>Frank and List,
>
>I picked up the 74 today. I trailored it home from Maryland to PA, (not
>knowing the condition of the drive train).
>
>In the few short miles I have put on it - I found a few problems.
>
>1. When driving at speed - if I back off the gas to decelerate the
>front end wants to go slightly to the right. If I push in the clutch it
>corrects itself. This is not severe but I would like to know where to
>start looking.
>
This is not, in my experience, a front end problem. It is the rear end.
The rubber bushes that mount the axle to the springs are very soft. When
you let off the gas the the torque turns the axle and the car wants to go
to the right. Two ways to fix. 1 - new bushes, 2 - tighten the U-Bolts on
the axle to a point where the flexing stops. Makes for a little more road
vibration from the rear but not too bad. This is what I did on both my
Midgets that had the same problem.
>2. If I push the clutch in at speed (40 to 60 MPH) there is a slight
>vibration that seems to be coming from the front section of the tunnel.
>This is definately a drive train vibration again not sever. My guess is
>universals (or maybe clutch)? It is accompanied by a muted clunking
>sound if I back off the gas and then accelerate with the clutch out.
Sounds like the U-Joints to me.
>
>
>Something very interesting - The first three or four left hand turns I
>made were accompanied by the car shutting down completely!!! After some
>investigation I found that the dizzy was so loose that it was coming out
>of the engine. I don't mean the cap - THE ENTIRE DIZZY!!!! After
>replacing it in the engine and reseting the timing, it runs just
>fine.....
>
Great!!! Another fine DPO mess.
>I have only driven it several miles, so I'm sure I will have plenty more
>questions....
>
>Thanks,
>
>Kevin
>(having a blast in the rain with a new top down toy)
Larry Macy
78 Midget
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