging, but the attack continues. Once it is out, we will use a drill to turn the oil pump and get the old 394 some internal lubrication. If we can get it out, we will move on to getting it running and then the cosmetics under the hood.
I posted a pic of the old girl coming home and one of the engine. I will update as progress continues.
I must say that the SX convertible looks rather small next to her big sister!
The work continues. I have attached photos of the distributor and the power booster. Looks like the booster is a goner. Hope there are options out there for a replacement. The distributor continues to be a problem. It will not rotate or move up. I have used heat and plenty of muscle. Anybody have any ideas????? Thinking I better remove the intake manifold so I can get better access.
Have you tried turning it with a pipe wrench? It might be enough to free it up. I would soak it with PB Blaster for a couple of days before trying this.
Try soaking it ( some people swear on diesel fuel ) and try to turn the distributor with one of those universal oil filter wrenches with the adjustable band around it. Or a crow bar if your desperate
WD-40 for sure, you will probebly trash it cosmetically with a pipe wrench but thats probebely the only way to break it loose. Definately remove the manifold, I've had mine off twice. Same original gasket by the way also. Then you can really see what the insides of the heads look like. Hopefully no rust, but I'm betting there is.
Will the motor turn over by hand? While I'm sure that the distributor collar is rusted to the block, if the distributer gear is rusted or frozen to the camshaft, that could be making it extra difficult to free the distributor up.
Thanks all for the advice. I have been soaking it for 3 weeks. PB has been the solution of choice, but have used WD and Marvel. I used Diesel fuel in the cylinders to free up the engine. It worked great. I was trying not to remove the intake if I did not have to, but I just can not get a good pull on it with the manifold on. I will start the removal. Thanks again and stay tuned.
Here is the latest. The distributor remains lodged in the block. We have removed all accessories and have the intake manifold removed. The distributor still resists any rotation or upward movement. It has been soaking for weeks and I have tried a bernz-o-matic for heat. I removed the lifter valley pan and the cam and lifters are rust free. The push rods are not as good of a story. 2 of them are bent. There must be stuck valves in the head. They must have bent when I turned the engine with the bar. I only went 1/4 turn, but that must have been enough to bend the push rods I will now start to remove the rest of the valve train to see if I have any other stuck valves. Do any of you have any experience with getting those valves unstuck? I did not want to pull the heads, but I may have to. Advice please?
Any other thoughts on the distributor would be appreciated. I have ruled out C4 due to the damage it might bring to the convertible parked next to the 62
Guys, it has been awhile since I updated. Progress is slow but moving. My son and I are finally to the point where we are not removing anymore and are getting ready to start reassembly. Below are the pics of the engine bay now and also the front brake backing plates. All ready to start reassembly. Rock Auto has been a good source. One piece we need is the point cam inside the distributor. We have a Pertronix module to put in and it uses an infrared signal off the lobes to operate. Ours is just to pitted out from all the rust. Does anybody know where to get one. Pic attached. Egge is supplying new valves and we are going with a dual mastercylinder for increased safety. I found a carb core on Craigs list since the original is a total loss from rust. Just got the gas tank out and it is off to be boiled out and coated. Still having touble finding a radiator. Thats all for now
Thanks for the parts tip Citcapp. Mike, we worked on the distributor for weeks. Had to take the intake off and lots of parts back near the firewall to get room to work. Then generous doses of ATF mixed with Acetone followed by heating. Repeated over and over. Then both my son and I hanging on a 24 inch pipe wrench and it finally budged. Needless to say we had a party over that.
Scott, I have to thank you for the inspiration your distributor issue has given me not to screw up my brake lines. It only took 3 days of penetrating oil (and a c-clamp), but thanks to this thread I was prepared to wait much longer if need be.
Can't wait for the next update. Any luck on the parts you were missing?
Hello Fellow Olds people. Well it's been 11 years since we started this project. It has sat untouched until a week ago for 10 years. You can see the beginning
pictures above. Since then, My son whom I started this project with is now a Doctor, I am retired and the car did not change much. But alas, retirement has its benefits. I am back on it and here is now where we are today.
Thanks Everybody. Here are a few highlights . Now the decision comes on what to do with it? Ready for the heads Awaiting New Stickers A bath after 30 years and the hub caps back in place.
October 20th, 2009, 10:44 AM
Thinking I better remove the intake manifold so I can get better access.
There must be stuck valves in the head. They must have bent when I turned the engine with the bar. I only went 1/4 turn, but that must have been enough to bend the push rods
I will now start to remove the rest of the valve train to see if I have any other stuck valves. Do any of you have any experience with getting those valves unstuck? I did not want to pull the heads, but I may have to. Advice please?
