Nels,
See answers inline below:
>
> The engine breather has noticeable smoke coming out of it. I believe
> this is normal, but just how much is normal and under what conditions?
>
[Lew Palmer] Smoke from the breather should not be considered "normal".
This is likely a symptom of loose rings. It results from blow-by. A wisp
now and then is livable, but a steady stream would indicate you are on
the way to needing some engine work.
> I did not pull the spark plugs on the initial look (it was getting
dark)
> but want to go back and do that. How should they look on a properly
> working engine?
[Lew Palmer] The ideal is a dry plug with a tan color. Whitish color
indicates too lean a mixture. Black sooty (dry) plugs indicate too rich
a mixture. Black and wet oily plugs are indicative of some of the same
troubles as above. Most TDs run on the rich side, so expect to see black
dry plugs.
>
> There are some questions about the brakes. The owner says they were
> repaired about 3 years ago (about 300 running miles, since the car has
> not been used much recently). One drum was replaced and the brake
> cylinder redone. There is no apparent problem when running, but when
the
> brakes are applied the car pulls to the right a bit. He explains that
> the pad adjustments are done in steps and unless pad wear is exactly
the
> same on both sides you will always get some pull to one side or the
> other. True? If not true, how hard to fix?
[Lew Palmer] Not true. First standard TDs don't use brake pads, they use
shoes as they are drum brakes. The adjustment is a screw reachable from
the outside, so there's no reason not to adjust them properly. If the
car has been off the road for a few years, it's likely that the brakes
have started to get sticky due to corrosion inside the wheel cylinders.
Not a difficult job, but if simple adjustments don't take care of the
problem, I would then consider a tear down to check the reason for
uneven braking. It may be as simple as oily brake linings, or a complex
as rebuilding cylinders. In any case, a brake fluid change would be
strongly encouraged.
>
> There's also a bit of a rattle which appears to come from the right
rear
> wheel area. Any ideas what might be loose back there (brake pad, ...?)
> and how much of a problem it's likely to be.
[Lew Palmer] No clue. Get the car up on a lift and check it out.
>
> The gas tank leaks. Not fast enough that we could see it actually
drip,
> but there is paint damage from it. The FAQ has a pretty good
discussion
> on this but is a couple of years old. Is there any new knowledge about
> this sort of problem?
[Lew Palmer] Not unusual for a car that has been stored for a while -
especially if the tank wasn't stored full and rust has set in. Check the
sediment filter in the fuel pump and in the carb float bowls. If there
is rust present, you may need to seal the tank.
>
> He has a spin on oil filter adapter that apparently does not work
well.
> He's had it blow the filter seal twice right after startup due, he
says,
> to high pressure. By letting the car warm up (and thus the oil warm,
> thin, and max. pressure go down) he says there are no problems. He
> suggests I switch to the other type of filter mod (the one with
> replaceable filter elements) which is supposed to work properly. This
is
> discussed in the FAQ too so making the change does not seem to be a
> problem, but is there any new knowledge on this topic?
[Lew Palmer] I agree to get a replacement filter body with a screw-on
filter. Bob Grunau who monitors this list manufactures these. Well worth
the price.
Regards,
Lew Palmer
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