The 1964 Tempest is a transitional-year car that ditched the oddball rope-drive transaxle for conventional front-engine/rear-trans layout, making it more reliable but introducing new V8 cooling and trans mount issues. The 194ci four-cylinder is durable but anemic; the 326 V8 is the desirable powertrain but demands attention to oiling and cooling systems that weren't quite sorted in '64.
Automatic Transmission Overheating and Oil Cooler Failure
Common · high severityTypical onset: 60,000-90,000 mi or after years of city driving
Symptoms: Burnt transmission fluid smell and dark brown/black fluid, Slipping between gears, especially 1-2 shift, Transmission cooler lines leaking at crimped fittings, Overheating on highway drives or towing
Fix: Replace transmission oil cooler (often integrated into radiator tank or external), flush system, replace transmission mount if degraded from heat. Budget 6-8 hours for cooler replacement if radiator must come out, plus 2-3 hours for trans service and mount. Factory coolers were undersized for the 326 V8.
Estimated cost: $800-1,600
Transmission Mount Collapse
Common · medium severityTypical onset: 70,000-120,000 mi or 50+ years of age
Symptoms: Clunking or banging when shifting from Park to Drive, Vibration at idle in gear, Visible sagging of transmission tailshaft, Driveline angle issues causing u-joint wear
Fix: Replace rubber transmission mount and inspect crossmember for cracks. Original mounts harden and crumble with age; even low-mileage cars suffer this. 1.5-2 hours labor, straightforward job but requires trans support.
Estimated cost: $150-300
Main and Rod Bearing Wear on 326 V8
Occasional · high severityTypical onset: 80,000-140,000 mi or history of poor oil maintenance
Symptoms: Low oil pressure at idle when hot (under 15 psi), Knocking or rumbling from lower engine, especially on cold start, Metal shavings in oil or on magnetic drain plug, Progressive loss of power
Fix: Requires engine removal or in-frame overhaul depending on damage. Main bearings typically go first due to marginal oiling on early 326s. Re-torque procedure on mains is critical. Plan 25-35 hours for full bottom-end rebuild including removal, machine work, and reinstallation. If crank needs grinding, add $300-500 to parts cost.
Estimated cost: $3,500-6,000
Piston Ring Wear and Blowby
Occasional · medium severityTypical onset: 100,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Blue smoke on deceleration or startup, Excessive crankcase pressure, oil filler cap pops off, High oil consumption (1 qt per 500-800 miles), Loss of compression, hard starting when warm
Fix: Requires cylinder honing and piston ring replacement at minimum, often turns into full rebuild once heads are off and wear is assessed. If cylinders are scored, needs bore and oversize pistons. 20-30 hours including head work and reassembly. Early 326s used soft piston rings in some production runs.
Estimated cost: $2,800-5,500
Fuel System Varnish and Filter Clogging
Common · low severityTypical onset: Any mileage after sitting or with old gas
Symptoms: Hard starting or no-start after sitting overnight, Hesitation or stumble during acceleration, Engine dies at idle after warm-up, Fuel starvation under load
Fix: Replace inline fuel filter (often ignored on classics), clean or rebuild carburetor, flush fuel tank if contaminated. The '64 used in-line filters that were maintenance items, not lifetime parts. Budget 2-4 hours if carb needs rebuild, 1 hour for filter and line inspection alone.
Estimated cost: $200-600
Crankshaft Thrust Bearing Failure
Rare · high severityTypical onset: Variable, often related to clutch abuse on manual cars or torque converter issues on automatics
Symptoms: Excessive crankshaft endplay (over 0.010 inches), Grinding noise when engaging clutch or shifting to Drive, Clutch pedal feels different or won't release fully, Vibration that changes with clutch engagement
Fix: Requires engine or transmission removal to replace thrust bearings and check crank surface. Often discovered during other bottom-end work. 3-5 hours added to existing engine-out job, or 18-22 hours as standalone repair. Early Tempests had issues with thrust bearing oiling.
Estimated cost: $1,800-3,200
Buy the cleanest body you can find with a running drivetrain, not a project car — mechanical rebuilds cost more than the car's worth unless you're emotionally invested or doing the work yourself.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.