beerczar1976
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Posts posted by beerczar1976
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I tried to find that "compatability view" option on my Explorer, but couldn't find it. Anyway, reading the text was interesting though. I have a '50, but the remote filter unit I have does have the referenced drain plug that was supposedly eliminated in 1950. I also have a separate filter body as a spare. I'll have to take a look at that one to see if it has a drain plug or not; I do know that my spare has the blue body with orange lid. The one currently on my car was painted turqoise at some point but could use a good cleaning and repainting anyway. That drain certainly makes the oil change easy though, I had heard that others typically would use a baster to remove the old oil from the filter unit.
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Will be looking forward to others' posts as well. I'm doing door seals on my '50 Tourback Sedan and having same issue of "how the hell do these go back on"?!
Steele Rubber's items are great quality but do not come with instructions. Shop Manuals do not give a great representation of the weatherstripping. The Parts Manual line drawings gives you a vague idea of where they get located, but again no scale drawings. The Fisher Body Manuals aren't all that much help either. What you need is basically photos of someone else's car with the weatherstrips in place and taken at key places; at hinges, any place where a retainer/clip is used, at corners, etc. Luckily mine has a bit of roughness where the original sealer was in place before removal for paint, but even then as the strips are 3 dimensional it's taking some guess work.I've searched online thru Google Images for hours without much luck. Most pics are taken from too far back/away to get a great concept. My thought on the front doors was to unbolt the hinges from the door pillar and work on door separated from car, but have been counseled not to do this as lining them up afterwards is a total PITA and would be a few many job.
I agree with one of the earlier posts on needing to remove front quarters to put the "bellows" seals back in place. There's no physical way those will go back on without the front quarters being off.
Other thoughts from folks who have successfully undertaken this job themselves?
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"Calibrated elbow"...that's what I did when I put the fresh ones in.
I'll check for torque specs though.But where would the oil come from? Certainly not trying to open a can of worms for myself, but as I've slowly been sinking in $$ here and there on everything from simple things up to rear window seal, door seals for front and back, and replacing missing bumper brackets, I don't want to have a car that looks halfway decent, but is ready to crap the bed mechanically as soon as I get it roadworthy. Just was surprised to see oil on the mid-section of the plugs. Maybe I worry too much and am speaking from definite lack of experience.
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Hey guys, slowly working through some maintenance/tune-up type stuff on my '50 Special. This weekended I decided to check and change the spark plugs. The old plugs didn't look all that bad with the exception that a good 4 or 5 of them had oil coating the threads of the plug when I removed them. The tips of the plugs weren't heavily fouled or wet, just the threads; a couple were coated heavily, a few not as bad, and 1 or 2 were pretty dry.
I did a quick online search this morning, not specifying the 248, but on "oil, spark plugs" and a few "DIY/home auto repair" mentioned it could be a valve cover gasket or replacing the spark plug seats/grommets...Can the plug grommets be replaced. Not sure I've looked for them as a repair part before, maybe this is only on newer vehicles?
I'm going to try to run a compression check on it as well. I'm hoping I don't have an issue with the rings as I think that may cause oil to get sucked up into the combustion chamber. The Shop Manual also mentioned something to do with the vacuum pump, but I think now I'd be getting into a different scenario.
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53 Roady, I'll see if I can hijack the family digital camera and put up some pics of my progress. Waiting for my weatherstrips to arrive; will probably be a project for next weekend depending on weather.
I did get to doing an oil change on my Special this weekend. Let's just say, I think this was the first time the oil had been changed in a LOOONNGG time! Black as the day it probably came from the ground, LOL. Well, maybe not that black, but dirty for sure. I put in 10W-30, Car Quest brand for now. I'm still exploring whether I need any type of zinc additive to put in, but nonetheless, it's fresh oil, better than what was in it; no leaks, or smoking. I'll be attempting to bleed the brakes soon too. Accidentally ordered two rear hoses and one front instead of vice-versa, so waiting for second front to arrive.
As this was my first venture under the car, fuel lines may be a future project down the road; seeing some surface rust in places that didn't look all that healthy, but everything is holding. I think I'll change the sending unit too with the fuel lines. I know tank is beyond full and gauge is showing only around 1/2 to 3/4 at times.
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Thanks. I think the 4th pic. will probably help. I'll see if mine requires/has a clip. Just trying to figure it out, but is that the top end of the door? I was able to tell "which way is up" on the other 3.
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I got tired of mopping rain off of the currently bare floors of my project '50 Special and ordered a set of front and rear door weatherstrips from Steele Rubber. If you were wondering why, the car was painted by prior owner, and doesn't currently have weatherstrips in place, thus a small lake each time there's a heavy rainstorm.
Anyone with some tips/tricks into putting these in place? I know most of it will be glue in with weatherstrip adhesive, but I know that the Parts Manual does list some clips and retainers for a few spots, mostly near the door bottoms and along the front door hinge pillar if memory serves correctly. I do have the "long squiggly" metal weatherstrip retainers for the front door that attach with screws, so I'm lucky there. I've got a TON of other little clips and retainers in unmarked bags as well.
If someone could post up or e-mail me some pics of their '50's weatherstripping, I'd appreciate it. I probably have all the hardware, but pics make it easier to figure out what's what. I've done a few image searches online, but nothing really shows close-up.
Thanks!!
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Restoration Specialties has a page of "generic" grommets in their catalog. I may have to just use one of those. I'll measure the hole diameter and the bolt diameter and get something that matches up. The originals, if memory serves from last summer, were more conical shaped. Pointed at the bottom and oversized and oblong on the outside of the body. I know putting that molding back on was a total pain as I wasn't able to remove my windshield wiper burrs, thus I couldn't get the chrome kidney shaped plate off. It ended up being one of those hurry up and push everything into place once all of the bolts were lined up with the holes and held askew at a weird angle to get under the kidney plate. Once I get the grommets, I may try to remove those burrs again. With all of that stuff out of the way, I may be able to slide the belt molding back in place as originally intended...
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I'm getting a water leak behind my dash and down the inside firewall. I do not believe it's the windshield gasket, but it's perhaps coming from the lower belt molding at the bottom edge of the windshield/upper cowl area. When I re-installed my belt molding last summer, the old grommets were no good, and the new grommets given to me by the prior owner were a bit on the small side and a different style. When putting the bolts back thru the holes, some of them pushed thru the cowl and fell inside the car up behind the dash somwhere. I tried to seal the bolt holes the best I could, but I'm still getting a leak. These are probably used on a bunch of years as well. Anyone seen these for sale anywhere before? I'm going to try to check auto parts stores for something that may work in the meantime. Don't remember seeing them at Rubber the Right Way, Steele, Bob's, Cars, etc. I'll try to find them in the parts book to see if other marquees used them. Thanks!!
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Thanks again. Wasn't going to get the drums, but the reference pic was helpful. I'm going to maybe see if I can get my turned. Saw a groove in the front left one, may not be that bad though. Brake shoe friction material was spot on at 3/16" thick though, so somebody's done a brake job on it not all that long ago. I won't bother with the rivets, and if there's threads for the pin, I'll put one in, if not, again won't worry about it.
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Thanks! I saw a set of used drums on eBay the other day that still had the rivet heads in them. I bet you those were the fronts as you just described. I do remember seeing something about rivets in the Parts Book too, now that you mention it. I was just thinking they were referring to a different part on the wheel/hub assembly somewhere. Now, biggest question; is it imperative that the fronts go back on with a bolt or rivet in place? The wheel studs go right thru the drum and into the hub anyway... Should I be using an alignment stud on the front wheels?
Here's the link to the eBay ones.
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Quick one, and this probably applies to multiple years. When I was pulling my left front brake drum I noticed the wheel didn't have an alignment stud like the rears did and the drums were held on by bolts, and somehow, nuts and lock washers that were on the backside of the drum. The nuts/washers fell out of the drum when I loosened them all the way. The front drum and hub didn't appear to be threaded like the rears are. I also noticed the Parts Book doesn't call for front wheel alignment studs, rear only. Lastly, Bob's has the studs for sale, but again in description, lists rear only... Should the front wheels have alignment studs and the small bolts holding the drum in place? My thought was that perhaps they're not needed as the drums seem to stay aligned due to the arrangement of, I guess, the wheel bearing/dust cover that protrudes from the hub centers whereas the rear wheels don't have the same arrangement. My last thought is that the threads on mine have been simply stripped out in which case I just need to re-tap them.
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Tried pulling my drums over the weekend. Couldn't figure out how to get them off until I gave up. I found an old post on hear for somebody that couldn't figure out their 53 drums were removed either. Turns out I was one bolt away! I had to just take out the wheel alignment stud. I would never have thought that the drums are held on by just three, pretty little bolts! Well, there's always next weekend. Us SE Mass. guys are staring down snow again mid-week. Give me break already!! LOL. I also saw that the boot on my Master Cylinder is dried and cracked. I'm thinking this is probably the root of most of my brake issues. Hoping it's re-buildable without needing to get re-sleeved.
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Concur. I had a spare one sit in a molasses soak for about 3 months over the winter. Surface rust was removed but that dang butterfly valve wouldn't budge even a mm. When trying to free mine up, all I ended up doing was snapping the tack welds that hold the butterfly to the shaft. I'll probably end up just cutting the butterfly off the shaft at this point or tack welding back in the open position. At least from the outside, it'd look stock, plus mechanically I won't have the fear that it's causing the manifold to overheat. Gasses will flow freely by.
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Wheelnut, thanks. I thought I'd at least try. I'm sure someone else would have figured this out by now if indeed the 30 series shoes fit. I'm still tossing around going with the ones CARS has, which I believe are bonded vs. a locally sourced set of re-lined shoes that are riveted. I know some of the other guys are offering riveted sets too, but with core charge and shipping it adds up, initially at least. Not sure if one style is necessarily stronger than the other. I'm following up one last option with a family member who works at an auto parts store. Will be getting my car back out of storage probably this weekend and will pull wheels to see exactly what's what. Who knows, shoes may be good, and it's only the hydraulics that are jacked up.
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I've got a '50 Special. As with the Super, the shop manual calls for 1-3/4" brake shoes. The old Bendix# was 29, which looks maybe have been discontinued. I've found a few places that list re-lined or re-lining service, but are kind of expensive once you add core charges and freight on. The Bendix online parts database pulls up the 2-1/4" shoes for all three series cars, which we know is incorrect. Now, I just came across this while searching for the terms online. An International truck forum post lists that a 1963 C1200 used 12 x 1-3/4" front brake shoes and that the guy found them on RockAuto. Sure enough, Raybestos and Wagner both list a 12 x 1-3/4" shoe. Raybestos 30PG and Wagner ANA30R. The Wagner's ($17.58) at least per the photo show to be riveted and made with organic friction material. The Raybestos ($38.79) appear to be bonded and possibly organic as well.
Will these work?! Or is it that the shoe size just happens to be the same but something about the "metal frame" that the lining material is attached to will not work, is shaped wrong, holes are in wrong location, etc?
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I'm pretty sure I remember seeing the filler neck attaching directly to the tank via a welded/brazed connection. Parts book lists them as separate components, but it looked pretty one piece to me.
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I was thinking it might be the sending unit too though didn't really notice a telltale run mark down the side of the tank. I'll have to check further soon. As I said, I didn't have a lake under the car, it's a very SLOW drip. Probably one drip in the hour plus I was there. Odor was also more akin to what we as northerners are used to from after running the snowblower and then putting it back in the garage, stale gas smell vs. full on fuel spill. We also had some really warm weather, like 60-65 degrees for one day this week. No smell reported all winter prior to that day.
I'm going to give a local radiator/welding guy a call today to see if he's first willing/capable to do the job, and/or to get a lead to somebody else. Thanks for the ideas!
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Guess you are right no both fronts...I've seen BR 549 play live; but, Junior Brown is the correct artist for Highway Patrol. Also, yes, scan on page 23 is pretty iffy online, though didn't put much attention to the article on differences in Dyanflow for other marquees that used them...a bit in the weeds for my level of interest.
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Oh yes, and Highway Patrol by the band BR 549 is a really good tune... Saw them play with the Brian Setzer Orchestra about 9-10 years ago.
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I look forward to seeing a past issue archive to be someday established... In the meantime, thanks for the brake article. It was sadly funny to read that even back in '04 someone was making the same complaint I hear from behind a guy at the parts store yesterday about semi-metallics eating up rotors and drums. I def. have brake work to do this spring. I had 0 brake pressure yesterday when visiting (cleaning up a fuel leak) my Special in storage. Cylinders and hoses for sure to see if that helps and will then investigate master cylinder and shoes/drums at same time. If it comes down to mc and/or needing drums, may convert fronts to discs...
As for online version, I've read the last 3 okay, though haven't really found any reason to try to print any of the articles yet. I do however agree that trying to read the classifieds in the back can be a little hard at times.
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Thanks for the input guys...That's what I was hoping to hear. There's a rad. shop in my town so I'll see if they do fuel tank work as well. Like I said, at this point, doesn't appear to be any other wet marks on tank except at that low corner and it seems like the fuel that is from that corner is running down to it, not necessarily out of it... We'll see. Snowing and 20 degrees here in Mass. today. Can't get a break. The winter that won't end!! Arrgghh...
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I had to go check on my '50 Special today due to the report of a heavy smell of gas in a family member's garage. After putting some absorbent down on the floor and filling up a catch pan with absorbent I tried to search for the leak. Nothing looked all that wet though the dripping did eat through the 30 yr. old epoxy paint on the garage floor. I was actually surprised to see that when shining a flashlight down the filler neck, gas was still in the bottom 1/4 of the neck, so the leak must be insanely slow (the tank had been filled to almost the top of the filler neck about 3-1/2 months ago. I checked the bottom side of the tank, nothing out of the ordinary, the drain plug, no leaks, and then shined a light around where the filler neck is seamed onto the tank. I could see some wetness and feeling it, did detect some gas mixed with the road grime. As the car won't be moved again for a few weeks (damn cold and snow won't give us a break up here in Mass) I left a catch bucket filled with absorbent underneath the car.
Here's the question, once I drain the tank and pull it down from under the car, are tank shops typically capable of re-welding this seam or am I shopping for a new tank? I might as well check and probably replace the sending unit while I'm at it too, mine was pretty erratic over this past summer's rebuild period. I think all fuel related gear/components are still factory stock.
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This isn't necessarily tied to the March issue, but, has the BCA ever thought of going back and scanning old issues to make accessible online as well? I'm a new member, so have access back to only January of this year, but I think it would also help us new guys out if Buick info. were a little bit more accessible and easily available. The Old Car Manual Project and especially the Chevrolet variant of that site has TONS of uploaded material available at no charge. Yes the site creator laid a lot of the groundwork, but users of the site also have the ability to scan their own libraries and send them in to be added. There's some Buick stuff there, but not a whole lot. Knowing that some of our replacement parts are hard enough to find as it is, why can't we help perpetuate the love of Buick's a little more by at least making some of the documentation free? Hmm, x number of dollars for a manual, that I may or may not need the entire copy of, or the same x dollars used for parts and repairs? Though I love books and docs., my budget has to get set aside for parts and repairs at this point. Yes some books/manuals are extremely rare, but if they can someone else out, put the info. out there! Not everyone is a hard core collector, some of us just need a usable copy for research or to make a repair. I know the AACA has a library, but searching their online database, best I can tell, gives you doc. titles only. That's great, except if I don't know what's in the document, I'm not going to pay them to make copies for me... Just a thought. I understand the August 04 Bugle has an article on brakes, would love to read it. I also know there was an issue on '50 Buicks as well, again would love to read, but don't have the budget to drop who knows how much for an old magazine...
Steele Rubber's items are great quality but do not come with instructions. Shop Manuals do not give a great representation of the weatherstripping. The Parts Manual line drawings gives you a vague idea of where they get located, but again no scale drawings. The Fisher Body Manuals aren't all that much help either. What you need is basically photos of someone else's car with the weatherstrips in place and taken at key places; at hinges, any place where a retainer/clip is used, at corners, etc. Luckily mine has a bit of roughness where the original sealer was in place before removal for paint, but even then as the strips are 3 dimensional it's taking some guess work.
I'll check for torque specs though.
Oil filter reference
in Buick - Post War
Posted
Tank, as always, the man with the plan! Yup, mine's definitely the style with the drain plug. Pretty interesting. Parts Manual calls for a P-10 filter housing for 46-49 40 & 50 series and then all 50-52. So I guess all these were black with yellow then?
Though my Special is clearly a '50, I've found some earlier non-'50 components here or there on it or at least with the car. For ex., I believe in '50 the battery hold down changed to just a rectangle that sat on top of the battery with the bolts that passed down thru it, whereas in '49, they were using the same rectangle shape but it's mated to a big rectangular heat shield or something on down the side of it...That's the one that I have with my car. However, dash switch set-up is of the late '50 variant. Probably factories and dealers used whatever they had remaining before switching over to the new. It does however make it tricky sometimes when putting it back together, and the book says or shows one thing, and you're looking at something totally different in your hand! LOL
Still figuring out the best to attach my new weatherstripping, and of course poor New England weather. Without a garage, your SOL until the weather changes. I think I've got to bite the bullet and pull the door pins out of the hinges, or remove from the hinges entirely. Front A-pillar weatherstrip will also def. requiring pulling quarter panels as well. The other thing I was looking at was possibly being able to access front edge of front door hinge area with quarter panels off. This may alleviate the removal of front doors at least. Would releasing the check link allow the front and/or rear doors to swing out enough that I don't have to remove doors from hinges? Would have to make sure to watch for binding with qtr. panels.