NTX5467

Thanks for your additional comments, Scott. Clear coat paint is a very good option on natural cast/stamped finish items once they have been completely cleaned. Looks much better to me than the "cast gray" paint I've seen. I understand the Mustang Club has a national level class where anything with clear coat on natural finish areas is a deduction. As one local member stated in their newsletter a few years ago (when they were in Atlanta and it started to rain), at least everyone else with bare metal in the rain was going to get surface rust too. To me, that would be one tough class to be judged in at that meet. Enjoy! NTX5467

Bruce, in general, there were NO glossy items as many people suspect on the later vintage vehicles. This one item is one of the biggest indiscretions that many people make when they go about restoring a vehicle. I have found that GM Black engine paint is an exact match for any black items under the hood. That includes accessory brackets, air cleaner housings, and sheet metal that is black and not "natural". It's available in spray cans at GM dealers. It is called "Glossy Black", but it is far from being a high gloss color, more semi-gloss. About the only item I can recall that might have been glossy black as such were some of the older 6 volt horns or some power brake boosters. In reality, all of the sheet metal would be in black prime before it the color coats and surface primers were sprayed on. That primer black is a little flatter and is very succeptable to fingerprinting as it's a softer paint. Those items were dipped instead of being sprayed too, hence there can and will be runs many times. The dipping procedure was to have a container of sufficient size or a vat full of water. The paint was put on top of the water and the part was dipped into it through the paint. When the part was removed, it was allowed to "drip dry" in an appropriate area. I have used the GM engine paint I mentioned (not the similar items from aftermarket suppliers) with great success on air cleaners and other items under the hood. It has good durability and the gloss matches perfectly. It even works on Chryslers too. If you are in a tight spot, you can spray some of the paint into a glass jar and then use a quality brush to apply the paint where it needs to be. This works well too. As always, use appropriate respirators and other precautions when using spray paint in this manner. Now, from what I've seen over the years at all kinds of car shows, the cars with the high gloss paint (where GM NEVER put it!) are perceived to be much more correct by the general public and are felt to "show better" because of it. Many people want to improve their car when they restore them as to accurately restore a vehicle might make it look a little too dull or mundane, but when someone looks at it that really knows what they are looking at, the accurate situation really rises above it all. Similarly, what many of the high level restoration vendors sell is not completely accurate but more oriented toward the "show" aspects. Just because a product comes from a noted vendor does not make it accurate or correct in all cases--as was proven several years ago at a BCA National Meet with respect to engine colors. Experimenting with several brands and shades of paint might be necessary to really get things right. Of course, it can all depend on whose judging you were going to participate in. Something with the glossy black paint everywhere would be more accepted in a weekend cruise event where it might be a judging deduction in an event administered by a vehicle marque club (such as the BCA). To me, the bad thing is that the general public and many enthusiasts see the glossy black paint where it never existed in production and start to believe that that's the way it came when it really didn't. Eastwood does have many products to replicate original finishes and colors. Just make sure that what your vehicle has on it (or had on it from the factory) is what you are replicating with these coatings. Many that previously had to be sent out can now be done "at home", which can be good. There are other vendors for paints too. Also, don't forget to also replicate any inspection stampings or paint daubs too. Many people fail to reproduce these items when they restore a vehicle. Putting them back adds to the correctness of the situation too. Check with the GS or GM muscle car restoration sources for some of those stamps or marking items. Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

The speakers might physically be of the same size or shape, BUT the difference could well be in the mounting bracket attachment they used. The rear speakers would probably have studs they slide over to be secured by nuts in the classic fashion, but the front speakers probably use a single bracket that bolts to the understructure of the instrument panel and holds the speaker in place that way. It's that bracket (and related items "made" to the speaker's magnet area) that would generate the different part number. When I tried to remove the front speaker on my '68 5467, the soft rubber ring around the perimeter had glued itself to the underside of the instrument panel. I decided to leave it there rather than bend the metal getting it out. I put two speakers under the front edge of the dash instead. There are shops that will recone your existing speakers. It could be that they will used upgraded materials to do that too. Be sure to put the black pellon fabric back over the top of the new speakers to keep the bugs and dirt out. A quality recone job might be the best alternative. Enjoy! NTX5467

When these cars were new and then aged, the main issues were more maintenance related. Just as with those vintage of 3.8L V-6 motors, regular oil changes were very important for the longevity of the crankshaft and its bearings (the middle one would usually be the first to go when the oil passages in the block would get sludged up; usually in the 80,000 mile range if they had seen so-so maintenance). The first years of the Turbo 3.8L V-6 were some of the first GM engines to use knock sensors to control clattering. The initial calibrations usually resulted in clattering under part throttle acceleration whereas the system was better fine-tuned in later years. As far as specific turbo-related issues, they seemed to be somewhat prone for the oil seal in the turbo to get coked up and not seal the turbine shaft with time and age. This could result in the crankcase being "vacuumed" of its oil over a period of time. Combine poor maintenance and lowering oil levels and it was not a good combination for the owner's finances. These are some of the things we saw with the Turbo Monte Carlos back then. When the Chevy V-8s became more plentiful and the fuel issues eased up some, we seemed to ease out of the turbo business in our vehicle inventory. Plus, at that time GM seemed to have a "feature engine" for each division and the Turbo 3.8L V-6 and its non-turbo bretheren were Buick's feature engines so that's where most of the turbo production ended up as time went on. We had another case where a Riviera came in with a failed turbo. We got a new one and put it on. It came back a few months later with another failed turbo. The car had over 100,000 miles and was sludged up. What it needed was a teardown and rebuild (which naturally would include vatting the block and getting the oil passages in it cleaned out). Deactivating the turbo is not the easiest thing to do either. We might have fixed it for a reduced rate or something and provided no shop warranty on the band-aid repair. Later years were notably better in the knock sensor calibration and had higher horsepower ratings. Since that time, oil technology and products have improved a good bit too. In some respects, buying a used turbo car would certainly be a situation where being an informed shopper would be advantageous--or you could possibly "expect" to have to replace the turbo as a matter of course and hope that you might not have to. Of course, the Turbo V-6 enthusiasts can guide you on where to get a rebuilt turbo instead of getting one via a GM dealer (where they are very possibly discontinued anyway). I would be especially concerned with what the engine oil dipstick looked like plus the oil filler cap's underside. That plus some assurances of the use of a high quality motor oil and filer that were changed at the 3000 mile interval or thereabouts. You could also check the wastegate mechanism for correct operation and look for any modifications in that respect. Other than the maintenance items I've mentioned, I think I'd try to aim for the later year models with their progressive product improvements as the first years were somewhat crude in execution, by comparison. There are some other Buick-oriented websites that might offer some guidance in this area too. Happy shopping! NTX5467

At that time, the suspension upgrade would probably have been the F41 or FE3 option code with stiffer front sway bar, stiffer rear sway bar (or one where the standard suspension had none), firmer struts/shocks, possibly a "firm feel" steering gear/rack with higher turning effort and a quicker ratio, aluminum wheels, and Eagle GT white letter tires. I don't recall any engine differences or special calibrations, though, or any special exhaust system items on them. Usually black in color, as I recall, with black-out chrome trim. Interior trim could have had some model-specific items too. Like gauges instead of warning lights, leather steering wheel and shift knob, buckets and console, etc. I don't recall if leather seating surfaces were in the mix for them back then or not. Seems like the T-Type LeSabre coupes they had displayed at Flint at the last BCA show had cloth bench seats and column shifts, though. The Standard Catalog of Buick would probably detail what the car had as standard equipment and/or optional equipment so that might be a good reference resource. Enjoy! NTX5467

Mike and Nancy -- Thanks for publishing this information! It certainly clears up a lot of things I've heard about on this subject! As was unanimously mentioned in the last mention of the type of paper in the magzine, we've moved forward quite a bit from the previous publication with our current magazine provider. As always, to regress to the uncoated paper was viewed as a step backward (even though it's less expensive). Any additional expenses for coated paper should be viewed as an investment in our future growth and prosperity, therefore, thanks for putting in the relevant information on the coated paper. We ALL know how beneficial it is to find and maintain a working relationship with a vendor or supplier (provided it is not too costly compared to others). I look at the renewal with Baker in that orientation. From the figures listed, it appears we are getting a pretty dang good bargain and total package situation with them too. Thanks again, Mike and Nancy! Enjoy! NTX5467

Check www.shermanparts.com which is the Sherman and Associates website. They do patch panels and replacement sheet metal parts (including floor pans and such). I was looking around in there today and they might have some of what you are needing. I suspect the front floor panels could well be the same as Chevys, but the rear floor pan could well be more "wheelbase specific". Might be you could section a piece in the middle of one of the Chevy panels to make the length needed for the Buick's longer wheelbase? From what I discovered in looking for parts for my '68 LeSabre convertible, the body mounts are the same GM part number as the mounts for a '68 Impala. There might be more "under the skin" items too, but I'm not sure about all of those things at the present time. I also found out there are basically two convertible top setups for all of the GM full size cars in the '68 time frame. Impala, Catalina/Bonneville, Delta 88, and LeSabre (basically the B-body full size cars) with Olds 98, Electra 225, and DeVille being the other variation. That means that many of the roof rail weatherstrips on the convertibles will be the same, for example, whereas the lower door to body weatherstrips would be car line specific. In the Sherman online catalog, I believe the '67 and '68 panels could well be the same "with them". The main difference would be the side marker light hole. It would be easier to close up the hole than to do the cutting and shaping to put the hole where it wasn't before. If you can find a Hollander Manual, it might better verify the interchangeability of many of the parts you might need (at least on the mechanical parts). This is what the salvage yard people use to find out what interchanges and what mods might be needed on certain models and years to make the part fit correctly. I also found in my salvage yard "adventures" that some of the things you might suspect would be the same within a given model year among the various Buick full size cars are different. For example, I found a windshield washer reservoir on a '68 Electra. It looked just like the one on my LeSabre, but held more fluid. I got it and then discovered the mounting holes were 1 hole's width farther apart. I also noticed that the Electra had horns mounted differently than on my LeSabre and also had a hood pop-up spring that mine had no evidence of ever having--holes were there, but not installed. I was surprised that there could be so much that was different (at least in the one car I found and mine). I always liked the lines on the '67-'68 Wildcats, especially the coupes whose 1/4 panels seemed to go on and on and on and on for days. The lines for those coupes worked better than on the similar Pontiacs. The convertibles were nice too! It should make a good project that will be very eye-cathing when you're done! Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

Great comments, Jerry! Just like when the warm front meets the cold front, moisture happens, just like condensation on the outside of a glass of a cold drink. It is normal and will be worse in colder ambient temperatures. In the '60s and '70s, Chrysler OEM mufflers had a small hole in the rear on the bottom to let it drain out, plus a similar hole in the tail pipe near the back. Not big enough to cause an exhaust leak sound, just enough to let the condensate drip out. Of course, once everything got up to operating temp, the drips stopped. I don't recommend adding holes as those were OEM spec for those cars. As Jerry mentioned, not letting things get all the way up to operating temp can affect service life of the exhaust components. Just because the engine is at operating temp doesn't mean the exhaust system is as it takes longer to get warmed up and the hot exhaust gasses to cook out the condensate just as the warm engine will let similar condensate in the crankcase evaporate as the engine stays at operating temp for a good while. Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

The air tubes that go to the carb attach to a plate with a tube that goes into the heat crossover area of the intake manifold to heat the air (which enters from the air horn area of the carb and is then pulled across the choke coil as it goes back into the carb. If the later GM electric choke thermostats are of the same diameter, they should bolt in. When I did the 4bbl coversion on my '77 Camaro, I used an OEM spec Holley and used the small wire from the alternator connector to run the electric choke. Just a simple splice operation. That same wire ties back into the main harness later on down the line anyway or ran the warning light when that was used instead of a gauge. Factory electric chokes used a special oil pressure sending unit so that an "on" ignition key wouldn't activate the choke heater as it will when things are hooked direct as I mentioned. Check out some of the various car parts sites and www.racesearch.com for carbs. There CAN be price differences. What is wrong with your carb now? Enjoy! NTX5467

Thanks for that additional information, Reatta Man! BG Products typically are sold through new car dealers and possibly some auto chains. We did use them but now buy a similar product from a dealer vendor that sells Berryman's product. Our changing had more to do with the actual local vendor than the product. 3M and some others also make a spray specifically for throttle body cleaning. Not sure just what differences there are in it and B-12, but there must be some. GM also had a cleaner kit (4 items in it) that some GM dealers might have. B-12 is a great product that can do many things, including some that many have forgotten about. Key thing is to keep everything cleaned up on the intake side of the engine. NTX5467

Why do you perceive you need a new carburetor? What year of vehicle and type of carb? Depending on what you have, it could be easy or it could be rather involved with the need to fabricate a few things. In general if you are replacing an existing Q-Jet, there probably is an emissions spec Holley spreadbore 4175 that will bolt on in the place of the existing Q-Jet. It could well have an electric choke too, that will require one wire to make work. Other things will depend on your particular vehicle and what's on it AND if it's original. There are better places to buy carbs than eBay, unless you are chasing a particular carb for an OEM perfect restoration or similar. If you buy a used carb, you could buy some problems too. Might be best to fix what you have than buy something on there. Not to say there might be some deals, just make sure you get ALL of the hardware for what you need from the seller. Remember too that it could well be a used carb that will need an overhaul/kit before it is useable (and to make sure what you have). Might be better to spend the bucks for a new item with a warranty in some cases. Just be an informed shopper. With the year model and such, I can give you a better answer. Thanks, NTX5467

I'm not well versed in Toytota items, but I'll respond in more general areas. I suspect most of the computerized engine control systems will be similar in concept, but different in execution. The smog tests are done at steady state rpm/load conditions unless it's a chassis dyno IM240 test with varying speeds and such. If you move the accelerator pedal and nothing happens, it could well be a throttle position sensor as that's what sends the computer the information that you are desiring higher rpm/power. If this signal isn't there until some throttle linkage movement has taken place, suddenly the computer thinks you "punched it" and acts accordingly. There should be some voltage parameters for that sensor which might be checked with diagnostic equipment or a voltmeter. The undulating rpm might be resulting from a sticking Idle Air Control. Idle speed is determined by a stepper motor that opens, closes, or varies an air flow passage in the throttle body. The throttle valve in the throttle body is fully closed at idle as a resuslt. Might even be some deposits in the throttle body throttle valve itself not letting things seat fully and making the IAC try to compensate for it. The stepper motor is a "replacement" item whereas the throttle body deposits might be cleaned with an appropriate spray cleaner. At that lower rpm, I don't suspect EGR would be an issue, but the purging action of the charcoal cannister of the emissions system could be. Causing a rich condition that the computer tries to deal with--which might be better tolerated during some engine operational situations than others. There also could be a sensor to detect manifold vacuum levels. This type of sensor can have different functions (i.e., Barometric pressure, manifold vacuum levels, altitude compensation) and resultingly different names, but it still senses vehicle load via manifold vacuum levels. Another related item might be a Mass Air Flow meter or similar. It can used various means to detect the amount of air going through the intake air duct so that can be used to measure how much fuel is needed at the injectors. Sometimes, these sensors have exposed wires and such that can get covered with deposits. It's possible the deposits can be cleaned or it will require outright replacement. I don't know if that might be applicable in your situation. It could be that an experienced Toyota technician (at a dealership or in a private shop) could diagnose these things without too much problem as they've probably seen them before. Especially if they set no codes. In this metro area down here, there are several Toyota (or similar) specialty shops that usually are owned/staffed by technicians that got their feet wet in the dealership arena and then went out on their own. These people usually know the ins and outs of Toyota products and are reputable people. They know their areas of specialization and generally stick to that only, plus possibly some routine maintenance procedures. In the middle '80s, a close friend bought an Alfa GTV6 coupe (great car, especially after 15,000 miles and the suspension smoothed out). During the warranty period, it developed a hard restart problem after it had sat for about 45 minutes or so in the Texas summer. If would finally start, but only after an extended crank time. The dealer in Dallas could find no issues and replaced the battery under warranty. My friend tolerated the problem, reluctantly. When he got ready to sell it about 18 months later, the doctor who was purchasing it for his teenage son suggested they take it to an Alfa specialist that was in downtown Fort Worth for a checkout. My friend told the shop owner about the hot restart problem. The shop owner grabbed a screw driver and had the necessary screws tweaked in short order. The car started instantly and idled smoothly. My friend was amazed and the shop owner said "They all do that . . . unless . . ." and then explained what was happening. Something he could do but a dealership tech might have been restricted from doing for various reasons as everything was "to factory specs". I hope this helps with your problem or gives you some information to build upon. In this electronic age, it could be something as simple as a degraded electrical terminal connection or chaffed section of wire in the harness or it could be a failed component. Diagnosis might be time consuming, but the other side of the deal is that you can chunk parts ($$$) at it and not fix anything (unless you get lucky). Have a great week! NTX5467

You might write your fuel problems to the fact that it's a transitional time of the year, temperature wise. The refineries are changing their seasonally adjusted blends in a somewhat hit or miss fashion due to the lack of a stabilized temperature range. Not specifically related to MYBE as such, but to reformulated gas in general. Several years ago, after we got Reformulated Fuel in our region of TX, a local car related radio talk show host fielded many driveability complaints from owners of later model computer controlled vehicles. They'd die and generally run poorly, typically. No codes in the vehicle's computer--no problems found, just as you mention. This deal has nothing to do with the fuel's octane. This same talk show guy, Ed Wallace, was not a fan of MTBE from the start. He also had an explanation of how that deal started. Seems the ethanol people and the MYBE people got to quarrelling during the hearings. Naturally, ADM (Archer-Daniels-Midland) was behind the ethanol deal, he reported. End result was that MTBE was the judges decision. Although MTBE was known to be carcinogenic, there was little valid research at the time. Mr. Wallace's orientation was that MTBE was a bad choice when there should have been others. He reported a couple of years later that Michigan decided to lower the Reid Vapor Pressure spec on their fuel by one notch and got the same end result as the MTBE fuel had. Some of these EPA decisions were political and some were based of the seemingly poor research on these things at the time the decisions were made. The Chevron website used to have a great FAQ on Reformulated Fuel. Mentioned things like longer crank time, slightly lower fuel economy, and a few other driveability related things they'd noticed in their test vehicle fleet. When we got it down here, my carbureted vehicles had no significant problems. The main one might have been fuel line degredation, but that hasn't been a problem as most hose manufacturers knew it was coming and changed their rubber formulations to compensate. It seems the later computer systems in the vehicles have been upgraded to compensate for it too. The owner's manual also states the max percentage of ethanol in the fuel which the individual vehicle's fuel system will tolerate too. As I stated, this is not an octane issue. I noticed back in the later '70s when the pump octane regulations came out, the pump octane did not match the previously quoted Research Octane numbers we'd heard about for years. I went through the SAE Transactions I found in the Texas Tech University Library to find some information on this subject. There were two ways to measure a fuel's octane rating. There is a fuel called "octane" that is rated at 100 with respect to anti-knock performance. Allegedly, it's a somewhat easy spec to meet. There is also a test that is called "motor" that is rougher to meet. Naturally, "octane" is higher and "motor" is lower. What we see on the Pump Octane number is an averaging of the Research and Motor Octane numbers, hence the "(R+M)/2" designation on the label. These tests are performed on a "spec motor" of a particular design with known characteristics in each case. My research indicated that regular fuels of the day were basically 92 Research Octane and ended up with a posted pump octane number of 87. Mid-range fuels were in the 94-95 Research Octane range and had a pump octane number of 89. Premium fuels were typically 97-101 octane range and had pump octane numbers of 91-95.5. Now, initially the premiums were typically 91 octane, meaning that a slight adjustment to the intial timing on an older 10.0 compression ratio motor might need a little adjusting downward by about 2 degrees BTDC or so (nothing major, must a few minor tweaks). Then, as technology progressed and other fuel additives were developed, the posted pump octane for premium crept up to 93. The 95.5 posted pump octane I mentioned was for Phillips66 Flite Fuel lower lead premium fuel in Lubbock, TX. I figured that since it was nearer to the plant in the TX panhandle, it was "fresher" as the same fuel in the DFW area was posted at 95 pump octane and didn't run nearly as well down here as it did in the Lubbock area. Back in the later '70s, in the DFW metro area we started to be able to get 93 pump octance fuel in certain brands. Once out of the area, these same brands only had 91 pump octane fuel. Higher elevations typically require less octane so that might have been a factor too. Less dense atmosphere means less dense intake charge and possibly less cylinder pressure, hence less octane requirement as the engine will not "see" the same higher cylinder pressures as they will at lower altitudes. Later on, the 93 pump octane fuels were expanded to other area. At the dealership level, what we see in relation to driveability issues on later model vehicles is related to carbon buildup from the "cleaner burning" fuel. It will restrict the EGR passages and not let the EGR valve fully seat (causing poor idling and sometimes even dieing complaints). It will restrict air passages in the throttle body assemblies (sometimes which can be disassembled and cleaned and sometimes not). One of our techs has a Ford Explorer with a driveability problem. Another tech with experience in the non-dealership repair shop industry advised him to look inside the throttle body and see if there were what looked like "carbon snakes" in there, where the carbon buildup would accumulate and push out of the passages. At the present time, there are a multitude of fuel additives and treatment procedures to address these issues. Some are added to the fuel tank and others are a multi-step proecess (fuel tank general fuel system cleaner, spray throttle body cleaner, injector cleaner). In many cases, they might help but disassembly of the throttle body assembly might be required. In some cases of later model GM light trucks, GM has stated a thorough cleaning of the throttle body cannot be successfully done so replacement is necessary. Extended warranty companies many times will not pay for replacement, only cleaning. The other deal which can cause such carbon buildup is an injector that is leaking or not spraying and actuating accurately. In the case of the Central Point Injection on the Chevy 4.3L V-6, when the EGR system gets carboned-up can be the result of buying low quality fuels and the CPI unit itself starting to leak a little too much. Replacement of the CPI unit and taking the intake manifold components off for a cleaning is the best fix. So, where the issues will be include first an EGR code and then later the CPI unit will fail. Therefore, most techs are conditioned to look at both systems when such a complaint is received. This can result in an expensive repair, but one that is necessary to keep things running as they need to be. At the dealership level, unless there are some operational codes in the ECM, the tech will just be going from experience on such issues with the particular vehicle. If there aren't any codes, many will not do anything as "there is no basis" for the complaint (according to the computer), hence "No Problem Found". A second visit might result in something being done on an investigationary orientation. Hopefully, there will be some warranty coverages so the cost will not be too much for the customer, but if there are none, most will back away if there are no codes. GM warranty will not cover "exploratory" issues unless a problem is discovered in the process. Similar with the aftermarket extended warranties (which generally have less coverages and more stipulations). With no codes found, it doesn't make a good case with respect to warranty coverages. In some cases, a scan tool can pickup operational issues in computer memory that might not set a code--with respect to throttle setting, rpm, length of time, etc. It might not be big enough to set a code, but big enough to be in memory. I believe that only OBDII vehicles might have that capability. The sophistication of the scan tool might be a factor too. Hopefully, this "snapshot" capability might help, but you'll pay for "diagnostics" or "check out" to get it done even if the repair is performed. ALSO, don't expect any technician worth his weight in gold to go strictly on what someone else or somebody else's scan tool says. A good tech might use that for basic information, but to back up their diagnosis, they'll do their own check with their scan tool (a known quantity). If the two diagnosises have similar results, it's good. A scan tool is not a generic item either. The GM dealers should have the one that is specific to GM vehicles and matches all of the GM computerized in-house diagnostics AND GM's troubleshooting procedures. There are many high quality scan tools out there too, but they might not have all of the capabilities to look at things the GM item does. If, per chance, the ECM needs to be "reflashed", it will be a dealership only procedure. If it's a warranty issue, there usually will be no cost. So, in these cases during the seasonal fuel formulation adjustment period, you might put some Techron additive in the fuel and go on higher speed freeway/road trip out of town (meaing a few hundred miles at one time)when you can. The higher engine speeds (compared to surface street town driving) will result in a consistently higher engine temp and combustion chamber temp to help the additive do its job and clean things out. Similarly, the constant fuel flow will help get the accumulations from the fuel system too. If no significant changes take place, then disassembly might be needed to get the carbon cleaned out of the intake manifold/thorttle body/EGR system passages. When I'd make the weekend trips from and to Lubbock in the '70s, I noticed that each time the car would run just a little better. Had to have been getting the residual carbon cooked out of the combustion chambers. I could help things along with a can of Berryman's B-12 in the fuel too, but ususally didn't need to. You would think that with the advanced fuel systems and controls that everything would be kept clean as a clean burn is necessary for decreased emissions. That might be accurate for the combustion chamber, but the other passage ways in the areas other than the combustion chamber are where the clogging issues tend to be. Many dealers have GM or aftermarket "cleaning" additive procedures they offer. Just as with periodic fuel filter replacement (which might not be mentioned in the GM vehicle maintenance schedule at a particular mileage) can be recommended, fuel injection service can be a regular item also. Those two items, performed periodically, can save many problems and expensive repairs down the road, by observation. Buying national brand fuel can help too as there are quality differences now just as there were in the '70s. In this case, "national brand" = something like Chevron, Exxon, Shell, Texaco and not "convenience store brands". Some vehicles are more picky about these things than others also. Just some of my observations. Hope they help explain some of the seasonal and other driveability issues on modern GM cars. Just as in the old days, everything needs to be clean and fully operation for optimum engine performance. But's it's also something where you can overdo it too, so finding what works best for your vehicle might take a little trial and error checking out--whether it's carbureted, electronic carburetored, or has the various styles of fuel injection. Unfortunately, it might take 10,000 miles+ to find it out. Enjoy! NTX5467

It might not be quite so much as what transmission might bolt to the back of your Buick engine, but how the newer transmission might interface with the torque tube drive setup. I think you can still get the overhaul items of OEM spec quality from some transmission parts vendors as you can probably find a factory rebuild manual for them. Might need to either find someone who can build your Dynaflow successfully, ship it off to an experienced facility, or have a big learning experience yourself. Maybe someone here can recommend a DynaFlow Doctor? Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

Is the fabric NOS or just plain "New"? Key informatnion as NOS means it's still as old as the vehicle (or at least pretty close) and not like it was produced recently. How things hold up in the future might be determined by that information. You might also consider getting new OEM style foam underlayment too, if you haven't already. I suspect you'll need to get need to get the tape measure out and check the grain for the fabric and how it's oriented in the seat -- on both the lean back and bottom cushion as it needs to match orientation. Then measure, leaving some extra for what happens on the other side of the vinyl when it's sewn together, and convert it to yards. Perhaps the trim shop that's going to do the work or the fabric vendor can help in determining this? Better to have too much rather than not enough. Just some thougths . . . NTX5467

Along the edge of the red lens, there might be an ID code to identify it as a CPD corporate item, followed by a dash and a two digit number that usually corresponded to the first model year of use (i.e., -60 would be 1960). Similar to what you'd find on the other signal/stop/turn lamp lenses on the vehicle. There also might be some further identification on the back or mounting side with casting numbers and possibly a date code too (not sure of how the date code might be configured, though). Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

I might be wrong (relying on memory, again), but I seem to recall the black/yellow filter was more in the early '60s, whereas the red/white/blue was more toward the '70s. I think I'd opt more toward the r/w/b version, although the oil filter removal picture in my '67 Chrysler Service Manual shows a black filter with lighter letting on it (for the B/RB engine) and the word "MOPAR" is visible on it in block script. Sometimes, what was sold via Chrysler Parts Division might not match what was on the vehicle from the factory when new as it was always the newest version. You might check out a genuine Chrysler Service Manual for your year of vehicle to see if that picture matches what is currently available from Mopar Performance in the Restoration Parts section of the catalog. You could do a lot worse than get a current Mopar filter for that engine, but it'll be the "short" filter as they superceded/consolidated all of the long filters to that short variation. Same applications, just a shorter length. At least, you'd be useing a factory filter instead of something else. Enjoy! NTX5467

Thanks for that info! NTX5467

It might have been possible to order the vehicle with a full size spare that matched the other tires, but the comment on the space saver spare is accurate. The owner's manual materials would also have information (as to brand) of the tires on the vehicle (tire warranty information) also, just as the information on the space saver spare's brand would be there too. Sometimes there were some indiscretions of the wrong brand's tire warranty information getting in the car, but it was reasonably rare unless the tires were swapped at the dealership. The minimum tire size spec for the vehicle (usually the smallest tire approved for the vehicle) would be listed on the tire pressure decal (usually on the driver's side door frame area). The owner's manual might also list the sizes for the respective models too, along with pressure recommendations and rotation patterns. Enjoy! NTX5467

There is a Torque Converter Control (TCC) solenoid that attaches to the main valve body. You have to drop the pan to get to it. Seems to be more common on the THM 125s in the Cavaliers and such than in the larger car transaxles. The shudder you are describing is most probably the torque converter trying to lock up and can't due to worn friction materials in the torque converter lockup clutch. Those things don't last forever as, just like a manual clutch, every time they engage there is some controlled slippage on initial lockup. Just a matter of time. If you drop the pan and find friction material, with the symptoms you describe, the prognosis of a failing torque converter lockup clutch would seem appropriate. For starters, you might do a fluid and filter change (using GM fluid instead of another brand) and see if it changes. I read in an automatic transmission shop trade publication that the GM fluid is the primo fluid and can fix some problems that the aftermarket fluid (even of a reputable name brand) DexronIII fluid will not. I don't know if it might in this case, but it's a shot. You can find a reman torque converter from many sources, but the quality of the frictions and such in the converter can vary. Of course, getting one from GM would be the primo way to go, but with a higher price, even though it TOO is a reman unit. Do some good shopping and ask questions about failure rates of the aftermarket remans. There are some good ones out there, you just have to find them. Of course, with the miles on those vehicles, it might be advisable to go ahead and get the frictions replaced and the valve body cleaned out and such. DO NOT forget to have the trans cooler flushed as part of the rebuild too! You might also check with the GM dealer for the price on a Service Replacement Transmission Assembly (SRTA) for those vehicles. You can buy them "carryout" or installed in their shop. Who installs it depends on if the component warranty is "parts & labor" or "parts only" should a failure result (dealership installed and "owner or private shop" installed, respectively). Many times, the dealerships will wholesale them at a price that is very competitive with private shops AND also have a nationwide warranty with them too (at any GM dealer and with proper documentation). These SRTAs have all of the production updates even though they are reman units and operate just as a new trans would. There are many credible trans rebuilders and shops out there, not to say there aren't or that they all are flaky or whatever, but do shop the deal both ways and consider the side issues of the options. It could well be that a private shop would work a deal with a GM SRTA for a quick turnaround and "easy money". As always, be an informed shopper and make the best decision as it's your money. In some municipalities, whatever the actual repair bill should not be over their written estimate more than a certain percentage (if not dead on accurate). If they rebuild your unit and find other problems, you should be notified of the extra expenses too. The one thing going for a reputable private shop is that they usually have access to good, used pieces where a dealership rebuild will be only new parts. Don't forget to figure in the possibility of having to replace worn/aged engine or transaxle mounts when you do this deal too. Until you get things fixed, when ever you feel the shudder of attempted lockup, back out of the throttle a little so the load on the trans would be less and let things lockup under less stress and then proceed gently to back where the acceleration was previously. The problem is when the converter is trying to lock up, not usually after it has locked up. As the converter friction materials diminish, you can get the same or worse shudder after lockup, but under load or harder acceleration (but not hard enough to get the converter to unlock). There are vacuum switches or internal pressure sensors to govern lockup and unlock events. There also might be some ECM intervention too. As the lockup is governed by electric means, you might also find the connection on the trans and unhook it. It might set a code in the computer and turn on the Check Engine light, but the converter would not try to lockup either. You might need to get a service manual to see a representative wiring diagram to determine which wire needs to "have an open circuit" in the lockup converter wiring. Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

At that point in time, the tires would have been "M+S" "all season" rated tires. Just as in earlier times, GM was still using pretty much Uniroyals on most of their mainstsream vehicles. The self-sealing tire option was Uniroyal Royal Seal, as I recall, that had a wider white sidewall too. I highly suspect that some variation of Uniroyal Tiger Paw would have been the OEM spec tire (P205/75R-15?). The other issue is the "GM Tire Performance Criteria" number that was on the OEM tires from the factory. It didn't matter who built the tire, they would perform to the GM specs for that particular vehicle. This started in '75 with what I called the "GM Spec" radials and their unique tread all season tread design. What the TPC number would have been for the tires on that particular LeSabre might be difficult to find at this date -- unless someone has an original spare tire in their car. In the replacement end of things, the TPC number was not used. Hope this helps. Whatever that OEM production tire might have been, finding that same tire today would be extremely difficult as tread designs and names could change yearly every since then. In those earlier times, the all season tread designs resulted in several changes. First thing was that rotations now had to be done every 6000 miles (to keep the chunkier tread wearing flat). Second thing was that the alignment "toe-in" spec became basically 0 inches. In many cases, the toe-in spec was now quoted in "degrees" instead of "inches" as the alignment machines became computerized and more accurate. NTX5467

Other than searching for codes, a good locksmith or GM parts person that is familiar with reading the "cuts" of the key can duplicate the key that way instead of just copying it on a duplicating cutter (new blank, worn out cuts). I also found that many of the later model GM blanks have the same configuration (other than the key head itself) as the earlier keys do, just that the earlier ones are thicker (width wise). The later blanks will work too, just be a little loose due to the thinner width. If you can find someone that has the earlier blanks,that is good too, but I'd find that GM parts person that knew how to cut keys with the hand cutter and get them to do some of the later blanks first before spending more money on the correct earlier blanks--this way, you have a good sample to deal with and to duplicate off of. Reading the cuts would be the better way out as finding a correct code book to get the cuts for the code out of for that vintage vehicle might be worse than finding the golden needle in the haystack. Unless the locksmith has them, the only other place they might exist is at the dealership level. Unless someone at the dealership tried to save those code books or keep them archived, they were probably archived to the dump. If you have any doubts about the cuts, the '68 Buick Chassis Manual details how the depths are for the keys just as many of the later GM service manuals do. No rocket science, just knowing what you're looking at. Also, the same hand cutter that does the '80s keys will also work on the earlier blanks too. You don't have to have that earlier style circular contraption of old. I discovered this when cutting keys for a customer with a '55 or so Chevy that used the earlier Briggs/Stratton key blanks. By the same token, once the cuts are accurate, they can also be done on one of the newer computerized key cutters, but I personally prefer the earlier hand cutters. Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

The odomoter is run by a stepper motor in the electronic instrument cluster. At the dealership side of things, there are NO user serviceable parts to that cluster (other than possibly some light bulb/sockets). They have to be removed and then sent to an authorized AC-Delco service center that is approved and set up to repair the clusters (including resetting the odometer on the exchange cluster to match the original cluster). That supply chain of AC-Delco is unique and different than the supply chain of AC-Delco that supplies the AC-Delco parts we're used to seeing at the dealership level or the auto supply level. There is a vehicle speed sensor in the transmission. It is a magnetic sensor that reads shaft speed with a "tone wheel" on the output shaft where the plastic gear used to be. Hopefully, the on board computer would have a trouble/diagnostic code in it to help pinpoint where the problem might be. It's a little bit different than just a signal generator that is hooked directly to the odometer stepper motor as the ECM is in the mix too. We see very few, if any, issues with the stepper motor themselves. It's usually something else that helps run the motor. You might check with your local GM/Buick dealer to see where the closest exchange center is. In reality, they probably might not sell the stepper motor to you by itself as if that didn't fix it, then it would be "their fault" so most have adopted an exchange only policy so that they know the clusters they send out are fully operational (with a applicable warranty, I suspect). The vehicle speed sensor in the transaxle should be pretty easy to get to. Check all of the wiring connections for continuity and the wiring for condition of the insulation first. You might need a genuine Buick service manual to follow the circuits, but those things aren't nearly as easy to read as they used to be in the '60s (by my observations). Do the simple things first . . . NTX5467

Thanks for that link, Roberta. Although a few siginficant items (i.e., the 3.8L Turbo version for GN and a hybrid turbo version for Firebird Trans Ams), it was a good overview of the motor in its later years. If someone stops to really consider the numbers, the 3.8L V-6 has had one heck of a production run! In the middle '90s, the Chevy 3.1L V-6 couldn't pass CA emissions so the 3800 was used there too. It turned out to be a real sleeper in that body too! Better emissions and better power too. As for later Camaro/Firebird 3800 engines, rated at 200 horsepower, they were only about 15 horsepower less than the cult-followed Mustang GT with the really high tech 4.6L V-8. Supercharger kits for those 3800 F-bodies will add another 100 horsepower too. Chevy even had a Z-28 like option package for the later Camaros, but it was far overshadowed by the Z-28 itself and later dropped. Similarly, the 3800 made only about 10-15 horsepower less than the Northstar architectured Intrigue/Aurora 3.5L V-6 with "High Feature" content. Admittedly, the GM 3.5L V-6 was not as fully developed as the Chrysler 3.5L V-6. I recall the joy the then BOC Powertrain people had that GM Australia had contracted to use the then-new Buick 3800 V-6 (3800=balance shaft motor) in their vehicles instead of the Nissan unit they had been using (at the last BCA National Meet in Flint, when we toured the V-6 engine plant). All in all, the Buick 3800 V-6 is one heck of a motor! As I understand, Series II engines (supercharged or not) are the current variations in Impalas and Regal LS/GS cars. Series III is the "fly by wire" electronic throttle control versions that will be in the new Grand Prix for 2004 and include the 260 horsepower supercharged motor for the '04 Grand Prix. Impala SS and Monte Carlo SS models will have the current 240 horsepower supercharged 3800s. As for the supercharged 3800s, there is a good deal of speed equipment out for them. Most of it is listed for Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles, though, even though most of it will also fit the Regals. Enjoy! NTX5467

All GM cars were like that back then. You put the key into the ignition switch to get it out of "lock" position and then could operate the car without a key until you put it back into "lock" position. Life was much simpler then and car thefts were not that prevalent in small town America back then. If you wanted the extra security, you used the "lock" position all of the time. Where the key was inserted had a slot with raised edges to facilitate operation without the key too. Other GM divisions used the ignition switch to also engage the starter while Buick continued to have the starter engaged with the accelerator pedal linkage. This was more of a convenience issue for GM customers as Ford and Chrysler used regular ignition cylinders and switches that were recessed into the instrument panel (Fords on the left hand side of the steering wheel). Somewhere about the time that "lock" was discontinued and keys were necessary all of the time, "Acc" probably appeared in GM cars. Just some recollections . . . NTX5467