Topic: What causes this problem EDIT: new problem, headlight brights problem

[79transam92]

I was driving my T/A at night on highway 51 between Hennessey and Stillwater OK, so I get 4 miles and my windshield is fogging up, I don't notice because it is dark and I can't see the fog until a car comes along with headlights(BTW, I turned my broghts on and they went out until I turned brights off, I have to adjust these now) and my dad turns on the "defroster", I guess there is a windshield defroster with those vents, anyway, the area around the vents(my line of sight) frosted up more and I couldn't get rid of it until we were back at my house, is this caused by condensation in the vents or because they haven't been used in a long time or what.

BTW, took a while to warm up today, it quit at all the true stops at first until it was up to 180 deg., after this it ran fine but I had to put righty on the gassy and lefty on the brakey, anyone ever have to do this, and I'm only 15 still, no one else in my school ever does anything like that., thanks in advance for help and replys

[Rick]

Condensation on the inside of the windshield is caused by the windshield being cold enough to cause the moisture in the air blowing across it to settle like sweat on a glass of ice water.  If the air is dry enough that doesn't happen -- if the humidity is high the glass sweats like crazy.  To get rid of it, you have to blow warm air over the windshield to warm it up to the point where the humudity won't condense on it.  That's the purpose of the defroster setting on the heater.  In cars with AC, the AC frequently kicks in also -- not to cool the air, but to dehumidify it.  In older cars like your TA sometimes this is a PITA.  I've been in situations where I have to pull over to allow the car to warm up enough to clear the windshield.  It's just something to be aware of.

As far as the car wanting to stall -- welcome to the wonderful world of carbuerated engines.  The choke settings and adjustments are critical to keeping the car running until it warms up, and if they aren't perfect you have to do what you describe.  Don't feel bad -- my 75 TA was NEVER adjusted right even when BRAND NEW and it's always wanted to stall out.  The reason all your friends don't have this is that their cars are probably fuel injected rather than carbuerated.  Fuel injected engines are much easier to keep running when they're cold because the air/fuel ratio isn't as affected by temperature in those engines.  My car, even today, is difficult to keep running until it warms up.  It's just a fact of life with cars with carbs on them -- some better, some worse, and it can be made better if you work diligently at adjusting the choke -- but the tendency is always going to be there.

[79transam92]

I actually like working the choke, I feel new cars are too not involved with them, the warning lights make me feel stupid, I like gauges, I have to reset my tach, last owner is a good friend and will help with it, the needle was on top of the clock, like it was over the top of the tach, really strange, I also have a rearview mirror to put on the windsheild when it warms up, but I do know, carbuerated engines sound better than injected.

[RENOVATIONS]

Rick covered it pretty well...sounds like the car wasn't warmed up fully (you'd only driven 4 miles) and wasn't blowing the warm air needed to defog your windshield.

And yeah, carbs are gonna' require a little more "tinkering" than a fuel-injected car but an "oldie" like your T/A is much easier to work on than a newer car like your friends probably have. I've had the "one on the gas/one on the brake" problem before, too 

You might want to pick up Cliff Ruggles book on quadrajets...very helpful to have http://www.amazon.com/Rebuild-Modify-Rochester-Quadrajet-Carburetors/dp/1932494189/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203493893&sr=1-1

And the factory service manual is a must have for any bird owner: http://www.78ta.com/sale/cdsale.htm

[ta78w72]

A leaking heater core will fog the windows too.

[GK_STAR]

If it is the heater core you should be able to smell it, that antifreeze smell. At least I have when that has happened to me.

[rkellerjr]

And sometimes leak nasty green stuff in your cabin.

[trancelgic]

Bless you for not saying "cockpit"....

And sometimes leak nasty green stuff in your cabin.

[79transam92]

no antifreeze smell, I think it was just because it was sitting for a long time, a coach at school who has an 81 berlinetta agrees (for once)

[79transam92]

I have a Holley 4 barrel 1850-3

[RENOVATIONS]

Ok, so buy the book AND a quadrajet

[78w72]

stilllwater oklahoma.....i got stranded there once, darn greyhound bus left me after we made a stop. it was halloween night & i was all alone with no money, stranded for 13 hours untill the next bus came.

luckily i met a nice girl dressed as a prisoner & she took me back to her dorm room to watch a movie & get some food while i waited for my bus. once i got home all my stuff that was on the bus that left me was stolen!!! i will never forget that night or ride greyhound again.

still water was a prety cool place though, it's a college town & most of the population are college students. sorry, just had to mention that. 

[79transam92]

ok, BTW new problem, dimmer switch makes lights go out now, used to work a month ago, is it possible both inner burned out but outer lights are off too, is that normal or is it the dimmer switch(on the floor)

[RENOVATIONS]

So to clarify: you're saying none of the headlights burn? And the dimmer switch (whether column or floor mounted) doesn't change anything when used??

[79transam92]

the outside ones are lit, and then to change them to brights I push the switch, then the lights go out, I think it might be a switch problem, if the outside lights go off, is it likely to be switch?