Hello everyone, recently picked up a '77 Club Wagon Chateau and have noticed a few things. I usualy troubleshoot straight 6's but I dunno where to start on this one(it's got a 460 with a c6).

1)While it didn't do it when I first bought it, it takes a while to start(it's been getting down in the teens in Iowa) when it first does alot of white smoke comes out of the tailpipe. After a while it goes away till I part the van for a few days and again get smoke out the tailpipe.

2)Secondly, I've noticed the speedo doesn't catch up with the engine right away.

3)Seems no matter how many times I fill the oil to the level on the stick, it'll start fine but after it warms up the oil gauge will go down to 2 bars above low(almost right on it sometimes).

4)Anyone know how to fix the side doors? One sticks out a few when I close it.

The more inportant ones are the first 3, are these normal for vans starting up in cold weather? I ask because I never had this problem with my pickup and I was able to get that thing to start in -20 Iowa weather. The last one is a 'just cause'(I went out to go get something from the back and where there use to be door rubber, small piles of snow are; it snowed 2' here last night).

-Matt

 

The white smoke is most of the time water vapor coming out of the exhaust system.
If it is blue smoke then it would be a little oil getting past the valve seals as it sets.

Slow starting after setting would be a dry carb and it takes a while to get the fuel up to it. Do you just have the pump on the side of the engine or do you electric pumps also?

The speedometer is normal for older trucks and vans. I have a 83 and it will bounce all over and sometimes it will say 80 mph when doing about 40 until it runs for a little while then it works OK. I think it is dried out grease in the head.

 

Ok. I usualy have to pump the gas pedal rapidly to get it turn over and then the pipe billows. It is white smoke and only once did it spit some drops of oil. Its good to know I didn't just buy a 460/c6 with blown gaskets.

 

If it was a blown gasket you would get white smoke all the time the engine is running and your coolant level would go down.

 

Thanks for clearing all that up, I appreciate it. Any chance on the side door? I looked at the hinges and they look good but it still leaves about an inch gap when closed.

 

The door is sprung, someone opened it too far at some point. The old used car dealers trick to fix sprung doors was to put a piece of wood between the hinges and the door post, close the door till it just contacts the wood, then give it a slight push....then tighten up the hinges. Do NOT loosen the hinges beforehand.

IF you have a sliding door, this method does NOT work. If the door slides, the squarish plastic slide on the sliding door hinge is worn. This part can be replaced separately. The same one was used from 1975 thru 1991.

There are three possible reasons why the speedometer bounces.

1) Inside the speedo cable's housing is a woven steel core that is supposed to be lubricated. When the lube dries out, eventually the woven steel core will bind up in the housing and snap.

Autoparts stores sell a universal woven steel core kit. You cut it to length, lubricate it with a thin film of white lithium grease, install it in the housing.

2) The plastic teeth of the speedo's DRIVEN gear at the end of the cable are worn. Ford has used the same plastic gears from 1960 thru today, so all are available. The prices range from $2.00 to $3.76.

3) The speedometer head itself has gears. These wear and the only ways to fix it are to have a speedometer shop replace the gears, or buy another speedometer.

A used speedometer may in the same shape as yours. I might be able to find you a new speedometer head, but...

There are myriad different speedometers. Some of the 1975/79's read to 100 MPH, some to 85 MPH, some are KPH, some have an "economy" lens.

After 1979, all read to either 85 MPH or to 130 KPH (Canada).

What speedo heads will fit a 1977 Econoline: 1975/91 Econoline, 1975/79 F100/350, 1978/79 Bronco.

btw: A sure sign of a blown head gasket is water in the oil, which will look like milk if this has occured.

 

> (it's got a 460 with a c6)

I did not know that was an engine option for 1977?

> part the van for a few days and again get smoke out the tailpipe.

As others have said, it is probably just water vapor. As your hot pipes cool, it draws in cooler air, it condenses and water collects in the exhaust system. It would not hurt to make sure the weep hole in the muffler was unplugged.

> 3)Seems no matter how many times I fill the oil to the level on the stick

Sender just might be all gunked up. You could replace it with a new one and see what happens.

 

When introduced, the 1975 Econolines offered three engines: 300 I-6 / 351W 2V / 460 4V.

In 1979, the 302 2V was again available in E100/150's (originally offered in 1969/74 E100/300's).

In 1980/82, in addition to the 300 I-6, 302 2V (E100/150 only), 351W 2V and 460 4V, Ford offered the 351M 2V & 400 2V in E100/350's.

 

Yeah I lucked out on this one, 1977 Club Wagon Chateau 460 4bbl c6 2wd with 146k mi. Was very surprised because the po said it had a 390 and I chalked it up to being a 351, but i'm happy it's a 460. 460 with dual tanks lol.

I thought it was just the cold weather as it didn't do it when I drove it home/first drove it around but it started getting to me when it spurted oil out the pipe and now white smoke but I really am glad its nothing major.

 

thanks numberdummy!