W
wolf_walker
Guest
Well after fixing my latest batch of little things, and electing to leave the noisy pinion bearing alone for now, I hit the interstate for about 60 miles this afternoon. This was the first sustained semi-high speed run, and the first period I think since it's been pushing 90degrees F here. Well, the temp guage pegged itself on 200, I dont like that, even though it's probibly in spec, it was very steady and had no boil over, so I think I'll drop a 170/180 T-stat in there, if for no other reason than to shut up that nagging voice in the back of my head. My cold weld goo on the coolent tank fitting on the filler neck seems to have worked, long as nobody leans there weight on it. I avoided removeing the radiator once again. NOISE! My Lord that things loud, you would think there was NO weatherstriping. You litteraly could not have a conversation without practically yelling to the passenger, it was that bad. It's a convertable, had the hardtop on, I knew the rubber was about shot, but MAN! Moved that up in priority on my list of to-do's. It drank 1/4 tank in 60 miles, and I never even touched the secondaries, ugh. That quadra-junk is seriously rich I believe, fuel smell after shutdown when I got home, acted almost flooded briefly when trying to start it a short time after getting back too. Must go find my Rochester tech manual, havent had to fool with one in years. It's developed a lifter tick after sitting a few weeks un-run, naturally it does this AFTER I have had the intake off twice already. I'll probibly just let it be, what do you want from a 120K motor anyway? It pulled pretty well, the throttle spring I have on there is way too light, it pulls back enough to be safe, but you blink and your running 90. Not bad for as weak as the specs for that motor are, never did check the rear end gear ratio, it must be atleast a 3:08 though, it was tackin pretty good at 80mph. I'm not happy with the stearing, and I wish to hell I had an alignment rack, I dont trust that either. It just feels funny, and I dont have much of a point of reference, every vette I run across has most of the problems this one had to one degree or another, so it's hard to compare. Everything other than solid metal hunks in the stearing gear is new, EXCEPT, the stinking stearing gear box. And of course, there's more play in there than I like, I'll end up yanking it out. It steers funny otherwise though, almost like it's reluctant to turn untill it reaches a point and then kind "falls" into it. It isnt body roll, isnt weight transfer, I'm talking moderatly frisky lane changing on the interstate, you can feel it. Very odd. Maybe normal? All in all a good drive, should have took the top off...
