1985 Le Sabre collectors edition.

[Guest alleyyooper]

Mother in laws birthday was 12-20 for 1984 birthday and Christmas my father in law took mom to Belford Buick in Davison Michigan and placed a order for a new two door Le Sabre collectors edition. I have the Buick sales catalog they had went over choosing and rejecting options before the dealer visit. the salesman was Al Smith, we believe is retired now but sold a few more Buicks to may father in law from a couple different dealers as they went out of business or were bought by another dealer.

 

The Le Sabre was delivered to mom on Thursday February 2nd 1984, Dad saved the original window sticker with the suggest mfg. retail price rounded to 16,000, also the final sales option list and price paid rounded to 13,500 including Rusty Jones rust proofing.

 

Inlaws were from Missouri originally so drove the Le Sabre down there on long week end family visits and during summer vacations. They also drove it to places that interested them in other states like Branson for the country music, Florida for the beaches and other such places.

 

When the car got 50,000 miles on it my mother in law said it was old and refused to ride in it any place, Dad had a 1992 Park Avenue they traveled in and the Le Sabre became the antique car dad had always wanted but never had to take on a short Sunday drive and so called quick trips to the store that included a minim 10 mile drive to the store a mile down the road. Car was garage kept except on trips polished regular even the inside door frames, bottom side of the trunk lid and hood out side the blanket. Dad had retired in 1994 so had time to do those things more often.

 

Dad passed away in Nov. 2009 and the car sat in the garage with the battery unhooked. Mom would have me hook the battery up and start it every so often and some times have me run it for 5 to 10 miles. I had had instant love the first time I laid eyes on the car so in 2010 I asked about buying the car. I am not sure of the reasoning but mom always said no.  In 2012 moms oldest daughter moved in with her and mom told me to put the La Sabre out side so the daughter could store her crap in the garage. I always took every opportunity to ask about buying the car, finally giving up in 2014 when My wife said Mom seemed up set when I again asked to buy it.

Finally in August 2016 she told my wife she would sell us the La Sabre, we took delivery on the 16th. 

Dad had a folder with a recite for every thing he had done to the car including things he had bought and done him self like the oil changes.

 

We have had over heating issues with it our selves intermittent. Have had a total flush done, thermostat replaced and it still is some times over heating. Getting a new clutch fan installed on Monday before I buy a electric fan and install it in front of the radiator to help out.

We also had to replace the 2 front tires dad had installed in 1998 because a belt had shifted in the left one  causing a awful thumping.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Al

[JohnD1956]

Thats a great looking car! I hope you can resolve the overheating without  the electric fan. Chances are it may be in need of a new radiator at this point. Unfortunately that is not a low cost repair.  

New ones are plastic tanked & aluminum cored. They go for under two hundred. But I have found them to be problematic.  I went thru 4 of them on my former 78 Estate Wagon, and the new owner told me #4 is now leaking. 

A recore on your origInal   Tanks will cost a lot more, but last a lot longer. 

But either way I am sure you will have many miles of enjoyment with that car. Good luck!

[Guest alleyyooper]

Since we got this car in 2016 I took it and had the transmission oil and filter changed, I changed the engine oil my self before I even started it after sitting so long. 

 

All winter I chomped at the bit to drive it but with even storage insurance it was on the high side with our local agent. During the winter I did shop around for insurance for antique car and found a place in New Jersey , for less than $300.00 a year same liability coverage as our daily drivers and they also cover any spare parts up to $500.00 worth, millage is 7000 miles per year. We don't even do that with our daily drivers per year.

In June we started attending some local evening shows in surrounding towns. then we decided to make a journey and attend a all day show our first all day show with a car. It was at Port Huron's main street memory's what a bunch of great people making us feel welcome, every volunteer never failed to tell us how glad they were we came and made there show so much better.

We also had good neighbors there.

 

Next all day show was Goodrich Michigan where we were welcomed but the neighbors up wind of us smoked so we kept the windows on the Le Sabre closed and we spent a lot of time walking and talking. 

 

Goodrich show.

 

  Al

[Guest alleyyooper]

Since this is a intermittent problem with no rhyme or reason I have concluded to problem lies with the cooling fan. I have read that the Old's 307 with the clutch fan isn't one to work well after prolong storage such as our Buick.

 

First time it over heated I assumed it was a old sticky thermostat and replace it with a 195F, this car should run all day long in a hot (90F) Michigan day with the air on max with no problems with a 195 stat. It ran at 75 MPH for over an hour with the air on max , to Port Huron, But on the way home at 75 the warning light came on after just 15 minutes.

 

Had the radiator and block flushed since I have no way to get rid of anti freeze, car ran great for 30 miles at 75MPH and another 20 miles at 60MPH to St. Johns and back home. 

 

Then a measly 10 minute trip at 70 MPH from Flint to Davison and it is pukeing its guts out again, this time to warning light did not come on either.

 

  Al

[NTX5467]

It's probably not just the 5.0L Olds engine that has the mentioned cooling fan issue, as it's the same construction as has been used since the first thermostatic clutch fans.  Look for silicone fluid leaking past the seal on the input shaft.  Sometimes, I suspect the fluid deteriorates and doesn't move in the clutch as it should.  You can take a larger and blunt-ended Phillips screw driver and use that as a punch to put a dimple in each side of the fluid reservoirs on the stamped metal front of the clutch.  This increases the fluid pressure inside the mechanism AND keeps the fan locked-in when it wouldn't normally be.  The thermostatic spring controls the movement of the fluid between the reservoir side and the area where it "locks-up" the clutch to make the fan turn.

 

Make sure, also, that if there is supposed to be a baffle behind the front bumper, and below it, possibly attaching to the lower part of the radiator support, that it's in place and "there".  This helps produce a low pressure area behind the radiator to assist in air flow through the radiator and a/c condenser.  The cooling fan should be "free-wheeling" on the highway as air flow through the radiator turns the fan and not engine rpm, unless heat conditions dictate.

 

My experience with the ACDelco "Upgrade" radiator is not what others might have had.  I had a 3-core Modine in my '77 Camaro and it was plugged, so the ACDelco "Upgrade" radiator was out at that time.  The OEM-spec composite radiator with a larger trans cooler.  I believe it was for an '85 El Camino, in the OEM application, but it was listed for the Camaro application in the ACDelco catalog.  It fit well and took about 30 minutes to open the thermostat idling in the driveway at 80 degrees outside temps.  It cools much better than any copper radiator I've seen.  At the time, they were very inexpensive, by comparison to the Modine 3-cores.  This was about 15 years ago!  

 

On the first one, normal sediment took its toll, so I got another one and kept the first one to get recored when I needed it.  Still haven't needed it.  No performance issues at all.  Perhaps the aftermarket versions have more issues than the OEM-spec ACDelco units I was getting?  I used to be able to put right at 2 gallons in the Modine, but the newer one takes less fluid to fill it.  Higher efficiency too.

 

Those later rwd LeSabres were exceptionally nice and luxurious cars!  A different brand of "luxury" than we seem to have now.  Cherish it and enjoy!

 

NTX5467

[Guest alleyyooper]

I had taken the buick to a well respected shop to look at and see if they could figure some thing out. Went and picked it up today, head man said they just could not find a thing wrong with it. They had drove it 50 miles with max air in 81f temps at 75 MPH and it just kept on going fine.

 

I had though I would just take the therostate out since we will not drive it in the winter any way. I stopped and got a new 02 sensor and asked what was the lowest stat they had for it. 160 I was told so have decided I will do a 160 therostat in it and possiable change the clutch fan since they have one in stock for $36.00. every baffle on this car is factory correct.

 

 Al

 

 

[JohnD1956]

Do not take out the Thermostat.  That is a bad idea.  Also do not put in less than the 195 * Thermostat.  Engines need heat for more complete combustion.  The Clutch fan is a good idea. Another thing may be to flush the front of the radiator.  There is a plate on top of the radiator which holds the radiator to the frame.  A few bolts and that comes off.  Then you can just flush down the radiator with your garden hose.  A straight stream down the fins top to bottom, and all the way across. If it were me, I also would flush the core from the fan side while the fan is off to install the new clutch.  On the face I use a gentler stream just in case any of the fins are getting weak. You don't want to bend those.  I would even flush the front of the A/C Condenser.

 

 

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

John is correct on the thermostat. It controls the MINIMUM temp. The only way it can cause overheating is if it fails to open. Possible? I have only seen them fail open.  More likely the fan.  Although, as John indicated, that should be only at low speed/idle.   An idea. I once had a belt slipping so bad the alternator would not keep up. Thought it was going out. Went to change the alternator at a parts store. We were on a trip.  The water pump pulley almost blistered my hand. Grabbed the fan and it turned easily. Come to find out, the belt was glazed and slipping WITHOUT a sound. New belt solved the problem.  This was in Dec., so was not overheating.

 

  The intermittent part is baffling. 

 

  Good luck

 

  Ben

[old-tank]

On 8/19/2017 at 5:21 PM, alleyyooper said:

Had the radiator and block flushed

If it was not disassembled it is not clean.  Get it rodded or get a new one as suggested.

[avgwarhawk]

Leave in the t-state.  Put on a new fan clutch.  You will be surprised at the amount of air flow a new clutch pulls over a clutch that has had some miles on it.   Cool 2 door!  Enjoy! 

Edited August 23, 2017 by avgwarhawk (see edit history)

[Guest alleyyooper]

NTX 5467 saide to use aq phillips to put a dimple on the clutch fan. Wonder if a  blunt drift would work and how big of a dimple?

 

Ran fine the 75 miles we drive to a car show this afternoon and evening.  But the ambient air temp wa sin the low 70's range rathert than the hig 70 range with humidity in the 85% range.

 

   Al

[old-tank]

If you take it off to 'dimple it', just replace it.  Check RockAuto and even if you don't buy there the part numbers will help.  Also get an ACDELCO thermal clutch...the Hayden will be noisy in service.

[NTX5467]

The "dimples" are a "low cost" alternative.  A medium-sized Phillips and not too deep.  Any blunt object can be used, just that the screwdriver was handy for me.  A "worn" one wold work better than a new and sharp one.  Too much dimple increases the free-wheel speed.  I ended up with a new clutch eventually, but the dimples worked as long as I needed them to.

 

Back then, I always looked for the Dana/Perfect Circle clutches as that was the OEM supplier, usually.  They also had the drilled water pump flange, rather than the universal "slotted" flange.  That, plus the stamp codes on the clutch told me they were OEM in quality, so they'd last.  In the current time, you take the best you can get.

 

A restricted radiator core will decrease the heat which the thermostat on the clutch experiences, which CAN limit the clutch working as it should!  It's that air-through-the-radiator air temperature that makes the clutch kick-in, so no hotter air, the clutch continues to free-wheel, even if the heat gauge is pegged.

 

NTX5467