More questions, anyone know of a source for door cards? Pre-ignition issue? EGR issue?

TOG1937

TOG1937

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1) Looking for a source for new or presentable door cards in blue please for the '66 Cat.
2) Engine knock issue, stock 1966 YC code 389, should be 10.5:1 compression. Specs call for 6 degrees BTDC. Set at 6 we are getting audible pre-ignition at ~1/4 throttle under light to moderate load as when climbing a slight incline. We are running 93 octane high-test that works great in our '73 Fire Am w '71 455 HO with similar 10.5:1 CR and around 8 BTDC. We backed the timing off to 0 BTDC and still can hear what I perceive to be pre-ignition. Likely the Cat has been driven very gently for years by the PO and may have carbon build up. Is that likely the problem or maybe the harmonic balancer has shifted position? How likely is that? How to determine if that is the case, if 2) possible? Suggestions on that and/or carbon removal?
3) The Cat come with a breather type oil fill cap that does not look OEM and it is spewing oil out onto the DS valve cover. The engine appears to have a PCV system so I suspected the oil fill cap should be a sealed type. Replacing the breather cap with a sealed cap causes oil to be pushed out the dipstick tube. Switched back to the messy breather cap for now... Checked the dipstick and there is no gasket or seal left, if there ever was one. Should the cap be a sealed type cap? Should the dipstick have a seal? Maybe a stuck PCV valve or other PVC system problem? Pretty sure the PCV grommet is worn and loose, will check that and replace if needed. Thoughts?
4) Engine was not warming up properly so suspected a failed Tstat. Check out the attached pic for a few chuckles. It appears to have been cut or ground off. WTF? What else has been hacked on this old girl?
:)Cat Tstat.jpg
Thank you!
The Old Guy
 
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They made a restrictor plate out of an old thermostat.
Did you check Ames Performance and OPGI for the door card?
You have to install a piston stop in number 1 cylinder. Turn the engine by hand till it stops. Mark that position on the damper. Turn the opposite direction mark that spot. If the damper is good the timing mark on the damper will be between the two marked lines. If you have a PCV the oil cap should be sealed along with the dipstick and a breather should be on passenger cover.
 
I used to power time cars back in the day , road test stop turn distributor back till knocking stops , for carbon a spray bottle of water while 2500ish rpm spray water in but not to much that it wants to stall , chevron tecron in the fuel tank. Check the springs on the centrifugal advance if applicable, maybe ones gone and it goes full advance to early.
That was common with the Stat to slow flow so it cools in rad longer ,
 
Those are all great suggestions thank you!
Will try the piston stop method to see if the timing mark is correct. Is it correct to set the timing with the vac advance disconnected? We basically did the power tune technique backing the static timing off till audible preignition went away. We ended up at -6 with the vac adv disconnected. We will most likely replace the points distributor with a lookalike electronic unit at some point in the future. On the t stat, the engine would never warm up properly with the hacked stat in there. We installed a new 180 and she warms up properly now and does not overheat. We did find some door panels for the 2+2 at Ames and though they are not correct we will most likely go with them anyway but they do not know if the 1/4 panels will fit on the base Catalina. We will find out when we get to try them. Still have not solved the PCV issue. The seal in the dipstick from Ames is the same diam as the existing dipstick tube so it cannot be fully inserted to get a seal. The PCV valve they shipped was too small to seal in the grommet they supplied so we reused the old valve and the valve to IM hose was way too short so only the grommet was usable out of the 4 pieces we ordered from Ames.


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Not sure what you mean by -6 degrees timing. Timing is expressed as either Before Top Dead Center or After Top Dead Center . Virtually all engine are BTDC, except Calif AIR, so if you mean 6 BTDC that is correct. Hose disconnected.
 
Currently have it set at ~6 AFTER TDC as indicated using the factory timing mark and with the vac advance disconnected to get reduce/eliminate audible pre ignition. Starts and runs very well but still a little bit audible knock. We took a road trip over the weekend through mountainous terrain (Concord NH, up and across the Kangcamagus Hwy and back) and we saw 16.25 MPG (!). I think that is pretty amazing. Yesterday we used your suggested method of determining TDC to confirm the correct timing mark, or not, and sure enough, it is way off as suspected. Our previous power-tune or tune by ear was pretty close to correct but still too far advanced so possibly my thinking I could still hear some light pre ignition was real. Will get the timing light out this morning and reset it again using our new TDC timing mark.

Anyone know of a source for the front interior kick panels that cover the floor vents?
Thanks!!!
 
What are the correct wheel and tire specs for the '66 Cat Conv? Can't find anything on line for something this old. Our car as 14" wheels and 215-70-14 tires on it and the speedo reads 5-10% high. Wondering if it is supposed to have 15" wheels? Yes, we did compensate for 10% odometer error in the above 16.25 MPG number.
Thank you!
 
TOG1937 said:
Currently have it set at ~6 AFTER TDC as indicated using the factory timing mark and with the vac advance disconnected to get reduce/eliminate audible pre ignition. Starts and runs very well but still a little bit audible knock. We took a road trip over the weekend through mountainous terrain (Concord NH, up and across the Kangcamagus Hwy and back) and we saw 16.25 MPG (!). I think that is pretty amazing. Yesterday we used your suggested method of determining TDC to confirm the correct timing mark, or not, and sure enough, it is way off as suspected. Our previous power-tune or tune by ear was pretty close to correct but still too far advanced so possibly my thinking I could still hear some light pre ignition was real. Will get the timing light out this morning and reset it again using our new TDC timing mark.

Anyone know of a source for the front interior kick panels that cover the floor vents?
Thanks!!!
Click to expand...
You cannt just make a new mark and continue driving it. The rubber bond between the outter ring and hub has separated. It will continue to move.The outter ring will eventually start going inward and punch a hole in the timing cover or go outward and cause other damage. You need to replace the harmonic balancer.
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You have the wrong series tires. It doesn't use 70 series. It uses 215/75x14 or 225/75x14
 
Thank you for both answers Sir!
Will replace that balancer ASAP and also the leaky crank seal.
 
Anyone know if there supposed to be covers over these rear 1/4 window regulators?Cat missing rear quarter plates.jpg
 
TOG1937 said:
Currently have it set at ~6 AFTER TDC as indicated using the factory timing mark and with the vac advance disconnected to get reduce/eliminate audible pre ignition. Starts and runs very well but still a little bit audible knock. We took a road trip over the weekend through mountainous terrain (Concord NH, up and across the Kangcamagus Hwy and back) and we saw 16.25 MPG (!). I think that is pretty amazing. Yesterday we used your suggested method of determining TDC to confirm the correct timing mark, or not, and sure enough, it is way off as suspected. Our previous power-tune or tune by ear was pretty close to correct but still too far advanced so possibly my thinking I could still hear some light pre ignition was real. Will get the timing light out this morning and reset it again using our new TDC timing mark.

Anyone know of a source for the front interior kick panels that cover the floor vents?
Thanks!!!
Click to expand...
Old post we never followed up on. This is what we found with the harmonic balancer. No wonder the indicated timing was waaaaay off.
Very near to catastrophic failure. Previous owner/"mechanic" attempted some type of failed sleeve repair.

YIKES !!!!!Cat old balancer1.jpgCat old balancer2.jpgCat old balancer3.jpg
 
Lucky there was a repair kit on there to hold it together.
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