MrEarl Posted June 11, 2019 Author Share Posted June 11, 2019 Thanks for your concern and well wishes guys. Third doctor, a retina specialist says no laser surgery required at this time as was suggested by yesterday’s doctor. Said she can travel but I’m not feeling good about it. And along with the issues still cropping up with the car, time to be making some decisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95Cardinal Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Hope all goes well, Lamar. Health - and safety - first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Well, dang it , man. Be safe. Hug Miss Rita for us. Do you have a temp gauge? Or just the light? Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 14, 2019 Author Share Posted June 14, 2019 (edited) On 6/11/2019 at 10:49 PM, Ben Bruce aka First Born said: Well, dang it , man. Be safe. Hug Miss Rita for us. Do you have a temp gauge? Or just the light? Ben Just the light for now Ben, I have a set of gauges I will be installing soon I hope. As there are side effects to using a gun to try and determine transmission pan temps Sizzzle Edited June 14, 2019 by MrEarl (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 14, 2019 Author Share Posted June 14, 2019 On 6/11/2019 at 9:26 PM, 95Cardinal said: Hope all goes well, Lamar. Health - and safety - first! Thanks Joe!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 Best to Rita! Safe travels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 14, 2019 Author Share Posted June 14, 2019 Thanks Chris, and Rita sends thanks. Since we missed the great trek west, she is looking for somewhere maybe south or east for SouthernBelles maiden towing adventure. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 7 hours ago, MrEarl said: Sizzzle The smell of BBQ in the morning. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 (edited) 11 hours ago, MrEarl said: As there are side effects to using a gun to try and determine transmission pan temps Sizzzle That is one uncooperative Buick! What did the prior owner do to that to cause it to act up so much? 😁 But now that you point it out, if the Catylitic Converter is still in there I wonder if that is partially plugged and causing the overheating situation? Miore likely it would cause a loss of power when exhaust gases got backed up but there is a chance that it is contributing to the higher engine temps. However, I can relate a story to you about a 69 Olds Cutlass without AC which used to run hot enough to light the light after a one or two hour highway run. It was observed when we got caught in traffic and it was remediated by increasing the engine idle and putting the heater on. But it was eye opening alright. And only to point out it may be the nature of the beast, so to speak. Edited June 15, 2019 by JohnD1956 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Removing the cats and going with a modest dual exhaust will make a substantial improvement in performance AND it'll run cooler. I believe even California has a rolling 25-year exemption for smog tests so you should have no problems. I wonder if there's a dual exhaust system already designed for these cars, ready to go? Seriously, it might be the single best modification you can make that has exactly zero downside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Conley Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 The biggest issue with a dual exhaust is procuring a double hump transmission crossmember. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 In addition, i feel compelled to point out that while it may not be illegal in some states, the rule was not changed at the Federal level, as far as I know. If anyone knows more I'd be interested to hear about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 States are typically responsible for regulating auto emissions and set their own requirements. Feds set the floor for the automakers, but states are free to do whatever they want in terms of enforcement at the consumer level. Most seem to follow California's lead, as do the automakers, simply to reduce the number of different variations of car they have to build. One car to meet the toughest standards makes sense. I'll admit that I'm not an expert in all 50 states of vintage automobile emissions testing, but I have to assume that if California is exempting cars 25 years old or older, few other states are going to do anything more stringent. If they're going to crack down on a middle-aged guy in a station wagon for yanking a plugged cat, all those guys with late-model Mustangs, Camaros, and Chargers with off-road H-pipes should be sweating bullets... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dship Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 In Massachusetts, any vehicle 15 years and older is required to have a yearly safety check but not an emissions check. Some states leave inspections up to the county (OH, as an example). MA now requires that no license plate frames be in place for any year vehicle. It also requires that only the inspector drive the vehicle into the inspection station...but a lot of them don't know how to drive a standard shift! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 I'm not commenting on whether you should do it or not, but here in Washington State nobody would know or care. It is illegal here for a professional shop to do it for you. Last I heard, people who want or need that drive across the border to Idaho. Years ago it would have had to pass a tailpipe test in the past if it was registered in certain counties. Nobody would even look at the exhaust unless it leaked so air so badly that the test station couldn't get a clean sample. There was an upper limit for CO+C02, and that is how they determined the exhaust was diluted. In that case you would fail until you fixed the leak. Passing a tailpipe test with a mechanically solid well tuned car was almost never a problem here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Sounds like you need a catalytic converter 'test pipe'... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 (edited) So that’s what y’all been talking about. It’s already got the test tube and the smog pump is gone too. Edited June 27, 2019 by MrEarl (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 On 6/14/2019 at 9:27 PM, JohnD1956 said: But now that you point it out, if the Catylitic Converter is still in there I wonder if that is partially plugged and causing the overheating situation? Miore likely it would cause a loss of power when exhaust gases got backed up but there is a chance that it is contributing to the higher engine temps. The cat is gone but one of the PO's apparently backed into something and bent in the tail pipe at the 90* bend at the rear. It was on my list to take to a muffler shop and have replaced but like a few other items never got to it. Does anybody know if perhaps someone offers just the 90* bend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 A vacuum gauge will tell you if there's an exhaust restriction. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 1 hour ago, MrEarl said: Does anybody know if perhaps someone offers just the 90* bend? I am sure you could buy one of those in the auto parts house. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 If you have an oxy-acetylene torch, you can try heating and bending it back... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 On 6/16/2019 at 8:00 AM, MrEarl said: The cat is gone but one of the PO's apparently backed into something and bent in the tail pipe at the 90* bend at the rear. It was on my list to take to a muffler shop and have replaced but like a few other items never got to it. Does anybody know if perhaps someone offers just the 90* bend? The shop may have a pipe bending machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 18, 2019 Author Share Posted June 18, 2019 (edited) On 6/16/2019 at 8:47 AM, EmTee said: A vacuum gauge will tell you if there's an exhaust restriction On 6/16/2019 at 9:01 AM, JohnD1956 said: I am sure you could buy one of those in the auto parts house. On 6/16/2019 at 8:37 PM, EmTee said: f you have an oxy-acetylene torch, you can try heating and bending it back... 12 hours ago, avgwarhawk said: The shop may have a pipe bending machine. Ordered a mandrel bent elbow from Summit, thanks guys Edited June 18, 2019 by MrEarl (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 18, 2019 Author Share Posted June 18, 2019 (edited) After having the transmission rebuilt I installed a B&M 4 3/4 " deep pan with 3 quart additional capacity but it hung so low I knew it was just a matter of time before it bottomed out and got busted. I pulled it and replaced with a Derale deep transmission pan that holds 2 additional quarts of fluid and has tubes running through the bottom of it to help in cooling the fluid. The B&M didn't really seem to make much difference in the transmission temperature compared to the factory pan when them with a gun. The Derale however gave a definite 15-20* lower reading. I doubt there will be much if any benefit while sitting in stop and go traffic but when on the road pulling hills and between hills it should certainly help keep the fluid temps down. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-14200 I'm still working on a couple different scenarios for the engine cooling and depending on what I do with that I may do something different with the current transmission cooler set up. Edited June 18, 2019 by MrEarl (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KongaMan Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 Once you get that high blower problem fixed, you could run an auxiliary AC vent down through the floor to pump cold air through those tubes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 18, 2019 Author Share Posted June 18, 2019 (edited) Now tha’s a “cool” idea🤣 Edited June 18, 2019 by MrEarl (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 27, 2019 Author Share Posted June 27, 2019 On 6/16/2019 at 8:47 AM, EmTee said: A vacuum gauge will tell you if there's an exhaust restriction. Don't have one @EmTee Guess I should buy one and learn how to use it, looks like it my could have told me something. Not only was the pipe bent but there was the rust scale pieces hung up in the flattened part. Got the correct size tailpipe 90* bend this morning, cut the bent one off and installed it. The rust flakes were loose in the engine side of the pipe. I never realized how closed up it was until I was able to see it from this perspective. Spent the afternoon cruising the countryside and checking power, shifts and temperatures. Happy to report conclusively an improvement in temperatures. Ambient temperature 92* Top of thermostat housing 188-195. Bottom of thermostat housing never exceeded 225 where as that was where the high of 250-60 was when checked while towing. Radiator cap never got too hot to put hand on whereas before it definitely did. Transmission pan never exceeded 195 and I kicked it down on quite a few steep hills. I really want to believe that I saw some improvement in acceleration and overall engine performance but afraid it may be a psychological thing upon having finally gotten that bent pipe replaced. It still backfired a couple times and hesitated when going full throttle from low or half throttle. The real test would be taking the Argosy back on the same roads and hills as before. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 2 hours ago, MrEarl said: I really want to believe that I saw some improvement in acceleration and overall engine performance but afraid it may be a psychological thing upon having finally gotten that bent pipe replaced. It still backfired a couple times and hesitated when going full throttle from low or half throttle. The real test would be taking the Argosy back on the same roads and hills as before. Accelerator pump....... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 Lamar, I have to ask since you stated the engine will backfire under hard acceleration, full throttle, etc. Have you changed out the spark plug wires? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 28, 2019 Author Share Posted June 28, 2019 Yes sir, new plugs and wires and fuel filter. Was backfiring prior to the tune up too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 it backfires under hard acceleration? Just once when you crack the throttle? Or repeatedly? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 8 hours ago, MrEarl said: Yes sir, new plugs and wires and fuel filter. Was backfiring prior to the tune up too cap and rotor? Compression test? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 Good heavens, Mr. Earl!! By the time you get done spending money on that BUICK ESTATE WAGON, it'll be the only HD2500 Buick in existence! NTX5467 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 29, 2019 Author Share Posted June 29, 2019 10 hours ago, Bloo said: it backfires under hard acceleration? Just once when you crack the throttle? Or repeatedly? Typically just once @Bloo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 As others have mentioned, the most likely thing is the accelerator pump. Or, the air valve over the secondaries is opening too easy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 29, 2019 Author Share Posted June 29, 2019 (edited) 8 hours ago, old-tank said: cap and rotor? Compression test? Nothing done to the distributor. Will try and check compression at some point Edited June 29, 2019 by MrEarl (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 22 hours ago, MrEarl said: Yes sir, new plugs and wires and fuel filter. Was backfiring prior to the tune up too Eliminates these items as the cause of backfire. Cap and rotor? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 Time to take that Rochester apart, clean it and put the kit with new accelerator pump in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 If the float is plastic (probably) ALWAYS replace it when the carb is torn down. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted July 17, 2019 Author Share Posted July 17, 2019 On 6/15/2019 at 9:58 AM, Brad Conley said: The biggest issue with a dual exhaust is procuring a double hump transmission crossmember. Any idea where one might look for one of them hens tooths? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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