Uh-Oh… The Bolt

By Pete Tachis

A couple of weeks ago, I had new rims and tires installed on my Corvair. Eager to test the improved handling, I rolled out of the shop, hit second gear and bang, the clutch pedal goes to the floor.  Probably should have installed that clutch cable I bought last month.  Ben Franklin said, “Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.”  I didn’t know Ben owned a Corvair.

The next morning she was up on stands and I was underneath.  Changing the cable was time consuming but not difficult.  At the same time I replaced a defective vacuum advance.  All I had left to do was re-set the timing.  And that’s where the trouble started.

Using a box-end wrench, I rotated the crankshaft pulley, chalked the timing mark, hopped in and fired up the engine.  

I heard an odd clunk when the engine started.  I looked into the engine compartment to see what the noise was and my stomach dropped.  

Hanging off the idling engine was my wrench, still attached to the pulley bolt which was spinning freely inside the crankshaft. Someone… hadn’t removed the wrench.  

Feeling foolish and fearing the worst, I switched off the engine and extracted the bolt.  Thankfully it wasn’t broken but the threads were stripped, (see photo).  

Now at least I had a plan. Clean up the threads in the crankshaft and replace the bolt.

A tip for those of us who wrench on their own cars and don’t own specialty tools, like thread chasers.  O’Reilly’s Auto Parts will lend you those tools FOR FREE.  You buy the tool, and as long as you return it within forty-eight hours ya get a full refund.

They had the chaser but not the bolt.

Next stop,  NAPA Auto Parts.  I shop the Burlingame  store because the staff knows their stuff.

“Can I help you?”  The man  behind the counter asked.

“Yes, I need a crankshaft pulley bolt.”

“What kind of car?”

I held up the bolt, “65 Corvair.”

“I think I can help,  follow me.”

He led me to a large parts cabinet behind the front counter.  Slid open a metal drawer and held up a dust covered bolt.

“Here ya go”

I smiled all the way home and had my Vair  back on the road in less than an hour.  And yes, the handling is much improved.

Now, I can get back to fixing things like, prepping the body for paint, installing new front seats, mirrors and a whole lot more.

SFBA note: Thanks for the story, Pete! Readers really enjoy reading Corvair stories from other Corvair owners. If you’re reading this, we KNOW you have a story or two. Consider sending a story to share with the readership. Email your story to sfbacorsa@gmail.com & attach a photo or two