old-tank

The Buick Bugle

Bruce If it stays dry post the details of the rear main seal that you used. The ball joints at the accelerator pedal and carb are failure points after all these years and miles. I have had both fail at different times miles from home. I replaced with different used ones and now carry spares. On mine there is no spring clip at the rod to ball stud...it is just one assembly with the ball captured in the socket. (Ford used a spring socket in a pull only situation...yours is pushing and that will not work) Your assignment, Sir, it you care to take it is to find a substitute for this assembly . Willie

If yours does not already have the vulcanized outer torque ball retainer, get one from FATSCO since Bob's will charge $50 deposit. I had problems with one from those New Jersey boys ( the identifying feature is the zinc plated outer torque ball retainer --- others are plain steel ) http://forums.aaca.org/f162/transmission-leak-231604.html Willie

...and apparently sometimes when the wheel is turned. Look first in the horn contact area of the steering wheel.

I have Jaybird's method on my website. Call me and I can probably walk you through it...depends on how much 'engineering' you did . Willie

We can help fix your problem. Just start a new thread in the Postwar/Technical forum with details.

Count me as one more in agreement. Another issue is spark plugs. Try to find standard and preferably non-resistor plugs --- never platinum or other high mileage plugs. I once tried some Bosch platinum plugs in a nailhead and it was very hard starting and had driveability issues. Pulled a plug and it would not start a lawn mower. Checked for spark and there was a tiny yellow spark...substitued a new Autolite 75 and (splat-splat) big blue spark. Installed same in the nailhead and it starts first piston up. Willie

Also check that new steering wheel...getting the horn working correctly is the hardest thing when a different steering wheel is installed.

LMAO --- not laughing at you just with you. Never saw that rigging before, but not surprised at the modifications over the years: another guy found a rag stuffed in the valley cover...a few years ago I spent $350 at a machine shop refurbishing 2 cylinder heads because of low compression and it smoked from oil down the valve stems (included new valve guides and seals), only to discover later that the rocker shafts had been replaced and installed upside down and the pushrods were too long. Willie

Michael --- My concept of 'compression' is as in compressing the spring and shortening the tubular shock, and in your case raising the free end of the upper control arm with the integral shock. In your case you have more resistance on compression than rebound. Ask the rebuilder if they know how 'it is supposed to be'. In the real world they will probably work fine...of course it is a pain to 'try them out' in your case. Modern gas charged shocks seem to have considerable resistance on compression and rebound until the gas charge is lost, then only on rebound. Willie

Be sure that crusty mess is replaced by some aluminum mesh. The plate on the bottom of the manifold is probably a replacement for a rusted out original. Most gasket sets in the past had a specific one for that location (I might have a few)...can be made from exhaust resistant material...I would not trust silicone, even the good high temp stuff. Willie

You gotta go where the passion is. I have sold very few of the cars I have owned, but I once had a 54 Plymouth, a 64 Dodge...

My guess is your shocks are correct for that Buick. For instance in the past before gas charged shocks, Monroe 'Monromatics' were soft on compression, but had much more resistance on rebound; Gabriel 'Striders' had great resistance on compression and rebound. The Striders improved the handling on a stock suspension 71 Buick, but it did not 'feel' like a Buick. The rear lever shocks on my 55's have what seems to be more rebound resistance than compression. Stay away from higher viscosity motorcycle fork oil...I tried it and broke a link on one of the rear shocks. Willie

plugged muffler? heat riser stuck closed leading to percolation from carb?

Times have changed! Back in the mid 1980's when I was looking for Daytona all of the above referenced big name vendors wanted to sell Roxpoint or Grospoint. I finally bought some yardage from a chevy supplier and had it made locally. If you dye that carpet, be sure to do that before it is sewn...it WILL shrink. It will probably also shorten the life of the foam backing like hot antifreeze does. Spraying with SEM plastic paint will work to change the color, but the carpet will feel 'crusty'. Willie

Leif The attached thumbnails are apparently the available replacement sets available in 1956. I know that 54 and 55 early used 3.41 gears in the 50-60-70 series dynaflow cars; late 55 used 3.36 gears in those cars...the ratio was so close that the same speedometer gear was used. The 'for sure' verification is to divide pinion tooth count into the ring gear tooth count. Use the whole center section vs ring and pinion to avoid case incompatibilities and adjustments. Willie

http://forums.aaca.org/f117/1954-buick-dynaflow-rear-end-347256.html should be 3.6 gears...

Service the valley cover then get a "uv oil leak detector" (google). You're getting too much exercise and you're making me tired!:cool: Willie

Service the valley cover while you have it out: videos 10, 11, 12.I have never used the adapter, but heard that they work as designed. I also have never had more than a small drip from the stock canister, so I would think a large leak like you describe is not likely unless it is the gasket that mounts it to the engine, and in that case the adapter would not help. I have noted that the rear seal leaks very little with the car stationary, but will leak when driven, especially if driven up a steep hill (oil to rear of pan). The one time I tried the rubber rear main seal it was dry until I went on a 20 mile drive that resulted in the loss of 4 quarts.:eek: I have never heard of a successful seal with that type of seal. Check for oil leaks between the head and the block. Oil moves through the head gasket to supply the rockers; oil drains back around the pushrods...poor sealing here with steel shim type gaskets will allow oil between head, block and gasket. Willie

pics?

ACC has the correct Daytona for your car ACC: your authority for custom automotive carpet, floor mats, and more I can help with the other parts (used). Willie

Screwdriver should work...I like to say 4 clicks of the star wheel, not turns.

Service the valley cover : http://www.buickrestorer.com/valleycover.html ...that would be the source of draft tube obstruction. Excess blowby from worn rings will cause this: with the oil breather off one valve cover rev the engine and if there should only be a small amount of vapor emitted...if it shoots back into you face then there is blowby; engine rebuild needed. Willie

You don't need to take the wheel off. Go to page 287 of the 55 Buick shop manual for procedure: move tool handle up ( if you skin your knuckles you are doing it right ) to expand the shoes. Willie

Robert Just install the rebuilt one and run it. When your restoration gets to the point of needing one extra point in judging, change to the 'correct' one and then carry this one as a spare when traveling. Willie