WillBilly53
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Everything posted by WillBilly53
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Thank you everyone! I hooked up the vacuum gauge and let her warm up. She worked her way and steady into the middle of the green "normal working motor" area of the gauge. I just took her for a drive and she did great! Huge difference in power and acceleration. I kept checking the instrument panel and all was okay. She kept her idle at stop signs. I drove her into an abandoned neighborhood and gave her some good revs. Probably put about 5 miles on her (odometer doesn't work). I'm sure I looked like an escaped patient from the looney bin with the ridiculous smile on my face! She did awesome until I was almost home and slowing down I heard a wobble in one of the wheels. I'll start a new thread for that though. Thank you so much to everyone with all of your help. It was a quite a momentous day for me! I'll get back an do some more fine tuning, but wow what a difference! -
I don't, but it looks like I've got an excuse to purchase another tool tomorrow Thanks guys, it's raining here today and she's a fair weather car at the moment (no wipers, broken driver's side window, etc.) so I was unable to see how she drives. If the rain moves out I will see how she feels tomorrow. It was sweet music to my ears and she started right up with no problem. I had a the biggest grin on my face when I went in to tell my wife. I don't know if it was the pertronix, fouled plugs, crappy wires or what, but she sounds pretty awesome to me so far. Can't wait until tomorrow. It's like Christmas Eve tonight.
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Hey Hey!!! http://youtu.be/YPLWgLFd-xY
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Now I do! I just got a set last night at Autozone. The correct points didn't come in until 5 yesterday so I got a late start. I dropped the points in and I did the whole procedure of turning the engine manually so the lobe of the cam on the distributor is hitting the breaker arm and at maximum opening. Set the gap using my new gapper tool. I know this is old news to most of you guys, but I found it quite fun! (I have never done this as I've always had the pertronix in it) I put the distributor cap back on and routed the plug wires correctly. I have tripled checked them and will check them again today. It was late last night so I did not try and start her. I wanted to end on a good note of having set the points gap and routed the plug wires, etc. That way I felt good about something and in the chance that I tried to start her and something wasn't correct that I would be out in the garage until 4 in the morning and probably pissed off. So when I get my work done today, I will have a fresh clean mind to try and start her. I will report back. I appreciate the help and response. I need to answer some questions from ya'll: I think James had asked if I had a timing light. I don't! Bob, thank you - I have done the vacuum test just as you have pointed out. The gauge was consistently reading in the the "lated timing" red zone. I will do it again today so that everyone has the latest update info on what's going. I think someone had asked if I used a screw-in type compression gauge. Yes, I used the threaded type and I did tests both wet and dry to no change in compression. I realize this is an extremely long thread and with all my heart I appreciate everyone taking time to help. Now that everything is back to factory, I will try her today and get some new readings and report back. Hopefully with good news.
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man, of course I didn't do that! dang it. I'm posting some photos of the plugs anyways. That one on the far right... how the heck would that happen? I promise I didn't set a .000001 gap. I also notice there's that one with what looks like zero carbon. Maybe hasn't been firing? anyways, I drilled, tapped and plugged the exhaust manifold hole where the heat riser valve was with a grade 8 bolt. I put the new plugs in torqued to 20-28 lbs per the manual, put the stock coil on and put in the condensor. I was about to put in the points when I noticed it looks exactly backwards to what is in the manual (see photo). The mechanism looks flip-flopped. What in the world? All the parts I look up online shows that the part I have is correct. Any advice?
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thanks for the encouragement folks. I've got my bag of goodies. I went ahead and got points, condenser, distributor rotor, distributor cap, spark plugs (ACDelco R43S-they were out of the Autolite 85's), new plug wires 7mm with silicone insulation (and plastic wire loom per John's post), stock coil and ballast resistor. I also ordered a tach/volt/dwell meter that should be here on Tuesday. Tomorrow is going to be a fun day! Wish me luck!
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Thank you Mike, Willie, James, John, Chris, Lamar and everyone else I forgotten! I was just telling my wife last week how cool everyone is on this forum. I was 28 when I first got her in '02 and didn't even know what a carburetor looked like, or what a distributor was (still have tons to learn) I've had to redo things twice and more because of my laziness or ineptness. (I think I could do a torque tube retainer job blindfolded now, lol!) I know I'm not as active on here and post with more questions than I do solutions, but you all have been a tremendous help and I really do appreciate it. Hopefully I have answered some others' questions over the years and can pass what little I know to some else in the future. I apologize for the orientation of that last part of the video. I was indeed trying to watch for arcing in the dark and saw that blue flame so I quickly put the camera down in the bay to try and catch it on video! I pick up the spark plugs, wires, stock coil and ballast resistor today to install. I'll also plug the hole in the manifold as Willie suggested and I'll report back. Hopefully with some "good" news. As my first art professor once told me. If you are having trouble with a piece, go back to the basics.
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I routed the wires like the pictures in the manual, but now I'm questioning it. I know what parallel means, but maybe not so much in this context. Does someone have a photo or other close up example of what the should (or shouldn't) look like?
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Excellent, thanks Willie!
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1-3-5-7 all are at 145 lbs/sqr. inch. 2-4-6 are at 130 with 8 being at 135
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Oh there's an undeveloped neighborhood just around the corner I've been aching to take the 'ol girl :cool: Understood Willie, thanks. I'll get the regular 85's instead of the platinum. Thanks to you and Chris it also sounds like I really need to just get rid of the Pertronix altogether (I'm sorry I didn't heed your suggestion years ago!) O'Reily's has a replacement ignition coil and ballast resistor. Distributor cap is going to take a few days. Crap, I guess I need points and a rotor too. Regarding the blue mystery: Red arrow is pointing to where the blue flash is coming from (this is just a photo I found on the internet) So the spring, pin, butterfly and weight are removed. There's a hole where the pin was inserted to hold all these parts and that is where the blue mystery is coming from. Does that make sense?
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Okay, I ordered some new BWD wires and Autolite AP85 froms OReiley's this morning and they are supposed to arrive this afternoon or tomorrow morning at the latest. Engine was rebuilt in '03 and poor thing just sat. I never even tried to start her until early 2012 (I'll spare you all the excuses!) I had put in fresh oil and gotten new wires from Bob's and new Autolite 85's and distributor cap. Triple checked the wire paths to the manual. Lamar and I got her timed, started and idling good. She would pop every now and again, but I thought it was backfire because I hadn't gotten an exhaust yet. Little did I know... I've never even driven her (Brakes and a myriad of other stuff to do on her caused this second break) We did bypass the ballast resistor back then because it started smoking when we were trying to start her. I have the Pertronix and the flame thrower coil. So let me see if I can find a ballast resistor and an original coil. Just so I'm clear, so that blue flame is actually a spark that is going all the way into the block and out through the hole in the exhaust manifold? holy schnikes! Thanks so much guys. oh and to answer your question Chris, a complete tune up has never been completed. oi, I've got lots to learn.
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Any tips for body-on fuel line install--50/early 50s bodies
WillBilly53 replied to beerczar1976's topic in Buick - Post War
On my '53 I sadly I had to cut the line. Since mine is going to be a driver and not judged and because I got so fed up with trying to route it correctly, I cut it. I could be wrong, but I bet you could do as you thinking with loosening the body mount bolts and get enough clearance to squeeze the line in place. I've heard of some doing this to replace the body mounts a little at a time. -
10-4 James. I've been reading a bunch of other threads on here this morning regarding similar issues. I saw this post from John. I liked his idea where he added wire looms to his spark plug wires and to the cover bolts. Would this help as well?
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Thanks guys, gonna purchase some new wires today and probably some new spark plugs just for safe measure.
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Thanks Chris. I hooked everything back up. I felt like I needed to start over. I took some more video if anyone wants to check it out. More for sound as the video is dark and a little shaky (sorry about that) You can hear the engine and it seems to skip some beats. In the second part you can see the blue flame pop and this is definitely where the pops are coming from. Is it possible some plugs are fouled and causing misfires? It's starting to bum me out. I'm anxious to get her running like a top. https://youtu.be/qfayLfuprCQ
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Thanks Chris - it is not a steady stream. it's definitely a puff-puff. Al, I'll plug the vacuum line when I go back out there to test her again. Thanks!
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Understood, thanks Bill - I got the choke stove kit installed. I removed the heat riser valve as suggested. I've disconnected the vacuum advance and I'm trying to verify timing by turning the distributor with the vacuum gauge hooked up to the intake manifold. I can't seem to get her to sound good. I can retard her and she'll just about die so I turn it back slightly to advance and the vacuum gauge still reads in the red "lated timing" zone. She idles, but to me it sounds rough. chugga-chugga-CHUGGA-CHUGGA-chugga-chugga. I also noticed the popping sound is afterfire from the now vacant ports of the removed heat riser valve pin on the exhaust manifold. (I'm guessing the previous popping/pinging sound before was afterfire causing the weight of the heat riser valve to hit the engine?) Anyways, I see a small blue flame shoot out every once and a while at that point. This means a rich mixture, correct? Do I address this now or do I need to put on my big boy gloves and do a valve adjustment as has been suggested?
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Great suggestion Alfre. Thank you! Okay, I managed to pull her out and get her turned around so the exhaust is pointing out of the garage. Upon further listening, it does seem the pinging or popping sound is coming from the heat riser valve. I will remove it tomorrow. I attached the vacuum gauge and turned the distributor both ways to advance and retard while she was running, it dropped considerably when I turned it to retard the timing. I tried turning it the other way to advance it, but I think it might be binding a little bit due to the vacuum advance being attached. I'll disconnect that tomorrow and fiddle with the distributor again. One last thing, I feel I'm pretty handy but I'm honestly stumped on how the fittings attach with the choke stove kit. I understand that the ferrule fitting and the nut are used to attach one end of the tube to the carburetor. The other end is where I'm lost. I see that the tube goes into the hole of the dome piece that is clamped to the exhaust. Which pipe on the exhaust do I mount it to. Also there are some other pieces that I am unsure of how to use with the kit. Does the piece of tube just sit in the dome piece or do I use one of the other pieces to secure it to the dome piece? There's also a solid cone shaped piece that I have no idea where it goes.
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Thanks guys! I'm going to go through this most current list of tips. I got the choke stove kit ready to install. I had a big art show last night and had to shift gears for that. And thanks Keith for taking the time of going through the thread. I don't have a timing light, but will do as you suggested. I do need to check the timing as you and Willie have mentioned. I'm recuperating from the art show right now, but plan on getting out there this afternoon to mess around with the 'ol girl! I'll report back.
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Thanks John, I checked the heat riser valve (on the driver's side thanks Willie!) and it is easily flipped. James, is it fairly easy to remove this part? I didn't get a chance to mess around today. I need to get her turned around the other way in the garage so the exhaust is shooting out and not in and thus I can properly try and get her warmed up without killing myself. Also I ordered the Dorman part yesterday and it should be here tomorrow - and thanks Jon, I'll do some more reading tonight! I hope my ignorance has not pissed any of you guys off!
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awesome, thanks James (for the picture of it installed, also!) I'll order and in the meantime I'll push the rod down after the engine has warmed up. Thanks!
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I don't know where the choke stove is, I never had one. Looks like I need to order one. Will the Dorman Help! Choke Stove Kit work? I pushed the rod down that you have indicated in the screen cap and the engine stalled. I will check the float bowl level in the meantime. (sorry for my ignorance, I though you were talking about the fuel filter, lol!)
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Here's the video I just took:
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Alright, I adjusted the choke thermostat on the carb to the setting indicated in the manual (it was a few clicks off). I looked in the distributor and everything looked fine although I don't know what I'm looking for. I didn't see anything that looked burned out or any broken pieces. Firing order is correct, however I was not aware of the parallel/right angle setting of the spark plug wires that touch. (Thanks Willie!) I will adjust that when I get back out there in a second. Started her up to take some more video and she managed to idle, albeit running rough. I went out and got a vacuum gauge at harbor freight and hooked it up to the intake manifold. Started her up and it was reading in the "Lated Timing" red zone. It's all in the video that I'm uploading to youtube. When it's finished uploading, I'll post a link. Willie, looks like you are on it with the timing issue! Is it safe to verify the timing if valves are sticking? John, I have an aftermarket clear plastic fuel filter and not the glass bowl. It seems to fill up well when I start her. I've got footage of it in the video coming. I've yet to pull the carb and spray the crap out of it with carb cleaner, as carbking suggested earlier.
