[FC] unsolved death

[corvanatics@corvair.org]

Check to make sure the timing is right and that the distributor rotor goes
around when cranking. The Early distrib (one with clips to hold the cap) had
a  tendency to seize in the bore and in turn strip the drive gear teeth on
the crankshaft!!  I know 'cause it happened to me in 1973 in Montana while
driving back to my home in Fairbanks, AK in a 'Vair powered homebuilt
motorhome. I luckily had a spare motor with me for parts. Use only the
distributor with screws to hold on the cap.      Good luck!!!

Bruce Gwyther, Bonneville Corvair Club
http://users.sisna.com/grandpagwyt/
'65 Corsa Convert,  '62 Rampside
'65 'Brier 8-door,  Greenbrier limo
and many other FCs
Restored '51 John Deere "A"

----- Original Message -----
From: <Wild8bill@aol.com>
To: <corvanatics@corvair.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2003 10:22 AM
Subject: [FC] unsolved death


> Here's what happened last night;
> My girlfriend drove our '61 Greenbriar to a town about 60 miles away. She
> unloaded her gear, and after a half hour went to move the van. The motor
turned
> over but didn't catch (there's a "sweet spot" on the ignition switch). She
> tried again and got nothing; no click from the starter, no dimming of the
lights.
> I assumed it was the ignition switch, and after driving there, I tried hot
> wiring it directly from the battery to the starter, and it didn't turn
over,
> click, or anything. The previous owners have left a maze of disconnected
and
> rerouted wires, so working under the dash at midnight was useless. When we
tried to
> push start it (with a powerglide, no less), it wouldn't pop into gear.
When I
> put it into "D", nothing happened, it just kept rolling along like it was
in
> neutral. I suspected the powerglide or the linkage, and noticed that it
was
> very low on tranny fluid. The tranny cable appeared to be moving from the
cab
> and not bunching up. There has been a slight burning tranny fluid smell
since we
> got the van, but no unusual stains underneath it. If it was stuck in gear,
I
> don't think it would roll so easy, and it did turn over the first time she
> tried to start it, so where ever the switch is that says it's in neutral
so the
> ignition will work was OK the first time. It had plenty of battery, but I
> didn't try jump starting it. Previously, the motor would turn over and
catch within
> just a second or two, and it ran like a champ.
>
> Does anyone have a tip as to where to look for the problem?
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