Every have one of those times when bad news turns out to be pretty good news after all???

I was driving out in the country side last month in my 73 454. Just cruising along when it started to run bad...REALLY BAD. I had to limp it home. It was cutting out and stalling on the roads. I had to clutch it and do rolling stops to keep it going. I finally made the last 20 miles home sweating it out, wondering if I needed to call a tow truck.

Thinking it was my plugs, I decided to do a major tuneup. new plugs, points, rotor...etc. I could not get to the number 2 plug without taking off the AC compressor. After I removed the compressor and the belt.....I found that the AC belt was rubbing on my lower radiator hose and it was just about worn through! If it had not been for the bad running car, I would not have found this problem until I was out in the middle of nowhere, with a busted lower radiator hose, and a big, big problem.





Now my problem is that this is not the correct hose for my car. It is a lower radiator hose for a NON AC big block car. Apparently the BB cars with AC have a 3 piece hose. A lower hose connected to some type of metal pipe or sleeve, connecting to the upper hose which goes into the water pump. That is what my AIM manual is showing. Maybe that is why my car rubbed the belt through?

Anyway....when bad news turns good.

kdf

 

wow, glad you caught that one!! I hope I have that sort of bad good luck one day haha (instead of just bad)

 

Good news you caught it now.
The belt looks like it survived fine (looks new).

So ... what was the problem in the first place ?? Was it plugs ?
Kinda sounds like fuel delivery to me.

 

So why was your car running rough?

 

I think the reason for the rough engine was the plugs. I am in the process now of trying to get the timing dialed in. I changed the plugs and it was running great. I am not driving it until my lower radiator hose comes in from NAPA. Then I can go for a test drive.
I posted what the plugs looked like in a different thread.
But they looked pretty dirty from the photos. The gap was at .042 - .044 And I dont know how long they were in the car before I changed them.

 

I was just tightening my steering box and I noticed that I forgot to titghten all the steering stuff

 

Hey Yellow73sb, its a good thing that you found that out before you took off!


kdf

 

Plug #5 is the only one that looks like it is burning normal. A hotter spark plug may temporarily relieve the problem, but the engine may be in need of work.

 

It was right where the pitmana arm connects to the tie rod . I was eating cheese its and didnt want to type anymore when i posted my previous message

 

How do you have the belt routed? It only goes to the water pump on a BB. Shouldn't be anywhere near the lower hose. The reason for the 2 piece hose is to clear the shroud. If you don't have a fan shroud a SB hose works if cut to length.

 

Hopefully you get the right hose this time.
That would be NBH 7197 right?
Hopefully you don't have a long wait from Napa, My Napa shows one in stock

 

good catch! that could have very easily rubbed through out in the middle of nowhere!