Machine Gun
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Posts posted by Machine Gun
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I replaced the differential lube on Sunday. I used Valvoline conventional 80W90 oil with AC limited-slip additive. I put about 100 miles on the car since the oil change and it appears that the chatter is gone. I would never have guessed that the diff would be particular about the brand and formulation of the additive. @EmTee wins the prize because he was the first one to come up with the solution. Mucho thanko! Now I'm free to look for something else to worry about.
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Perfect Loren, thank you. Please remember to measure the setback. - Jim
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Ruthann and I went to a cruise-in last evening for the first time at a venue in Warwick, NY less than 10 minutes from our house. They've been hosting Wednesday Summer cruise-ins for at least three years now, and although we pass the place regularly and knew about it we somehow never got around to going there. Live music, food trucks, a huge number of cars, and great conversation. Mostly hot rods and modified, but there was a small selection of stock vehicles. Despite the large number of cars I think ours was the only Buick there.
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10 hours ago, JohnD1956 said:
Ran with the GS today. AC in the noon time, heater after 6pm. Stopped to get a few pictures of this Le Sabre. I think it is a 78
Your GS is one of my favorite Buick body styles. The shop that did my axle bearings has a '69 Skylark that appears to be for sale, but I'm afraid to ask the owner about it. I have only one garage space for an old car, and only one wife so far and I want to keep it that way.
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Wow, that rots. Be sure to contact your doctor and do what he tells you. Everyone we know who came down with the crud came through it just fine, some on Paxlovid, others without. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
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Never did find GM gear oil. I assume they don't sell it any more. I ordered a quart of Valvoline. Can't wait to get his done so I can move on to other things like door weatherstripping and door side molding clips.
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@EmTee I'd like to go with GM oil, but I've not been able to find any that's not synthetic intended for much newer cars. I'll search some more, but if I can't source any conventional GM gear oil I'll just go with a high-quality 80/90W and dump in the AC additive. The additive and the cover gasket are due to arrive here on Saturday. I'll do the work early next week and hope for the best.
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It seems that the best shortcut is no shortcut. I'll drain, clean, and refill with lube treated with the GM additive. - Jim
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I have a small update on the chatter. I picked up the car on Monday and have been driving it on the road as well as making sharp, slow-speed turns in parking lots. I will continue exercising it, but so far I detect no hint of improvement. I may have to take other steps to cure it.
The chatter occurs only after the car has been driven for at least a half hour. Never does it when cold. The mechanic treated the 80/90W lube with limited slip additive, but it wasn't AC/GM brand. The general consensus is that it's important to use the GM brand, so I plan to treat the lube with a bottle of the "right stuff."
@NTX5467 suggested drawing out some of the lube to make room for the additive. That sounds like a reasonable and painless thing to do, but I have a couple of questions about that method:
- Would there be any issue with mixing different brands of additive? My gut feeling is no.
- The manual states capacity of the rear axle as two pints, or 32 oz. One 4 oz. bottle of additive would normally make up 12.5% of the lubricant. Adding a second bottle would bring the additive up to 25% of the lubricant. Would that much additive adversely affect the lubricating properties over time?
My other option is to drain and clean the rear, and start over with the AC additive. Opinions welcomed.
Jim
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I'm so happy that you were able to experience a safe and memorable cross-country trip in Annie. The best part had to have been meeting friends along the way. One day I'll have to make a trip upstate and swap stories with you. Welcome home!
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@Rocks Rod & Custom PM sent. Loren has a lead on a set, so maybe I'll have two to choose from. Thanx. - Jim
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Loren:
Yes, please ask your friend about her wheels. I'm definitely interested. No worries about not getting photos right now, I can wait until things cool off out there. When you contact her, please ask what she might want for the set.
Jim
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The stocking doesn't impede coolant flow enough to make a noticeable difference in temperature when things get hot? If you read some of my other posts you guys know how paranoid I am about engine temperature.
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@60FlatTop Actually I lost wheel covers on both front wheels. The one that escaped over the embankment flew off the passenger side, and the other cover and hub cap came off the driver side.
I still have to post a want for OEM chrome wheels. If come up dry I'll most likely buy the ones made by Restoparts and sold by Summit Racing. I posted an inquiry and was told that they're currently made here in the US.
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I had the same problem with my '62 Studebaker GT Hawk. I never lost a wheel cover, but the two in front would rotate on the wheel. I lived with that no problem.
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@NTX5467 Thanx for the insight into how posi rears work, as well as the historical perspective on what owners experienced in the past. I may sleep a bit better tonight, secure in the knowledge that my diff is not likely to self-destruct in the next few days.
@EmTee I will take your suggestion to "exercise" the diff when I get the car back. I've done only normal driving since getting the car home last week.
Considering the insightful comments you guys provided I'll probably take the car home before the shop opens up the thing next week and I incur additional expense. Here's what the plan looks like for now: First, I'll ask which brand additive he used. Second, if he used the AC stuff I'll simply take the car through the exercise routine and see if things clear up. If not, I'll try adding a second bottle. If he didn't use AC additive, I'll either add a bottle of AC or drain, clean, and refill with AC additive.
I'll be sure to update you guys. I really appreciate the thought and time you've put into helping me with this.
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36 minutes ago, NTX5467 said:
I'm not a real fan of rat rods, but I appreciate the work needed to get there.
Your car, your money, your dreams . .
Enjoy!
NTX5467
I agree completely. I've said in other threads how I appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into a well-executed custom. I just happen to dislike the look of most of them. I would drive a rat rod only if my pocketbook required it, but otherwise no.
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21 hours ago, EmTee said:
That being the case, I'd just drain, refill (with the GM additive) and drive...
I'm curious...let's say that the verdict is that the clutches are shot and that a rebuild is needed. Not knowing precisely how Positraction diffs work, what's the harm in just living with the problem as you suggest? It does just fine moving down the road, around curves, and in most normal turns. It's hardly noticeable until I make a sharp turn at very slow speeds, like at "creep-speed" when going into my garage. Assuming the problem doesn't eventually clear itself I can easily live with it. My question is whether it will cause the whole works to eventually fail unless corrected.
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@NTX5467 The rat rod look isn't my thing by a long shot. I know the look has become somewhat popular in recent years, but not with me. I generally pass them by at car gatherings.
@EmTee Really? Something I'd have to keep clean and polished? 🤨
@60FlatTop Interesting suggestion.
I still haven't gotten around to posting a want for GM wheels.
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The mechanic reportedly did all that when he did the axle bearings. There's a nice new dry gasket on the housing cover. The only thing I don't know is what type of additive he used. I'll ask, and insist that he use GM additive when he gets back in there. BTW, he did seem to agree with you that these things often clear themselves up after driving around a bit, but I put more than 100 miles on the car since the work was done and the problem is as pronounced as ever. There was no hint of chatter before the rear oil was changed even though it was way low, so you may be on to something about using only GM additive. I'll know more next week after he gets back in there. Thanx for the suggestions.
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18 minutes ago, EmTee said:
Change the oil and add this:
I had a '77 Century with a limited slip axle that started doing the same thing. New oil and the GM additive quieted it in short order. Your biggest problem may be finding the right gasket for your axle cover. After 3 unsuccessful attempts on my Riviera, I gave up and used Permatex gasket-maker...
Check out my new thread on the subject.
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Roseann Roseannadanna's spirit came back to haunt me. "It's always something."
I picked up the car from the mechanic last week after he installed new rear axle bearings. He told me that he was surprised that I was able to drive the car the way it was without hearing the bearings or the rear end screaming. The rear was so low on oil that nothing had reached the axle bearings in quite a long time (totally my bad...I had the car for nine years and never bothered to check the oil in the diff.). The driver side bearing appeared to be the original one. It was badly rusted and was the source of most of the subtle sound I was hearing. Anyway, he replaced the bearings, flushed out the rear and replaced the oil with the proper gear oil with positraction additive.
I drove the half-hour trip home and was treated to a smooth ride with no noise whatsoever. Then it happened. I made a hard turn to pull into my driveway and it felt like something was grabbing in one of the brake drums. I straightened out the car and the noise disappeared. Over the next few days the noise would come and go, never at road speed and never on a straightaway or curves, only on full turns. On Sunday I put the car on my QuickJack, pulled the drums, turned the rear wheels, checked the U-joints, nothing. Just for yuks I checked the rear oil level...full. I began to worry that the clutches in the rear end were chattering. I brought the car back to the shop yesterday and demonstrated the issue without saying anything to the mechanic about my suspicions. Diagnosis: clutch chatter. Crap. I left the car there. He won't be able to open it up until next week to have a look.
I feel like such an idiot for not ever checking the oil in the rear.
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18 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:
You car would look fine with wheel covers.
I agree, but I can't keep the damned things on the car! I really like the original spinner covers but I'm tired of losing them, as well a whatever else I put on the steel wheels. Wheel VIntiques sells aftermarket steel wheels that I could probably use my wheel covers with, but that would be a lot of money to spend just to find that they won't hold my wheel covers any better than what I currently have. Maybe I'll get lucky and score a decent set of original chrome wheels, otherwise I'll go with aftermarket.
I have a new problem that has to be dealt with, which bumped wheels to Priority #2. My limited slip rear started chattering. I'll post a separate thread on that issue.
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10 hours ago, dmfconsult said:
If you decide on the Buick Chrome wheels, you may post a "Parts Wanted" add both here and sites like V8buick.com. A lot of the skylark guys shed the 14-inch wheels for 15-inch ones, so you may come across a nice set someone has tucked away and would make available to you at a reasonable price. I know I have a very nice set of 15-inch 5x5 wheels that were on my Electra when I got it, which I'm keeping "just in case".
Cheers,
Good idea. I do plan to post a want ad today or tomorrow.
Raise your hand if you drove at least one old Buick this weekend
in Buick - General
Posted
It's a guy thing. Small pipe, big noise.