Messages

1

Kaiser Forum / Re: Oil drain plug on the 226

« on: June 20, 2020, 11:24:09 AM »

I have found that if you put the wrench on the drain plug and hit the other end of the wrench with a short whack from a hammer, it will break loose every time. Easier than trying to break it loose by hand.

2

Kaiser Forum / Re: how-to question

« on: May 18, 2020, 02:52:07 PM »

1. Pull coil wire out of coil. (Prevents plug wires sparking to block causing maybe fire or explosion from fumes.)
2. Pull plugs from warmed up motor. (Check plugs to see if they are oil wet or real clean from coolant leaking into cylinder.)
3. Prop open choke plate and throttle plate. (Make sure to use something that cannot fall into engine.)
4. Have someone turn over engine 3-4 times and record each reading.

If all 6 readings are low but similar you have a worn engine. If several readings are very low, then you have a valve problem.

3

Kaiser Forum / Re: Can anyone tell me, is this legit, or a piece of 'bleeeeep'

« on: February 14, 2020, 11:43:06 AM »

This looks like a NOS (new old stock) kit. Although I believe it is the correct kit, it is old. NAPA has a brand new Master Cylinder rebuild kit for $17.99. A better choice. I bought many new parts for my Kaiser from them. Any problems just return it, no hassle.

4

General Discussion / Re: A tale of two Manhattans, and one first-time Kaiser owner...

« on: February 08, 2020, 10:51:50 AM »

Glad to see people like you are still saving these great automobiles ! My dad started driving a Frazier in 1951 and I started my driving my 1951 Kaiser Deluxe in 1960.

5

Kaiser Forum / Re: Spare parts for distance trips...

« on: February 06, 2020, 10:44:02 AM »

Utility knife, electrical tape, emery paper, several rags, spark plug wrench.

6

Kaiser Forum / Re: How do I get my wheels with radial tires onto the rear wheel drums ??

« on: October 03, 2019, 10:13:06 AM »

rrdcorvair is correct. Do not use a bumper jack. KF bumpers can be dented or distorted by bumper jacks depending on the type used. Do not put a frame jack directly on the frame, put a block of hardwood between the jack and frame to prevent slippage.

7

Kaiser Forum / Re: Need Picture of a solid Jade Green Metallic 53

« on: September 04, 2019, 12:27:19 PM »

Several years ago I was at a meet in Sheboygan Wisc. There was a member there with a very nice '53 Manhattan. He lived about 10 mi from Sheboygan and I went to his house to buy some Kaiser parts. He had a full set I believe of sedan doors that he wanted to sell at a very reasonable price. I looked at them and they were in nice shape stored indoors. You could find him from the membership list looking in the Sheboygan area.

8

Kaiser Forum / Re: Condenser replacement

« on: July 17, 2019, 11:42:30 AM »

As the points begin to open, current will jump across the air gap. The current will carry a small amount of metal from one point surface to the other. This is known as "pitting". The condenser will try to keep the voltage constant as the points open and absorb the current preventing the "arc" to help stop the pitting. I have seen cars that have not had the condenser changed in many years and I doubt they are still functioning. The car still runs fine, so people don't change them. The old rule was new points, cap, rotor, condenser every 12,000 miles. Remember the metal in the distributor cap wears too. Also the point arm rides on the distributor shaft which opens the points and as the arm wears the point gap gets smaller and smaller.

9

Kaiser Forum / Re: crusing rpm for a kaiser

« on: June 27, 2019, 05:55:23 PM »

What was the rear end ration in your non OD Kaiser ? I wonder how that compares to the ratio in the automatics of the '53's.

10

Kaiser Forum / Re: crusing rpm for a kaiser

« on: June 27, 2019, 12:12:30 PM »

My '51 had a 3 speed with OD and would scream at 65 MPH. It sounded normal at 56-60 MPH, while my Dad's '53 with auto would cruise all day at 65 and get 25-27 MPG. I liked the pep of my '51, but not for highway cruising. I wonder what the '51 would have been like with the gears from a auto rear end. Anyone tried that ?

11

Kaiser Forum / Re: Kaiser Video

« on: June 24, 2019, 07:33:25 PM »

If you go to the Petroleum Institute https://pqia/passenger-car-motor-oil, you will see all motor oils and their ratings (SM, etc.). If you click on a name (Havoline etc.), you will see a chemical listing of the oil and it will show the zinc content in ppm. All the oils have zinc and some are higher than others. I did a little searching and found a oil high in zinc and it costs the same as other popular oils and did not need to be some special racing brand.

12

Kaiser Forum / Re: Towing a 1953 Kaiser from the rear out of the garage

« on: March 01, 2019, 08:45:43 PM »

Wrap strap around rear differential, put shift into neutral and release parking brake. Make sure front tires face straight forward and your good to go. I pulled a 51 out of a garage with two stuck drums and the tires slid. This way there is even pull and the car should come straight out.

13

General Discussion / Re: Another Dragon.

« on: February 04, 2019, 04:34:34 PM »

GB: Why wouldn't the passenger doors fit?

14

General Discussion / Willys Mystery

« on: July 03, 2018, 10:35:02 AM »

The July Bulletin had a interesting article by the Historian about 226 aluminum heads a supercharging the Darrin F head. This adds to the lore of KF that I have mentioned several times over the years that I have encountered. Around 1970-71, I friend and I were Kaiser hunting in a northern Mn salvage and found a near perfect 55 Willys Burmuda hardtop. The Body was very clean with only a taillight broken and the interior was perfect. The weird thing why was it in the salvage yard? We opened the hood and the engine and trans were missing. We bought and towed it back to Mpls (the tires even had air). We found out it was a 226 ci car and were looking for a 54 Supercharged automatic to put in it. A willys dealer west of Mpls on Hwy 7 had lots of NOS parts including a taillight for the car. In his bsmt he had NOS sheet metal parts galore. My friend wanted to run it at the dragstrip on old hwy 8 in F stock class after we rebuilt the front suspension. I think the 226 was just too heavy for it. The dragstrip saw the blower and refused to allow us to run without proof of factory option for the blower. The Willys dealer claimed to have received paperwork of some kind that this was indeed available from KF (maybe dealer installed?). We asked to look through his boxes of paperwork in the bsmt, but he said no we couldn't and he did not have time to do it himself. So maybe Kaiser was looking into this as well as for the Darrin. Another mystery to ponder that I believe was true especially after the June Bulletin.

15

Kaiser Forum / Re: Got my 53 deluxe resprayed and distributor problem

« on: May 05, 2018, 12:25:20 PM »

John Haller in Mpls showed a trick 50 some years ago. Because of flaws in the casting of the mounting bracket, it was common for the bracket to break where the hold down bolt was. He would take a piece of emery cloth and wrap it around a piece of 1 x 3 wood and do a lite sanding on the bottom of the bracket. Then he would put it a piece of glass to make sure it was truly flat. After I did this on my '51, no more breaks !