What did you do today-2024

Took out the Falcon for a test drive around the community after the hibernation.
Ran good but I see the AFR is not working once again.
A new wideband O2 sensor was installed last year, so don't know if it's a lack of use or ?
Did some research and it would seem the O2 sensors are about a 50/50 proposition of them working.
Too many factors can contribute to them not reading properly.
People blame them on being faulty sensors when in most cases, it's something else that's the cause, such as, a coolant leak, running too rich for a long time, PCM not adjusted (I don't have that), etc.

Show this weekend but not a long drive. There's the May 11th one in Didsbury, hours drive, so that might clean it up.
If not, think I will pull it out and cap it, these sensors are not inexpensive and to install another one and have the same problem again is just not worth it.
 
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Several days ago I thought I would take a few hours to do a complete brake job on a 78 Z28 Camaro rear end. I'm still working on it. Years ago we often complained about having to wait for parts. Now we wait for parts that either don't fit, or need obvious modifications.

First, the likely foreign made wheel cylinders wouldn't fit. I had to grind 1/16" to 1/8" off the top of the casting to get the cylinders to fit flat in the backing plate hole and under the shoe anchor. My first time grinding a wheel cylinder.

Second is the new "will fit" replacement park brake cables. Some of you are probably already saying I should be glad I got any parts. OK, well I'm not impressed. The old cables we got for years were like the originals with 3 anchor fingers about 1" to 1 1/4" long, and spaced at 120 degree intervals. This new junk has 3, cheesy, short fingers about 5/8" long, and spaced at 90 degree intervals. Yes, that means 2 are 180 degrees apart with the 3rd in between. The entire other 180 degrees remains unsupported. These fingers are part of an open sided, circular clip that will likely spread open on the first park brake application.

Third is something also new to me, and the experienced partsman at my local GM dealer. The cheesy, short, park brake cable anchor fingers mentioned in the preceding paragraph are....short. Somebody (GM?) in their wisdom decided to put a plastic washer on the cable end, presumably to help seal the hole in the backing plate. The 3 original style fingers fit close to this plastic washer, close enough to be the thickness of the backing plate hole. Now it appears that the guy that copied the earlier/original cable must have forgotten to include a washer, so that the short fingers have something to spread out and seat against. (More about this in a second.) I hope my washer pic uploads.
I managed to pry a mangled one off the old cable and went shopping. The GM partsman couldn't find any listing, and I showed him a picture of an internet offering to prove it exists. Next stop was the Chevy expert at my local jobber. When I showed him the internet pic, he laughed and said "start fabbing"! He has seen this issue before. He also suggested I invest in a TIG and milling machine.
My poorboy solution was to "fabricate" washers out of steel. Because my backing plates are vintage, the finger pads are a bit worn. I made the washers to go inside, which took more time than just what you would spend sizing the washer hole to the cable to put it outside.

Forth and last is that the return springs that retract the cable are too long. With the brake assembled and adjusted to just let the drum pass, these springs are still too long and push the self adjuster pawl off the adjuster star wheel. I carefully took 3 coils off. There still is enough power and length to retract the arm, so only time will tell. I seem to remember some brakes having a loop, off a lower backing plate bolt, to run the cable and spring through. If this setup fails, my next set of park brake cables will be set up differently.

I earlier responded to That Guy and his woes with his Caddy. That Guy, if you read this, you are not alone.
 

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351CFalcon said:
Took out the Falcon for a test drive around the community after the hibernation.
Ran good but I see the AFR is not working once again.
A new wideband O2 sensor was installed last year, so don't know if it's a lack of use or ?
Did some research and it would seem the O2 sensors are about a 50/50 proposition of them working.
Too many factors can contribute to them not reading properly.
People blame them on being faulty sensors when in most cases, it's something else that's the cause, such as, a coolant leak, running too rich for a long time, PCM not adjusted (I don't have that), etc.

Show this weekend but not a long drive. There's the May 11th one in Didsbury, hours drive, so that might clean it up.
If not, think I will pull it out and cap it, these sensors are not inexpensive and to install another one and have the same problem again is just not worth it.
Click to expand...
I know I should know this but what’s a AFR?
 
Im assuming he is talking about air fuel ratio ,but I thought this was a 351 carbureted non PCM motor. Why is there 02 sensors and how are you reading afr?
 
ratrig said:
Im assuming he is talking about air fuel ratio ,but I thought this was a 351 carbureted non PCM motor. Why is there 02 sensors and how are you reading afr?
Click to expand...
That's correct....non-pcm carb motor with an AFR gauge and O2 wideband sensor (not plural, just one).

When I bought the Falcon, It was working fine , good readings but sometimes a little suspect, then last year it just plain quit.
Got a new sensor from Summit and installed it, again was working fine for the 200 miles I put on the Falcon, but this year on start up, no readings.
I think I will rip it all out and cap it off at the exhaust.
 
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