Re: engine vibration 232 engine

["Jay" <jciampi@xxxxxxxx>]

Matt, do tyou have any more service bulletins for the Americans fropm 
1966-69?  I am looking for the one to correct the oiling problem for the 
rocker shafts on the early 232 engines.

Jay in FL>
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Matt Haas" <mhaas@xxxxxxx>
To: <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, November 07, 2004 5:18 PM
Subject: Re: engine vibration 232 engine


> Jay,
>
> You can see the service bulletin here: 
> http://www.mattsoldcars.com/RestoreAmerican/loose_intake.shtml. It's not 
> an exact copy of it, but what I got my hands on wasn't either. I'd love to 
> have a copy of the original but what I put on my site should cover it. One 
> other thing that I just remembered -- the exhaust donut gasket in the 
> FelPro gasket set was the wrong size for my manifolds. I think it was too 
> small. The donut gasket I ended up with was also made by FelPro and sold 
> as fitting the same applications but worked okay. I don't know if that was 
> just a fluke or if it's still even a problem since the last gasket set I 
> bought was about 5 years ago.
>
> There's also another one for 1964-6 sixes about carbon build up in the 
> intake manifold from the heat riser valve not working properly causing 
> stumbling and hesitation. This fix for that is to remove the manifolds, 
> burn the carbon off with a torch, install a new heat riser valve, and put 
> everything back together. I doubt you'll be able to find a new heat riser 
> valve but if it isn't working, you can just cut it out and put in a couple 
> of pipe plugs. I've driven mine in about 10 degree weather since having 
> mine cut out and driveability was okay.
>
> Matt
>
> At 03:40 PM 11/7/2004 -0500, you wrote:
> > I already replaced the U-Joints when I  replaced the tranny mount. I 
> > already thought about the rear wheel brgs, but havenj't done anything with 
> > them yet. I have brand new tires (last week) and it had the vibration 
> > before I had the tires changed.  I guess the next thing to do is remove 
> > the manifolds, put on a new gasket and i have a new exhaust manifold to 
> > replace the old one(its getting noisy,thin walls, I think).
> > Have you a copy of the service bulletin you could email me a copy of?
> >
> > Jay
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Matt Haas" <mhaas@xxxxxxx>
> > To: <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Sunday, November 07, 2004 2:41 PM
> > Subject: Re: engine vibration 232 engine
> >
> >
> > > Jay,
> > >
> > > I just found out that there was a service bulletin issued in 1969 about 
> > > rough idle and/or surging on six cylinders. The fix was new intake 
> > > manifold gaskets and a specific intake torque sequence. The bad part 
> > > about this fix is that you need to separate the intake and exhaust 
> > > manifolds and there's a good chance that one of those studs or bolts will 
> > > break.
> > >
> > > The torque sequence starts with the top left bolt behind the carburetor 
> > > and works clockwise outward. After that, it calls for tightening the nuts 
> > > on the intake to exhaust manifold studs (left first, then right) between 
> > > the carburetor and motor and then the outer manifold bolts (the ones that 
> > > are on the bottom) in the same order.
> > >
> > > The vibration could be a bunch of things. Once you fix the wheel 
> > > bearings, try over-inflating the tires (add bout 10 psi) and see if it 
> > > changes or goes away. You could also have any of the following out of 
> > > balance or damaged: wheels and tires, drums, driveshaft. Also, worn out 
> > > u-joints or rear wheel bearings can cause vibration.
> > >
> > > Matt
> > >
> > > At 11:35 AM 11/7/2004 -0500, you wrote:
> > > > I finally got around to tightening the intake and exhaust manifolds to 
> > > > 25 ft/lbs and it did help the vibration problem but not entirely.  I 
> > > > also have a synchronous vibration while driving at about 35 mph. If I 
> > > > let up on the gas it diminishes slightly . There is a  "flex" fan on the 
> > > > engine, seems to be in good condition and the water pump has no play in 
> > > > the shaft. I would like to find a 5 blade OEM  fan as i don't like flex 
> > > > fans much. The problem with that is it is a small fan because of hose 
> > > > clearance problems. You have an American, so you know what I mean. The 
> > > > 35 mph bibration may be a wheel bearing going bad. When I got the car 
> > > > back in April, I was checking things over and found the LF wheel was NOT 
> > > > tightened down properly at the wheel shaft nut. I tightened the nut 
> > > > about a 1/4 turn until I had no play in the wheel when held at the top 
> > > > and bottom.  I have no idea how many miles the bearing was loose and 
> > > > driven that way. I am going to replace the bearings on the front wheels 
> > > > just to be safe.    BTW, I had a simliar  35 mph vibration on my 66 AMBO 
> > > > and I never did find out what caused it. the only thing i didn' t 
> > > > replace on it was the engine mounts. I have replaced the tranny mount on 
> > > > the American.
> > > >
> > > > Jay
> > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Matt Haas" <mhaas@xxxxxxx>
> > > > To: <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > > Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 8:54 PM
> > > > Subject: Re: engine vibration 232 engine
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Jay,
> > > > >
> > > > > Check the intake manifold bolts. My American did that and tightening 
> > > > > the bolts solved the problem.
> > > > >
> > > > > Matt
> > > > >
> > > > > At 06:12 PM 10/31/2004 -0500, you wrote:
> > > > > > Hey Guys, i have a 66 American with the 232/2bbl engine. I have set 
> > > > > > the timing, set the idle speed at 700 rpm in neutral/ 550 in drive. 
> > > > > > The engine has new plugs and points, doesn't appear to have any vacuum 
> > > > > > leaks.  At the 550 rpm speed the engine has a rapid vibration which is 
> > > > > > quite annoying. The vibration mostly stops when i speed the engine up 
> > > > > > above the idle.  I have replaced the tranny mount which was dissolved 
> > > > > > from tranny fluid getting on it before i got the car. Could the engine 
> > > > > > mounts be so old and stiff that they won't absorb even the slightest 
> > > > > > vibration and transmit it to the frame? I had a 65 American with a 
> > > > > > 232/2bbl when it was new in 65 and i don;t remember it being anything 
> > > > > > but smooth idling. The engine runs smoothly as far a vacuum gauge 
> > > > > > shows, no fluctuations due to worn valves or rings. The engine doesn't 
> > > > > > smoke and has 120k miles on the odometer. Someone did put the oil kit 
> > > > > > from the side of the block up into the valve cover as suggested in a 
> > > > > > service bulletin. I know that has nothing to do with the idle. Just 
> > > > > > mentioning it as I hadn't seen this done to many 232 engines.  I 
> > > > > > didn;t mention it but the engine has new plug wires also. Any ideas?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Jay in Central FL.
> > > > >
> > > > > mhaas@xxxxxxx
> > > > > Cincinnati, OH
> > > > > http://www.mattsoldcars.com
> > > > > 1966 Rambler Rebel
> > > > > 1968 Rambler American sedan
> > > > > ===============================================================
> > > > > According to a February survey of Internet holdouts released by
> > > > > UCLA's Center for Communication Policy, people cite
> > > > > not having a computer as the No. 1 reason they won't go online.