1954Super88

Hello - Your Olds is a pretty recent vintage, so I think Crutchfield will be able to provide complete information for you - size, impedance, and any other information you might want. They should have details for whatever type of sound system that was installed on the car as original equipment. The best thing for you to do is to go online (Crutchfield.com) and get their toll-free number. They've always been very helpful for me. I hope this helps. Happy listening, and Happy Trails 1954super88

I tend to agree with the idea the spring is there to dampen harmonic resonance (vibration). I had read this somewhere, some time ago. Evidently, applying the brakes under certain conditions (acumulated dust on brake shoes, inside drum, dampness, and so forth) could excite the natural frequency at which the drum would vibrate (resonate). The spring would add mass that would tend to shift the harmonic frequency away from that which would be activated under certain braking situations/conditions. Hoe his helps.

Hello, All - In the slow attempt to restore my '54 Olds Super 88 Hardtop to original condition, I have a missing duct hose on the bottom of the plenum (mixing) chamber. This chamber is a box-like item on the inside of the engine bay firewall, driver's side. (A similar item is on the inside of the engine bay firewall, passenger side, and has the heating/ventilation blower motor mounted on it.) On the bottom of the chamber on the driver's side is a ducting connection (about an inch and a half in diameter). A circular clamp holds what remains of a flexible ducting tube onto the bottom of that connecting point. Can anyone tell me where the ducting tube should be connected at the other end, and how it should be routed inside the engine bay? If anyone needs it to localize what I am writing about, I took a photo of the engine bay when the engine was removed for an overhaul, and can send the photo to you. I have the factory '54 Olds manual, and it shows nothing of this part of the heating/ventilation system (and a lot of other things, as well!). Thanks for any replies! Larry Koewing 1954super88

Hello, All - In the slow attempt to restore my '54 Olds Super 88 Hardtop to original condition, I have a missing duct hose on the bottom of the plenum (mixing) chamber. This chamber is a box-like item on the inside of the engine bay firewall, driver's side. (A similar item is on the inside of the engine bay firewall, passenger side, and has the heating/ventilation blower motor mounted on it.) On the bottom of the chamber on the driver's side is a ducting connection (about an inch and a half in diameter). A circular clamp holds what remains of a flexible ducting tube onto the bottom of that connecting point. Can anyone tell me where the ducting tube should be connected at the other end, and how it should be routed inside the engine bay? If anyone needs it to localize what I am writing about, I took a photo of the engine bay when the engine was removed for an overhaul, and can send the photo to you. I have the factory '54 Olds manual, and it shows nothing of this part of the heating/ventilation system (and a lot of other things, as well!). Thanks for any replies! Larry Koewing 1954super88

Hello, All - In the slow attempt to restore my '54 Olds Super 88 Hardtop to original condition, I have a missing duct hose on the bottom of the plenum (mixing) chamber. This chamber is a box-like item on the inside of the engine bay firewall, driver's side. (A similar item is on the inside of the engine bay firewall, passenger side, and has the heating/ventilation blower motor mounted on it.) On the bottom of the chamber on the driver's side is a ducting connection (about an inch and a half in diameter). A circular clamp holds what remains of a flexible ducting tube onto the bottom of that connecting point. Can anyone tell me where the ducting tube should be connected at the other end, and how it should be routed inside the engine bay? If anyone needs it to localize what I am writing about, I took a photo of the engine bay when the engine was removed for an overhaul, and can send the photo to you. I have the factory '54 Olds manual, and it shows nothing of this part of the heating/ventilation system (and a lot of other things, as well!). Thanks for any replies! Larry Koewing 1954super88

Hello - If you have the 1956 Olds shop manual (the original), it has a wealth of info regarding adjusting that complex linkage. Your symptoms sound like a linkage adjustment might cure them. If you follow the sequence they wrote, and do it precisely, that may well do it for you. 1954super88

Hello And, thank you for your posting. I have the shop manual for the car, and it has over 100 pages on dealing with the hydramatic (including detailed instructions on band adjustment). The front and rear bands can be adjusted with the transmission in the car, but there are those special tools that must be used to do it. You hit the problem squarely - the 2-3 shift is just a real slam (although all engagements are a bit more abrupt than they should be). I just had the engine completely rebuilt (great job by the rebuilder), and asked that they have the transmission rebuilt, as well. I thought that the problem (a pretty harsh 2-3 shift) would be taken care of by the rebuild. Well, $1700 later (transmission rebuild cost), it is no better than before, and today, when putting some easy "break in" miles on the engine, just as I was turning onto a side road, and carefully accelerating after the turn, the transmission shifted (2-3)with a violence that I thought would take off the rear axle. It is apparent that no band adjustment whatsoever was performed. As you wrote, that 2-3 transition has to happen precisely and exactly, or else. I would not trust myself to do the band adjustment, so I am reduced to trying to find a reputable dealer who could do so. Almost no one (and, obviously, no one around here - I live in Dover, Delaware) knows anything about these old transmissions. I certainly don't want to turn it over to someone who hasn't any idea of what they're doing. Any suggestions? I would be glad (and grateful) to hear them. In the meantime, the car is going to remain parked in the garage. Thanks again - 1954super88

I am looking for Olds (GM) 4-speed Hydramatic (1954) front band adjustment tool J-1693-A, and rear band adjustment tool J-1460-A, or J-5071. Does anyone know of an alternative tool, or an alternative method for that in the 1954 Olds shop manual for adjustment of these internally-accessed bands? Thanks for any posted replies! 1954Super88

Hello, All I am looking for Olds (GM) 4-speed Hydramatic (1954) front band adjustment tool J-1693-A, and rear band adjustment tool J-1460-A, or J-5071. Does anyone know of an alternative tool, or an alternative method for that in the 1954 Olds shop manual for adjustment of these internally-accessed bands? Thanks for any posted replies! 1954Super88

Hello, Doug Thanks for your prompt post. I am trying to keep the car completely original, as much as possible. The idea of boosting compression (and hp) would certainly pep things up, but in the interest of keeping it all stock, I am going to keep the engine original. My thanks for your posting! 1954Super88 (Larry)

I have my olds' engine being completely overhauled by a local engine specialty shop, and during the examination of the disassembled engine, they have found a crack in one of the cylinder heads (casting number 563974). Uh-Oh. As they said, these items are not an off-the-shelf item, so anyone with any leads? Also, they mentioned (all else failing) the possibility of repairing the head (sending to a firm that specializes in this - expensive, but if all else fails. . .). Anyone with any experience with having a cylinder head repaired, and if so, what were the results? Thanks for any response!

I have my Olds' engine disassembled for a complete rebuild, and the engine rebuild specialty shop doing the work has found a crack in one of the heads. Uh-Oh. The shop is looking for another head, but as they advised me, these things are not an off-the-shelf item. The head casting number is 563974. The easiest thing would be to find a replacement head (anyone with any leads?), but there is the distant possibility of head repair - expensive, but if all else fails. . . Anyone out there with any experience (pros-cons) with repair of a cracked head? My thanks for any responses!