valk

Thank you all. I'm all set and have ordered one from NAPA. Only $13.55, about the cheapest filter I've ever bought!

I'm just now getting around to cleaning/replacing the oil filter on a 320 engine. The one I removed is in a metal NAPA cannister. Does this open up so I can replace the element inside? Do I have to replace the whole metal cannister? Where do I go from here?? Thank you, Peter

Very cool - never seen one of those. I'd tell folks its nitroglycerin. I removed my push rod cover to paint it and replace the gasket. What are you guys using as sealant for the gasket? I have used Permatex for years with mixed results and wonder if there is better stuff out there.

Metering rods for 490S: ..and then there is this from the Mike's Carb which feels right: stock rods for the 490 are 75-473. Optional rods for this carb are 75-490 (hi altitute), 75-491(even higher altitude), and 75-492 (hymalayas). As you noted, the 509 appears to use the very same rods so we may need another indicator to ID yours. Carb # Jet Size Metering Rod Optional Metering Rod 486S .089 75-526 75-550, 75-551 487S .082 75-459 75-488, 75-489 490S .086 75-473 75-490, 75-491, 75-492 491S .0531 509S .086 75-473 75-490, 75-491, 75-492 510S .0492 549S .082 75-553 75-557, 75-558 551S .082 75-553 75-557, 75-558

Thanks Grandpa - that is how I did it as well. I am considering, however, routing the starting wire under the fuel/vacuum lines so they don't touch. You are one lucky fellow having that NOS Carter 533S.

Hi Grandpa, hope you're doing great. Those rod numbers coorespond to what Tom and I found as well. Was the mismatched carb the reason for the metering rod problem or are they unrelated? Good score on the 533S, there can't be too many of them left. I was truley fortunate to find mine.

Just ordered some - I'll post before and after pics...

That does look great. To be clear, I'm looking into this goop as an alternative to having to remove the manifold. This stuff just rubs on so I'm wondering if it works and what it looks like. Also, the right color for my '41 is grey although I think black looks better. My manifold looks pretty bad so just about anything will be an improvement. Great looking engine bay - what is the bottle of grenadine in the "still" for? I love the look of copper lines...

Ok thanks but I'm asking about the Calyx manifold goop that is rubbed in, not Eastwood paint. Thanks, Peter

Has anybody used this stuff? I might give it a go...wish it were available in black even though gray is the right color. https://www.amazon.com/Premier-Quality-Products-55-253839-Manifold/dp/B06ZZ8WQPZ/ref=pd_sbs_263_7?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B06ZZ8WQPZ&pd_rd_r=d05430e5-8eb1-44c7-94a9-b323903447f0&pd_rd_w=gxwPG&pd_rd_wg=VACyn&pf_rd_p=bdd201df-734f-454e-883c-73b0d8ccd4c3&pf_rd_r=WYPBTWMCG1XA2F5ED45G&psc=1&refRID=WYPBTWMCG1XA2F5ED45G Peter

Thanks Boys. I'll check those places you mentioned. I know what you mean regarding burned transmission fluid, differential fluid, and I'll throw in old gas. Each has a different nauseating and quite distinctive aroma - we should start a mechanics perfume line. My problem is engine oil that winds its way to dripping from the bell housing cover. I'll pull the engine pans and take a closer look but my hunch is that Matt might be right regarding the rear seal. This sounds stupid but we recently had our driveway redone so I have to put a diaper under the car every time I take it out! This will eventually get very old......and that is one cruddy looking bell housing. Will be very rewarding once cleaned up. Carry on my friend....

Speaking of gaskets, and I don't mean to steal Neil's thread, I'm trying to find an elusive engine leak (oil) that's driving me nuts. I've crawled under there many times and it is not coming from the pan, push rod cover or valve cover. I intend to remove the pans to really see what's going on but my fear is it is between the engine and transmission. Could it be the gasket Neil referenced above? Neil, your car is going to be exceptional when you finish.

And here she is buttoned up and waiting for spring.

I'm very satisfied with the Uni-syn, does essentially the same thing just one carb at a time. I'll keep an eye out , though. I feel a little badly about having to bash my air cleaner but the change is minimal and the alternative was to either install a spacer to lift the cleaner up out of the way (not a bad solution but it does raise the cleaner) or individual air cleaners for each carb (no way). I'll touch up the scuffs and hope my Buick purist friends can forgive me....

After a few belts of my best bourbon, I took a soft head hammer to my air cleaner so it would clear the rear choke housing and seat properly on the rear main carb. Below are pics of the air cleaner after surgery, showing the factory dent on one end and my dent on the other, and I'm happy with the results. It now seats as it should and since the new dent is under the air cleaner wing, it is out of sight and doesn't look funky or out of place, at least it looks ok to me.

Bravo Neil. Is that big *ss piece of wood your insurance policy? Peter

Thanks Neil. My friends make fun of me for polishing my motorcycles more than I ride them. Turns out it's the same for the Buick. 38% power use at 80 MPH?? Those are some pretty lofty claims. I probably negated any MPG advantage by adding this second carb. I'm not overly concerned, though, since the car doesn't get driven frequently. As Matt implied, these engines weren't built for economy.

Uni-syn arrived so I balanced the carbs today and took her for a spin. Drives great, no issues so I'm claiming victory and signing off. I intend to go through Jon's procedure above again just to be sure I got everything right but even now I am very happy with the results. I made a crud collar/spacer out of rubber to fit over the carb throat to lift the air cleaner slightly so it would clear the rear carb but its a bit wobbly so I still have to resolve this but that's it other than fine tuning. Thanks so much for all the help - Tom, Lawrence, Matt, Jon and others. I wouldn't even had tried this without you guys having my back. Peter

I ran across this article from Team Buick. Has a lot of useful info on tuning, including a lot of info on the rear damper. It also answers the question I had posed regarding the idle screws: "If either idle speed or idle mixture needs adjustment,.....turn each idle mixture screw the same amount in desired direction" https://www.teambuick.com/reference/carburetor_2x2.php I'm trying to locate instructions for adjusting the choke, cold idle cam and de-loader, whatever they are... I thought CarbKing spelled it all out but I can't remember where! Can anyone point me to instructions on how to adjust these? Thanks boys, Peter

Cranked her up this morning and she ran great. My uni-syn doesn't arrive for a few days so I'm on hold for the moment. I'll do the air cleaner in the meantime. Love this mod and wonder why Buick went through all the trouble of developing a more complicated progressive set up with 2 different carbs. Gas milage can't be all that worse with 2 full carbs...I guess I'll find out.

Awesome Jon. I'll do it just like that. One thing still hanging out there for me is whether or not the 2 idle screws on each carb need to be turned out the same amount. I always thought they should be but this hasn't been stated definitively. Peter

Thanks Lawrence - good stuff. Matt mentioned making adjustments by twisting the rod but I wasn't sure until now what he was talking about. Sorry to apparently need advice at every turn...

I ran it with the linkages disengaged and there was no change. But I let it fully warm up and the idle finally did go down on one of the carbs so I'm using that one to make throttle adjustments. I fiddled with the idle mix screws and ended up close to where I started at roughly 1 turn out. So I'm making progress, seems to run fine. I'm going to let it cool down and try it again. I haven't uni-synced it yet but will when it arrives. I think it's all going to work out. I am very lucky and appreciative that I have my Buick buddies looking over my shoulder...

Good idea so I disconnected the long rod, ran it and it was the same, too high. Also made sure the other carb-to-carb rod was not the cause. My long rod is extended absolutely the most it can be, only 2 or 3 threads grabbing on each end and, being short, the pedal spring actually pulls the carb throttles tightly closed .

So the short carb-to-carb rod has to be installed on the outside of the carb linkage mounting "arms" or else the rod and arm will hit on the front carb and limit the travel of the rod, preventing the starter from engaging. I remounted the rod on the outside of the arm and everything works great. I fired it up this morning and it started easily and ran great in my garage with the exception of the idle being too high. The front throttle stop screw is all the way out (the rear screw removed) so I have to lower the idle by some other method. Below are quotes by both Lawrence and Jon addressing this issue but I'm not totally clear of the method described. I know the idle can be lowered by adjusting the idle screws but I thought the best optimal setting of the screws was to maximize the idle speed. Not so? I need to syn the chokes with a Uni-sync gizmo, alter my air cleaner and I'm essentially done. Peter Hi Jon, I recently swapped my matching Strombergs on my 41 Century for matching 528S Carters and indeed they work better. My question is how does one achieve a lower idle if your already completely backed out on the idle screw. My idle is still a touch to high and having read through the Carter adjustments in the workshop manual I am still clueless as to what path to take. Thanks Lawrence If the throttle positioner screw (a.k.a. curb idle screw) is backed out so it is not touching, and the idle mixture control screws are turned in until thumb tight, the engine should stall. They are several "happy medium" combinations of the screws to acquire the desired idle. J