I saw this on a Ford truck forum. http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=130353&highlight=+candle++trick Anyone ever tried it? Does it work? these guys seem to all agree that it works wonders on frozen bolts.
Relic, Sorry to hear about your "broken bolt woes" but back to the bad gas mileage and overheating... I'm wondering, how many miles does the engine have on it? It is unusual for it to suddenly start using more gas like that. My only thought on this is that something is causing the engine to work harder than normal, causing the bad gas mileage and excess heat as well. Hmmmm.... Binding brakes? spun main bearing? Distributor bearings going out? (don't laugh, I've seen one froze solid and break the teeth off of a camshaft!) Oh, and another thought... Have you checked the oil recently? If it is the original thermostat, then I know you'll have a problem there, but make certain you figure out why it is running hot again in the first place. Also, just for peace of mind, make sure you buy a new radiator cap as well. I have seen several cases where the cap went bad (torn up gasket), didn't hold enough coolant pressure, and caused the engine to boil over. They are cheap anyways... Keep us up to date on how it works out! Pegasus
Ye Olde Candle Tricke Yep, the "candle" (wax) really does work but with some words of caution. First, how? The same method that any penetrating lube works by. As the hot bolt/nut melts the wax, the wax is drawn up and into the threads by capilliary action. Anyone who has ever soldered wires together has seen this work. As you heat the wires, then apply solder TO THE WIRE (not the soldering iron tip) you will see the molten solder "wick" towards the heat source. The wax/solder, etc will even wick UP against gravity if need be. Pretty neat actually. Furthermore, as the fasteners (and wicked wax) cool to room temp, the wax solidifies and resists the crushing force of the fastener to the threads of the fixture thereby providing a method to force the two apart. It is important to make certain that the entire object be allowed to cool to room temp before attempting to remove the bolt or you won't get this important action. Now for those that want to try this, some hard-learned words of wisdom. If you have a choice between wax and penetrating oil, use the wax trick first. If it doesn't work, then you have a problem. You will have to re-heat the joint to evaporate all of the wax BEFORE using the penetrating oil, otherwise the penetrating oil will not "wick" correctly. Once the bolt is out, make sure to thoroughly clean or burn out the wax & penetrating oil afterwards or the new fastener may vibrate out over time (since the lubricant is still in the threads). Also, thread-lok will not stick to wax. Putting in an taking the bolt out several times, wiping the threads and repeating usually works well here to remove the lubricant. I've used the wax method MANY times, especially where steel studs go into aluminum and gall (like intake manifolds or lug nuts on aluminum wheels) and have never had it fail. In my opinion, it works better and faster than any penetrating oil I've used. Sorry for the long explaination, but just thought I'd pass along a good technique to those that haven't tried it yet. (Hoping I'll understand what a SHORT post looks like eventually) Pegasus
thanks for the tips peg. my pvc valve was not connected to the vavle cover where its supposed too, im guessin it somehow slipped out? but could that be a problem? or would that just be the reason for the gas smell!??! hehe Also, i saw a small tear in gas hose thats connected to the fuel filter. Altho its minor, and didnt go all the way thru the tube, that could still be a problem? i am replacing them (most my older hoses) and will see how it fairs on monday when i hopefully get it running. that is.... if my intake comes in friday. *crosses fingers*
Relic, Depending on how old the engine is (blow-by gases) then the missing PCV valve could definitely be a source of the smell. Also, a missing PCV valve would definitely account for your bad gas mileage as well as make your engine idle rough (does it?). Most of the Ford engines I've worked on run like garbage without a PCV valve on an engine with emission controls. ANY tear in a fuel line is a bad thing indeed. Even minor cracks are a sign of things to come. When you replace it, make sure the line is RATED as fuel line. I've seen people put oversized vacuum hose as a fuel line only to melt and crack very shortly afterward. What intake did you buy? I know its a Stealth, but what model number? Do you have the origional 2-barrel carb on your V8 or an aftermarket four-barrel? One will not bolt to the other! Did you get the intake manifold gasket set? I'm sure you already know this, but the front and rear cork intake gaskets that come with the gasket kit are useless. Instead, run a 1/4" medium bead of blue RTV silicone along the front and rear edges where the manifold bolts to the engine. Others may disagree, but I've seen way to many oil leaks using the "cork" end-seal gaskets on the intake manifold. Are all of the hoses original? If so, I'd strongly consider replacing them all, even the vacuum hoses if they are old or stiff. Does wonders for making the engine run smooth! Good luck and keep us updated ok? Pegasus
thanks man. I didnt buy any new gasket, was gonna see what the stealth comes with. if it is cork (didnt think it would be.) ill be gettin this set of intake manifold gaskets. http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=FEL-MS90361 And most the hoses are "newer" but im definantly gonna be replacing most if not all. As thats nothing hard to do! here is the manifold info. GTW-8020 Ford 289-302 It the one that is interchangable with the performer 289. \ As for the PVC valve... i didnt notice any diffrence withotu it connected... but when i saw nothin going into the vavle cover, i follow the hose its connected to, to find it just sitting along side the engine. def not the best thing. But from what i read it wont damage the car or anything, especially for the amount of time ts been off. Just wont burn the extra fuel. Another thing is when i run my car around all day and it gets hot, when at a stop light it will be jerky, like its tryin to go, while my foots on the brake. And i notice my guage for oil it not str8 up and down its moving from like a 45 deg angle to a 90, whereas its supposed ot be 90. But that could be because my lil tube that has oil in it that connects to that, has air bubbles in it? Anyways always good to hear fromy ou guys about things that can be wrong. Thanks so much. Have a good day.
relic, i had an overheating prob. from a slipping trans. it was slipping just enough to over heat the fluid. it took a little while to find it. i had checked the stat., timming and a new cap....frank.. will try the candle trick.
