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Restoration Advice

220 messages,  Last post on May 31, 2009 at 5:49 PM

You are in the Classic Cars Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright

What is this discussion about? Performance Mods, Auto Body, Auto Repair, Classic Cars, Coupe, Convertible, Truck, Sedan, Wagon


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#10 of 220
Re: El Camino update [nosirrahg] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Sep 03, 2006 (9:36 am)
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Replying to: nosirrahg (Sep 02, 2006 5:51 pm)

Probably the front and rear windshield gaskets are all hard and dry. You can often cure this type of leak by buying some black LATEX caulk and spreading it on with a wet finger...and then just sponge off the excess....don't use that horrible black silicone stuff, it just makes a mess.
 
Water pump is easy, valve cover is easy (don't use sealant, just buy a new gasket and spread some white grease on the gasket, then apply it...and don't tighten the valve covers very tightly or you'll bend them (maybe someone has already) and it'll never seal. Shocks are easy and cheap and the AC should be dealt with by a shop specializing in AC. They'll test for leaks as there is no sense putting expensive R12 in a system that's going to vent it in two weeks.
 
You're only $500 bucks away from a great ride sounds like.
#11 of 220
Re: I had a 1980 Malibu... [andre1969] by nosirrahg
Sep 03, 2006 (7:18 pm)
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Replying to: andre1969 (Sep 03, 2006 8:01 am)

My folks came up for a visit today and my dad and I took a closer look at the El Camino. There does appear to be plenty of room to get at the water pump, but I want to get it up on my ramps and look underneath to see if I can tell for certain that that's where the leak is. Hopefully that's the case; if so I'll probably replace the radiator/heater hoses as well just to elimate problems down the road.
#12 of 220
Re: El Camino update [Mr_Shiftright] by nosirrahg
Sep 03, 2006 (7:31 pm)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Sep 03, 2006 9:36 am)

I'd actually thought about caulk, but I absolutely would have gone with silicon instead of latex; thanks for the tip on that!
 
When I backed it into the garage this morning, I noticed a trail of red fluid as well...thought it was transmission fluid at first, but my dad and I checked it out and it's power steering fluid. Don't know if that's an easy fix or not, but for now I'll just make sure to keep the fluid topped off while I tackle the more pressing items.
 
I posted a few photos on my CarSpace page, but I'll try to post one here to give you an idea of what the truck looks like:
 
See more Car Pictures at CarSpace.com
#13 of 220
Re: El Camino update [nosirrahg] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Sep 04, 2006 (6:30 am)
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Replying to: nosirrahg (Sep 03, 2006 7:31 pm)

Hmmm...I actually like the lines of that car! Why is it riding so high in front? That should be corrected.
 
Red fluid? Well before you tear into anything, check the RETURN hose (the low pressure hose) on the power steering box. That's a simple fix.
#14 of 220
Re: El Camino update [Mr_Shiftright] by nosirrahg
Sep 04, 2006 (6:54 am)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Sep 04, 2006 6:30 am)

Riding high in the front could be due to the truck sitting on an incline in the photo, poor front shocks, OR more likely the air shocks on the back could have gone bad. I haven't tried putting any air in them yet, so it's possible they could be faulty and riding lower than normal.
 
When my dad was up yesterday he watched under the hood while I started the truck and turned the wheel from side to side; he said the fluid was leaking out of the top of the steering box, like maybe there was a seal or something on top of it that was leaking.
#15 of 220
Re: El Camino update [nosirrahg] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Sep 04, 2006 (7:15 am)
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Replying to: nosirrahg (Sep 04, 2006 6:54 am)

Ewwww...that's not a good sign...this could be your biggest problem that you might save for last.
#16 of 220
If your power steering is going bad... by andre1969
Sep 04, 2006 (7:34 am)
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just make sure you get it fixed right away, and don't do like what I did with my '68 Dart and drive it for a few years with it broken! By the time I finally had some money saved up to get the pump fixed, the steering box itself was pretty shot, so I had to get 'em both replaced. I think it cost about $150 for the box and pump (out of the junkyard, from a mid-70's Dart) and another $150 for my mechanic to put it all together. Considering I let it go like that for about 45,000 miles, I guess I got off pretty lucky.
#17 of 220
. by fintail
Sep 04, 2006 (8:11 am)
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I am sure it is a completely different system, but my fintail used to leak from the top of the power steering box, and over time the leak got pretty bad. The seals were bad...it wasn't a terrible job to have done by my old MB specialist, I am pretty sure no more than $200.
#18 of 220
1975 MB450SL by chaup
Sep 04, 2006 (9:18 am)
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I live in S. Calif. the exterior of my 75 SL is in mint condition. However there is oil leak and the engine is running like a 4 cylinder. Anyone knows a place to overhaul the engine and whatever needs to be done so it can return to its prime time. Thanks.
#19 of 220
Re: 1975 MB450SL [chaup] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Sep 04, 2006 (4:59 pm)
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Replying to: chaup (Sep 04, 2006 9:18 am)

Hmmm...you might need to think this over. Overhauling a 450SL engine would cost more than the entire car is worth ($10,000--$12,000). I don't mean to be discouraging but only want you to know what you're getting into.
 
Maybe all you need is a good tune up and valve adjustment?
 
First off, I'd have a cylinder leakdown test performed on the engine. Using those results, if it indicated dead cylinders, you can decide if you just want to do a "top end overhaul" (just the cylinder heads), which would be okay if the bottom end (rings) were holding compression....or...if the top end and bottom end are worn out you could consider a lower mileage USED engine installed...
 
But if you let some Mercedes shop start taking apart your engine and you have to bore the cylinders, etc., you are going to be shocked at what this will cost you.
 
So get the "facts" first...that is HARD DATA...not someone's opinion....and then let us know what the leakdown test says (it will be expressed in "leakdown rate" for each cylinder, and the mechanic can interpret, from the test, where the primary problem is).
 
good luck with it...

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