[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Does anyone, perhaps @pontiac1953 Charles (I wish we could tag people in these posts), know if the grills for 48 pontiacs are all universal? I found one for a decent price and good condition in Texas I want to drive to get. 

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Ben- no remflex for the 8, only for the 6.  Even then, the lateral expansion with uneven surfaces is what I think is driving it. Thick or more malleable gaskets is a bandaid, I’d rather fix it right... that being said I’ll keep remflex in mind on my projects they sell products for 😂 

 

After months of scratching my head, I finally figured out that my turn signal was wired incorrectly. I had two wires backwards, but I have not been able to find a diagram that shows the internal order for the guide 6002 turn signal, which came original as an option with these cars. I’m lucky that I found the original one in the trunk after I purchased the car, the chrome is nearly perfect... and now, it is perfectly cleaned, re-soldered, and all the lights work (front signal pics coming soon, but they’re amber colored LEDs, I went with all LED other than headlights).

Regardless of if you’re going to use LED or traditional bulbs, the LED/electronic flasher that you can find on eBay and elsewhere is loud and works very well. I’m very happy with how clear all my signals are. The LEDs were cheap and they are very bright. Nice safety feature, still on 6v. 

light video:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cPMVS_zPSUlH5HUPD1kLEZJyhR65LZRl/view?usp=drivesdk

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Eventually I’ll have my manifolds surfaced by the shop that did my engine, with new exhaust system when the money’s there... I did take it out in the rare and historic snowfall we’ve had here in Louisiana. Just across the street for photos, but ran very well and looks good. Oh, what it would be to have five grand to just finish it 😂 

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

I did get it done yesterday, but not till it was dark. I finally have my title, registration, and I went ahead and bought insurance today, so I was able to do a legal(ish) drive. I’ve applied for antique plates. 
 

The white walls really change the overall car. I guess now I really do have to get it painted...

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Not sure how I’ll get the stud out but seems like something has happened with my new gaskets and may have an intake leak again. Starting to think they never actually machined my manifolds when I took them way back when. Definitely developed a new exhaust flange leak. Those gaskets never hold up, probably a warped header.

It still drives loads better than it did.

Tomorrow I’ll hopefully have all the new tires on. Here’s a teaser for now.  

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Sunday I spent the day wire wheeling grease again to put on the other spring, such fun. It went well (better than the other side) with the fender off and with daylight. I got to paint it all too and do some odds and ends like touch up manifold paint. Moving right along.

 

Quick question: should I have put something on the manifold stud I installed to prevent water coming around it from the cooling jacket? I think it stopped and it may be too late, but figured I should know if there’s a next time.

['51 Chieftain]

I am not certain of the technical answer, I’m sure Charles can help. But I use a B45 Gates belt and it works perfectly. Available at any bumper to bumper. 
 

EDIT: it the 45 is too long they have B44, B43, etc. 

It fits well in these grooves. Grooves should be the same, length slightly different between your engine and mine.

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Alrighty. After returning home from my ‘15 T project, and working a few hours here, I was able to pull my fender and painstakingly drill out that stud till it fell apart. Was able to find a perfect replacement at my bumper to bumper and now I’d feel safe driving it again after I do some odds and ends that having the bumper off allows me to do. Next week I’ll bring all the required paperwork to get plates and title (there’s no chain of ownership for this car so I have to create a title with the Louisiana OMV). The guy who did the vehicle identification for the paperwork said he could do my trunk floor, bodywork, and paint. He said he’d be reasonable so I’m considering taking it to him if he’ll talk numbers with me. 
My four white walls arrived today, although they are definitely not as portrayed in the pictures, they are much nicer than what I have on, and for $720 for a set it can’t be beat.

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Bloo, I think this was a case of over torquing one of them and it just being old. Also within one day it was warm (60°F), I drove it a lot, and then it started snowing 10 hours later.

I think I’ll be able to drill it out easily. I have all the original washers on there.

 

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Well. Looks like I need to do the gaskets again. Dang. Getting this out should be lots of fun. Aren’t studs supposed to be grade 8? It was broken before I even touched it... just sitting in its hole 

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

51 minutes ago, pontiac1953 said:

stumble on acceleration likely is the accelerator pump going bad, be interesting to know which cylinders on the straight eight are producing the carboned up spark plugs

 Charles, pretty much all 8 were. Pump is brand new built for modern gas. It was a mixture problem, big leak leading to over correction with over-rich mix. The back half of my manifolds were not sealing all that well. Something went wrong with my first gasket install. Now we have no stumble but I think replacing with new plugs again now that we aren’t dealing with a funky mixture could improve even more. I’ve thought about buying the foam you run straight in the intake to clean the intake valves. Anyone have experience with this?

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

I forgot that I also replaced the collapsed driver side coil spring over break with a stock size spring- I haven’t had the heart to do the passenger side yet because it involved a lot of scraping and wire wheeling of very heavy grease buildup to get to the hardware. A 2300 PSI power washer didn’t touch this grease. Sits much higher and feels a bit better. I’m sure it will improve even more once I get the other side done too.

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

One day over break I was running my engine in the late daylight hours and was able to see my manifold gaskets were letting fumes out (illuminated by the sunset hitting horizontally). The engine also gave god awful vibration at midrange RPM. 

The new gaskets arrived, I put them in very carefully and with extra sealant and the like. New exhaust flange gasket. 

It drives like a brand new car now. At least 50% more power. It makes sense. But I’m still amazed. Got a blinker wired, working on upholstery, and now considering the $400 for a new exhaust system to get rid of the cut and split dual exhaust. 

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

This weekend we had a little cruise in at a restaurant near by. Lots of people liked talking with me about my Pontiac. I tried some clear coat and repainting the hood. It runs easily, so I’ll see how it takes to sanding after it cures some.

All in all it drove well, I cleaned up some of the trim, and put on the last missing piece of door trim. The overall optics are pretty good and I haven’t got the energy for any more painting, so I’ll finish up wiring brake lights and turn signals soon. If only all the paint turned out as good as the passenger side.

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Well today it happened: the car quit unexpectedly for the first time. Kind of strange it held out on me so long!

I was coming to a stop sign and talking on the phone when I heard it start to die out. Felt like the gas had run out. 
I ground on the starter with various combinations of choking, stomping the gas pedal, checked the gas (not a ton, but certainly enough). About 30 minutes later and puffs and spits of gas up out of the carb, we decided it was a much-too-rich mixture. I forced the choke open and sped back home into the garage (I was on my way to get gas, then to a park get-together, so I was close).

I let it idle about 15 minutes a little high to burn off a bit of what I’d done.

Oh, and then I opened the hood and the top bar of the grill fell off 😂 but that was purely my fault. 

Looks like it’s time to take the whole carb apart and clean some passages. Likely culprits I think will exist in the bypass passage in the low-speed system, and in other passages that allow air into the mixture moving through that I have yet to identify. Any WCD experts?

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

It very well could be a metering rod adjustment. It’s hard to get the idle down when the engine is cold. 

EDIT: possibly the air bleed...

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Rebuild was complete. Everything in there is new. Currently running rotella T5 15w-40. 

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

I think I'm decided on an oil change for now. There's definitely gas in the oil and it's about time for a post-rebuild change. I can clean the new plugs again and see where we're at after. A new condenser in the distributor and a drive shaft/engine mount tightening would be good too. There's a car show down the street next Sunday, I may hit that up.

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

I changed out all my spark plugs. They needed it. However, I think we’re getting fouled up still. Those are the plugs I’ve been using since rebuild through trying get the timing right, adjust the carb, when I had the wrong distributor on etc... I’m wondering if the carbon didn’t build up on valves too. It stumbles when I try to accelerate quickly from idle, but drives great. No overheating. 

The only other thing I can think of is a leak at the manifolds or a faulty vacuum advance. The timing is right.

Would it be worth it to take the head off and get a new gasket just to clean the carbon build up if an oil change doesn’t really change things? I know the oil is terribly tainted. The expense may be worth it, the engine is totally rebuilt otherwise.

anyway, that’s my update! A lot of rides given today, a lot of happy faces. Although some snooty guy did ask if I “lost a bet” or got “paid to haul it off someone’s property.”

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Went ahead and painted the new to me trunk lid today. Unfortunately a lot of the clips that hold the trim down broke but two are enough for now, I’ll probably take it off eventually to do a some filler in the places where it needs it. Overall much better, but I’ll also need a new trunk handle, the rest of the mechanism is ok but my handle is just trash. Also got the trim painted, looks really sharp. 

I also banged out the really deep rear fender dent and painted it, although it will also need some filler.

Waiting on some better weather to finish the brake lights and turn signals. I really need to change the oil and get a new set of spark plugs now that I have the proper distributor and the timing more or less set, it stumbles on fast acceleration from idle and is loud in the engine compartment... maybe an exhaust leak? Maybe valve clearances need to be set again? 

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Thanks for the understanding Jeff, it’s mostly out of self interest because I’d love to see another thread where you can post each and every update on another 48 Streamliner! If you need help starting a thread, send me a message.

 

Making paint progress when I have free weekend days without call at the hospital. I think I’ll try a spray of the clear coat I used back when on my dash project. Next up is getting the new trunk lid I got a while back sanded and painted. It should turn out nicely. Compare this picture to the first picture I took of the hood after paint a few posts back. 

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Hey Jeff- I think you might be better served to start your own thread for your project. It would make it easier for us to follow your project and for others to provide you with the help you need without getting our cars mixed up!

good looking paint, wish I had the space and cash to do that after proper body work!

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Thanks lark, just having some fun and I do like “re$toration.” I’ll be using that. 
The paint keeps getting better and better with more sanding and more coats. It’s hard to get a perfect finish on dented upright panels with cracked paint, a rattle can, and all the bugs and leaves Louisiana has flying around. Getting there though. 
The new distributor went on the other day and it runs totally differently... oops! But now I can see timing marks! Honestly, the previous distributor kind of “hopped up” the engine, but it does run a little smoother and no popping now. I still can’t adjust the idle any lower, is it appropriate after backing the idle screw out all the way to bend the pump rod? 

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Haha thanks Ben, it’s $6 a can with tax. Each can covers pretty well and it dries well even if you don’t do thin coats, hard enough to sand after a few days in this humid climate. 
Rustoleum automotive enamel. It comes in red, white, black, and clear. I’m pleasantly surprised. I tried a spray lacquer by rustoleum and was not impressed. Enamel is the way.

[1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8]

Hmm the camera makes it look much better than it does in person. This is just one coat over most of the car. It needs a good bit more and a lot of sanding, the roof has considerable dents and waves from hail and branches but the overall impression is much better now that there’s paint on the roof! Made me feel much better, $6 paint ain't bad!