Lawrence Helfand

May I suggest that your accelerator pump plunger is not doing the job. If it is not sealing well it will not squirt enough gas into carb off idle it will stumble under load. Check by looking into carb and opening throttle to see how strongly its injecting fuel. There are 3 positions on the pump linkage that determine volume by limiting or increasing stroke. If it is in the shortest throw try a longer stroke position and see if that helps. The Buick does have high heat under that hood and not the best venting so shielding your fuel lines with heat wrap does help. Buy the Velcro type so you dont have to take anything apart. Never use high octane gas! Your best bet is non ethanol low octane not available everywhere but you can go to the website Puregas.com and locate stations that sell it nationwide. Also 6 lbs of fuel pressure will overwhelm your float valves and installing a pressure regulator is a good idea if you plan on using an electric pump full time. It does sound like you require a pump rebuild as they marginal at best and are compromised by poor vacuum. If your wipers run slow your vacuum is too low. Regarding ignition I run Petronix pickup and flame thrower coil with slightly hotter plugs and of course fresh plug wires which are Packard Bell nothing fancy. A slightly advanced timing over stock which was meant for mid 70's octane fuels of the period also improves performance economy and cooler running. For cooler running in traffic I fitted a Summit racing fan with more blades that pushs alot more air at idle. In hot weather its always a good idea to crack the hood after its parked as engine heat will really soar when motor has stopped, Good luck!

I am looking for a Renault R 16 with manual transmission Lawrence 718 496 2386

There are three issues for every car. First is it correct? Only an expert in the marquee or your own due diligence can help you. The plus here is the internet and some research on your own can get this done without assistance. Second a knowledgeable mechanic to access the functionality of the cars systems and third an auto body and paint and interior expert to access the structural and cosmetic issues. You will not easily find someone to do it all. Appraisers are superficial in their assessment but usually have a sense of the market which is important to manage your investment decisions. Before you spend your money know the "one to buy" rule.

Hi Gary, I drive a 41 Century and when I started driving it I tried to anticipate the light changing to be ready given the amount of time it can take before you can slip into first gear without a crunch. I came to realize that when behind a tractor trailer drivers realize it takes a moment longer before it pulls away and slowly as well and that it is to be expected. Thats also what drivers expect when a vintage vehicle is in front of them and like a truck expect a leisurely departure. You should not feel any need to be apologetic for your pace. I have never been honked at for a slow start. I always keep my distance from the car in front for braking room which is a definite necessity in a world of four wheel disc brakes and phone distracted drivers. Enjoy your time machine and dont worry about the frenetic drivers around you. Your 39 is royalty in a world of nameless appliances and enriches other drivers otherwise boring travels. They will likely tell someone about the cool old car they saw!

Hi Matt, Great to hear how well the limited is running. I have been enjoying my 320 as often as I can which is usually an evening drive I take a loop the includes local roads and high speed driving on the Hwy 40 super slab. These cars are such a pleasure to drive its hard to convey the experience. The power and speed of this 78 year old car is amazing. Regarding the oil you are using I have been a Mobil 1 fan since the 1970's and have been a believer in synthetics. I have been using various non synthetic and blended synthetic oils but I recently switched to Shell Rotella for my Century at the suggestion of some of the AACA members and am very impressed. The difference is readily apparent from cold start to high heat conditions. It has never run so smooth and cool or felt stronger. It also drips less from the rear seal then it ever has. My motor in 3000 miles of driving has never required me to add a drop so I cant say if it is any better in that regard but I wouldn't be surprised as its made for diesel engines that are running 13/1 compression. If your gas mileage is what you think it is that is kinda mind blowing!!! Cheers Mate!

The gear vendors unit is alloy and not that heavy and only adds about 25/30 lbs to the drivetrain. Most of the weight is in the steel flanges and bolts and some weight is removed by shorting the torque tube and inner shafts. The feel is imperceptible during operation or on poor surfaces. I do not see any increased stress on ball joint or any other aspect of the drivetrain by adding an OD. The rigidity of the installation is off the charts being a unit designed for 1000hp plus drag racers to make them viable as street cars. The joy of driving that big torquey motor in od is worth every penny of the 4500$ investment.. My Century is transformed on 55 mph country roads or cruising at 70/75 mph while turning under 3000 rpm. If I had a special or super gearing with a 248 it would be the first improvement I would make. I have not calculated gas mileage yet but it has definitely improved some .

Hi Matt, That surging might be your advanced timing. I had experienced throttle sensitivity on my car after pushing my timing forward and tried a more aggressive technique to tame it but I decided to retard it a little to good effect and smoother throttle response.

Never been a fan of those extra bumper ends especially on a sedanette where it detracts from the line of the rear fender. Indeed to much bling. Your gorgeous limited could do without them. Only thing worse from my perspective is a giant wind catching windscreen visor and dual spotlights. I don't even like whitewalls except on ragtops and never on a formal car.. Less is more on a beautiful car.

I love how methodical you are Matt and now I will have to check my airflow with a synch meter which I didnt do on mine. With idle mixture screws I always use the same approach as I do with the Dellorto carbs on my Ducati's which is screwing them in until the motor starts to stumble and then backing out until rpm picks up and smooths out. Now I will need to get a vacuum gauge like a real tuner! My chokes are set light enough to be fully open in about 2 minutes which is plenty of time for it to settle into a nice smooth idle. Its not an easy motor to stall even when cold. Seven minutes seems like a long time. Cant wait to hear how it feels out on the road!

Hi Matt, Make sure that rear idle screw is backed away from choke cam so it cant make contact as the front carb screw will now control the idle speed for both carbs. Also I moved pump arms to the shortest throw. Guessing you already did that! Thanks for the kudos! Your limited with the new improved breathing is likely picking up another five hp easily. The 1952 320 with the quad was rated at 170 hp and I think it had a lower compression ratio. Dont know if they changed cam lift or duration or if hp increase was just better breathing. Might now be a 41 unlimited!

My 41 factory timing specifications presume you are using fuel with the octane rating of 1941 which was under 80. Many cars including my old Toyota had an advance adjuster on the distributor for the sole purpose of ignition advance or retard depending on octane of fuel. If you set your timing to prewar factory recommendations your ignition will be retarded and you will run a little hotter and use more fuel. I use an 86 octane non ethanol regular and have advanced my timing quite a lot and to excellent effect. I suggest advancing as much as possible without inducing pre ignition under load which will become apparent by accelerating in top gear from low speed with full throttle. Using vacuum as an indicator takes octane into account in real time and will be a better path to good timing then factory flywheel settings which are no longer relevant unless your using 76 octane gas.

I always liked Dynaslug and Slushmatic ...Slow and steady certainly has its advantages just ask Barry White (rip) but not for winning races except for reptiles vs rodents of course

Judy if you want a faster 52 Buick find yourself a Century or Roadmaster which make more power

Hi Matt, You will find it takes very little heat to activate the rear choke tube. Mine is not connected to any fitting at the end and merely comes into contact with the exhaust manifold surface. I did pinch a small bit of foil shaped like a funnel at the end to gather a bit more heat. After a few cycles of warming up and cooling down I managed to adjust the pair of choke butterfly's so they were in synch. I dont use the factory cold closed setting that allows a small amount of open position. I did try it but it required more spring resistance then keeping it slightly cracked open to work properly so mine are fully closed from the start. It catchs almost immediately from cold and spins a few times when warm before starting. I recently looked at the plug color and it was the same medium cocoa colored insulator on every plug. I changed out my AC R46 plugs for slightly hotter Champion RJ12C. I suggest you drop off the limited for an OD install ASAP! Glen and Bob are really fast and efficient and now have the experience of doing mine. You will love your Limited ten times more and want to drive it everywhere! I cannot get over what a difference it makes and I love my Century more then ever!

The best washers for this application are plentiful and inexpensive and sold for Jeep Wranglers on Ebay. Use the thick copper faced gaskets coated with an oil and graphite slurry on both sides and torque to less then factory spec. I use 18 lbs to accomplish a good seal and have great vacuum with strong fast windshield wiper action which is always a good indicator of well sealed intake manifold. I also raise the hood on a warm day to release hot air after a drive as it gets amazingly hot. Just unlatching it and placing a small wood block under the edge works quite well to release hot air.

FYI, Another issue seldom mentioned in carburetor performance is the amount of vacuum your engine has and a good indication of that will be the performance of your windshield wipers. If they are moving slowly or not at all after engine reach's operating temperature then its likely you have vacuum loss at the intake manifold. If it has never been serviced with new gaskets or re tightening then its likely that its losing vacuum. This will greatly affect carburetor performance especially with twin carb intake. Its a job made considerably easier if you have a chain hoist as its heavy and unwieldy but with a hoist its a simple job. I used a thick copper gasket and a slurry of oil and graphite on both sides for expansion and contraction which is important to avoid cracking the manifold in the cool down part of the heat cycle. Use Jeep wrangler dished spring washers that allow for movement while retaining tension. I use 18 lbs torque a bit less then factory spec. Engine advance carburetion wiper speed and power are all improved.

In regards to a smooth idle. Since I replaced my rear carb with a matching front carb removed the rear carb intake flap and converted to parallel linkage the idle is now quite smooth steady and at times imperceptible. Before this modification I could never get it balanced enough to be happy and it always shook and hunted a bit. I do not think there is enough lift to the cam profile to be an issue. The stock setup is a poor design and will never work correctly. It will always be a compromise and the vacuum operated rear flap is a crude device at best. In regards to stuck heat risers never leave them stuck closed. I keep mine pinned open at all times. Tapping the shaft on alternate sides with some WD or equivalent will free it up. Grip the circular counterweight with a vice grip and work it loose moving back and forth until full range is achieved/ Takes a while but it will work itself free. Both of mine were stuck with zero movement but loosened. I use aviation hose clamps around the counterweights with adjusters set against manifold to hold them open. Heating the intakes is really unnecessary except for winter driving. when its cold it just means a couple more minutes to warm up the motor.

I took a look at the setup again which is not visible in my install photos and will add that the flange at the other end is half the diameter but still has 16 bolts of a larger diameter holding it together. The bolt drilling could not be any closer so I wouldn't call it so few bolts really. You can visit the Gear Vendors website to see more.

Hi Jack, yes you do use the clutch if you want to avoid a ka klunk from the OD. Just like having a 4th gear

That end is a bit different as the casing go's deeper with more overlap perhaps explaining why it has less bolts. It may be more robust then my 165 hp car requires so should last longer then me!

Apples and oranges in regards to mechanical stress dynamics. If you work your broom or shovel too hard will it break off at the very end or somewhere along the shaft? I find I am left with a broken shaft whatever the tool employing a long handle, usually the middle. It is close to the rear end on my car but the torque tube kit is designed to be inserted anywhere on the shaft like in the middle if thats what the application calls for where stress would be the highest.

Hi Barney , You have to remember the torque tube is under a lot of stress and movement both vertical and lateral being a coil spring and bar linkage suspension without leaf springs bolted to the axle and frame. At its end it is bolted to the weight of the rear axle assembly brake drums and wheels moving quite rapidly at times over uneven surfaces. The drive shaft within it is only about 1/8 of an inch from the outer casing. The unit by itself is about 40 pounds. The flanges its bolted to are welded to the casing on both ends so any flex or movement spells interference of the drive shaft to casing therefore utmost rigidity is required and it is built to withstand the power of a high horsepower engine and drag strip usage. I don't think its overkill so much as it is good engineering.

Heres a pic of my 41 century installation. Same frame as yours with torque tube. Fits without modification to anything but the tube and easily clears everything. Works great, very smooth and quiet.

Hi Jack, The GV has no kick in and can be engaged only with the switch. It will operate in any gear at any speed but it is best not to leave in engaged from a dead stop. It will work but is hard on the unit. It is like a fourth gear that you shift and clutch exactly as if it was on the tree except its a push pull switch. Let off the gas a little for upshifts or increase for downshifts as you would for the first 3 gears.

Hi Jack, You get a 22 percent reduction. Not like the BW unit at all. Does not free wheel or self destruct in reverse if you forget. Has an internal hydraulic pump and is actuated with a solenoid. Does need rpm to build hydraulic pressure so not recommended to use from a standstill but it will do it . Built to handle drag racer hp so extremely robust. They have a website with more info.