Beemon

When I rebuilt my fuel pump, the shop manual makes it clear not to stretch the diaphragm on assembly or else your fuel psi goes up towards 11. Could have just been a bad rebuilder, too.

Thanks for the replies! I have not noticed any loss of power while driving. I took the car for a spin last night and it was slow to warm up, but as soon as the secondaries on the 4GC kicked in, the car was happy as usual at idle. It's getting late in the year and I still have the 160 thermostat, but I haven't noticed any pegging on the temp gauge. Getting high oil pressure readings, but I think that's because of the straight 30w and zinc additive I put in the car. I live in Washington so it's starting to cool down here. New exhaust is in the budget about a month down the road. I was quoted about 1200 for stainless to keep close to the original system with mandrel bends and stainless steel. Edit: I forgot to mention that the idle circuits were tested with an air compressor before reassembly. They are clear now, there is a huge performance increase over how it was originally ran.

I just had my Rochester 4GC dipped this week since my idle circuit for the passenger side venturi tube was clogged. I've been experiencing great pressure out the driver side exhaust but little to no pressure out the passenger side exhaust and I was hoping this would have been the cause. The mufflers as far as I know are stock 1956... the 322 was rebuilt and only has about 500 miles on it. Could this be a collapsed muffler? I would think if it were, my vacuum readings wouldn't be between 19-21 and I wouldn't see condensation out the tailpipe, but they are and I do. I plan on replacing the old exhaust because there are leaks on both sides, but just want to make sure this isn't an engine or exhaust manifold problem. Other things to note: I did away with the hot air choke since mine was cut and seized to the manifold, converting to electric. A renowned header and exhaust shop near my house told me to rip out the old hot air butterfly valve because it had also seized and he couldn't break it loose after a bath, so I don't have that in there to constrict flow either (the bearing rod is still there, the actual butterfly is gone). Not stock original, I know, but not much I can do after the exhaust manifolds had been disconnected for nearly 40 years...

Here is the list of parts I purchased when I did the conversion. Some of the numbers had changed so I had to track them down, but here's the complete list of parts. Scarebird also provides a list of parts with manufacturer part numbers after purchasing the kit. These are all from NAPA because I prefer them over all else and my local NAPA boys do things old school when I bring them questions (bust out the books instead of asking me what engine I have in my car for windshield wipers). When I bought it, it was $165, so I'm basing my price budget off what I paid for. The kit today looks like it contains more stuff (looks like bearings). Always ask questions before you make your final purchase! Scarebird: Scarebird kit: $1651971-1976 Buick Riviera Rotors: $42.99 (NB 4885537) x21990-2002 Chevy Astro Van Calipers: $34.50 ea (L: SE4851) (R: SE4850)1990-2002 Chevy Astro Van Banjo Bolt: $2.70 ea (UP 82703) x21979-1990 Chevy Caprice Hydraulic Hose: $8.70 (UP 36847) x21979-1982 Dodge Colt Inner Wheel Bearing: $31.99 (BRG BR51) x21971-1976 Buick Riviera Outer Wheel Bearing: $13.50 (BRG BR3) x21977 Buick Riviera Wheel Seal: $3.15 (NOS 19984) x21971-1976 Buick Riviera Dust Cap: $4.29 (NOE 7302438) x2The pads are included with the calipers, but I chose to go with the ultra premium series: $75 (can't go cheap on brakes!)Total: ~$523.70 (Only shipping paid is on Scarebird kit, everything else is shipped free to any local NAPA location usually within the same week!) Kanter Disc Conversion Kit: $749 Stock: Wheel Cylinder: $28.99 ea x2Brake Hose: $11.69 ea x2Drums (Kanter\CARS): $119 ea x2Shoes (CARS): $48.75 (Kanter only offers front+rear brake kits)Bearing Kit (Kanter): $159 (CARS does not have a bearing kit, expect to spend extra $$$)Brake Spring Kit (CARS): $20Total: ~$548 (excluding shipping, which will make it more expensive. This option is already more expensive than the kit sourced by Scarebird!) Now I want to point out that the disc conversion kit will work with the original master cylinder proportioning valve, although not recommended. When I rebuilt the original master cylinder and booster, I used kits provided by Kanter. My piston was clean but the master cylinder itself was pitted on the inside. You should note that these units do not need to be sleeved! The piston never touches the wall and only displaces the liquid by volume displaced, so the inside surface area is irrelevant (according to the engineering department at my college). The only thing the piston rides on is the rubber seals inside the master cylinder - if your piston is rusted, it will deteriorate these seals. Kanter parts: Delco Kit: $99 (Bendix kit is only $75, I don't know if they're a better booster than the Delco...)Leather Piston Cup: $38Stop Light Switch: $22Push Rod Boot (Optional I suppose): $19You will also need to replace the rubber hose going from the inlet valve to the booster section, which you can get from any NAPA for less than $5.Total: $178 before shipping. I do not know the cost to have one professionally rebuilt, but Kanter offers boosters for $349 plus a core deposit, so I'm guessing upwards to $500 for a professional rebuild. The Master Cylinder and Booster combo I bought came from MPBrakes.com and Speedway Motors, respectively (Speedway had a cheaper booster and some other accessories I needed that I'll list below). 1" Bore Dual Power Master Cylinder: $179 (MC1001PZK)7" Dual Diaphragm Brake Booster: $140 (91031431)Mr. Gasket Vacuum Reservoir: $40 (5503701) Adjustable Proportioning Valve: $33 (91031353)2 PSI Disc Residual Valve: $15 (91031345)10 PSI Drum Residual Valve: $15 (91031347)Total: $422 I replaced the vacuum reservoir for good measure since I replaced the original unit with this setup all together. Since I couldn't use the old proportioning block from the old unit, I bought an adjustable unit, which is close to the factory 53/47 setting (to my knowledge, you want disc/drums closer to 60/40). The residual valves were also recommended to keep the lines ahead of them primed with fluid so the fluid doesn't have to travel as far and results in tighter pedal response. The original pedal didn't have much pedal throw in the way of newer vehicles, so this was key for me. I mounted the master cylinder in the same location with minor modifications. I had to put a tiny hole in the frame of the car right above where the thru bolts reinforced the X-frame. I also had to cut out a cross member for the power steering box support, which I later reinforced with another piece of steel. Lastly, since the space was very compact, the front most hole for the front brakes was directly behind the inner fender skirt, so I had to drill a hole thru the inner fender to reveal this port. Bear in mind that this was the only way I could make the master cylinder work in the stock location. I have seen people upgrade the brakes by mounting the master cylinder to the vent cover, which I feel is much more tedious to do than keeping the stock pedal location. To compensate for a lack of pressure switch (which are terrible in my honest opinion), I installed a push button brake light switch mounted to the steering column using an L bracket with two cylinder clamps around it. The only hole I drilled was one big enough for the push button body, which I then slid down until it fully contacted the brake pedal. When the pedal is depressed, the button is released and the lights come on. I forget the part number right now and I don't have any pictures of it currently, but it works as intended and is hidden from sight unless you go to look under the dash. Anyways I hope this helps. I can't really offer any answers for any other questions regarding the system unless its a 1956, as simply put I do not have access to those vehicles. If they mount the same way, though, it should be very similar fit if you feel comfortable with the modifications required.

I mounted my dual master cylinder in the stock location and did not have to play with the brake pedal. I did have to weld a half inch ball bearing to a nut to screw on to the booster push rod, though. I also went remote fill and put the reservoir above the steering column on the fender. I didn't mean to try and start a war earlier, but I just wanted to clarify that I'm not some punk kid doing punk kid stuff to classic cars. My grandfather drove this car brand new from 1956 to 1978 and in those years the original booster failed twice and was serviced. I don't know if it was a terrible system or not but when I started my restoration, that was the first thing my grandfather told me to take care of. I had the original system rebuilt and it works, but I also asked his opinion on the subject and told me to trash it, recollecting guys who broke the bottom half of their steering wheel trying to stop their car either due to brake fade or a failed power booster. I know it's not for everyone, but these are different times with different cars and people on the road. After getting my car licensed earlier this year, I've had to make three emergency stops and I'm glad I upgraded the system because the ability to stop the car has greatly increased from when I used to test drive the car with drum/drum and the original booster through my grandfather's division in comparison to the disc/drum and dual master and booster.

Mine do. You have to grind off the corners of the calipers that are suggested in those kits to fit under the original rim.

I can say that without a doubt the Scarebird rotor conversion was one of the best things I did for my 56 Buick. After I've driven the car with both setups, the rotors definitely out performed the drum brakes (I kept drums on the rear to be clear here). I don't feel brake fade anymore going down the steeper hills around where I live as I did before and the car is much more responsive when it stops. Plus, you don't have to fiddle with the shoe adjustments anymore, and that's a plus. If you're planning on keeping it classic, then keep the drums. I went for safety on my ride, but kept the backing plates if I ever care to return the car to its proper glory. I'm probably in a very small minority here, but the 1956 power brake booster was prone to failure on my model. I don't know if it is the specific model or all of them, but my grandfather told me he had the booster repaired twice in the car's lifetime. I kept the original unit, but upgraded to a 7 in. dual diaphragm brake booster with a dual reservoir remote fill master cylinder and a brand new vacuum canister, along with residual valves and a hand metered proportioning valve.The setup mounted in the original position with minor modifications and I have been extremely happy with how the car performs. I didn't bother with the original equipment because I wanted ease of mind. It didn't help that my grandfather would not ride with me in his old car unless it had been replaced, but I feel I'm better for it. I also want to point out that I saved quite a bit of cash converting over to a more modern system rather than having the old system rebuilt to fail again. Just my two cents.

Thanks for the help in clearing some things up gents. I'll definitely get around to replacing the old mirror with two new ones after I finish rebuilding the front end suspension.

The mirror comes off with two screws and isn't affixed with anything else - there are no gaskets or anything. The only reason why I'm confused is because my grandmother drove the car off the line in Flint, Michigan. My grandfather also bought his mother a Roadmaster, which also had matching mirrors. Thanks for the heads up Mack, I'll do some more digging. I'll most likely settle for the official Buick reproduction in the end. Quick question, though. What is the difference between these two mirrors? http://www.oldbuickparts.com/catalog/up-to-1960-buick-group-10-mirrors-rearview-mirror-1954-56-outside-lh-p-6928.html http://www.oldbuickparts.com/catalog/up-to-1960-buick-group-10-mirrors-rearview-mirror-1954-56-outside-lh-p-5075.html They are both the same price, however one is labeled B and for Roadmaster and Super, and the other is S and is for the Special, Century and Skylark.

Did they put those mirrors on the century? I'm just clueless because my model has aftermarket mirrors... CARS inc. had the reproduction "Roadmaster" mirrors. http://www.oldbuickparts.com/catalog/up-to-1960-buick-group-10-mirrors-rearview-mirror-1954-56-outside-set-p-4864.html They say set B though, that's why I thought there was another style.

I've been trying to track down a replacement passenger side mirror for my 56 Century since its been broke off by a ladder or something during its 40 year sleep. So far I've managed to track down two mirrors on Ebay with the exact same base but the mirrors are rectangular and not round. If I bought it, how hard is it to remove the mirror and put a round one on there if I find a round mirror piece? Also does anyone have any idea what the part number or who the manufacturer is? I'm guessing its a generic GM accessory mirror because searching 56 Buick only turns up the Roadmaster style mirrors that are being reproduced. Does anyone have any leads on new mirrors that look similar? The holes are 4 1/4 inch apart and I don't want to put more holes into the body of the car, but it looks like I might be out of options. Attached is mine.

It is a 1 inch bore, just like the original system.

This was done on a 1956 Buick, as the thread title suggests. The system turned out better than expected. If you buy a new brake line kit, the only two lines that need to be cut and rebent are the one that comes from the T behind the front driver wheel and the one that comes from the rubber flex hose at the drive line. I also had to cut a small hole in the frame of the car for the longer master cylinder to fit in the original mounting position. For the NPT threads on the proportioning valve and pressure residual valves I had to use a T+2 Pipe Thread sealer I got from my local McClendon's Hardware, I could not get the brass NPT fittings to seal without it, no matter how tight I got them. I also applied it to the brass elbow fittings on top of the master cylinder, but they've sprung a leak so I think I'm going to load it up with more sealant since before I just dabbed a spot. Here are some shots of the build: Note that the front line I had to redo because the wheel hit it. Here was the revision, I had to cut a small hole for the master cylinder to poke through the fender well. Again, not original, but more functional and safe. It won't be a daily driver by any means, but my grandfather told me to throw away the old unit and that was enough for me. These pictures are a bit dated, I don't have any photos of the current state of the system, but I've covered the steel lines in the fender well with plastic wire tunnel so it won't be affected by debris.

Apologies, did not mean to start two topics. ...

I'm at a loss right now, I cannot find this part anywhere. Has anyone had success replacing this part? My fan motor needs to work in both high and low to register the vehicle.

Well just checked and the system is wired properly. ... still trying to wrap my head around why it's giving me vacuum issues. Could it possibly be the pump? If I hit the washer button,I can hear it whir but nothing comes out until the engine is turned off.

I'm trying to solve the reason why I lose 8 inches of vacuum after I've hooked up the new vacuum lines. Disconnecting the lines at the first T and hooking up a vacuum gauge I get a solid 18 inches at idle. I pulled the wiper motor and it had crusted overt so I cleaned it up with brake cleaner, made new gaskets, added new grease, reassembled and hooked it back up and am still having vacuum problems. The motor turns when not seated at 12-15 inches of vacuum. The only other thing I can think of is that either the fluid pump itself has a leak, or I wired the motor power line to the switch power line. Could either of these cause this big of an issue? I think I've ruled out the motor because I sealed the gaskets pretty well.

That was the issue. I guess when the engine first cranked one of the bolts must have loosened because I swore they were on tight. I just replaced all three with new grade 8 bolts and lock washers from the local McClendon's Hardware and now it runs smooth as silk. My only concern now is that I think the pulley bearing in the power steering pump may be going out as there's a tiny hum to it that doesn't sound right. Regardless, I'm pretty happy the car is up and running. Been sitting since 1978, I should get around to making a Me and my Buick post. Also forgive me, this has been a frame on restoration in my grandfather's exposed car port...

This is kind of branching off from my other thread but after getting the motor to run there has been a ticking at the front. I initially thought it was the water pump but when I used a large wooden dowel to listen for the sound, the water pump sounded fine (it sounded like churning water with no scraping). Now I think it's the harmonic balancer. My original one was cracked through the key way and had been replaced witha new one by the same mechanic that rebuilt my engine. After observing the belt to the generator, it wobbles excessively and although it's not very noticeable, the pulley on the harmonic balancer wobbles but the balancer seems smooth and I would figure the crank would be making interesting noises. I used my high tech stethoscope and it sounds like the pulley is the culprit. Could the pulley on the front have the bolts loosen and cause a ticking noise? Also I repainted it, what was the black ring around the inside of the pulley and could that be the culprit? I just got the car running,I would hate to have to tear it down again...

Well that's reassuring, it's idling at 600 after using a Dwell meter. I have a new concern, though. I just had my water pump rebuilt and when I fired the 322 off for the first time it was making an audible ticking noise. I disconnected the belts and ran it for a few seconds and the ticking was gone. I then used a screw driver to my ear and isolated that it was the water pump and not the generator or power steering pump. Is this normal on break in? Sounds like bad bearings which is unfortunate because I had paid for it to be rebuilt.

My mistake, 450 rpm. Now is that 450 idle in neutral or 450 idle in drive? The engine was rebuilt. Everything is working great, I primed the oil before ignition and when I was running it, oil pressure was normal. The engine sounds nice, just having trouble dropping the rpms.

I just recently fired off my 322 Nailhead for the first time since it died in 1978. The shop manual says idle rpm is supposed to be around 350 but when I drop past 500 the car stalls and dies. This seems too low especially with ethanol based gasoline. Any tips?

I might have mixed up my information with 1955... I have had the Dynaflow, Nailhead and Radiator rebuilt. So you are saying the 1956 radiator will be sufficient? I'm just concerned with fluid getting into the transmission and if it would just be better to mount a remote transmission cooler to the front on the radiator and plug the transmission cooler holes on the radiator.

I'm to the point where I need to hook the Dynaflow cooler lines up, but I don't want to run them to the radiator as I've heard that's really an inefficient way to cool the Dynaflow. I'm curious as to what type of transmission coolers others have used, what type of fittings/tubing was used and placement? I'm sure it's not too hard to reroute to the front of the radiator.

Damn that looks like the onei got... except I paid almost $80 for it. Well I can attempt to try the old pump but it's been sitting out of the car for more than 30 years. Any kits that are ethanol friendly?