Q: How do you avoid the upper and lower A arm bushings from melting on a 1970 GS 455?
I'm looking into buying a 1970 GS 455 and am researching common issues/ maintenance problems. I found that one of the main engineering issues is that the exhaust manifolds are too close to the A-arm bushings, thus the bushings melt because of the heat. Is there a way to fix this? Possibly by using a heat shield or buying better bushings that can absorb the heat better? If it cannot be fixed, how often do the bushings fail? How easy are they to be replaced?
My car has 150000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.
Hi there - yes, this is a very large engine, in a moderately-sized place, with lots of heat transfer issues! As you suggest, heat shields, or wrapping the exhaust manifold (headers?) with "heat wrap" to keep the heat inside the exhaust, is the best alternative. Although you could go to polyurethane control arm bushings, this would be a less comfortable ride, with virtually any surface irregularity of the road transmitted to the chassis. Try heat shields or exhaust wrap first. Good luck!
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