NTX5467

Basic Rochester Q-Jet architecture is 1 3/8" primaries and 2 1/4" secondaries with a rated air flow of 750cfm. There were some 1 1/2" primary models for a few HP engine options circa 1970 that were rated at 800cfm. Later models were pulled back to about 650cfm as the secondary air valve did not open to a complete 90 degree angle as the earlier models did.<P>Typically, most stock motors don't need close to 750cfm to build max power. Holley built some 450cfm replacement spreadbores that were just a good on the primaries as the Q-Jet, but lacked the "secondary rush" of the Q-Jet due to the smaller secondaries in them. <P>If you don't get a correct Q-Jet for it, try for a "correct" spreadbore from Holley for that particular model. Put the correct GM base gasket with it and enjoy the fact it typically hooks up exactly like the factory carb did.<P>Enjoy!

A recent article on GM's move to improve the fuel economy on utility vehicles mentioned the "cylinder kill" strategy. It was mentioned that the technology and equipment are now much better than with the Cadillac system of earlier years.<P>I have also noticed that the limp-in mode in the event of coolant loss has been expanded to some other GM engines now also.<P>As crude as that earlier high-tech Cadillac stuff was, it kept the EPA at bay long enough for the newer engines to come online with better fuel economy and for the newer bodies to get into production for them.<P>I suspect the new systems will work much better than the old ones ever could.<P>NTX5467

Seems like I got my Roster/June issue about the first of the month, sooner than I expected it compared to when the regular magazines come. I checked for the events listing and saw it, and noticed that whatever events chapters were concerned about not being listed were there.<P>While The Bugle is an excellent tool for advertising local/regional/national events, it is far from the only one. I suspect that many chapters still rely on it as their primary event advertising, which might work well for them, but I also feel that there are other ways to get in touch with other Buick owners regarding these events, even Buick owners who might not know about the BCA. We need to be getting those non-members involved instead of considering the BCA a closed society of Buick owners and only advertising among ourselves.<P>Newspaper advertising is expensive, but needs to be considered just as passing out flyers at weekly cruises, etc. Just a local/regional ad such as "Buick Show" with a date can be somewhat expensive, but necessary. You can't expand the local/regional/national Buick enthusiast family they don't know you exist.<P>Enjoy!

Thanks for that information, Barney.<P>As for the rim blow wheels, I suspect they would "restore" like a non-rim blow wheel as far as filling any cracks, etc. The hard part would be to find a new or replacement rim blow switch to put back onto the reconditioned steering wheel--and then installing the switch without destroying the switch or wheel reconditioning so that everything works.<P>The rim blow steering wheels were a neat innovation that did not really catch on. In the long run, it might be better to convert it back to a regular wheel/horn switch situation.<P>NTX5467

Nothing really stands out right now from what I remember seeing at the dealership level. The 3.3L V-6 is a smaller version of 3.8L V-6. The horsepower was similar but it was down a little on torque from the larger 3.8L motor. Seemed like good cars. I'd be more concerned with the soft trim than the powertrain.<P>NTX5467

Ash tray lights seem to have been deleted over the years on many vehicle, probably for cost considerations. Some vehicles still have them and other do not.<P>In the mid to late 1970s, GM and others used a fiber optic cable to supply light from a remote source (one of the dash lights) to many other places on the instrument panel, including the ash tray. It might be possible to do that with your Buick, but to pay someone to do that might well cost several hundred dollars in labor time plus parts to add one at this point in time. Possibilities exist, just depends on how much it's worth to you to make it happen.<P>Enjoy!

During that time frame carburetors were rated in venturi area (square inches) or maybe throttle bore size (square inches) of the total of all four "holes" in the carb. The cfm ratings did not come into play until the 1960s decade (about 1965?).<P>These current cfm ratings are the measured at a particular vacuum drop level (2bbls are something like 3" Hg and 4bbls at 1.5" Hg) provided by a flow bench.<P>For your application, matching the throttle bore sizes and venturi sizes might be the only way to do what you desire to do. It might be necessary to research whether or not the second carb had an idle circuit as such or was just a match of the primary carb without the starter switches or related electrical items. Not to mention the situation with the choke mechanism.<P>My suspicion is that the secondary carb was pretty much the same as the primary carb in all respects except for the choke pieces. That means each carb had an idle circuit that would need to be adjusted for speed and mixture (i.e., balanced) instead of just using the adjustment for the primary carb.<P>Enjoy!

I would recommend that one place to investigate a factory replacement exhaust system would be someone that has Walker Exhaust products. When the cars were new, they had complete systems available in both single and dual configurations. Being "factory replacement" items, they went on and fit just as the production items from GM did. Walker is still a GM vendor for many exhaust system items.<P>They might not still service the front pipes which attach to the exhaust manifolds, but the rear items (i.e., muffler and tail pipe/resonator) might still be available. NAPA sells these same items under their labeling and the NAPA part numbers match the Walker part numbers, from what I've seen.<P>Maremont is another undercar exhaust vendor that might have the necessary items.<P>In many cases, muffler shop people want to use a generic item and adapt it to most any vehicle. This is also how they typically do dual exhaust conversions too. This is where they get most of their price advantage over using factory-spec items as most people are only interested in money spent instead of authenticity. For many consumers, this works well but the only way to get things "right" in many cases is to use factory-spec replacement items. Items which can go on with clamps instead of being welded together.<P>I let an allegedly knowledgeable muffler shop talk me into an upgrade on one of my cars. They failed to inform me of how it would work and seemed reluctant to fix it when it did not work. If I'd let them weld it like they wanted to I'd have really been screwed. Ended up costing me double to get it returned to stock configuration. <P>One issue will be just how much pipe under there will have to be replaced due to what the muffler shop did previously to use their "in house" muffler. Hopefully they did not change too much that can't be fixed. <P>NTX5467

I find Mr. Franks' suggestions interesting and somewhat "normal" from a person in his profession. <P>On the issue of dues increases, they will obviously be needed at certain times in the life of any club/organization and must be administered just ahead of when they are needed to prevent any problems--not after the fact when the organization is trying to dig itself out of a deteriorated situation.<P>On the issue of "whiners", if you happened to be at the post office on the day before the postal rates went up last time, even for one mere penny, there were typically lines out the front door of people who wanted to mail something at the old rate. The observed demographics of these people were what I'd classify as being right smack dab in the middle of "typical Buick owner" age group. The "older" demographics GM is trying to distance itself from in some respects.<P>Yes, The Roster is a very special and "keeper" document to BCA members, but it is also sees a very limited market as such. The size of the market might affect the rates which advertisers could be charged. As it is stated "for club uses only", it will or should not be passed around as the regular monthly magazine might be.<P>As for "revenue streams", the National Meet is the responsibility of the host chapter in all respects, up to and including financial loss/gain. Other than in an advisory capacity, the BCA itself is not involved other than advice and a limited amount of seed money.<P>In the past, the BCA tried to market all of the chapter projects in a unified situation. For various reasons, this did not work. Even as neat as some of the club projects are, they are not big sellers.<P>For example, our North Texas Chapter had some computer mouse pads produced as a chapter project. You would think that something of that nature would sell well, but they did not, even at the national meet that year. One of our members said an older BCA member came up and asked what they were. He was told they were "mouse pads" for his computer. He replied that he did not like mice and would not furnish them a place to sleep in his house. Then he walked off.<P>As for insurance, I know the NSRA has vehicle insurance their members can buy for their cars. This is neat as it has some additional coverages, but not that even the main stream companies are now involved in the antique vehicle market. Obviously, in this instance and other similar ones, the NSRA is only brokering the policies for someone else.<P>In conclusion, the BCA situation, with regard to other groups Mr. Franks has been associated with, is somewhat different in demographics and orientation. I haven't seen people go out and buy something just because it had a BCA logo on it or put money into the BCA treasury--even the reasonably priced items. I believe the BCA MasterCard is a great way for members to help the BCA, but I also suspect it has received limited acceptance by the membership as a whole. I know that I have one.<P>He does have some good ideas that might be investigated by the BOD as possibilities of future income.<P><BR>Thanks,<BR>Willis Bell<BR>NTX5467

I'm not sure what the mailing date criteria might be, but I have typically received my copy a few days before our chapter meeting (on the second Saturday of the month) with the old situation and the new one too. I can't say that anything has been siginificantly affected by the change of printer/mailer here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.<P>The Bugle is not my only source of Buick information so I'm not that concerned on which particular day it arrives, just that it arrives in good condition.<P>Willis<BR>NTX5467@cs.com

Jeff:<P>I received my April, 2001 Bugle on Wednesday. I read the comments that the new Roster would replace one regular issue of The Bugle and have no real problem with that. Yet the commentary from our Minuteman Chapter associates is a valid consideration, nonetheless.<P>I do remember the previous comments in this forum when you first solicited input from the membership on how to best do the Roster. This was several months ago. If the individual chapter administrators are still receiving the quarterly BOD minutes, then everyone should have been aware of what was going on after that particular meeting where the roster issue was voted on.<P>As I recall, the printing of the Roster this time might be a transition into another method of distributing that information in the future. Something of a blending of high tech capabilities with those who still desire a hard copy. Obviously, modern technology provides us with more cost effective alternatives than a bound volume of information (plus mailing costs) and I look forward to those alternatives being further investigated and implemented.<P>I appreciate your time, energies, and expertise in working on BCA issues. I believe it is great that you use this forum to communicate with the membership.<P>Willis Bell #20811<BR>NTX5467@cs.com<P><BR>

By that point in time, the correct vacuum line routing for that particular vehicle was on the emissions label under the hood. GM stopped putting them in the service manuals in the late 70s so they could make changes easier if they needed to.<P>Unfortunately, those motors have a massive amount of vacuum lines on them. <P>The only place those original diagrams might still exist is in the GM archives at GM Service Parts Operations (SPO). In the past, I've been able to get the rep to "pull the print" of the label and fax it to us (at the dealership). Unfortunately, the resolution and detail on the faxes is not too good nor will it be in color as was the original decal. Therefore it is somewhat hard to see where things go or need to go.<P>At this point in time, I somewhat doubt GMSPO could find what you need. First it would take a valid (at time of production) part number from a paper parts book printed back when the car was new. Those part numbers were deleted from the current listings long ago. With that original part number, the dealer could call SPAC and request the rep to see if the print was still available so they could fax it to the dealer. In any event, there are lots of "if" in that situation.<P>The other option would be to find a technician that understands how all of the various emission items are phased and which ones work from ported or manifold vacuum. Plus remembers the cars when they were new and knows what they're looking at.<P>Other option would be to see if you could find one in a salvage yard you could look at that might still have the decal reasonably intact. Typically, they were on the radiator support or on the air cleaner. It would be best to find one of the same year as you have.<P>The other option, depending on where you live, would be to "retune" the situation and hope it would still pass emissions.<P><BR>

As the values on these cars are so low, it can make them a great bargain if this is the type of car you can live with. <P>It might not be collectible as it has "two too many doors", but it is still a nice looking vehicle. Also, as there aren't that many left, they could start appreciating in the future if you wait long enough, but that might be a while.<P>Fuel economy is not going to be anything to get excited about. Parts availability will be scarce in the salvage yards, especially for the bumper filler panels (which you might find in fiberglass replacements). Parts availability from GM is now non-existent on trim items and most anything else. Any kind of semi-major collision repairs could "total" the car.<P>Ultimate value in the future will relate to the cosmetic and mechanical conditions. That one rust hole might lead to many related problems later.<P>If you find a price guide, be advised that what you probably have is a condition 3 or lower vehicle. In one respect, it's probably not going to depreciate any more in the future so if things work out ok, it could be cheap transportation (if you can afford the gas). <P>So you could probably drive it a few years and sell it for what you paid for it. The fuel economy might not be that much different than one of the larger SUVs are now, so you get a lot of space for a little money. Just depends on how you look at it.<P>In any event, be an informed shopper.

My apologies on the tow rating. I found a 1995 Cadillac listing for the rear wheel drive Fleetwood which states "an available package that allows trailering of up to 7000lbs GVW" so that would coincide with the 7500lbs mentioned.<P>I do know that we had complaints of the Class I hitches dragging on the Caprices we put them on, even with the "trailer package" from the factory, but not automatic levelling (which was not a Caprice item).<P>The transmission should be the 4L60 or Turbo700.<P>In any event, follow the recommendations in the owner's manual for any trailering recommendations.<P>The Caprice SS or Caprice police car rear disc brakes are a bolt on situation for the rear axle. Changing the whole rear axle assembly (to get the rear discs) would also generate about a 3.42 rear axle ratio in the process (much better for towing than the 2.93 you mentioned).<P>One of the major trailering magazines did a car and trailer test with a similar Cadillac rear wheel drive Fleetwood sedan in about 1994 (as it still had the 200 horse 5.7L V-8). They also ran fuel economy tests for empty and towing as well as acceleration/braking tests. That article should answer any questions you might have on how well those particular chassis GM cars do at close to their max rated tow capacity.<BR>Seems like it was "Trailer Life" or something like that. I should have it somewhere . . .

It takes quite a bit of resistance to damage one of those cables at the ends like that. We used to see that happen when the cruise control transducer would lock up or have problems. There should not be any resistance to speak of in the speedometer head or cables themselves. But there can be in the cruise transducer itself when the bronze bushing in it wear.<P>The fact the cables have a problem where they go into the trans indicates that both of the gears inside of there probably are still working ok and tight.<P>Cable problems themselves usually cause noises or jumping speedometer needles. With some higher mileage cables, it is possible for burrs to exist internally on the cable or inside the cable casing itself.<P>Hope that helps.

As the odometer is driven directly off the cable from the transmission and the indicated mileage closely matches the mile markers on the interstate, you can then clock it by them over a 5 or 10 mile run--60 secs/mile = 60 mph. The reason for the longer run is to average out whatever discrepancies there might be in the placement of the markers plus double check the odometer. It's easier to deal with the math on a 10 mile run.<P>If the speed reading is off, the speedo head will need to be recalibrated for the speed reading. The speedo cable spins a magnet inside of a metal "speed cup" which is attached to the speedo needle and is also working against a small circular spring (like a watch mainspring, remember those?) that returns the needle to zero when you stop. It is the amount of magnetism in the spinning magnet that determines the speed reading.<P>The speedometer shops have a "gun" they "zap" the magnet with to increase or decrease the magentism in it and therefore change the speed reading.<P>In most cases, it will be necessary to remove the speedometer head from the instrument cluster for these recalibration operations. Otherwise, once you have the odometer calibration verified on the highway, you can determine a correction factor and apply that to what the speedometer speed indication is. <P>Now that you have the odometer calibration checked, just clock the speed during the calibration drive for a couple of mile markers. If possible, target speed should be 60mph for both operations. <P>Write down the times and indicated speeds. In the old days, that would be a list or chart. If it takes 55 seconds to do the mile at the indicated 60 mph, make a fraction of that (i.e., 60/55), and convert it to a decimal number for the correction factor.<P>Typically, that correction factor should work for the normal driving speed range.<P>The ideal thing would be to have the speedometer shop work on the speedometer head out of the car, but the calibration check/correction procedures can work just as well but are more time consuming.<P>Enjoy!

Not sure what carb is on the motor, but the hard start when cold (after an overnight sitting) could be the well plugs leaking down if it is a QuadraJet 4bbl. This is a normal situation of sorts that any QJet repair person should be able to fix. In any event, make sure the correct carb to manifold gasket is on the motor.<P>The hot restart situation could relate to the transition from winter gas to spring gas formulations. The winter gas tends to evaporate a little quicker in weather warmer than it was formulated for.<P>The "press it to the floor" strategy relates to letting the cold engine benefit from whatever automatic choking is needed for the engine to start and then run at fast idle upon initial startup. If the engine is warm, the 1/3 throttle strategy works fine.<P>It sounds like the problems are more fuel related than ignition or starter related.<P>The type of float whould have no relation to the problem as long as they are not "heavy" and set to specs. <P>What kind of condition is the fuel filter in? The fuel line routing too close to a heat producer (manifolds or block)? Kinks or collapsed hoses in the basic fuel line itself (all the way to the back at the tank)? Current condition of the fuel pump?<P>Hope this has been of some help.

I believe you will find that the rated tow capacity is 1000lbs, which is a Class I rating. Even with whatever the "tow package" might include.<P>Otherwise, 350 V-8, Turbo 700R4 trans, 2.93 GM 10 bolt rear axle, automatic leveling with rear air shocks, probably low to mid 20s mpg on the road (steady cruise with no wind on flat roads), town mileage will depend on locale and driving/traffic patterns.<P>As a side issue, even with the Class I receiver (1" square shank), the Caprices would drag the hitches on the pavement when entering steep driveways, etc. To my knowledge, no one lists any type of hitch heavier than a Class I for those vehicles.<P>A much better tow vehicle would be a HD 3/4 ton (8600 GVW) pickup (of whatever brand preference you might have, but hopefully GM). The suspension, brakes, and other chassis components are much better suited to safely handling the weight of your GS on the trailer. You can add the necessary Class III or gooseneck hitch to keep things safely under control. Even on the GM pickups, the tow package only consists of extra coolers, trailer hitch (Class III), and wiring leads leads (on the newer ones). These trucks typically have 3.73 rear axle gears which suits your intended use much better also. The only reasonably common item might be the 350 engine.<P>People used to use full size vehicle to tow travel trailers and other things with in the past, but even then, the vehicles had to have modifications to the suspension and such to safely do it, even at the restricted speeds they could tow back then.<P>I suspect that you could find an extended cab, Chevy or GMC 2500 pickup (8600 lb GVW) that you could use for a dual purpose vehicle, but the fuel economy might not be as good, although that would be a minor tradeoff to damage to yourself and/or your GS if an emergency situation might take place.<P>The final decision is yours . . .

Most of what has been mentioned relates to what you can do at home, which is fine, and works well for either aluminum or cast iron manifolds.<P>If the manifold is cast iron, you can take it to a local automotive machine shop and have them put it in their cleaning vat overnight. But this is where the distinction of the type of metal is important as aluminum will dissolve in the vat and also "kill" the solution in the vat also (the machine shop people don't like to have to drain and recharge their vats if they don't have to). Cast iron works fine as the solution is basically oriented toward cast iron objects (blocks, heads, etc.).<P>There also is a type of cleaner that is kind like an industrial sized washing machine with jets of hot liquid clean instead of a soak tank. These cleaning methods should take care of any of the deposits on the outside of the manifold and also everything on the inside of the manifold. In the case of the exhaust heat crossover passage, it might need to have any residual deposits chipped out of it. <P>Both the vat and jet spray machines can do a better job than sandblasting to clean the total casting. Glass beading or media blasting are good alternatives to sand blasting, but those operations would necessitate a good wash to make sure the inner surfaces are free from any dust they might have created.<P>In some cases, it might even be cheaper to let the machine shop put the parts in their cleaner than buying the equipment to do it yourself and then taking the time to do it. Just depends on where your priorities are.<P>After the casting (whether aluminum or cast iron) is cleaned, be sure to degrease it and paint it very soon. I have had good results using spray B-12 as a cleaner and brake clean should work well too. Hopefully, you will have the correct engine paint to put on it, but any engine paint is better than no paint. Then, it'll be easier to repaint in the future with the desired color.<P>In any case, be sure if the casting is cast iron or aluminum before any cleaning procedures are started. As mentioned, use apapropriate safety measures if doing the cleaning yourself.<P>Enjoy!

As I recall, the light being on indicates that current is flowing backward through the indicator system for some reason, just as an amp gauge would read "-" instead of "+". Maybe everything bench checked ok but is not hooked up properly?<P>Perhaps you need to get a charging system check done with a machine (as a dealership would have) to load the system and check for current output and voltage under a variable load situation on the vehicle.

I checked the '75 and prior GM/Buick parts book last night. The "build sequence" of parts is mentioned is the way the intermediate series (i.e., Skylark) from 1970-75 builds up--outer retainer, seal, bearning, and inner retainer (from outer to inner). In that situation, the bearing and inner retainer would have to be removed to get to the seal.<P>On the full-size cars from '71-'75 (maybe '76 also, but the book stopped at '75), it is different. The build sequence illustrated is--outer retainer, bearing, inner retainer, and seal from outer to inner. In this situation, the seal is on the inside of the bearing and would probably remain pressed into the axle housing when the axle/bearing assembly is removed. In that case, the bearing assembly would not need to be pressed off of the axle to change the seal.<P>Naturally, to remove the axle, the cover on the center section would have to be removed and the inner c-clips removed to get the axle out. The outer bearing retainer would also have to be unbolted from the axle housing somewhere in that sequence. <P>The full size rear axle is not quite what I expected it to be in the way the outer bearing and grease seal are configured.<P>I wanted to provide that update.<P>NTX5467

If the bearing is pressed onto the axle shaft itself, instead of being pressed into the axle housing, then a hydraulic press and suitable fixtures will be necessary to remove and replace the bearing on the axle shaft. I don't have a GM parts book here to look at to see just how everything is on that particular axle, but am speaking from generalities of how that type of situation is usually done.<P>I would recommend you find someone who has experience on this type of situation to do the work. I would not let some chain store do it as their employees typically are younger than the car. That would mean an experienced private shop with some older (typically) mechanics that know what they are doing. Might also include an older Buick dealer with technicians who worked on those cars when they were newer. The other situation is finding the necessary parts.<P>There might not be anything really hard in doing the job, but from what you mention, it's not the same as on a late model Chevy pickup, for example, which people are used to dealing with. If you can find a genuine GM/Buick service manual for that vehicle, it will probably detail how to perform the repair (with illustrations).<P>NTX5467

Remember that any springs you find in the salvage yard could also be "sagged" just as yours are.<P>If you can find an auto supply with a TRW, Moog, or similar spring catalog, you can quickly find what interchanges might exist for model and year of vehicle. The aftermarket suppliers typically only used a "std", "A/C", or "HD" listing where GM had many variations for the same situation. In the back of that spring catalog will be a listing of the "specs" of the springs. Wire diameter, free height, "checking" height (in the vehicle under normal load), and the way the spring is finished on the ends will all be listed there. With that information, you might be a more "informed shopper" at the salvage yard. NAPA or one of the other major chains might have such a catalog and be able to get the springs for you.<P>The other thing is that the money you might save at the salvage yard might not compensate for having to spend time searching for a suitable donor vehicle in good condition. <P>I found a spring vendor from a mail list I subscribe to. The people who mentioned them gave them good reviews. <A HREF="http://www.espo.com" TARGET=_blank>www.espo.com</A> for Espo Springs N Things. From what I have seen there, the prices are "ballpark" for new springs and other related items.<P>The way the model years are listed might be used as a guideline as you salvage yard shop, but there are no part numbers listed. There is a place to request a paper catalog which might have them.<P>One thing is for sure, the springs from a full size station wagon with the clamshell rear tailgate will be leaf springs.<P>NTX5467 <P>

If the turn signals still flash, everything is working as designed.<P>Some flashers click louder than others. A metal case flasher probably is louder than one that is plastic just as the HD flasher can be louder than the regular one. Could also be that it isn't pushed into the retaining clip under the dash. Sometimes, attaching it solidly to a metal bracket under there can amplify the sound somewhat.<P>

I concur on two items, the location bill buick gs mentioned and also that it should be in the owner's manual regarding its location. How much of that $100 is for the filter and how much is for labor to change it? While it should be easy to do, seems like it might take .4 hrs labor to do the while deal--disassemble the plastic cowl screen, remove and replace the filter element, and then reassemble.<P>Do they live in an especially dusty area? If not, the stated mileage interval which might be mentioned can easily be extended. I believe the main purpose is to stop pollen and other irritants instead of just dust. It should not be having any problems just yet, I would not think it would anyway.<P>Might be that if there are some concerns, you might be able to remove the filter, vacuum the front side, and reinstall it like we used to blow out air filter elements at each oil change. That might save more money still.<P>In one respect, cabin air filtration can be a good thing but can also be another marketing deal. Remember that the a/c evaporator core's condensation will remove a good deal of airborne contaminants (at least that's how they pitched it to us back in the 1960s) by itself. But for people with extreme sensitivities to these things, it might be a good thing.<P>I do know that I can count all of the filters that I've sold since they came out on one hand. People either balk at the price, don't know about their vehicle having them, or don't worry about it.<P>To do it or not to do it is your judgment call, though.<P>Enjoy!<BR>NTX5467