On the road! (Finally!!)

Status
Not open for further replies.

Buford T. JuSStice

Master Mechanic
Aug 16, 2010
341
192
43
So I was finally able to drive my car for real today. Not just around the block to feel how it rides, but up on the highway all the way to work. Felt pretty good, I think I got the TV cable just about right... shifts a little hard, but it's not short shifting and the shifts aren't sloppy at all. I can control how hard it shifts by anticipating it, and letting off the gas a bit and get a softer shift. Downshift is crisp and responsive, and with no torque converter lockup yet, it lopes around 2k give or take to stay at highway cruising speeds. Runs a little on the cool side now, never getting over 165F meaning the cooling system is doing it's job probably a little too well.

While the engine is running and under a load, it's smooth, and it feels good accelerating for the most part. Come to a stop and put it in park and it gets a little shaky... not too shaky, but enough that you notice it in your pants. Under load it has a tendency to get a little wobbly because vacuum starts to drop off a bit, so sometimes I have to heel-toe it and bring up the RPM just a touch. Somebody told me for a new engine that's breaking in, that some, but not all, of these symptoms are normal... is that true? I have it idling at around 1050 RPM with no load (park) and with load (drive) it idles around 700-800 or so. It's not pinging so I don't think it's an advance issue. Personally I think either my idle mixture is too lean, or something else is off.

Any thoughts?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Buford T. JuSStice

Master Mechanic
Aug 16, 2010
341
192
43
I think I've got it down for the most part. Added a little extra fuel at idle, and it doesn't shake as much anymore. Just a touch more did the trick.

Still got some other issues, but none of those are engine or transmission related.

The car tends to understeer pretty badly, and the turning radius feels like it's greater than it used to be... but I think that has more to do with the fact that it's got wider rear tires than front, and I've got lowering spindles up front with coil overs all around. Big sway bars... the suspension just has no give to it at all. It can go into a turn nice and flat, but it has a tendency to want to lawn dart into a fast corner rather than turn lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Buford T. JuSStice

Master Mechanic
Aug 16, 2010
341
192
43
The more I drive and get used to the steering... I may be wrong about the under steer problem altogether. I think it may be that I'm not used to the way the steering feels because it's a lot tighter than stock thanks to the quick ratio box, and I'm using a Cherokee U-Joint instead of the rag joint for the steering shaft. It communicates a LOT more information from the road into the steering wheel, and when the gearbox is at the end of it's travel it has no give. It just stops butt cold at the end of travel. As far as plowing into corners, it doesn't do that so much when I deliberately go around the corner rather than trying to quickly cut through it. Honestly getting used to it, it feels a lot better than the rag joint, but it does take a little getting used to.


Just like Flemming442 said: Air it out!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Status
Not open for further replies.

GBodyForum is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Please support GBodyForum Sponsors

Classic Truck Consoles Dixie Restoration Depot UMI Performance

Contact [email protected] for info on becoming a sponsor