<VV> please help!

[Mike Kost]

Arthur Landis wrote:
> What next?  Just when I thought things were finally going well...Here's the
> story:
> 
> A week ago, I finally got my '63 monza, pg running after 7 months of ownership
> and headed out for the body shop.  On every incline the car would stall and
> die.  I'd push it over the hill and she would start (this happened 3 times).
> I finally got the car to the body shop.  I left her there so they could start
> on some initial body repair work.  They never got to work on the car because
> they couldn't get her started.  Never bothered to call me either, but don't
> get me started.  Anyway, yesterday I go there to "show" them how to start the
> car (you gotta pump the gas when cranking) that was running fine (as long as
> it was on level ground).  I get the car started but now the engine sounds like
> a thrashing machine.  An obnoxious loud knocking at low RPM (idle) that wasn't
> happening when I left the car is now going on.  At hi RPM, when I rev the gas,
> the harsh knocking subsides but resumes as soon as I let off the gas.  The
> belt came off and ripped (second time this has happened) while I was trying to
> figure what the source of the loud knocking is.
> 
> Does a bad harmonic balancer make a loud racket?  I'm told by the guy that
> sold me the car in April that this engine was rebuilt a year ago (they never
> drove it after the rebuild 'cause of the body damage) but the sound reminds me
> of a bad wrist pin or busted rod.  The engine fires right up and other than
> the noise, she seems to be running strong and smooth.
> 
> I know it's impossible to diagnose sounds without hearing them but since I'm
> new to vairs I have hope that maybe this might seem familiar to someone.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Art in  Missouri

Is this a stick or auto? I had an engine that started making a rattling sound at low RPM but went smooth at 
higher RPM. Pulled the heads thinking there might be a bad valve seat, not a problem. Checked bearings, no 
problem. Finally pulled the engine out of the car and discovered the flywheel bolts were loose.

Mike Kost
Show-Me Corvair Club