Through my first tank of gas in my new 78 NYB

[Fast Eddie B]

So far so good. Idles a little high when cold. The ATII works. AC and heat. The cruise control works! I haven't had a car more than 20 years where it still worked.

The ride is incredible. Makes the worst roads in town seem like they were just repaved. It is tight and super quiet inside.

Here are the little things I found. If any thing strikes you something you have experienced, any help on solutions would be much appreciated.

- wipers not renesting all the way down.
- trunk release not opening trunk.
- funny 'hiss' seems to be coming from behind the dash, around the light switch, when it is in Drive. Not in park. Not in reverse. In Drive. I don't think it is my imagination. Sounds like a vacuum leak? No noticeable performance loss, but what would I know.
- No kick down to second gear above about 30 when you matt the accelerator.
- might need u-joints.
- passenger winder struggles to go up and needs help the last inch
- pass rear door lock doesn't unlock
- "dome" switch on rear door armrest panels does not appear to do anything.
- headliner is sagging a little in the middle
- fuel gauge pegs beyond full. Starts to move after a while. At half full reading it was about half full.

 

[commando1]

funny 'hiss' seems to be coming from behind the dash, around the light switch, when it is in Drive. Not in park. Not in reverse. In Drive. I don't think it is my imagination. Sounds like a vacuum leak? No noticeable performance loss, but what would I know.

A vacuum line in your Automatic Parking Brake Release is disconnected.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

A vacuum line in your Automatic Parking Brake Release is disconnected.

Thanks! I knew I wasn't hearing things and the wisdom of this board would save me.

 

[1978 NYB]

Don't force those wipers down in to the park position. That (1978 only) plastic wiper cam is very, very fragile and WHEN it breaks you'll be shocked to find out that there is no parts on the planet to fix it. You will have to mod/fabricate it back to the 74-77 small cam setup which is a major PITA.

Make sure you don't try turning the wipers on if they are frozen to the windshield or try to clear snow off the windshield by turning on the wipers. That wiper cam will fail....

 

[commando1]

In other words, the Unobtanium wiper cam is going to fail any day now.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

Hmmm. No emoji for 'touch wood'....

 

[Fast Eddie B]

Don't force those wipers down in to the park position.

NOW you tell me....

 

[saforwardlook]

The high cold idle speed is a simple adjustment by backing off the second idle speed adjustment screw on the carburetor that rests on a stepped cam that rotates with the choke blade when closed (back off this screw with the engine off). Then test the car on the next cold start, as you might have to iteratively back off the screw until you get the desired cold fast idle speed.

If the vacuum trunk release isn't working, the most likely cause is a split small vacuum hose at the nipple of the black plastic vacuum reservoir mounted to or near the front of the right front inner fender area or perhaps a leak at any tee or crack in the small rubber hose downstream of the vacuum reservoir to the vacuum release button in the glove box. Or there could be a crack in the small rubber line from the release button to the trunk release mechanism too.

Regarding the lack of kickdown, you likely will have to adjust the kickdown rod to make it longer overall by disconnecting the slotted end from the throttle stud to which it attaches and turning the slotted end counter-clockwise (to lengthen the total kickdown rod length). With the engine off, open the throttle to wide open throttle - at that position, the kickdown rod should be adjusted so that the kickdown rod can no longer move backward any more. The other actually more likely cause is that the spring holding the kickdown slotted arm up against the throttle opening stud at the back of the slot (not the front of the slot) is missing, broken or not attached.

Those are a start at fixing the problems. They are all very easy and quick to do once you know what to do.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

I'm glad i didn't go looking for a fuse for the trunk release. Vacuum assisted? That is just asking for trouble. I'll find it. And the kick down, i would have thought these cars were solenoid operated. I guess not. Thanks for the insights.

 

[commando1]

If the vacuum trunk release isn't working, the most likely cause is a split small vacuum hose...

ummmm... Steve, Formals have electric trunk release...

 

[1978 NYB]

WHEN the big wiper cam breaks you'll have to fabricate one of these to get your wipers switched back to small cam set up (74-77) to get the wipers to work. You'll have to find donor parts from a 74-77 Formal.

 

[75LandYacht]

A vacuum line in your Automatic Parking Brake Release is disconnected.

Hey Stan!! My car does the same thing. 75 NYB, I thought it was my brake booster.. you say different, I believe you. What / where should I look for under the dash to correct it??

 

[commando1]

Hey Stan!! My car does the same thing. 75 NYB, I thought it was my brake booster.. you say different, I believe you. What / where should I look for under the dash to correct it??

Look at your parking brake assembly. You'll see a vacuum canistor and you can trace the vacuum lines back from there.