Jump to content

1960 Buick LeSabre advice


Guest AndiM

Recommended Posts

Guest AndiM

Just inherited the families 1960 Buick LeSabre. Where can I find maintenance info on what type of gas and additive to use and recommendations for other good maintenance practices and products?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome, AndiM

First… stay close to this forum.

Second, join the Buick Club of America.

If the car is not running now …. don't start it until you check in with the experts here at this forum.

Starting cars that have NOT been run in a long time is an art form & trying to crank

a motor with who knows what in the crankcase/fuel lines, etc can make a simple process

frustrating and tedious.

WHile we are sorting all this out…. go to eBay and buy every factory manual you can find for a 1960 Buick.

Shop manual, body service manual, owners manual, and all supplements.

Let us all know what state your car is in and we can advise from there. Specifics always help when

trying to troubleshoot over the internet…so, any details can be important.

We want your new inheritance to give you years of driving pleasure and an opportunity to

meet some very nice folks!

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While totally agreeing with Mike, I would simply add, chances are good that you will not need any additives to the gas. Buicks can run on todays gasoline. The trick is to not let the car sit for long periods of time. Even idling the engine once a month may be enough to keep the car running trouble free.

Congratulations on a wonderful family heirloom. Pictures please.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest AndiM
Welcome, AndiM

First… stay close to this forum.

Second, join the Buick Club of America.

If the car is not running now …. don't start it until you check in with the experts here at this forum.

Starting cars that have NOT been run in a long time is an art form & trying to crank

a motor with who knows what in the crankcase/fuel lines, etc can make a simple process

frustrating and tedious.

WHile we are sorting all this out…. go to eBay and buy every factory manual you can find for a 1960 Buick.

Shop manual, body service manual, owners manual, and all supplements.

Let us all know what state your car is in and we can advise from there. Specifics always help when

trying to troubleshoot over the internet…so, any details can be important.

We want your new inheritance to give you years of driving pleasure and an opportunity to

meet some very nice folks!

Mike

Thanks Mike. The car actually runs. It sat for about a year, but I believe my brother started it up on occasion. It was in NJ, but I moved it to where I am in the Atlanta, GA area. I ail have to check to see my brother came across the manuals. I will join the club. I appreciate all the help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest AndiM

Hi John. I will have to figure out how to download a pic. I'm amazed that you can use regular gas without additive…regular or premium. My brother, who didn't drive it suggested additive with premium, so that's great news. The car runs pretty well and starts right up. My first task is to find someone in my area to take care of some leaks. It would be nice if there was some help for the smell in the garage. The gas smell is quite strong. Thank you so much for your reply!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi John. I will have to figure out how to download a pic. I'm amazed that you can use regular gas without additive…regular or premium. My brother, who didn't drive it suggested additive with premium, so that's great news. The car runs pretty well and starts right up. My first task is to find someone in my area to take care of some leaks. It would be nice if there was some help for the smell in the garage. The gas smell is quite strong. Thank you so much for your reply!

I run my 54 on regular and add nothing to the tank. I run or drive it once a week. No issues. Fires up first time every time. As for the gas smell, these cars vented to the atmosphere at the carburetor. Nature of the beast. Today's cars have enclosed fuel systems right to the gas cap that will throw a check engine light if the cap is not on tight or leaking vacuum. However, check for leaks just in case.

Welcome to the Buick family!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I use one of my cars, I leave it outside the garage for 20 minutes or so, with the hood open , to allow the engine to cool and the gases to escape. Then I'll drive it in and shut it down quick. If you have a very strong smell of gas where the car has not been run for a day or so, chances are you do have a leak. It may be coming from anyplace there is a rubber hose in the fuel system. Todays gas will run in the car but it has ingredients that will break down old fuel line, and quickly. I have no experiences with 60's Buicks but in most cases there is a piece of rubber fuel line between the supply line and the fuel pump. Also there is a good chance there is a piece of rubber fuel line between the tank and the fuel line by the back axle.

In this case I would push the car outside the garage and leave it outside till you can get these hoses replaced.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to the forum!

Engine oil should be a type specially made for old engines. Modern oils designed for modern engines and emmissions do not have a good level of antiwear additives due to environmental regulations. You can use any modern oil with an additive called ZDDP or buy an oil like this http://locator.penngrade1.com/ or similar that is specially formulated for old engines and no additive is needed. I avoid using additives if at all possible. You can use a 10w30 or 10w40

Also if you plan to drive the car the brake system will need a complete overhaul for safety and reliability.

Edited by JZRIV (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Drive it, drive it, drive it! Keep the tank full, top it off every Sunday afternoon. I use Texaco oil in all my cars hoping just by chance someone in Texas might get some of the money.

If the garage smells like gas there is a leak. I have four cars in my garage and sometimes it smells like Kroil. But that follows me into the house and my wife asks what that chemical smell is.

Don't "find someone in the area who". At $80 per hour you can get a decent start on some basic tools by avoiding your first service misadventure. Do everything yourself. The first thing you will say is "Wow! What an easy car to change valve cover gaskets on!"

Be independent. When you can't, rely on your local Buick Club chapter members for help. That is a benefit of membership.

And don't fight advice when you ask for it.

Last night I had an excellent example of how a person can benefit from membership. In 1994 I joined the Rolls-Royce Owner's Club on the advice of a friend. He said using the resources of the club would help me make a better decision in the car I bought, rather than buying a car first, then joining the club, and having someone say "Oh, you bought THAT car."

The same person rode out of my driveway in my black 1994 Impala SS. As we turned up the street I said "This is the car I chose to buy over a Sliver Spur."

He said "You are a very smart man."

Don't take any of it too seriously and you will have fun.

Bernie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest AndiM

Thanks for all the great advice John. I will get some shots of the inside in the next few days. I'm waiting for the title to arrive so I can get it registered here in GA. I picked it up from the transporter at a shopping center up the street, drove it onto my driveway, then put it in the garage. I have and have a tarp and drip pan under it. I'm dying to drive it and get the leaks taken care of.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest AndiM

Excellent Bernie! I have never worked on a car before. I don't think watching my dad tinker and handing him tools when I was a little girl counts. The most I've done is replace exterior broken parts on my son's Explorer, including a broken tail light and side mirror. You can find directions to just about anything on YouTube, but I think an engine may be beyond me. I'm a do-it-yourselfer, so I won't say never. I've talked to an acquaintance who own a few classic cars and he is going to get me the name of someone to check it out and fix the leaks. I joined the Buick Club of America yesterday. I have much to learn. I really appreciate any and all advice.

Thanks,

Andi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking forward to the pictures. Meanwhile I thought of another possibility for that gas smell. Check your gas cap to see if it says vented or ventless. I think by 1960 GM was putting ventless gas caps on the car. The tank needs a vent though and usually in the corner by the passengers side rear tire you may find a short piece of hose strapped to the side of the tank and pointing up towards the bottom of the trunk floor. You want to check that vent also if it is there.

If that vent is there and the hose has been replaced, you may want to check if the filter is in it. I had this problem with my 69. Without the filter the car reeked of gas. When I put the filter in it stopped. The filter may be available but I went to my NAPA store and bought a generic aircleaner breather element. Not the air cleaner, the breather hose filter that was common back in the 70's and 80's. I then removed the mesh and trimed off a piece to stick in the vent hose. Cheap and easy fix.

Good luck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest AndiM

Got the Buick registered yesterday and went out on the maiden voyage. It started right up, so I headed for the auto detailer only 4 miles up the road. After the hand washing someone tried to start it like a current model, they came and got me and it wouldn't turn over or even make a sound. I waited a stressful 25 minutes and contemplated my next move since I haven't found a mechanic yet. It must have been flooded because it finally started after the endless wait. I skipped the detail and parked it back in the garage. A few hours later, I got antsy to drive it again. My 24 year old daughter and I took it to the gas station up the road. People yelled out car windows and approached us at the gas station to check out the car. Great fun! I am in love with this car! My brother informed me that it has been riding with regular engine oil, rather than one specifically for classic cars. Once I change the oil, I will switch and stop using the additive. Here are a few inside shots.post-100647-143142515987_thumb.jpg

post-100647-143142515983_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like it vapor locked a bit after shut down and getting washed. As far as regular oils...I use what is on sale off the shelf at the auto parts store. 10W-30 standard oil. No issues at all.

Interior looks great. In love with the car? No one he would understand that all. :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice Buick story AndiM. Sorry it gave you a bit of a fit when trying to restart it.

Regarding that issue, you said it did not make any noise when trying to start it. 25 min later it started. It may have been flooded by continuously pumping the gas pedal to start the car. But if it was not making any noise, the flooding was a secondary issue. I would start by using a scraper style battery terminal cleaner on the cable ends and on the battery terminal. There used to be a wire brush style cleaner. I don't recommend that. The scraper style is inexpensive and makes a flat surface on the posts and terminals so no corrosion can get between the two. You do have to be careful to not scrape too much materials away. It is possible to wind up with battery posts that are too small, or terminals too loose to make a tight connection. You want a tight connection.

One more warning too. some people will tighten a terminal on a battery post and then try to swivel the terminal to check for tightness. A terminal should not swivel on the battery post at all. But do not try to swivel the terminal too hard. It is possible to break off a battery post by doing this and then it's new battery time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest shorttimer

Very nice. The '60s are great road cars - easy to drive and straightforward to maintain.

I might suggest you want to have the brakes bled and adjusted if the car has been sitting for some time. Drive and enjoy, and keep the pictures coming.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
Guest AndiM

Thanks Don! I have asked to join the Facebook group. Now that I have had the car here in Georgia for over a month and had a pair of mechanics check it over and recommend $2500 in repairs, I'm slightly bummed that even with the repairs I still have some leaks on the tarp in the garage. Is it unrealistic to expect the car to not leak fluids? It's back in the shop for them to take a look. I've been driving it a bunch and loving every second, even in the hot Atlanta weather with no AC. I actually get good air flow through the vents.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leaks are very common when you put a car back on the road after a long rest... Seals get hard so when things start moving again, they don't seal so well.

it is important that you go through the brakes. Not going is one thing but not stopping is another you don't want to experience. These cars only have a single master brake cylinder so if something fails you loose everything, unlike later cars that have dual MC where you retain some, albeit less effective, brakes. In particular, the rubber lines between the wheel cylinders and the metal lines can cause headaches even if the "look OK". The inside can swell and act like a check valve causing the brakes not to release.

I'm of the strong opinion that the best person to work on your car is the one you see in the rear view mirror. if I were you, I'd think about finding a mechanical mentor that can coach you on repairs and invest in some basic tools. Either that or have deep pockets and lots of patience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Don! I have asked to join the Facebook group. Now that I have had the car here in Georgia for over a month and had a pair of mechanics check it over and recommend $2500 in repairs, I'm slightly bummed that even with the repairs I still have some leaks on the tarp in the garage. Is it unrealistic to expect the car to not leak fluids? It's back in the shop for them to take a look. I've been driving it a bunch and loving every second, even in the hot Atlanta weather with no AC. I actually get good air flow through the vents.

Ok … let's dig into the $2500 quote on "fixing leaks"

What is leaking and exactly where from? This is important in doing a cost benefit analysis.

First, gasoline leaking is bad and needs to be completely taken care of. The good news it is relatively easy & cheap to

button up a fuel system.

Second, brakes. Getting the right parts & installing them is pretty straight forward.

Third, coolant leaks. This can a big deal depending where it's coming from or as simple as

a hose, gasket, etc. We need to determine where it's at.

If you are uncomfortable with fixing these items on your own then by all means have a qualified OLD car mechanic

do the work. Bad fuel delivery or leak problems, or, brake leak/reliability problems, or,

leaky/overheat problems can quickly

thwart your enthusiasm for old cars when left on the side of the road.

Now, we are left with Dynaflow leaks, engine oil leaks, and rear axle leaks.

As a life long Buick person I can attest to their tendency to leak trans fluid from a variety of places… or all of them at once!

I have only had to yank one Dynaflow since 1968… due to it failing internally to go in reverse and slipped like hell going forward.

The point is that these transmissions are durable and will go forever if you can put up with a quart or two or trans fluid

on your outings… Yanking them is not for the faint of heart in the garage or out on the driveway.

A 401 nailhead can spew a bit of engine oil, while still delivering great performance …. we need to know Where it's coming from, though.

Lastly, rear axle/diff fluid. If it's coming from the ends of the axles and messing up the linings of the brakes….

then it's a matter of new bearings and seals ( and brake linings possibly) to fix.

My 58 Roadmaster 75 has just turned 40,000 miles. When sitting, It leaks it's share of trans fluid past the torque tube seals, it leaks a little bit of engine oil.

And, there's a bit of seepage at the rear diff, but not enough to concern me...

The thing is the more I drive the car…the less it leaks! I had a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow that leaked everywhere when sitting.

After driving it daily for a few days… it would stop completely!

Take your $2500 estimate and give us the details of precisely what and where the work to be performed is. Give us the rate of leakage; both sitting for a while & during/after regular driving for a few days.

You will get sage and spirited advice here from the boys & will be informed to the extent that you can at least drive the car and know

what it MUST have to be safe and reliable, or, what would be NICE to do … but not critical to fix, save a bit of fluid and cardboard for the

garage floor……. So brakes and fuel…"git 'er done"… the other stuff….let's chew on it!

That's mike 2 cents for the day!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest AndiM

I'm hoping the mechanics I had give it the once over and make repairs are the good guys that I believe them to be. It needed so much work that once they had it all cleaned up, it took a few times of me taking it out to see they had missed something. Hopefully, they have it so that if I do have a leaks, they will be more of the occasional drop on the tarp. I do have a question, now that I can move from the mechanics and on to cosmetics. I noticed today that the rubber at the base of the accelerator pedal is starting to crack from age. Is there anything I can put on it to slow or eliminate the hardening?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest AndiM

The carborator was leaking. Oil was leaking from the rear main seal of the engine, the oil pan, down draft tube and torque tube ball area. I also had a few holes in the exhaust system. The battery was over charging and heating up which was causing old acid left under it to make me feel pretty ill when I drove it. They repaired the brake line, bled the brakes and replaced the bearings. I had some rocker arms and push rods on a few cylinders that were bad, I replaced the headlights with halogens. Only one was original and I kept it, though I'm not sure why. They also repaired a bad switch that controls the airflow. For that I am hugely grateful, especially this time of year in Georgia! I'm sure I missed a few things. I know there was a transmission fluid leak too, but can;t remember where it was. THat's about covers it, except for a few bulbs that needed replacing. It's driving like a dream. I'm not sure what the MPG is, but I'm spending a good amount of time at the pump!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...