Need some electrical help with my ‘68 Plymouth Valiant 100
Thank you for the info, I’ll be sure to remove that wire and just clean the fuse clasps with the battery unplugged, and hope that you had a great Thanksgiving!
We did, thank you! Still eating turkey.
I hope yours was great, too!
I am NOT a price authority, and we have not seen the rest of the car (well, maybe you posted it somewhere else – I haven't searched), but that sounds like it's in the "reasonable" range for a running, driving car, without major destruction (big rust holes, raccoons ate the interior, etc.).
I'm of the age where any price over $500 for one of these just seems crazy, so my subjective opinion has no value.
I’m having someone extract the broken screw and fix the intake gasket manifold. Also having them do a few more things while they’re in there.
Probably the best way to go, and if you're lucky, or if they're nice, it won't cost too much.
Question though, I need to buy some spark plugs (I already asked Dana about this too, just asking you both), which spark plugs would be best for a 4.5 L 273 V8 ‘68 Valiant? I have attempted to look online for this answer, but I keep finding conflicting answers on it.
I can only answer this for a Slant-6, so I can't suggest anything specific.
I can say, though, that the spark plug discussion can get like the oil discussion, so you might want to make a new thread for that.
In a non-high-performance application, the exact plug brand probably doesn't matter, so long as the heat range is about right.
My question would be: Why do you need to replace the plugs?
Are they totally worn out?
Are they dirty? Do they have thick leaded-fuel crusting?
Odds are, the ones you've got are fine, at least for now, if you clean them (wire brush and some lacquer thinner) and re-gap them, then go for a good long highway drive.
Aside from physical damage (chipped or cracked insulators, bad threads), so long as the electrodes have fairly sharp edges and aren't rounded, they should be fine.
I'd wait until things are more together, gather more information, and decide then.
All of that being said, I must admit that when I got my current car, I immediately bought new plugs, as well as wires, cap, rotor, points, condenser (all 4 old stock Blue Streak), belts, hoses, thermostat, carb rebuild kit, fuel hose, valve cover gasket, air cleaner, oil filter, oil, trans gasket & filter, ATF, rear-end oil and gasket, brake cylinders, master cylinder, rear e-brake cables, spring kits, adjuster kits, front wheel bearing seals, and I disassembled and re-lubed my universal joints, so I'm no a sterling example of conservatism.
(Of course, the car actually did need all of that stuff after sitting for so may years.)
– Eric