Beemon

What comes out the exhaust afterwards can be a serious issue.

What do you think is in there right now? Half tempted to leave it in, but I've been using the oil bath the last two years because I haven't been able to find a replacement filter after I caked it with soot and wildfire debris, so I just blew it out with a compressor. I was informed that WIX 42088 also works, but have not verified. I can say with confidence that swapping between the two, my car no longer wants to die at the Taco Bell drive-thru... did you notice similar Willie? Thanks everyone, I'll try kerosene first and then gas.

I had the radiator re-cored to a 3 core in 2015. I had it rodded out about 2 years ago after I put my replacement engine in. I've started filming my documentary on the Thermocure product, but I have a feeling I will need to remove the radiator and have it rodded out again.

Okay guys I've got another one. How do you all clean your oil bath air filter? Mine has some interesting FOD... don't mind the paint chips.

Thanks Tom, I did just that. Got it installed and we're in business. Fast idle charging around 14-14.5, which is perfect by the shop manual. Everything seems to be working as normal, looks like those commutator ends were the culprit. Goodbye ugly alternator.

Bearing in front is nice and tight. Bushing in back also seems good. No scoring on shaft that I can see. No thrown solder either, so no over charging. Looks like it was just some debris. Went ahead and cleaned up the guts with some electrical cleaner aerosol "for energized equipment". Lots of carbon dust. I'm going to try and separate those two commutator end pieces and see what happens. 👀

Okay, so found my third and most recent generator. Looks like two points on the commutator end are touching. Also some windings at the head of the armature are beat up. It's this maybe debris that got sucked in the back? Can't think of any other reason. Don't know anyone with a growler, is there a surefire way to check continuity?

I have a track record of destroying generator armatures. I can't find my third generator at this time to confirm, but essentially what would cause this issue to occur? Incorrect set voltage regulator? Pulley overdrive? Pulley measures approx. 3.125" outside edge and 1.5" inside v-belt groove.

You can always replace the clip with the super thin made in China ones that barely stay on and avoid this problem next time.

Alright let's not jump to conclusions here but I think it's the radiator.

Rheostat works, I think its the aftermarket gauges and tach I installed. The tach I will be pulling out, don't see much use for it anymore other than it was cool to see engine rpm ~= speed with a dynaflow. The lights come on and off occasionally, so I think its a ground. I have looked at this kit, and the AC kit. I can do the AC kit because it looks close to stock, but the brake kit for me changes too much. I have never had an issue with my original power brake master cylinder after I rebuilt it, it just takes more pedal effort to stop with discs. I was coming up a hill yesterday and the engine temps started creeping towards 190. I had to take the old clutch fan off and put the mechanical back on and it was having a hard time of things. I'm going to try this product I got turned on to called Thermocure. Seems that a lot of people have had great success with its ability to dissolve rust, so hopefully this can do something for me.

Well I figured out the vibration problem - tire belt came loose. I put new shoes on the girl last year and its been smooth since. In the last two years I have maybe put 200 miles on the car. Definitely not driving like she used to be. My main focus up until August of last year was keeping my 81 K5 Blazer afloat. I can't remember if I ever talked about my K5, but it all started with a need to finish school in some of the worst winter driving I've done. I bought it for $1200 and it was Bubba'd pretty bad. Over the past two years, any spare change I've had has gone to trying to keep this thing running, with the first step saving up enough for a cheap JEGS L31 long block and a China special intake manifold. This truck originally started as an 81 with a 305 sbc and a frankenstein drivetrain. Originally it came from the factory with an SM465/205 combo. Behind the engine was a TH350/NP208. This was quickly reverted with a SM465/208 combo I found out of a mid 80s truck. Needless to say, with what I've done to my Buick, I would say my truck is a 1981~91 or somewhere thereabouts. Also this is my cat that I rescued as a 5 week old Kitten from a bush and some terrible neighbors. She is my wingman and loves to cruise every now and then (AC required). So while this was all going on, I went through some life changing issues, one was a divorce from my partner of 9 years (married for 2). This was move out day with my third, newly acquired and financed Z71 Chevrolet Avalanche. Its only been broken into once since owning it. During this time, I kept my Buick mostly garaged with an occasional sprint here and there that usually wasn't any more than 10-15 miles, maybe once every 2-3 months. Here's a few pictures, I think from when I believe I left you guys up to current. This last one was most recently at work 2 months ago. I still haven't replaced my vanity plate from the accident. I'm looking to see if I can find a steel plate to go behind it. I used to have one, not sure where it went. I'm still also looking for a Century center piece for the grill - it currently still says Special from when the repair shop threw away all my spare parts post deer accident. My favorite part of the car (one of them anyways) has always been the power antenna. I have not yet fixed that either since the shop broke it. I have honestly not done anything to this car period since I have been absent on the forums. It has been a struggle to pick up and spin a wrench on it because of how sour the whole ordeal felt. To be completely honest with you all, the only reason I think I even came back (okay the other main reason is because I missed you all) is this picture right here: My college roommate had an Olds family and he's inheriting his great grandfathers 58 Olds long roof wagon. I of course photobombed in response to an old picture I took of him helping me pull the rear end out of the Buick. This summer we're going to try and get it running and driving in some capacity. Of course I had to challenge him to a race when its all said and done. My 322 vs his 371. And honestly after letting the car sit, I can't believe how great the engine runs with zero maintenance other than oil changes. The generator did go out on me again, I'm 4 for 4 on those things, and it is still yet unexplainable. But, dwell is still sitting at 32, engine fires up perfect, and the ride is still amazing. Now that I can afford working on this again, I have a few things on my bucket list for this year: 1. Remove disc brake kit (again). This is a touchy subject. I put 12x2.5 drums on the front, but the drums were machined out of tolerance, they warped and not being able to afford the drums I put the disc brakes back on. The discs are a pain honestly. The residue valve rides them, and I feel like I have reduced braking characteristics all the time even though the pedal is firm. I also bought a brake shoe caliper to set the rears for the self-adjusting rear brakes to see if it would have any further effect. It did not. Next paycheck I'll be purchasing new drums, a replacement turn signal lense and gasket. 2. Seal up the rear end. I have a gear oil leak on the driver side axle, which tells me either it's not venting, or I need RTV on that gasket or O-ring. Passenger side is fine, maybe O-ring ripped?? 3. Replace all front-end fasteners with correct hardware. The repair shop mismatched all my original fasteners and threw everything back together haphazardly. This is a personal taste item, but I'm sure you all understand. 4. Fix my dash lights. They come on intermittently, not sure why. 5. Fix power antenna tube. The tube that holds the excess cable is what broke off. As a result, it also ripped the cable from the mast and broke the retainer. I will be looking for a way to crimp on a new retainer if possible. 6. Find new grill emblem 7. Replace front vanity plate 8. Replace parking brake cable from pedal to rear cable. It is frayed under the body. 9. New body mounts (maybe). Thoughts on this job?? I'll probably add more as I go.

Keep using it, the repro arms are skinnier. I threw mine in the trash because the points arced and welded together and broke the arm. You can have these re-wound by a generator/ starter repair shop, too.

I have never used lube on any part of the switch. If it were mine, I'd clean it out and leave it without grease. You really don't want anything getting stuck or clogged in this circuit.

So you guys remember when I started talking about vibration issues when driving the car? Well I think I figured it out, sort of. I'm not sure when this happened. Its kind of the wrong time of the year to do stuff with cars, but looks like I'll have a weekend project of aligning the front end myself. At least to within reason. It'll be difficult with tires like these, so I'll rotate them first, then align it. Hopefully with my second or third paycheck I can invest in some nice white walls, and then align it again. My car still rides on original suspension equipment, but I've watched the car move through full travel and there doesn't seem to be any type of play in any of the bushings. When I first got the car, the grease was still soft where it was thin, but solid where it wasn't. I cleaned the living daylights out of all that stuff and it pushes fresh grease without issue. The only thing I threw out of whack was the tie-rod adjustment. If I remember correctly, reading one of @old-tank's posts, he used an app on his phone to use the built in gyroscope for measuring angles. Since I'm back home, here's a vanity picture of the fleet in good ol' Wetstern Washington.

Hi Ben, I think I posted about it in Post War, but I don't blame you if nothing came up in the search bar. I can never find what I'm looking for with it. The donor vehicle was a 1968 Buick Riviera, but any 12 inch drum brake Buick past I believe 1964 will work. Unfortunately they do not sell the adjuster arm new, so you need to find a good used pair at the junkyard. I found two cars and put them on the front and rears, but I had trouble finding a local shop that did custom brake lining so I went to a disc kit on the front (one I had purchased before). I still have them on the rears and they work perfect. Here is the set installed on the front. All of the springs and associated hardware was bought NEW from NAPA. I don't remember part numbers, but you can find them on RockAuto or the NAPA catalogs. You might have to search different years or models on both sites. I used to have an excel sheet, but I think I lost it when I lost my backup thumb drive (irony). This is the replacement override spring on the left with the originals on the right. I don't know when they changed the design but they are and work the same as the originals. Hope this helps!

I've been working this degree since 2010, the same year I started my Buick and the same year I graduated after the death of my grandmother. It's been a long road, getting sucked into the politics of community college, but I wouldn't give it up. I started my Buick project to save my grandfather from grief but it ultimately helped both of us get through life in our own ways. Im glad that despite all the shortcomings, he at least got to see the car painted again before he passed. I don't plan to go anywhere. Sometimes out of spite I threaten to sell the car, but I could never part with it because it has become not only a part of me and a part of who I am, but also the revival of my grandfather's spirit and I couldn't give that away.

Well I officially graduated on Saturday. They have it kind of backwards, because I still have classes until the end of the week, but I'm glad because it looks like I'll be able to leave Wednesday at the latest. Then its back to Me and my Buick.

The distributor vacuum advance line is 1/8" copper tubing (just like the stuff you get in the oil pressure line replacement kits at the auto parts store). I forget the name of the compression fitting that goes into the carb and vacuum advance, but you can buy them at NAPA, Weatherhead P/N 6100x2 for 1/8". They look like this: You could splice it with 1/8" ID vacuum tubing if you want.

I wonder if it would be possible to use a laser engraving CNC machine to cut these out of a thin nylon sheet.

You can also buy a standard Edelbrock/Carter AFB electric choke, flip the spring and install it like the heat pipe choke. I think there is even a listing on ebay that has this swap already done and should be a bolt on retrofit. The hot air choke will only work properly if the butterfly and counterweight are free to spin on the exhaust manifold, and the thermostatic spring that tensions it is in good working order. If this piece is stuck in the open position or it is missing the spring, then it will not allow proper heat circulation between the intake and exhaust manifolds to properly operate the choke. How fast it opens also depends on your ambient weather local to you (people in Texas will have an easier time than people in Wisconsin). I have tried several times to get mine to work and I have never got it to open and close properly, even with replacing the old choke spring with a new one. I live in Washington state and used to drive my car in 10*F weather conditions. The electric choke has never left me stranded, but the old heat pipe has (in terms of having to pop the hood and manually hold it open/closed). In my latest configuration, I bought a pre-formed brake line roughly the same size as my old hot air choke tube, cut the end off one side and affixed the proper fitting for the choke housing. I then crimped and sealed the end of the tube with a vacuum cap that dangles back behind the engine. It is retained with a cheap metal tube holder off of the back of the block in one of the empty head bolts and it looks stock, you cannot tell its a fake unless you sit on top of the air cleaner.

There is only one vacuum line on that carb, and that's the rubber line going to the distributor. The line to the choke is a hot air tube that is supposed to come from the exhaust manifold on the passenger side, usually right above the thermostatic flapper valve.

Sweet, thanks for looking!

Sorry, I've just searched 1956 Buick air conditioning and it always pops up. I don't know if he is a member her or not, but he also made modern brake systems, too.

Without getting too much into heat transfer stuff, there is some degree of dwell time but from every lab test I've conducted on campus with cross-flow heat exchangers, faster flow of coolant through the hot stuff always equals better heat transfer. Think of it like this. The coolant contacts the surface of the hot stuff only on the outside of the flow volume. The more turbulent the flow, the more it "mixes" the flow so it constantly takes the fluid in contact with the outside and swaps places with the inside colder stream, until it reaches a saturation temperature if given enough time to dwell.