JohnD1956
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Posts posted by JohnD1956
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Hey Lamar, PM your address to me, so I can send you the card. BTW Gene was right. That is not NY. My friend had a different post card for the Albany station, showing 8 Service station attendants servicing a 1960 Buick 4 door. I got the two confused.
JD
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I know people from California and further west ( Alaska) have driven cross country for BCA Nationals. I figure why should they have all the fun?
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I've heard of bumping the starter to break the bolt free, but if that causes you any concern, I'd suggest removing the torque converter inspection plate and then using a pry bar to catch a tooth on the flywheel. That will be a lot safer, but you may still need a helper to hold the pry bar.
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Good plan. You've really had quite a few issues with that car, havn't you?
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GM charges quite a bit for that oil, but it doesn't really take a lot and if you change it every 50K or so, it is probably not that expensive per mile.
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That guy bending over looks like he is doing something suspicious to me. Probably just stole the air right out of the front tire on that thing, and trying to stuff it under his jacket.
JD
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I't is kinda scary to run into these things. I mean how would you ever know anything like this?
JD
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Not the electra or fender skirted cars. My 69 has a one piece trim on the fender skirts which is much bigger than this.
I still think wheel opening but for a Lesabre or Skylark Custom.
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For several years now my 56 has had an annoying knock. Ever so slight, and most noticeable when slowing down. I have chased that noise for years. It sure sounded like the rear axle at times, and then a front wheel bearing. It also sounded like a fuel pump and the water pump on occasion. Replacing all those things never took care of the problem. I even suspected delamination in the brake shoes and a torn tread on a tire, but nothing was visible there.
Then one day I thought to remove the belts and grabbed ahold of the harmonic balancer. It wobbled in my hand and upon removal I found the hub had cracked. So I found a used one, had it rebuilt, put on a new timing chain and gears at the same time, but... you guessed it. Knock Knock Knock...
Then last night someone on another thread here asked about heater core replacement on the 56 and I looked in my technical services bulletin book. Where-upon I found a bulletin entitled "balancer hub loose or cracked". It says on some cars the washer for the balancer assembly will touch a " shoulder " on the crankshaft. Result? Regardless of the torque setting the washer is stopped from holding the balancer tight. Knock at idle and light load. Pretty much my symptoms. Another possible problem was the balancer bolt will hit the bottom of it's tapped hole if the hole was not tapped deep enough. The fix is another washer, which a large out diameter to hold the balancer, and a larger inside diameter to avoid the shoulder.
Tonight we put on the new addditional washer and a new lock washer. But ran out of time to put the belts and fan back on. But I did run the engine... peaceful and quiet...
Wish me luck, this weekend I plan to put everything back one piece at a time and run the engine inbetween each part, to see if any thing else was causing this noise, but I think we really got it this time. I attached a diagram from the manual to describe this situation.
Water pump, fuel pump, front and rear wheels bearings, generator rebuilt, Big $$$
Washers $.41
Peace and quiet: Priceless!
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Since you're headed for the timingchain, I presume you have already removed the radiator and the shroud. If not certainly put a piece of plywood between the radiator and the balancer.
I would venture a guess that once the bolt is removed, the balancer will pull right off. I haven't met a Buick yet that didn't. But a puller would be recommended if it does not come off easily. No prying or anything else.
I was able to remove the bolt from on top, using pressure to squeeze the power-steering belt and a 3/4 inch closed wrench to hold the power steering pully nut while a helper started the balancer bolt. The bolt was originally torqued at 55 to 65 lbs, so not a lot of pressure is needed.
There is something to watch for on re-installation.
According to my service bulletin book, sometimes the main washer will compress and hit the " shoulder" on the crankshaft. When this happens the bolt can be torqued, but the balancer will remain loose. This will cause a knock at idle and under light load. In extreme instances it will cause the hub of the balancer to break. This happened to me.
The fix is to put another washer in which is wide enough to avoid the shoulder and gives enough clearance for the main washer to do it's job. Supposedly later cars were re-enginered to avoid this problem, but the bok did not contain a date of the tech bulletin.
I have attached a diagram from the book for reference.
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Hey BlueSky, check in the up-coming BCA Roster issue ( presumably you have joined the Buick Club of America). You are sure to find other Buick Owners near-by to your home.
Plus the San Diego Chapter has made a bid for the 2007 BCA National meet, so there may be a show near you soon, with national attention.
If they get it, I am hoping to attend, and we are making special efforts to "drive" one of our classics out there ( although my wife said she would fly out an I can pick her up at the airport) . I just hope it stops raining out there between now and then.
JD
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Very observant Gene. You're probably right. My friend did say he found that card I was refering to and he would send it along to me, but I don't have it yet. Hopefully I'll know soon.
JD
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Wow! What a nice car! Great job!
JD
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Clean and regap the plugs.
JD
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I'd suggest replacing the TPS first. Don't imagine that it is more than $20.00 new. Had a celebrity once with the same fast idle problem. The TPS replacement fixed it.
JD
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While I haven't done this job (yet), I will be soon. I have looked but the original 56 manual is of no help. There is no section on removal of the heater core.
But there is a big section on the air conditioner, and this shows that the Air conditioning evaporator is under the hood, and it appears the heater core is accessed from inside the car by removing the glove compartment and the passenger side kick panel.
It may be that you'll need a partner to hold the bolts under the hood while the nuts are removed from the inside.
Wish I could be more help, Please post what ever you can from this job.
JD
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Wow, Joe Bortz! I'd like to meet him. What other Buicks did he have in his collection?
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Ouch !!
! Dan I agree with you. I hope all these guys start getting their rediculous prices. I need some cash and would like to start getting my rediculous price as well.As for young kids getting into the hobby, There are plenty of cars around for them to get into the hobby today. They are not doing it because; why? Because everybody's idea of a "kid" is just as different as everybody's taste in what is collectible.
All three of my kids, are into Buicks. The 30 year old wants a nice 84 Park Ave, again. He also longs for a nice 69 Electra like the one he learned to drive on, once he has a garage for dry storage.
My 28 yr old wants a few buck of disposable income to buy a Buick some day. But he looks for a 84-87 GN. And my 25 year old wants more 88-89 Lesabre T types, which he fell in love with when I made him test drive an 87 to get him out of Chevy Berettas.
If we describe "kids " of today as in the 16 to 20 year bracket, they have what they want in their Honda's and other ricers. And that's fine too. It's what's collectible to them.
But that doesn't mean today's youths can't appreciate a 50's - 70's car. I had lots of compliments on my 56 Super and my 69 GS last summer. I thanked them all with sincerety. And I made it a point to compliment a lot of kids on their ricers too. That's what will keep them interested in cars for years to come.
Further, if you think logically about it, what I like about Buicks is they are understated and mis-understood. They appear to be a much better quality car than others and much more reliable also ( except for my one 1978 Electra, which I think must have come down the overnight shift Chevy line and been bastardized with cast aside Buick parts). And that's what these kids like about their ricers too. The Hobby snubs them just like the hobby snubs us Buick guys. So if we spend a little time appreciating what they collect, when those ricers crumble into ash, they will know who to ask about full frame cars and this person will point them to Buicks for sure.
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Bumped: It's almost spring guys. Still time to put together a sweet ride for the cruising season.. Last I looked there were only 14 of these listed in the 2003 BCA Roster, and none of them made it to the Centenial.
This one runs well and has lots of neat factory options.
JD
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I saw the pictures in the other posts. I too am impressed. I wold like to get a new car this year, and was waiting to see what the Lucerne looked like. But then they said in the other forum that we have to wait till the fall for it to hit showrooms?
And those comments about the Solstice, Bengal and Velite have really made my blood boil. These GM exec's need a slap upside the head.
JohnD
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Your wife makes sweet rolls for breakfast? I'd consider selling a car for a woman who did that!!!
JD
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Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner Dave. I didn't mean to leave you hanging like that.
Where is "closer to " you?
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Hey Centurion,, Thanks for posting this. I am very much interested to see what this car will really look like, ie: on the dealers lot. Looks like I'll be in the market this year, and am seriously considering this model.
JohnD
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Top o the dash works too. Glad it's back.
JD
56 BUICK special
in Buick - Post War
Posted
Smaltzie, I can't help you with this one. My car is riding on stock suspension and I would not ever consider dropping it. So I have never studied anything about suspension modifications.
I would imagine the car needs an alignment though, and didn't your daughter hit a pothole or something that caused the oil pan to leak? Maybe she bent an A frame?