Did the A-series vans come with AC? Tight fit for the compressor but that cab must get hot...

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https://tinyurl.com/yynpj4v2

...but do check the manifold gasket for leaks...

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Yea - and I was hearing a tic tic near the end - one of those noises that you just know sound NOT right, but can't put your finger on it!

Now, I just need to get it out and turned over and see what the head looks like. This is killing me...

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"I may be slow, but at least I'm not very fast!"
'69 A108 - 225, 727, 3.55, MSD6AL, a.k.a.-the brick

First, let me say, that is one nice looking A-100.
Lots of great advice and offers to help by the membership here.
Unfortunately, I can't help with the issue.
I can relate to your frustration.
All I can add is, take your time and take a lot of little breaks to ease your pain and frustration.
One step at a time as they say.
You "WILL" get it sorted out.
Thank God you have an understanding sister.

Yea - she is a sweetheart. We haven't seen each other in about 13 years, and I have never been down here to her "new house" - which she has owned now for 17 years! LOL

She is very happy to have me hanging out with her.
It's definitely been a time of getting to know each other and having fun - along with watching the $#!+ hit the fan for me and me trying to hold it together while doing all this mechanical work at the same time.

I am waiting to hear from a guy that mentioned being able to come over and help with all this.

It would be so nice to have someone that actually knows all this in and out to help, instead of me basically knowing how to do it all, but not being totally sure of myself while doing it.

Once I get the head out and am able to look at it I will have a better idea of what is going on, but right now, that is as far as I was able to get with it.

I am hoping the neighbor across the street and I can lift it up and out today. He has said over and over to just get ahold of him and he would gladly come and help me get it out. It's just that I hate bothering my sisters neighbors! LOL

Will see what today brings - good, bad or oh holy crap my world just caved in! LOL

Still hoping someone in the area comes to the rescue with a torque wrench and an idea of how to deal with this!

I still have to see about the person that said they were sending a gasket set to me? I forgot who is sending it! LOL

I have been so frazzled that paying attention and remembering are out the window right now!

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys!
Gives me something to giggle about as this all plays out!
lol

dan

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"I may be slow, but at least I'm not very fast!"
'69 A108 - 225, 727, 3.55, MSD6AL, a.k.a.-the brick

Your not the "Lone Ranger" if that helps.

Tell your Sis',
I think it's great you guys have some time together to get reacquainted.
Maybe a HIGHER POWER had this in mind.

Good luck with the whole deal.

Thanks!

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"I may be slow, but at least I'm not very fast!"
'69 A108 - 225, 727, 3.55, MSD6AL, a.k.a.-the brick

A very few did. It is a quite rare option, found only on v8 equipped vans and usually an aftermarket installation. I have seen one late 60s a100 van that had a factory looking underdash AC that looked very much like the under dash ac units used in 64-65 Darts. Due to the lack of space for a condenser, the condensers were usually roof mounted units.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

Thanks Reed, interesting those vans, I like the look of them for sure.

Dan, as we've been discussing, the tick, tick, tick is likely detonation from a lean mixture, lots of air, not enough gas. It might be an unnoticeable or muted sound over time, but once the head gasket is damaged, it has sharp thin edges/areas that heat up like a glow plug, and so the gas mixture is igniting at the wrong time, the hot spot(s) competing with the spark plug so to speak, the gas ignites earlier in the compression stroke than it normally would. By the time the spark plug generates its spark, the fuel mix has already been burned. As you can imagine this can make it run pretty rough, because the piston is feeling push back force before its ready to descend back down the cylinder. And as you saw, over time, once it burns all the way through to the neighboring cylinder, you've lost both cylinders' function. Luckily, Chrysler built the slant 6 like a tank, it's a robust design.

BTW, you should clean off any carbon deposits/crust on the piston tops, valves and combustion chamber surfaces while you have the head off, they can get hot the same way and cause detonation. A wire brush is OK to clean off the head, but be gentle and careful with and around the piston tops, they are aluminum and you don't want to scratch your cylinder walls. I tend to use a razor blade on the piston tops, holding it 90 degrees to the piston top surface and pulling it towards me (never push or risk digging into the aluminum or scratching the cylinder wall) to remove that gunk, doesn't scratch nearly at all, you have more control that way and it takes the stuff off pretty well. If you don't feel comfortable around the piston tops with anything sharp, you can use carb cleaner and a cloth, but put the cleaner on the rag and then wipe, don't spray a lot of liquids onto your pistons and hence down your cylinders. Make sure to blow out/off any dust (or brush bristles) left over from brushing the head. If the deposits aren't much, you can skip this, send us pics of the piston tops and the head condition.

Anyway, on the head gasket set, if you don't hear back from the other person, Reed had the set minus the gasket, I can send the gasket or the full set, just PM me.

Brian

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Dan,

If you use a Felpro gasket, you don't need any sealer. Just make sure the head and deck mating surfaces are clean and dry. I wire brush them, and wipe down with starting fluid on a cloth, making sure there is no oil or residue on the metal. The felpro gasket is coated with resilient material that seals when the head is torqued down. Just make sure you install it in the correct orientation, you want to make sure all the holes are aligned. There are holes for the two alignment pins sticking out of the block, easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Brian

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There is obvious crap between 5 and 6 from the head gasket burn through, but I was able to scrape most of it off with just the fingers of my glove.
I have it sitting with water in the number 6 chamber and it has not moved a drop - and it's been sitting there for at least 10 minutes now.


6 5 4 on the head itself...


3 2 1...


1 and 2 on the head...

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"I may be slow, but at least I'm not very fast!"
'69 A108 - 225, 727, 3.55, MSD6AL, a.k.a.-the brick

The deck looks really clean, check that area between 5/6 to see if the deck or head is burnt or still even with the rest of the surface. Should be OK.

Dan, if you roll up paper towels, like a pencil, and stick them down to the bottom of the head bolt holes, they'll soak up the coolant or oil that is down in there. After 30 minutes or so, pull them out, it should soak up all the fluid down in there. I'd wipe out the cylinders, get the coolant out of there.

Brian

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Yea, I was heading that way. I drained the coolant out a day or so ago - dropped it a few gallons and then shook the crap out of the van to shake as much as I could out. The holes are definitely full of oil and I have already started to soak that out of them.

I still have to check the valves on #5 with water - #6 has had water in it forever now and it has not dropped one bit.

I also have to remove the I+E off the head so I can replace the gaskets and redo the bolts - including one that is missing a washer and nut!

Not sure what I am gonna get done today after the lift routine now...
Feeling rather sore and slow at the moment.

The aspirin are not doing much at all, so it's time to try the medical marijuana and see if that helps any at this point. Along with a few beers to give me the don't give a $#!+ attitude I need to fight through and keep going.

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"I may be slow, but at least I'm not very fast!"
'69 A108 - 225, 727, 3.55, MSD6AL, a.k.a.-the brick

Do a bong hit for me too!

I may drive a hippy van
but I ain't one!!!

LOL


I have never been able to do a "bong" - shreds my throat apart - has since I tried it in the 70's...

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"I may be slow, but at least I'm not very fast!"
'69 A108 - 225, 727, 3.55, MSD6AL, a.k.a.-the brick