KAD36

Just wondering is your regulator one of the originals with the screws to adjust the air gaps or a later one with the tabs to bend to adjust the air gap. The latter are a very difficult to get right….my experience has resulted in making them “more better” but not quite right and all I’ve ever adjusted is the voltage regulator part on the tab units because the thermal compensation on the voltage regulator air gap springs wasn’t working properly. It was mostly trial and error, just a tiny bit made big differences at hot with headlights and fans on, the cover needs to be replaced to measure the results properly. Wouldn’t recommend that approach, if not careful charge voltage jumps too high at cold (16 volts) and can blow stuff out so for me it was a back and forth trial until “good enough”. The screw type regulators are easier to adjust the air gaps and when I had one its literally following the manual. I’ve often thought of welding in a screw adjustment bracket. There are also solid state replacements but have never tried them. For testing, a ceramic brick resistor for a load from a local electronics shop worked, might have paralleled 2 together to get the right resistance. Somewhere I have some delco voltage regulator adjustment bulletins that go deeper than the service manual on operation because my problem was low to no charge at hot. If I find them or the link will let you know. Maybe someone on the team who better knows what they are doing with these things will chime in so you don’t go poof. edit: here’s the link http://www.ruiter.ca/mc/info/PDFs/1R-118.pdf See the paragraph on thermal compensation - fixing that was my intent when adjusting mine and was partially successful but couldn’t hit the numbers with the tab unit. Good luck.

You must have intimidated it back into operation. One less upside down trip under the dashboard (groan). Well done glad it works! Check for good ground at jamb switch. Mind where the paint is to not insulate it.

1) Coil dropping out when hot 2) Voltage regulator regulating voltage too low as it warms up. Whats system voltage when its about to die, warm, at idle in Drive. 3) Ballast resistor - clean the connections and measure the resistance. Too low system voltage in (2) plus high resistance across the ballast will give low primary voltage and weak spark. Mine would die with hood closed and run with hood open with electric fuel pump rattling away so it wasn’t VL. Go figure. 4). Take hood off per (3). No don’t do that 🤣🤣 Try JDs idea of putting it in neutral and feeding gas if stopped - it should also raise the system voltage. To this day even after looking at his engine I can’t understand how his plastic wire loom trick worked, but it sure does. 👍

Correct - Full left everything should be on. Last 1/4 inch or so the lights go out and only map light over radio is on, then full left all on per the excerpt. How clean are contacts and rheostat on switch? Going off memory and a quick look at schematics there is an 18ga yellow wire that comes off the foot dimmer switch and feeds the rheostat, then off the rheostat an 18 ga white feeds the instruments and an 18ga black feeds map light which is an on/off. Pull up the schematics and validate. Seems the yellow wire is a common single point failure to checkout with a voltmeter or test lamp, assuming switch is good.

Just don’t go making a boat out of plexiglass with that stuff or we’ll have to come fish you out….😁 Good job.

Did the Bill Hirsch stuff after cleaning and washing out tank - holding up for 20+ years, no rust issues. Unknown if it’s still same formula these days but it’s a data point.

How hot was the engine when this happened, what temp was it outside, does the engine start or run at all now or only if you force feed it fuel? Does it run at any throttle position? Am not sure how the fuel floats can be dry but the accelerator pump has fuel? So the fuel bowl is dry also? The pump, line integrity, needle valves all come to mind. If this happened all of a sudden maybe something clogged a filter or an idle circuit or the fuel line rusted a pin hole. Try isolating the line if the bowl is really dry, or check the pump pressure even if rebuilt if it will run just dribbling a little fuel down the carb. If its getting gas without manually force feeding it but still not running move on to another system check. If jumping across the ballast gets it to run for example, it suggests weak coil/low primary voltage/weak spark.

Concur. It looks very much like Bernie’s picture. Never seen one like that before. This oughta be good……🥳

Welcome. Curious what’s not working. The speed control cable, washer button, cam-o-matic control? Number of folks have parts and might have something to help out. Check the buy sell section for parts inquiry, and consider the introduce yourself section and shoot a picture or two up. https://forums.aaca.org/forum/12-buick-buysell/

Man I’m takin notes - lots of good shop hacks in this thread!

See you never know what your future holds….🤣

https://www.ebay.com/itm/224368644000?hash=item343d69cfa0:g:e-QAAOSwER1gMUCk ^—— there’s an example. Happens to be one of my saved eBay searches. Part #1322703. Haven’t had any issues and have a spare set or two on the shelf. Try warming up a little around the outside edge of the hub - warm not hot - and tapping with a piece of wood from the other side. Unless they are rusted in for 20 years that usually works. Put a skim coat of grease on the when putting back in to help with removal, I had to dremel my original ones off they were so frozen in place. Good luck

Roof don’t leak when there ain’t no rain. Cross that bridge when you come to it.

^———. That’s the safest bet and worth the investment on a single line system IMHO. Smart to get all the old fluid out if it’s been sitting 9 years that - it’s an open vented system as you probably know and has absorbed moisture which will eventually pit the original cylinders and compromise the seals. Consider opening up the master cylinder and the wheel cylinders for a visual. If you don’t have a way to pressure bleed or pull a vacuum to get the fluid out, put a block of wood or something under the pedal to avoid full stroking the master cylinder. It minimizes the probability of compromising the master cylinder seals by avoiding movement past any roughness/debris that may be in the unused section of the cylinder. Mine was sleeved with stainless steel over 25 years ago and have no regrets - no more pitting on bottom of the cylinder. Make sure your e-brake works too. Personally, I like to be sure with the brakes on these things. If it’s been sitting recommend going through the whole smash. It’s pretty straightforward if standard brakes. No fun doing fast math in your head on what was spent on new chrome vs if you’ll slow down quick enough to avoid tapping a wall or another car. Been there. Good luck with the project

That’s just ingenious. Way to go.

Great job as always. Glad you got the piece of mystery trim weatherstrip figured out. Those wipers can certainly get mesmerizing to watch…….

Welcome! Enjoy the journey - nice looking car!

Flying Dutchman rebuilt my originals. No issues, happy with work each time. Last I had done was 2018, can’t speak for how the shop is faring post Covid if you choose rebuild route. You’ve got multiple options.

Just stumbled onto this. Wow that’s a nice looking Buick. Congrats!

Ditto - that’s usually what’s requested when mine have been turned. There’s no one left I know of in my area that will arc the shoes to the drums any more - I’ve gotten by with 80 grit glued to the drum, and run the shoe by hand along the drum to get it pretty close and wear it in on the car the rest of the way. Not the best but works plenty good enough for the few times new shoes are installed. Car stops straight - gtg.

Is it done yet?

They be kingpins needing a BFH for sure. Probably same GM design of the era with upper and lower shafts and bushings but that’s a WAG - no 54 Chev experience here. Number of places carry quality replacements as well as shafts and bushings unless you’re modifying. What are your plans or still mulling it over? Sounds like you’ve done this before.

Welcome. Here to help. Special with factory AC - seems your car is uniquely optioned. Looks like a pretty complete starting point. Look forward to the fun

Oh sorry, misunderstood. I had tried some pieces of brass flat and thin rubber if memory serves right.

Yes sir. Seals for vac piston, water piston, check valve and springs. http://www.fusickautomotiveproducts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=WPRK507 They also have the large spring that vac acts against and forces water out, plus new lids. I silicone spray the rubber seals yearly FWIW. I got mine at McVeys Cadillac site a few years ago. 55 Chevy sites carry them also. McVeys used to have some stuff that “swapped” to Buick. Fusick seems to have best price currently. My switch used to hiss all the time leaking vacuum. Fixed that but apparently fixed it backwards. I don’t keep water in the pump jar to prevent the innards from rusting especially that big spring. Maybe you can take audience video request on rebuilding the washer switch so it seals well and works right….hint hint….🤓 Returning to build thread - didn’t mean to hijack.