Arrival Of the Driver Buick

[dibarlaw]

New occupant of the garage 1925-25 and arrival images. I am still trying to deal with the overheating problems. The original evaluation was the "clutch adjustment problem". The former owner said that they did drive it from Ogdensburg NY. to Binghamton NY. where they were able to get a trailer for the remainder of the trip to Chambersburg Pa. I have not been able to drive more than 1/2 mile without it overheating. Following their directions... After start up in retard move up to full advance about 10:30 position to the wheel. same as the owners manual. Seems to run fine but in 10-15 min belching out the overflow and temp at top on the motometer.

So far I have added an internal brass coil to the lower hose; scrubbed the fan belt clean/er and tightened up a bit. I could spin the fan with one finger!

Cleaned the water pump shaft and the packing glands added packing and snugged up. Now hardly a drip! Went out again and within 5 blocks same thing! The radiator does apear to have some scale in the upper tank. Would realy like to avoid having the radiator redone already! I have been calming my frustration by polishing out the 40 year old crazed paint job. It does look prettier!

Larry DiBarry

[Dwight Romberger]

Very nice touring Buick Larry.

Looks like you were patient and made a good choice.

Congratulations!

Edited October 31, 2011 by Dwight Romberger (see edit history)

[Mark Shaw]

Larry,

Congratulations! I am sure you will enjoy your new Buick, but hopefully we can help you with your problem.

I suggest you do a quick and inexpensive check of the radiator for flow...

Just remove the lower hose connection at the water pump and plug it with something removable.

Fill the radiator & leave the cap off.

Direct the bottom hose where you can catch the water or just not make a mess, and remove the pug.

If the radiator empties itself in 10-15 seconds, it is probably OK. If not, remove it so you can turn it up side down and flush out any debris that may be clogging it. If you find no debris, you need to have it boiled out or possibly have it recored.

Edited October 30, 2011 by Mark Shaw (see edit history)

[Dwight Romberger]

Larry,

Considering the condition you describe, the previous owners could not have driven the Buick from Ogdensburg to Binghamton without a meltdown. I would focus on something that happened suddenly to cause dramatic overheating ( stuck thermistat, blocked hose, faulty water pump etc.) Others will have more suggestions.

Also, ask the previous owners where they set the controls, spark advance etc. Something clearly changed between when they drove it and when you did.

Dwight

[dibarlaw]

Dwight :

Thanks for your input. I have already adressed the solutions you recomended.

Today I drove the same distance and no problems overheating. I ran it with the spark advanced a bit farther than before. But it is still not running properly. Ie; when shifting from 1st to 2nd and then to 3rd it is trying to die; popping back..no power. Running too rich? Black soot around air horn and heat tube. I will check choke and carb adjustments next.

Marks suggestion of checking the radiator flow will be next if the overheating

continues. I have my list of things to do and things(missing parts) to search for. A crank to help set timing after I make a new pump shaft. I will need to make up a packing nut wrench. I will check on some old threads as I believe there was one on the makeup of the original tool kit.

Thanks to all:

Larry

[unimogjohn]

Larry, you might want to check the timing mark on your flywheel. You might be off. You can check with a timing light if you have a 12v source for your light. Procedure is in the operators manual. I can scan if you need it.

Also I would observe the operation and movement of the distributor by the controls, then disconnect it at the distributor and make sure that you can manually move the distributor to the same points. The little gears may be off and not letting the distributor fully advance or retard.

[dibarlaw]

Thanks John:

More things to sort out to get the "driver" reliable.

I will also post on the AACA site to see if I can find out some history on the car. That was the great thing about the 1923 model54 we attempted to buy in Vermont was that it had a good history. If only it ran a little!

All I got from the former owner was that he bought it about 10 years ago from

a man who was ill, supposidly from Wisconsin. The deal was also to include a spare engine and other spare parts(including the missing spark plug cover).

The car was shipped without the extras, the seller died and the rest was tied up in the estate. The fellow I bought it from had since shredded all the old corespondence and could not remember the deceased man's name.

So any one out there remember any one having a 1925 model 25 see the pictures above in my post; burgandy body late 60s color; tan 60s covertible top material; black vinyl upholstery; Dunlop blackwalls (their condition idicate possibly from the mid 70s) and black wheels. I would like to find some leads.

Larry

[Dandy Dave]

Yup, I agree. That is a sweet old Buick. May she bring you many happy, and trouble free miles along the winding roads of automotive history relived.

Larry, When the car is cold, and you first start it, look down in the radiator and see if you see air bubbles coming up through the coolant. Dandy Dave!

[Guest BJM]

Larry

Great pre war Buick touring purchase. Keep us posted on the cooling issues. It's frustrating but once solved, you know it will be solved for the remainder of ownership.

[dibarlaw]

I did the experiment that Dandy Dave suggested and no bubbles. And the water rose up to the overflow within 5 min. So I just wrestled the radiator out to take to one of the local old line radiator shops here in Chambersburg. We will see what the verdict is. I would of had it off in less than an hour except it was secured with chrome capped bumper bolts. Tough to get an11/16 socket with universal and extension up in the frame chane. l Will get the repro ones from BOB's

Stay Tuned:

Larry

[dibarlaw]

Radiator cooked out. The radiator guy said there was some crud. Mostly lime scale. I backflushed the engine with high pressure and got about a handfull of the same stuff. Now have to repaint and reinstall. Since the shell was painted silver I have been building up the pitted surface with the Mastermark silver primer then I will respray with a nickel tone paint. Spent $1650 getting my 37's

bumpers and guards done 3 years ago. Ouch! Don't feel it would be a worth while investment to have the shell re-nickeled.

Would like to find a set of period bumpers for the 25 though.

Larry

[Dandy Dave]

Looks like you are on your way Larry! Dandy Dave!

[dibarlaw]

Today we wrestled the radiator back on the 1925-25. The correct shell mounting bolts made it a bit easier. I ran it at idle for about 20 min. kept it's cool! :)Now to concentrate on the ever lengthening list of things to address. Also made a new gasket for the front push rod cover. One leak out of many taken care of. I guess next is to take care of the oil slinging fan pulley hub. Before I ruin another leather fan belt. I believe there was someone selling the sealed bearing kit. I will check with the parts people. I have to work on the parking brake to get it to hold. Would like to talk with other 1925-25 owners to see if they have restoration photos of what the top bow saddle looks like so I can fabricate them. We would like to drive with the top down by next spring.

[dibarlaw]

Still trying to drive my Buick:( The radiator has been boiled out, I back flushed the block. Now it runs cool. The next issue was the oil slinging fan hub. Which I rebuilt and made new bearings for. Also made a new leather belt. Made new gasket for pushrod cover which slowed down the amount of oil leaks. But still leaks well between cylinder block and crankcase. Also the starter-generator water pump shaft bearing has a steady flow from it. Any Ideas how to stop that leak? I have secured a supplier for the 600W "Steam Cylinder Oil" for the transmission and will pick up saturday. Met with a fellow about 1 1/2 miles away with an unrestored 1924 model 45 and compared notes. He gave me a crank that did not fit his car. But it fit mine perfectly!

Well last sunday, (since it was finally properly insured) I thought I would take it for a short drive. This time it reluctantly started and drove about 50 feet where it stopped and wouldn't start again. Keeps flooding.. The elec fuel pump is set at lowest output.(Planned to restore the vacuum tank this winter).I had to tow it back to my garage with my 87 Chevy S-10 and push it back in the garage. Boy is it heavy! Glad none of the neighbors were out...

How humiliating!

Larry<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[unimogjohn]

Larry, have you put rope packing on both sides of the water pump under the the big and small nuts? If yes, run the engine and slowly snug up the nuts until the water stops flowing. If you do not have any packing send me your address and will send you some.

Have you by-passed the vacuum tank? If yes, I would hook it back up and use your electric pump to fill the vacuum tank. That way you would be gravity feeding your carb. You will have to put a switch for the electric pump to turn it on and off. Not a great solution, but it will get you around the block and back easily.

[unimogjohn]

Larry, go to Antique Auto Top Hardware Company for your bow rest. Download the catalog. They might have the rest you need.

[dibarlaw]

John:

I have plenty of rope packing for the water pump. Thanks anyway. I take care of that each time I run the engine and made up some wrenches for that purpose. I will have to make a new shaft as it is pretty well scored. The flow I refered to was oil from the shaft suport bearing between the water pump and the DELCO unit. There is always a trickle of oil while running the engine. Also thank you for the top hardware link. Now just need pictiures to see what the bow rest is to look like.

Larry

[unimogjohn]

Larry, Look at the catalog, page 19. I have the EMCO Bow Rest on my 23.

[tblack]

Larry if you are going to use an electric pump then also use a pressure regulator to knock it down further. I have an electric pump on my 23 and a series of isolation valves that takes the vacuum tank out of play. But the I have the vacuum tank working well now and I use the pump only if the tank gives me troubles( no troubles in the last 2 years).. again the isolation valves come into play. I would get my tank going first and pipe( with valves) the electric(with a pressure regulator) to act as a back up.

[JerryVan]

Larry,

The oil leak from the pump shaft support arm should be an easy one to fix. There is an oil return hole in the arm that channels the oil pumped into the bearing, back into the engine. That return hole is most likely blocked.

Also, carefully inspect the intake manifold "stove", located just above the carb. It has an inner sleeve made of thin walled steel tubing. Hot exhaust gas runs around the sleeve. It is very common to have a hole rusted through the tube. My '24 had a hole the size of a nickel rusted through and it still ran, but poorly, like your car. Having the hot exhaust gas enter the intake also had the affect of making the car overheat and was probably responsible for a burned valve. I eventually blocked off the port that allows the exhaust to enter the stove and, of course, replaced the tube.