Joe West
05-09-2005, 09:27 PM
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1999 21:15:21 EST
From: FrankCB@aol.com
Re: <VV> Hot turbo motors
In a message dated 11/2/99 12:13:00 PM Eastern Standard Time,
Doug.Barneck@tigta.treas.gov writes:
> A local club member just bought a 65 turbo coupe that the previous owner
> said kept overheating. He would like to know what he can start checking to
> try and determine the reason for it running hot.
>
> The information that I know of is 65 turbo motor with attached four barrel
> carb (I think). Heater doors are all the way open, even when cold. Engine
> fan works. I know he should check for blockage under the top shroud as
well
> as make sure the head is deflashed. Any other ideas I should/could pass
on?
> thanks DougB
Doug,
We really need the symptoms of "overheating". Just because the temp
gauge says 400 degrees is not overheating on a turbo (unless it's only idling
at 400 deg.(:-) WHY does the owner think that it is overheating?
I am reminded of the story of the young lady who complained over the
phone to her boyfriend that her car wouldn't start. On the way over to her
apartment, he stopped at the auto parts store and picked up new sparkplugs,
points, condenser (this was a long time ago), carb cleaner and other tune-up
items. However, when he raised the hood of her car, he immediately
discovered WHY her car wouldn't start. Someone had stolen her battery.!!!!
Moral of the story is to elicit more feedback from the car owner before
jumping to conclusions.
Any Corvair, ESPECIALLY a turbo, will overheat if a high load is kept on
the engine too long. Like hauling a trailer at high speed up a steep and
very long hill.
It is rather unusual (but not impossible) for a turbo Corvair to be
equipped with a four barrel carburetor. Tom Keosababian's record setting
Corvair at Bonneville (156.9 mph) had a 4 barrel carb plus a BIG turbo, plus
lots of water injection to keep the engine from self destructing at 30 psi of
boost.
However, I suspect that the your friend's car has probably had the turbo
replaced with a 4 barrel on a center mounted manifold. If so, this
combination is a poor one resulting in far too much carburetion for the small
valve engine. Most 4 barrels (even the 390) are too much carb even for the
big-valved 140 unless you plan on running mostly above 5000 rpm.
Obviously we need more info to make a reasonable diagnosis.
Frank Burkhard
CORSA & NJACE
Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1999 21:15:21 EST
From: FrankCB@aol.com
Re: <VV> Hot turbo motors
In a message dated 11/2/99 12:13:00 PM Eastern Standard Time,
Doug.Barneck@tigta.treas.gov writes:
> A local club member just bought a 65 turbo coupe that the previous owner
> said kept overheating. He would like to know what he can start checking to
> try and determine the reason for it running hot.
>
> The information that I know of is 65 turbo motor with attached four barrel
> carb (I think). Heater doors are all the way open, even when cold. Engine
> fan works. I know he should check for blockage under the top shroud as
well
> as make sure the head is deflashed. Any other ideas I should/could pass
on?
> thanks DougB
Doug,
We really need the symptoms of "overheating". Just because the temp
gauge says 400 degrees is not overheating on a turbo (unless it's only idling
at 400 deg.(:-) WHY does the owner think that it is overheating?
I am reminded of the story of the young lady who complained over the
phone to her boyfriend that her car wouldn't start. On the way over to her
apartment, he stopped at the auto parts store and picked up new sparkplugs,
points, condenser (this was a long time ago), carb cleaner and other tune-up
items. However, when he raised the hood of her car, he immediately
discovered WHY her car wouldn't start. Someone had stolen her battery.!!!!
Moral of the story is to elicit more feedback from the car owner before
jumping to conclusions.
Any Corvair, ESPECIALLY a turbo, will overheat if a high load is kept on
the engine too long. Like hauling a trailer at high speed up a steep and
very long hill.
It is rather unusual (but not impossible) for a turbo Corvair to be
equipped with a four barrel carburetor. Tom Keosababian's record setting
Corvair at Bonneville (156.9 mph) had a 4 barrel carb plus a BIG turbo, plus
lots of water injection to keep the engine from self destructing at 30 psi of
boost.
However, I suspect that the your friend's car has probably had the turbo
replaced with a 4 barrel on a center mounted manifold. If so, this
combination is a poor one resulting in far too much carburetion for the small
valve engine. Most 4 barrels (even the 390) are too much carb even for the
big-valved 140 unless you plan on running mostly above 5000 rpm.
Obviously we need more info to make a reasonable diagnosis.
Frank Burkhard
CORSA & NJACE