# Sticky  A few tips I've learned along the way



## macgto7004 (Jul 22, 2007)

To all the classic GTO owners here, I offer these tips which I have learned over the past few years.

*Gas Pains*
Is your classic GTO hard to start? Mine was. Whenever my GTO would sit for more than a few day, starting it was a real chore. At first I thought it might be a leaking carb that was letting all the fuel evaporate out of the bowl and it would have to refill when I tried to start it again.
Turns out, check the rubber portions of the fuel line. Old fuel lines can become dry and cracked. Although they may not leak, they can suck in air through the cracks.
Think of it as a straw in a glass of water. You can draw water up in the straw and put your finger over the end, and the water will stay in the straw. But, lift your finger and the water drains out. Same thing can happen in your fuel line. Air can be drawn in through the cracks and the fuel in the lines will drain back to the tank, thus leaving the lines empty and causing the car to be fuel starved when trying to restart. Besides the fire issue of dry cracked fuel line, this could be a good reason to check and replace those old hoses.

*Cheap car cover.*
But a set of king size waterbed sheets. If you don’t know, a waterbed top sheet is sown together with the bottom sheet at the foot. If you fold back the top sheet, you end up with a piece of soft cotton cloth nearly 170 inches long. Not quite enough to cover the whole car, but for $20 bucks, it’s a cheap alternative to a custom fitted cover. Great for keeping the dust off while the car is in the garage.

*Engine Cooling*
If your classic GTO is missing the upper core support filler panel? (bridges the gap between the top of the core support, and the header panel) Get a reproduction piece. It will funnel the air through the radiator instead of up and over it, significantly increasing the airflow and helping to keep your engine running cooler.

*Fire!*
Always have a fire extinguisher in your car. I have heard many stories of fire breaking out due to leaking fuel lines or cracked electrical wires. It's a small price to pay for a little peace of mind.

*I can see clearly now.*
Did you know you can use Mequire's Mirror Glaze to polish your glass? Yes, you can. Does a great job of taking off film and grime and leaves your glass clean and clear.

*Pretty Up your exhaust.*
Nothing bugs me more than driving down the road behind a classic car, only to see the muffler clamps hanging down from the exhaust pipes. The U shaped clamps that everyone uses are easy to install and do the job. However, try this little detail. Instead of putting the "U" upside down, with the bolts at the bottom, turn them right side up and put the bolts at the top. I know it's a little harder to get the bolts tightened, but a little extra effort goes a long way in making your ride that much better. It's all in the details!

*Make it a stiff one.*
When I restored my GTO, I discovered in the trunk there are stiffening bars attached between the inside of the quarter panels and the top of the inner wheel well. They add strength to the quater panel and keep it from buckling in, should someone lean on it. One of mine had seperated from the quarter panel and was hanging loose in the trunk. Fearing warping the quarter by welding it back on, we used construction adhesive to reattach it. Worked great, and it has not come loose in the last 2 years, despite many hard launches and wheel spinning. A cheap fix for an unusual problem.

*Shine it Up.*
For a cheap, effective, and quick detail of stainless trim, exhaust extensions, and chrome, buy a container of stainless steel wipes (for appliances) in your grocery store, and throw them in the trunk. They are cheap and do a great job for a quick detail of all the shiny stuff. 

*Make it a Smoothie.*
If you don't have a concours 100 point restoration, replace all the rubber suspension with poly urethane. It's not that expensive, less than $400 for the whole car, front and rear, and will make a world of difference in how the car rides and handles.
I had debated about doing this because I had heard stories of owners complaining about the "stiff" ride or that the urethane creaks and moans. From my expirience, nothing could be further from the truth. As for the ride and handling, the car handles closer to a modern car than you could imagine. Stiff ride? No way. It's called compliant. I don't fear bottoming out any longer, or taking a corner with a bit of velocity. try it, I think you will be amazed.

Just thought I would share these with all my fellow goat herders.  

Feel free to add to the list.

Russ


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## 70455goat (Nov 5, 2007)

Thanks for the tips. Especially #1. If my 70 sits for a few days, I have to pump the gas forever and crank 4 or 5 times before it starts. If it only sits for a day, it will usually start fairly quickly. I'll bet that is exactly my problem.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

70455goat said:


> Thanks for the tips. Especially #1. If my 70 sits for a few days, I have to pump the gas forever and crank 4 or 5 times before it starts. If it only sits for a day, it will usually start fairly quickly. I'll bet that is exactly my problem.


a bad fuel pump can also cause that condition.


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## ppurfield001 (Jan 21, 2008)

macgto7004 said:


> To all the classic GTO owners here, I offer these tips which I have learned over the past few years.
> 
> *Gas Pains*
> Is your classic GTO hard to start? Mine was. Whenever my GTO would sit for more than a few day, starting it was a real chore. At first I thought it might be a leaking carb that was letting all the fuel evaporate out of the bowl and it would have to refill when I tried to start it again.
> ...


Thank you, Russ. I have added this to my car files for future reference. I'm new at this, so this is very helpful, especially the comment about the fire extinguisher.


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## 70455goat (Nov 5, 2007)

When I was 18, my buddy had a 69 goat and his older sister had a convertible 71 judge. My buddy and a few of his "drunk" friends decided that her 71 needed a bigger carb. They put a larger carb on it and while trying to get it started, it backfired and caught the engine on fire. Being drunk and not having an extinguisher or anything, they couldn't get the fire out and the fire spread into the car and burned the whole car to the ground! Very sad day!


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## 70455goat (Nov 5, 2007)

Rukee, what would be the problem with the fuel pump? A leak, crack, gasket? Just curious as to what I should look for, or would it be something inside the fuel pump?

Dale


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

yes, it would/could fail internally, you may not see anything from the outside.


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## Old Indian (Jul 4, 2007)

Good post, Russ. Especially the extinguisher idea. More car shows are requiring them each year and for good reason.

Keep the shiny side up....
Bill


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## raspantienator (Nov 20, 2007)

Very nice Russ- I have always used a good car wax on the windows too-it helps the rain to bead up as well-if you happen to get caught in the rain.

The fire extinguisher I assume is more so for the classic models...I know it wouldn't hurt to have one in the new Goat as well.


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## macgto7004 (Jul 22, 2007)

raspantienator said:


> Very nice Russ- *I have always used a good car wax on the windows too*-it helps the rain to bead up as well-if you happen to get caught in the rain.
> 
> The fire extinguisher I assume is more so for the classic models...*I know it wouldn't hurt to have one in the new Goat as well*.


Be careful with the wax Frank. The wax can actually build up and leave a film on your glass. Mirror Glaze is not a wax, it's a polish.

Yes, the fire extinquisher is a good idea for any car. Yes, the classics would be more prone to a fire, but new cars can burst into flame just as easy! 

Russ


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

I hate it when your car burns up in a firey ball of hell on the side of the road.


2 years ago my fire extinguisher saved the green Challenger in my photo album, the tranny cooler lines leaked onto the headers and caught fire and he had no way of putting it out. Once again, the GTO came to the rescue!


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## Muaz (Apr 4, 2008)

These are tips are good. If you have more tips then share with us.


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## rick3452 (Jun 14, 2008)

Got the extinguisher last year!!


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

I agree with the poly suspension/bushings. I just did my car. What a difference in handling! I just finished the body bushings. If they're original like mine were, change them. If a motorhead in training like myself can do it, so can you. Just need a little patience. It's not that difficult.......


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## cpeahl (Nov 9, 2008)

have a 69 lemans, won't start. Symptoms, turning the key and it use to click than stat. One day it wouldn'teven click, no noise, no start. Bench test my starter and put in a new one, same symptoms, no sound no start. Any ideas? 
Chris


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## jbracefan1977 (Feb 28, 2009)

Thanks for this... The fire extinguisher tip is very handy and practical indeed


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## HoJo GTO (Sep 21, 2009)

My two cents...the best money I've spent all around was purchasing an MSD billet distributor for my 67' GTO. I bought the one that is a factory replacement and yes, it was expensive. But the car starts great and performs MUCH better that ever. I had been screwing around with points, and then a pertronics electronic ignition (that died after 5 years) in a factory distributor. When it worked the pertronics was better that points, but the MSD distributor with built in electronic ignition was far superior.

Hollie


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## JimT (May 24, 2010)

cpeahl said:


> have a 69 lemans, won't start. Symptoms, turning the key and it use to click than stat. One day it wouldn'teven click, no noise, no start. Bench test my starter and put in a new one, same symptoms, no sound no start. Any ideas?
> Chris



I just went through this myself with my '66 GTO. And I used the forums to diagnose. Here are the posts from that forum. Good luck...

_Bad starter/solenoid....bad ignition switch....bad ground from battery to engine block

May be a neutral safety switch problem as well, do you have lights?

There is one wire running from the ignition switch start position to the starter, it runs through the neutral safety switch. If the wire fails you won't get anything. My 66 has the neutral safety switch mounted on the shifter, but mine is an automatic.
Short out the battery cable terminal on the starter with the small wire terminal on the starter, if it cranks then you are back to figuring out why power isn't getting there, if it doesn't, then it's the starter itself.

Yours is a very common problem with the early GTOs. Clip a remote starter switch on the solenoid and see if it cranks. Or, if you can access it, a small screwdriver to make contact between the S and Batt terminals on the solenoid will do the trick. If it cranks now, you have a high resistance problem in the circuit from the ign switch to the solenoid. As I said, very common.

and sometimes they just "stick" ....start with a hammer tap! Whatever the problem's remedy, please post the cure for our "files"

On the starter is where there starter solonoid is, the big wire comes from the battery, that is for starting and also electric for the system. There should be another smaller wire connected with the battery cable that attaches to the solonoid with a 5/8 nut. The other small wire is used for when you energize the starter and comes from the ignition switch. Although the ground could be the problem on this year car sometimes it is a bad connection or a broken wire by the starter that is the problem. Check to see if you are getting voltage to these wires. My 62 ford s wires were so ibrittle when I got it that sometimes things would work and sometimes not. After changing the wires have had no problems. Use a static light and check the wire down to the starter solonoid. enclosing a diagram that I scanned. If it does not come out all right save it to your pictures and then you can resize it from there. _


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## bullet20cc (Apr 4, 2009)

*Hard starting*

I run Barry Grant electric pumps. As soon as I see pressure on the gauge the car fires right up no matter how long it sits.(Got to have a hot battery)


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## mbergin (Jun 19, 2012)

cpeahl said:


> have a 69 lemans, won't start. Symptoms, turning the key and it use to click than stat. One day it wouldn'teven click, no noise, no start. Bench test my starter and put in a new one, same symptoms, no sound no start. Any ideas?
> Chris


Cpeahl, I had the same issue with a no start. After changing the starter solenoid with no luck, I replaced the ignition switch and she started right up!


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## Brandon (Nov 3, 2013)

Great tips..thank you I'm brand new to this forum, and this was the first thing I've read. I like it so far!


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## 68SOFGOAT (Mar 14, 2015)

Great tips. Thanks.

SOFGOAT


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## SpeedSLC (May 24, 2015)

*Great*

Great to have a place to visit with so much great info


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## Gribbuckeye (Jun 11, 2014)

This is a great add. Plain simple and to the point!


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## MR70GTO (May 2, 2015)

Yes great info russ


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## Tim69gtogo (Nov 23, 2019)

cpeahl said:


> have a 69 lemans, won't start. Symptoms, turning the key and it use to click than stat. One day it wouldn'teven click, no noise, no start. Bench test my starter and put in a new one, same symptoms, no sound no start. Any ideas?
> Chris


Battery,


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## RMTZ67 (Mar 12, 2011)

The engine detailer I used to use...got discontinued. While putting some tire wet (spray not foam) on my tires , I noticed that it seemed to smell like the engine detailer I used to use. So I gave it a go and sure enough, a very nice satin shine, the heat of the engine will dry it. little to no dust and a quick rinse is all you need and the shine continues. Wipes off the chrome easily. I use it on all my vehicles.


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## rocketscientis (Nov 30, 2019)

After you watch her quickly engulf in flames creating an inferno you cant get close to , as everyone drives on by , you will always have an A-B-C Extinguisher secured in convienent location.....you personaly will never need it but people whose cars you save from th flame are eternaly greatful

And so you know line from pump to carb is pressurized , unlike feed line to pump , so why must 99.9% of fuel filters be placed in presurised line atop engine above hot exhaust ignition sourse , using only two of cheapest clamps available ???

& bad fuel pumps have nasty habit of allowing fuel to contaminate engine oil ...apearing overful . thin & smelling of gas & worst of all losing viscosity neccesary to maintain coatin on bearin surfaces imeadiatly wastin rod /crank / cam bearings

Cheap stamped steel impeller on generic waterpump does not flow same gallon per minute ratio as cast iron impellers originaly installed on premium fuel hi compression engines

& msd oil pressure kill switch MUST be located as close to oil pumps pressure side as possible to help...connecting it at usual spot kills engine so late that crank is burnt blue & unservicable

Driveshaft dia or surface area should be large as possible...when a 78 G bodies tiny 2& whatever dia shaft reaches yeild behind a 455 & th 400 at over 100 mph , it twist to a point & sepperates from itself with front portion beatin hell out everthin & front of rear section diggin in track , causin entire rear of car to jump uncontrollably up & over until u joint fails & back of rear driveshaft piece shoots through floor & rear seat . potemtialy impaling & killing anyone unlucky enough to be there
All this happens within 1 second & is over before you know it
....unless you roll her..


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## rocketscientis (Nov 30, 2019)

Tim69gtogo said:


> Battery,


Connections...esp ground
Ground from bat to engine & engine to body...cleaned & dielectric greese to prevent corrosion


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## SLSTEVE (Dec 8, 2020)

cpeahl said:


> have a 69 lemans, won't start. Symptoms, turning the key and it use to click than stat. One day it wouldn'teven click, no noise, no start. Bench test my starter and put in a new one, same symptoms, no sound no start. Any ideas?
> Chris


Clean the battery terminals.


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## 64since65 (Dec 11, 2019)

SLSTEVE said:


> Clean the battery terminals.


Just don't do like the idiot I met who "cleaned them thoroughly" by using a wire brush on the top of the terminals.
Disconnect them and clean the contact surfaces!
(I present that here just for a good laugh. I assume people on this forum are smart enough to know this. The guy that did it was definitely not a 'car guy'.)


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