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How not to check tri-power

Started by David Greenburg, December 02, 2017, 11:29:27 PM

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David Greenburg

I did something really stupid, but I'll give the details in hopes that it keeps someone else from doing the same thing. In my defense, I was home with a bad head cold and decided to go play in the garage.  I'd been meaning to confirm that the tri-power on my '60 Eldo was operating, since I don't really notice a surge under brisk acceleration.  I attached a vacuum pump directly to the vacuum pot, started the car and moved the throttle rod well forward.  Then I applied vacuum.  Guess what!  The front and rear carbs work great!  The engine screamed, at least for the few seconds before I shut it off.  I had forgotten that the front and rear carbs are either full on or off; there is no in-between.   But these few seconds were long enough to pop off the fan belts and actually cut the the generator belt.  Today I got a new gen belt and installed the others.  The engine sounds ok, although there is a fierce vibration, apparently from the water pump pulley wobbles like crazy when the engine is running (but feels solid when the engine is off).  Is it possible that my stupidity resulted in a bent hub/water pump shaft? 
David Greenburg
'60 Eldorado Seville
'61 Fleetwood Sixty Special

Bobby B

David,
  Did you get a Time Slip at the end of your Run?  ;D  I doubt you did any mechanical damage......If something broke, it probably would've happened anyway if you put your foot to the floor, except there was no load on it. Think of it as a "Dyno Run"......
                                                                                                           Bobby
1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe
1968 Mustang Convertible
1973 Mustang Convertible
1969 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
1971 Datsun 240Z
1979 H-D FLH

Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373

I've done some doozies too. It always makes me feel better typing it in here so that someone else doesn't do the same thing (at least that's what I tell myself anyway)
Jeff
Jeff Rosansky
CLC #28373
1970 Coupe DeVille (Big Red)
1955 Series 62 (Baby Blue)
Dad's new 1979 Coupe DeVille

cadillacmike68

Yeah, I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to my cars as well...
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike

Bobby B

Quote from: cadillacmike68 on December 03, 2017, 04:19:43 PM
Yeah, I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to my cars as well...

Yea, Been there done that stuff too. I call it "The what was I thinking moment".  All Limbs still accounted for >:D...........
                                                                                               Bobby
1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe
1968 Mustang Convertible
1973 Mustang Convertible
1969 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
1971 Datsun 240Z
1979 H-D FLH

Lexi

#5
Agreed. Some days I should not even look at my car, in order to spare it and myself the resultant carnage and embarrassment that sometimes follows. Fortunately the CLC forums then provide a saving lifeline when I do mess up. Clay/Lexi

76eldo

David,

Actually your test was a great idea and you would have seen the linkage move with the engine off.

I can't see how this would have bent anything but if you need anything I will look through my parts pile for you.

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

59-in-pieces

Yes, OH! Yes - been there.
There is consolation in knowing you're not the only one or alone - and that we were all in First Class on the Titanic - LOL.

However, your 60 has the fan hooked to the clutch, right?
Doubt you bent the pump shaft - but you'll find if so when the car bleeds out.
If the fan belt thrashed around and broke it could easily have snagged the fan blades and tweaked the clutch or at least change the pitch on one or more of the fan blades = vibration smoothing out at higher RPM's.

Have, fun,
Steve B.
S. Butcher

David Greenburg

I took things apart yesterday, and the pump shaft is definitely bent, and there are no vibrations when the engine is running with the pulleys off.  Seems odd that the pump shaft would bend, but the pump was an aftermarket pump installed by a shop in Las Vegas during my ill-fated trip to last year’s GN. They told me it was beefier and higher flow than original, but in tracking down pump options, it appears to be the “Falcon” pump that is sold various places online.  It may well be beefier, but if it’s got cheap guts, that could have facilitated the shaft bending.  I still have the original pump that failed in Vegas; I am going to send it off to Arthur Gould for a rebuild.
David Greenburg
'60 Eldorado Seville
'61 Fleetwood Sixty Special

fishnjim

May want to investigate a progressive linkage set-up.