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Friday morning in Phoenix :  2.88 a gallon for the ol Goldwing.

Out here near the house;  prices running around 2.90 to 3 dollar a gallon.

I suppose regions and state taxes make a big difference.  I just drove from Tennessee to Mississippi last Thursday. Regular was $2.67 near Nashville. It dropped to $2.45 south of there and to $2.05-$2.12 in N Alabama. Here in Central Mississippi it is around $2.15 for regular. I have a family car that requires premium gasoline. Premium is $.60-$.80/gal higher here. I don't get it. Diesel varies a lot from day to day, and can be $.40-$1.00 more than regular.

I'm sorry, they are cars. I'm looking for positive or negative experience with the gearboxes with the power steering hydraulics built in. I assume you are taking about a rack and pinion steering gear?

I'm looking at a couple of mid '50s Fords, trying to find a good trip car to keep the wife comfortable. I drove one with an aftermarket integral PS gearbox. It needed constant correction driving down the road, like the gearbox wouldn't center. I talked to another owner and he was less than enthusiastic about how it drives other than it steers easy. Is there something about these conversions that they are all that way? Maybe these didn't turn out well and are for sale. I sure don't want to pay for someone's mistakes and then have to find a way to correct them. One is a F100 kit according to the owner, the other one was bought like that and the present owner doesn't know where the box came from. Any advice about this setup is much appreciated.

enjenjo, we were typing at the same time. Thanks for offering your technique. I'll file that for the next time. I do think that the air hammer directed in one direction of rotation and then the other is what finally broke it. Thanks again.

I finally got it out. In the past few days I've drilled holes in the accessible side down by the bore in the block and kept soaking in carb spray and PB Blaster. This afternoon I remembered I have an air hammer that I've never used. While the hoist pulled up on the dist. housing, I hit the base with the round pointed bit in the air hammer. After a few blasts, the dist. popped out. I was relieved because I thought I was going to have to break the housing and fish out the pieces. Thanks for all your suggestions.

Not a dumb suggestion. I have had it warm by running and by heating with a heat gun. I've beat on the base as much as possible with limited access. I've tapped both ways at the vacuum can with a rubber hammer. I've used a chisel to open a gap between the hold-down flange and the block.

I can see the block opening where the distributor shoulder sits. I've soaked with all kinds of concoctions. It still doesn't move.

 Fill this area with brake or carb cleaner & TAP the distributor back down into place ...Use a screwdriver tip to raise the dist housing & spray/tap again....
After a few times you will see the dist housing moving higher from the block each time ...Also try "tapping" to rotate the housing ... The brake/carb cleaner will be cutting the varnish that is holding the housing in place ....The key to this procedure is "tapping"..., not KONKING" ...

 If the engine is running & all you need is a timing re-set, why is the dizzy being removed  :?:  :?:

The dist. was in the engine fire. The advance weights are rusted/frozen like everything else under the hood. Also the timing is on TDC and needs adjusted. The dist. base won't move at ALL. I've been using carb spray along with the other lubricants, hoping it would dilute the lube and carry it futher down.
Bob...

You can classify this under "Dumb Suggestions" but you mentioned that you could get it running. Could you keep it running long enough for the block to get warm? When it gets warm and while it is running you could try turning the distributor like you where trying to set the timing. Sometimes thing that are stuck need to be broken loose in a different direction, like turned rather than pulled or maybe shocked into the block as you might tighten a bolt before loosening it. GPster

Not a dumb suggestion. I have had it warm by running and by heating with a heat gun. I've beat on the base as much as possible with limited access. I've tapped both ways at the vacuum can with a rubber hammer. I've used a chisel to open a gap between the hold-down flange and the block. I can see the block opening where the distributor shoulder sits. I've soaked with all kinds of concoctions. It still doesn't move.

I have a relative's '69 Ranchero w/302 that I'm trying to get up and running free-gratis after an engine fire and sitting up for 6 years. I have it running, but the distributor needs replacing and re-timing. My problem is that it is stuck solid. I have been soaking it in PB Blaster, carb cleaner, etc for two weeks while tapping it occasionally. For the last three days I had a strap tied around it and suspending most of the weight of the car's front from a hoist. I've applied heat from a 1500W heat gun for long periods at the base.  I fear using a torch because of a grease fire, but am considering that as the next step. Has anyone had one stuck this badly? How do you suggest getting it out? Obviously, saving the distributor is not a concern. I just don't want to destroy it and leave part of it in the engine to require disassembly. Thanks for any suggestions.

If you have radial tires, you can reduce the toe in, and that will help it track better.[/quote]

I agree. For years I drove around with 1/8" toe-in and a twitch in the steering wheel when I hit a bump. I reduced it to 1/16" and it nearly all went away. I've been thinking I would experiment farther with it but I guess it is all right or i would have by now.

Thanks for the information and the offer, Tony. I'll look for one locally before putting you to any trouble.

The first time I brought it home and it was leaking I put it on my rack to see where it was coming from. I wiped my finger along the gasket line in the rear and it was definitely wet enough that my finger was bright red. I'll have to get back under to look closer. I didn't see any drips from the shift shaft or from up higher. Maybe that part is fixed.

Thanks for some ideas of more places to look.

Wayne, I checked more closely this afternoon. There was one pan bolt with a wet head and dripping under it. Also the band adjustment on the right side was red with fluid, but no drips from it yet. The fluid level was exactly 2" above the full mark on the stick with engine not running and after sitting 2 days. Does that throw a red flag? I haven't had a chance to run it to get it warm and check fluid level with engine running. I'll do that early next week.

Is there an o-ring in the band adjustment that can be changed externally without draining the fluid? I'll make a gasket for the leaky pan bolt.

Thanks for your suggestions.

The first time I brought it home and it was leaking I put it on my rack to see where it was coming from. I wiped my finger along the gasket line in the rear and it was definitely wet enough that my finger was bright red. I'll have to get back under to look closer. I didn't see any drips from the shift shaft or from up higher. Maybe that part is fixed.

Thanks for some ideas of more places to look.

I had a leak on my C-4 trans at the shift shaft. I took it to a transmission shop to get it stopped. After the "repair" I picked it up, took it home and parked it on a plastic sheet to check for leaks. The next morning it had a puddle under the drive shaft yoke and one under the rear of the pan. I took it back, told them to keep it until it wouldn't drip. Two days later they called and said it was ready. This time the yoke leak is gone, but the pan still drips enough to make a puddle on the plastic. I'd rather fix it myself than deal with them again. The gasket they put on it is a rubber looking compound. My question is: Does a cork gasket seal any better? I'm thinking a cork gasket with a thin film of RTV sealer might do it. I don't think the pan is warped (unless they warped it), it didn't leak with a cork gasket when I took it to them. Thanks for any suggestions.

I recently bought this '38 Ford with a '66 283 Chevy engine. The temp wasn't coming up over 130 degrees so I was going to change the thermostat. I found hard, green deposits around the thermostat opening in the intake, like crystalized antifreeze. I remember reading somewhere that when green antifreeze gets old it silicates and is hard on water pumps. I think this is what is going on here. I looked in the radiator and can see little chunks of it in the tubes. How do I clean it without taking the radiator out and having it rodded? Is vinegar a good option for this? Advice is appreciated

can anybody estimate how much (in fractions of an inch) a 1/4 turn of each tie rod will affect the toe? I'm moving mine in increments and don't know if that much is a negligible amount or too big a step at one time? I can't measure it each time I move it, but I'm keeping track of the movements so I can reverse If I go too far.