Turbo Odyssey Part 22 -- It's Alive!

October 3, 2005

Last week was a busy one for me.  I spent a ton of time and work and almost none out in the barn, so the car sat on the stands, waiting for me to get to work.

Mid-week my interior and top arrived from Clarks.  This is going to be a pretty car!

Saturday and Sunday I worked on finishing up details to get the motor running.

Little niggling tasks that remained included getting the U-joints lubed and properly tightened, connecting the accelerator linkage, connecting the shifter, reinstalling the rear motor mount nuts with the figure 8 washer that had vanished sometime before I bought the car, installing the rear grille, installing an NOS backup light switch, reconnecting the clutch linkage, connecting the fuel lines and connecting the heater hoses.

At Dan Konkle's suggestion, I added a clear plastic fuel filter just forward of the shroud that I can see through the wheel well.  I did not drop the tank and this gives me a way to make sure I am not getting a load of garbage from the tank into my spanky new motor.

I was at the point of starting the motor Sunday afternoon.  I got the car back on the ground, bolted in a seat and went to fire it up.  The clutch pedal hit the floor without resistance.  Back upon the stands the car went.  The linkage adjustment on the pull rod coming out of the bell housing was almost all of the way forward.  I ran it back to about the half way point and now I have some clutch pedal, but I think it needs further adjustment.  I read the shop manual on adjusting this item but I have to confess to being somewhat confused on this score....

I cranked the motor for a little while with the coil unplugged to get the oil moving in the motor.  Then, after a number of pumps of the gas pedal, I cranked it over for real.  It took a few cranks, but then it started.

Unfortunately, I had to shut it down right away because the motor ran right up to 2.500 rpm and wanted to howl.  I adjusted the idle mix screw, the idle speed screw and the choke.  Not being familiar with turbo carbs, I am now at a complete loss.  I went back and read the shop manual, but again, it's not making a ton of sense to me.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I'm pleased with the match of the upholstery with the paint on the car.  Here is a picture of the top boot on the car.

And just for fun, here's a shot of the two Corvairs:

That's it for now.

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