Recent posts

#71

Chassis, Suspension, Brakes, Wheels, & Tires / Re: Align your car at home?

Last post by Kern Dog - July 20, 2025, 08:36:15 PM

The engines and transmissions are offset 1 3/4" to the right side.
I've been able to get identical caster numbers both with offset UCA bushings and with aftermarket UCAs. Sometimes you need to put washers between the knuckle and the lower ball joint. This gives you negative camber which allows you to also get more positive caster.

#72

Charger Discussion / Re: Car show yesterday and min...

Last post by Kern Dog - July 20, 2025, 08:33:36 PM

Hmmm...It was 93 here yesterday and it felt great. What do you consider "too hot" ? I know it is all relative. I was in Carlisle for the big show and while it was around 90, the humidity was in the upper 80s so it was not pleasant.

#73

Chassis, Suspension, Brakes, Wheels, & Tires / Re: Align your car at home?

Last post by Dino - July 20, 2025, 08:31:04 PM

I bought some nice alignment tools, nothing too expensive, and it made the alignment much easier. I figured it would be helpful in the future seeing I have 6 old cars.

I can't get the passenger side caster to match the driver side so it pulls to the right. I never checked for thrust angle so that will be next. I'll end up buying new UCAs as well. Either QA1 with built in caster and add offset bushings, or adjustable UCAs.

Now, I got distracted by shiny things and did not confirm, but for a moment I thought the passenger front wheel sat more inward than the driver side. I never noticed it before but I had the wheels off and the toe plates on the rotors and it was more obvious. That doesn't seem right. Isn't the engine offset toward the passenger side?

#74

Engine, Transmission, Rearend, & Exhaust / Re: Intake Manifolds...Sealant...

Last post by 375instroke - July 20, 2025, 08:18:19 PM

The intake bolts are 3/8". Rod nuts get torqued to 45 ft lbs so the intake torque is not a problem. How do you strip cast iron with only 40 ft lbs?

Rod nuts/bolts are alloy steel, usually equivalent to Grade 8. Intake bolts are usually Grade 5 and cast iron is, well it's cast iron and the area where the threads are isn't very thick. In addition, intake bolts are more likely to have been installed, removed and reinstalled numerous times (shucks, some of mine maybe a dozen or more times) and each cycle increases the chance of stripping the threads...especially on non-dry threads.

Most universal torque charts will show the torque on a 3/8"-16 fastener at 30-35 ft. lbs. on dry threads

3/8" is 13-15ft-lbs.  I am so used to the torque wrench clicking when it gets tight.  Then going back to car engines, the bolt gets tight, then I have to keep turning and turning.  I have this sinking feeling as the bolt stretches, about to snap at any second.

#75

Chassis, Suspension, Brakes, Wheels, & Tires / Re: Borgeson box with Bergman ...

Last post by Dino - July 20, 2025, 08:13:49 PM

I had the same issue till I checked tire pressure. (I have a wheel similar to a "Tuff" wheel.)

I didn't feel good about the alignment so I redid it, and I shimmed the steering box so the shaft isn't at such an angle. Much better now.

#76

Charger Discussion / Re: 70 R/T SE

Last post by doctor4766 - July 20, 2025, 07:04:23 PM

And she's home.

$1000 worth of parts from Rock Auto and another couple of grand in labour and she's driving like new again.
I had him wind the front down an inch or so since I always thought it sat a little high compared with the '69.

#77

Engine, Transmission, Rearend, & Exhaust / Re: surging stumbling unresolv...

Last post by doctor4766 - July 20, 2025, 06:42:30 PM

Sounds like you've covered a lot of bases there.
I'm not super technically minded so I can only go off my personal experiences.
Twice and on different cars (One being my 69 Charger) I've replaced PCV valves, and the difference has been like night and day, from the cars running crap and popping and farting while driving to running how they should.
Worth a try if you have a spare on hand

#78

Engine, Transmission, Rearend, & Exhaust / surging stumbling unresolved--...

Last post by oldcarnut - July 20, 2025, 04:09:34 PM

I have been unable to get this figured out.  I'm going to try and post a utube video of how it sounds.  Short story 440 was running good and then this surging sorta misfiring like issue started while driving at speed and idle.  I had a new Eldebrock AVS2 800 I had put on it previously and motor ran great until it didnt. I have been through all kinds of adjustments on carb thinking I had a carb problem including new carter mech pump, fuel regulator, and return line installed. Spark plugs were changed although old ones looked fine. Next onto ignition. I swapped out the new Firecore sys for a MSD 6A sys I had which did not help. Put the Firecore back on.  Changed the carb to a Holley 3310 and still have the same problem.  So I feel like I eliminated fuel and ignition from using 2 completely different carbs and ignition and have same problem.  Where else to search? It's not too drivable running like it is.  Cranks up ok  but it'll flutter for a few until warm. surge sounds

surge2

#79

Engine, Transmission, Rearend, & Exhaust / Re: Intake Manifolds...Sealant...

Last post by John_Kunkel - July 20, 2025, 02:23:16 PM

The intake bolts are 3/8". Rod nuts get torqued to 45 ft lbs so the intake torque is not a problem. How do you strip cast iron with only 40 ft lbs?

Rod nuts/bolts are alloy steel, usually equivalent to Grade 8. Intake bolts are usually Grade 5 and cast iron is, well it's cast iron and the area where the threads are isn't very thick. In addition, intake bolts are more likely to have been installed, removed and reinstalled numerous times (shucks, some of mine maybe a dozen or more times) and each cycle increases the chance of stripping the threads...especially on non-dry threads.

Most universal torque charts will show the torque on a 3/8"-16 fastener at 30-35 ft. lbs. on dry threads

#80

Charger Discussion / Car show yesterday and mine wa...

Last post by lloyd3 - July 20, 2025, 01:45:01 PM

My son's former high school now has a fairly large and successful (well-attended) car show these days. As my son was instrumental in its creation (he set it up in his Senior year there by filing all of the necessary paperwork), he really wanted us to go yesterday. It was going to be very warm (& it was) and accordingly I'd put the car away until cooler Fall days arrived (cleaned and covered) a week ago or so but...a good cause (right?) so I dug it out and we went. My collectors insurance stipulates that "all drivers" must be 25-years old these days so I had to drive since he's only 21 (he'd of loved-to otherwise).  His much younger buddy from school (a cancer-survivor) is now the "ramrod" for this event and it was fun to see him again, now fully recovered and almost "grown-up".  Lots of nice cars there too, but no other 2nd Gen Chargers for some reason. Tons of newer stuff (Vettes, Ricers, etc.), even a very-nice pink Challenger R/T clone, a nice 6-pack Roadrunner, and a few Cudas, but mine was it somehow.

Mine's just a "driver" (w/plenty of imperfections) but it still got lots of attention, even more than I would have figured. A very "diverse" show and some of the cars there were pretty unique ("54 Packard convertible, '56 New Yorker w/the big "Firepower" Hemi, very nice '53 Mercury Custom) and some were even very "over-the-top" in that they were clearly very-expensive to get to their level of "finish" (a modern Hemi in a '67 Cuda Convertible).

After a couple of hours of standing around on hot pavement it was just too-hot to be fun (for me), so we left (it was noonish by then). Makes me really appreciate air conditioning now to drive this one in 90-degree weather.

But...these cars still have some "panache" it seems...