You're gonna get a lot of replies, that will just make it difficult to
decide who's right Here's what I'd do (and I've been stranded *plenty*,
like this morning when my gauge said I had gas, and I didn't):
> issue #1
> the car keeps loosing coolant. The hose coming off of the top of the
> radiator is loose so that it is not pulling coolant back out of the
> overflow tank.
Whatever the cause, if you don't have a sealed, pressurized system, two
nasty things can and do happen: air bubbles can lead to things like cracked
heads, and a lack of pressurization means the coolant will boil at a *much*
lower temperature -- the kind of temps you can see in normal driving. And
that leads to more air bubbles.
> The result is that I have to put about a cup of water in
> every gas stop. I glued the hose, but it came undone when it got hot.
Obviously, if "gluing" is what you're disposed to doing, it will depend on
what's available. Many "glues" won't handle those temps. But then, if what
you use actually *works*, then it'll have to face another challenge: now
that the system's sealed again, it also has to handle pressures of (whatever
your radiator cap is rated to).
> The plastic fitting at the top of the radiator is broken so I can not
> hose clamp it... any ideas?
And it's the pressure that the hose clamp is designed to compensate for. If
you're near any auto parts stores (the regular kind) I'd bet on JB Weld's
"JB Kwik". It's a metallic epoxy. Dries quickly (hour or less) and is
*very* hard. Two part mix, the pair of tubes should handle this task
easily.
Next option would be to get someone on the list to FedEx you a radiator.
Can't be very heavy.
> Issue # 2
>
> My car does not like to go into 3rd gear, it grinds on up shifts and down
> shifts. sounds really bad. If I heal toe on a down shift or give it a
> second on the up shift it is not as bad, but still not good. Once I get
> it in gear it is fine, it does not pop out or
Sounds like syncros for that gear, if all the other gears work (which would
rule out clutch or clutch adjustment). I've driven a restored Model A that
had *no* syncros in any gear, so it's very doable without damaging the car.
You've got the right idea, with your heel and toe technique: when you match
the revs by ear, to what you think it should sound like in that gear, it's
possible to shift without a sound.
Hell, I've known people who bragged they didn't even use the *clutch* for
this -- and then demonstrated it! Your other option is to use straight road
stretches, even if it makes for a longer trip, and simply stay in third.
Hope that helps.
Richard Nichols
San Diego, CA
rnichol1@san.rr.com
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