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Pog's Sterling (CCC293)

vpogv

Active member
That's the same exhaust on my latest Gulf-Sterling car. It is a nice exhaust. I'm very happy with it and love the sound. I want another one but have not found one available lately.
Pacificcustoms appeared to have some but I didn't call to verify but they'd be my next choice.
 

vpogv

Active member
Spent a few hours today trying to get things set where I can get the engine back and running. I had fabricated the oil filter bracket earlier this week and just needed to get the exhaust attacked and the two oil lines made up. Really happy with how they ended up, enough distance from the exhaust and hopefully leak free.
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With one side of the exhaust on I needed to mount the other - sadly classic case of 2 steps forward and one back. The passenger side went in painlessly compared to the already mounted drivers side. It appears that part was fabricated a bit crooked which forces the whole exhaust up 1.5-2". This would have really ticked me off but I already have to swap out the glass packs with shorter ones so I'm just planning to cut and reweld the flange on #4 to get the better angle.

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With any luck at all I'll get some oil in it tomorrow and get it running enough to flush any last metal bits out. Oil and filter change then put a few miles on it ... that is if it's going to idle with the new jet as I hope it does.
 

farfegnubbin

Site Owner
Staff member
The remote oil filters look like a nice clean installation. Great job!

I like the look of that exhaust setup (minus the cant, which you’re gonna fix.) I’m trying to visualize where it will emerge in relation to the rear valance. Does that really sneak out lower than the valance or have you committed to poking through the valance?
 

vpogv

Active member
I like the look of that exhaust setup (minus the cant, which you’re gonna fix.) I’m trying to visualize where it will emerge in relation to the rear valance. Does that really sneak out lower than the valance or have you committed to poking through the valance?

If you look at the driver's side, that exhaust tip lines up left to right in the right spot of the valence exhaust opening (or so we'll call it) but it needs to be brought down close to 3" to clear it. So I'm going to be doing some exhaust work rather than glass work.
 

Brett Proctor

Well-known member
Spent a few hours today trying to get things set where I can get the engine back and running. I had fabricated the oil filter bracket earlier this week and just needed to get the exhaust attacked and the two oil lines made up. Really happy with how they ended up, enough distance from the exhaust and hopefully leak free.
View attachment 9663 View attachment 9664

With one side of the exhaust on I needed to mount the other - sadly classic case of 2 steps forward and one back. The passenger side went in painlessly compared to the already mounted drivers side. It appears that part was fabricated a bit crooked which forces the whole exhaust up 1.5-2". This would have really ticked me off but I already have to swap out the glass packs with shorter ones so I'm just planning to cut and reweld the flange on #4 to get the better angle.

View attachment 9665 View attachment 9666

With any luck at all I'll get some oil in it tomorrow and get it running enough to flush any last metal bits out. Oil and filter change then put a few miles on it ... that is if it's going to idle with the new jet as I hope it does.
I've come across the same issues with the exhaust on my dirt bike. The pipe doesn't align up with the silencer or vice versa. I've bought an exhaust system from 2 major companies and both have the same issue.
I don't understand how a company can sell such an inferior product and charge a fortune for it and still stay in business.

I'm sure you'll fix the issue and it will look great.

Looking forward to hear how it runs, or should I say idles.
 

vpogv

Active member
I've come across the same issues with the exhaust on my dirt bike. The pipe doesn't align up with the silencer or vice versa. I've bought an exhaust system from 2 major companies and both have the same issue.
I don't understand how a company can sell such an inferior product and charge a fortune for it and still stay in business.

It's amazing and I would honestly be more upset if I didn't already know I would have to cut it up for it to work. This was just one more thing. On top of that the heat risers on the exhaust weren't only misaligned but not even opened into the exhaust - they were dummies!

Anyways, after some measuring modified the passengers side to raise it up. Cut both exhaust flanges off and then a bit of rotation got things lined up much closer.

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vpogv

Active member
Car idles and drives. A few laps around the block tonight to make sure it actually would keep idling. Now it's time to redo the exhaust again so that the rear valence fits. The test drive also brought out a few issues that need addressed:
1. Suspension work - bit bouncy in the front.
2. Brakes need rebled or adjusted.
3. Windshield pulled and reinstalled.
4. Gas and Oil Temp gauge need fixed as neither work.
5. Rogue circuit draining the battery.

Doubt I'll have time tomorrow to start the exhaust but we'll see.
 

vpogv

Active member
Rear bolted back up and I tackled the exhaust this weekend to get it routed under the rear. It's not the prettiest welding job and I'm not happy with the tips but I worked with what I had. NBB's exhaust puts this to shame but I can readdress this down the road. 😂

Tomorrow I will address the muffler tips to get them tilted up / level rather than pointed down as they are now.

Side note - the difference between the driver's side and passenger's exhaust was astounding. Maybe I had my expectations too high for the Tri-Mil but the driver's side sat almost 4" deeper (closer to the front of the car) than the passenger's. I could have tucked the tips in flush if it wasn't for that.

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vpogv

Active member
You're right NBB but honestly I did not lay a good beat until the last few welds. I should have double checked the exhaust tips before welding them fully as one is on a slightly different angle. It'll do for now though as I need different exhaust tips anyways.

Update: Well the rear air shocks were shot and continuously leaking from 90psi to 0 in 12 hrs so I picked up some cheap Duralast shocks. Threw them on and as they instantly bottomed out and it hit me - I need to reindex the rear suspension. This is fully unloaded - not resting on the ledge but literally unloaded level with the ledge of the torsion tube. :rolleyes: hah!


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vpogv

Active member
After a few more trips around the neighborhood trying to build trust with the engine and carbs, I have come to 2 conclusions.
1. The exhaust sounds amazing but I am in need of sound deadening - it's loud.
2. The front suspension needs work, badly! Tire pressure is 15psi and still very bouncy. Going to yank the half width bars from the beam and see if that helps at all.
 

vpogv

Active member
Car is insured and has temp tags. Been driving it around the block to gain trust and I am really glad I have been. The latest issue is the car starts right up when cold. Once up to temps it refuses to start back up. Starter struggles to turn like it's a dead battery or super high compression. Yesterday I thought I had it solved as holding the gas pedal all the way down let it start - apparently not.

I'm thinking the issues is either the starter is bad - and the heat is causing a bushing to expand and stop it from spinning.
OR a bad ground connection to the starter that sneaks up when hot.

Titling it will wait another day.
 

Brett Proctor

Well-known member
Could be the starter or maybe the carburetor is leaking gas by into the cylinders and flooding the engine out.
If I recall the carburetor is new, so maybe the float level is set wrong or the float seat is leaking.

After you turn the engine off and let it sit for however length of time you could pull a few plugs and see if they're soaked in fuel or see if the cylinders are flooded with fuel.
Seeing if the engine is getting flooded wont cost anything before you go out and buy a starter. There may be a strong ordor of gas also if the carb is leaking fuel after it is shut off.

I think if you bring the starter into a auto part store some of them have a test bench for testing starters. The stores around here will test it for free.
 

vpogv

Active member
Could be the starter or maybe the carburetor is leaking gas by into the cylinders and flooding the engine out.
If I recall the carburetor is new, so maybe the float level is set wrong or the float seat is leaking.

After you turn the engine off and let it sit for however length of time you could pull a few plugs and see if they're soaked in fuel or see if the cylinders are flooded with fuel.
Seeing if the engine is getting flooded wont cost anything before you go out and buy a starter. There may be a strong ordor of gas also if the carb is leaking fuel after it is shut off.

I think if you bring the starter into a auto part store some of them have a test bench for testing starters. The stores around here will test it for free.
I'd agree with the carbs but that wouldn't keep the engine from turning over. Dead battery or shot starter seems like the only reason it wouldn't even turn over once hot. I'm verifying grounds are all tight and then will figure out how to test the starter bushing and then starter.
 

Brett Proctor

Well-known member
I was thinking that if fuel is draining into the cylinders once the engine stops you might be getting hydraulic lock
Did you have this issue before you replaced the carburetor??.
Your probably right that its the starter.
Just thought I'd put out a few other options if the starter doesn't fix it.

Also it might be a bad battery cable(positive and/or negative) that can't supply enough volts/amps.

When having the issue did you try to jump the battery??
 

vpogv

Active member
I appreciate all input - just thinking out loud when I type it. :)

I didn't have this issue before as the car never ran for more than 5 minutes. That being said it could have definitely been an issue that just hadn't been discovered. I am betting the carb is good as on a cold start it fires right up meaning the bowl is still full of fuel. Battery cable is new 0/1 straight form the battery and solid connection. Grounds I verified were tight but will do a ground continuity test as well to ensure the transmission and starter are grounded when hot. That leaves the starter/ ignition switch wire which is new and passed through a relay so it should be big enough gauge to trigger the solenoid even when hot.

So that leaves the starter or perhaps bushing. Going to try and find a bushing locally first as it's the cheapest but new starters come with them so may just do them both.
 

vpogv

Active member
Yeah I'm right there with your thinking Rick. New starter from RockAuto got me back up.

After 12.5 years the car is technically road legal with plates put on it today. Plenty more to do including get the canopy seal on to stop the hard bounces, windshield removed and reinstalled and sloppy steering fixed.
 

vpogv

Active member
Had a charging issue which I thought was a parasitic battery drain caused by a circuit I screwed up somehow. After head scratching and some more troubleshooting it appears that the generator was just a dud. Voltage reading was all over the place for it when I tested it. Swapped it with the generator that came with the car 13 years ago, polarized it and solid readings now. Hopefully a spin around the block tonight will confirm that this issue is resolved.

Next is the steering adjustment.
 
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