DaveT

When you replaced everything, how did you get the pistons retracted into the calipers? I'll have to compare 2 cables, but I don't remember them being different lengths. It's normal to have to cycle both paying and service brakes a number of times after replaceing the pads, etc. Not normal to need to adjust. Also if a cable broke, it should not be able to pull at all, just be slack.

+1 re: intake gaskets. Oem only.

Yes, there are all sorts of adjustments for the windows. A factory service manual would be helpful. You'll have to remove the trim panel, etc. to get at the adjustments.

I'm going from memory... Iirc, the carb had an electric choke heater, and a anti diesel valve. 1 wire to each. You can test the valve by unhooking the wire, and applying 12V to it. It should click, and you can try running it.

I never had one of those cables break, but it's possible. Maybe there is a crack or damage that let water in and rusted it out. I never had to adjust the nut on the brake lever thing either. After replacing pads, cycling the brakes a number of times always seems to get them all back to normal. Maybe double check the 2 brake end levers for how far they move from release to pulled. If the cable broke, one should not be pulled as far.

I had an alternator fail recently this way, the regulator quit, so it would over voltage with higher rpm, low voltage at idle. not good for things, but I didn't drive it long like that. Unstable voltage might cause trouble, I didn't notice anything though. No problems after I replaced the alternator.

Most use Fel Pro or oem. Idk about vr. Others will add comments.

Because I have always worn glasses my entire life, I have saved myself lots of pain due to the ocasional back spray of carb cleaner or similar....

Does the carb have any solenoid to help with shutdown? Intermittent wire to that could cause random shut down.

Engine braking is way more effective in standard shift cars. It's the one thing I miss driving automatics. The lower the gear, and higher the RPM when you let off the gas, the more dramatic it will be.

There are at lest a few that could shut it off at idle. The idle air control solenoid is one. A coupl of power feeds. The coil is triggered via the ecu, so the signal from the distributor or the drive to the coil. It's tough up under there, but try to wiggle each wire as separately as possible. Intermittents are a pain to troubleshoot.

I pull them. So much easier to get at everything. Flip the ac compressor out of the way, no need to disconnect the lines. Pull radiator and battery. Sometimes the 2 pins that align the bellhousing to the transmission are sticky. Use a jack to raise the transmission a little. Getting them apart and together, it's all in the lining up.

I'd be suspicious of the myriad of wires that are flexed when you move it, more than it being something inside.

It is common for the headgaskets to fail if the engine is run above normal temperature (or worse) while low on coolant. If the test you mention checks for exhaust in the coolant, and is saying that there is, then they are toasted. It's also common for them to be in the early stages of failure and pass those tests. The intake gaskets leaking may have been the origin of the coolant loss, that led to the overheating, I have had that happen. While you are at it, check the radiator and heater core flow and radiator condition. New thermostat and all 7 hoses. Check the water pump also. These engines will run just fine with these mild blown headgaskets, except for the problem of the exhaust causing coolant loss and then repeating the overheat. It's not common to blow them bad enough to get the coolant in the oil symptom but I did it once, and even that one ran great.

Oh, nuts carb version. All I can do is see what's in the fsm, later today.

If / when I have to do this, Ill go to the scrapyard, buy a bunch of stainless. Stainless is a dream to TIG and forget about ever needing to do it again.

This shows the TSB mod rocker cover vent lines.

Doesn't make sense. Pcv doesn't do anything with coolant. ...

Long shot, try one of the dealers. They can check stock across the entire country.

A factory service manual is what you want to keep an eye out for. The mod I mentioned is from a technical service bullitin. On cars without it, the rocket cover vent lines go up to the intake boot separately. The drivers side one still has a t to the pcv. But this causes a problem with long medium to high g turns to the right. A bigger line and 2nd t fixes it.

By the way, the silicon grease isn't to make them go together easier, it's for when you take them apart. Also helps things seat / shift to a good seal. But if you got it working , that's good.

Yeah, they run really funny that way...

Double check everything. If the smoke was temporary, it was possibly coolant the got into the intakes while dissasembling.

Ps by driving, I mean at leaSt 1500rpm. Time at idle doesn't count.

A good fully charged battery at rest should read 12.6v. Fully discharged 12.0.. You have to supply 10 amps for 10 hours to mostly charge a battery with a standby capacity of around 100 amp hours. That's a LOT of driving to restore a complete draining.