[imported_JohnD1956]

Since purchase of the Wagon I have known it needed sparkplug wires. But I put it off for one reason or another. Then Wednesday the speedometer cable broke and Thursday we had torrential rains all day where upon the car was missing so bad I thought I would be stalling in traffic. So Friday I picked up some parts and had at it this AM.

I pulled the speedometer cable between the transmission and the cruise control transducer and found the end snapped off in the transducer. The cable itself is a breeze to do, the end was a bit of a challenge, or so I thought.

Upon removal of the cable the broken cable piece would not come out. So I decided I had to get the gear out to extract the broken piece. Two screws hold the unit in the car, two screws hold the unit together, one teeny tiny screw holds the torsion spring in place inside the unit. Guess which screw I dropped.

I spent an hour looking for that screw in an ever widening circle but I was not successful. With rain predicted I figured I 'd better tackle the wires and then go back to it. The wires were easy, and this time I remembered to put the longer wires on plugs #2 and 6, because while they look closer than #4 and 8 respectively, the wires have to travel further at the cap. And just as I was finishing that, my son Andrew comes out the door and I stopped him.

I described the teensy screw, and he looked straight down at the ground between us and said there it is.

So now the Wagon runs like a new car. No more cross fireing and I can even use regular gas again. And the cruise works and everything. What a Buickful day!

Here's a pic from a few weeks ago this spring, after I polished it. Still needs work but it runs like a Buick should.

[serb]

JD,

Is that the Riv in the background?


Stevo

[imported_JohnD1956]

No, it's the LaCrosse. I sold the Riv a year ago. They are almost the same color, and the 06 LaCrosse has a lot of the last generation Riv design cues.

[imported_Thriller]

John,

That's excellent to be able to get something done and the feeling of accomplishment, along with a better running car, is a good thing.

In a sense I know how you feel...over the last week we've been doing a lot of little things on the Wildcat for Colorado.

[JohnD1956]

Since shortly after my June 20th post, I have been chasing a miss in the wagon. I think I posted about this once already but as a reminder, I replaced everything on the engine that was electrical, except the coil. Then with the same miss and bucking still plaguing me I went to my friend who races GM products. He simply started the car and said I had a fuel delivery problem. That had never occured to me.
After a test drive he thought I had dirt in the carb or a sinking float, and recommended I put in a new gas filter now, and rebuild the carb first chance I get. I also made a mental note to replace the fuel line as a precaution. Someone previous to me had bypassed the original fuel line using 3/8th inch flexible fuel line, for the entire length, tank to pump. Even though I had no external gas leaks, I figured if I was getting debris then maybe the line was disintegrating internally.
While ordering a carb kit I found out NAPA could get me the Thermostatic Vacuum Control Switch which had also been broken before I got the car. Previously they, and the Buick Dealer, told me it was not available anymore. This switch on this car controls the heat riser valve, and in the broken state I found out the heat riser was not opening. I also put STP Gas treatment in the tank, and I continued to drive the car to work for the last two weeks with this miss.
The more I drove it the better it seemed to get, but on several occasions it was bucking as bad as it had been earlier. My friend said he could take the car and rebuild the carb this week, so I got down to business and finally replaced the fuel line. Lo and behold, the bucking and miss cleared up. I've put roughly 100 miles on it since replacing the fuel line and it runs pretty good. I gotta see what happens tomorrow morning but if it continues to run this good I'm going to put off the carb rebuild and buy the new battery for the 56.

Yahoo!

[BJM]

John,

I like the idea of a rebuilt carb though. That's such a critical part of the system and if this guy is good then you would be all set for a long time, not having to worry about that issue.

I like the architecture of your house by the way.

[JohnD1956]

Thanks for the compliment on the house Bryan. I always liked what I think would be called the California Ranch ( or raised ranch in this case) , with that big overhang. But in Upstate NY it's kinds out of place. This place sat vacant for almost a full year before we happened upon it 12 years ago. I'm kinda worried that would happen again if we tried to sell it. I was thinking if I added a deck across the front at the level of the upper floor it would look like a swiss chalet. That might sell better in this snowbelt area.

Meanwhile the place was built in 1965, and it could use some work right about now, if I can just stop putting all my dough into the cars for a while.