Styria Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 Dear Buick community.I bought a 1932-Buick 56S this summer.Unfortunately, the vehicle is far from good running.The exhaust gas values for nitrogen oxide show a value of 5,000, with a maximum allowed 600.This indicates incomplete combustion.As a result, the car has no performance. We do not even come on a trailer on our own.We renewed all ignition cables and spark plugs, set the ignition timing exactly and tested the distributor for wear. Everything like new, and therefor no improvement!It seems to us as if the cylinders 4 and 6 regularly expose again and again.Has anyone ever had such problems? Or does anyone have an idea what to do? Could this be due to a capacitor failure?Thank you, George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 Remove the heat riser and test it for leaks. This is a common problem. Exhaust condensation causes the steel inner sleeve to rust out and allows exhaust gases to contaminate the intake. See the Prewar Buick forum for details... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styria Posted August 26, 2019 Author Share Posted August 26, 2019 Hello Mark. Thanks, but the previous owner removed the heat riser. We closed the hole to the carburator absolutely tight. There is a 1934 50-series engine in the car. Could it be, that there is a different firing orded to the 1932? THX, Georg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 Sounds as if maybe a compression test should be done. Thinking maybe the valves aren’t closing on those cylinders. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styria Posted August 27, 2019 Author Share Posted August 27, 2019 Compression test was one of the first things, we did. Thanks Matt *we are restaurating (postwar) US-cars for more than 20 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted August 27, 2019 Share Posted August 27, 2019 What are the results of the compression test? Can you post the results? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted August 27, 2019 Share Posted August 27, 2019 5 hours ago, Larry Schramm said: What are the results of the compression test? Can you post the results? Ya beat me to it Larry! Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted August 27, 2019 Share Posted August 27, 2019 Are you using this firing order? The #1 piston is at front by water pump and they count back towards the firewall 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. The distributor rotates counterclockwise. The firing order is 1,6,2,5,8,3,7,4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lump Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Compression tests were what we all depended on some years ago. Today, they do "leak-down" compression checks, which can reveal some issues that old school checks do not. I also like to use a spark tester. These small devices attach to the end of a spark plug wire, and have a clear tube covering. There are two brass points inside, which are adjustable for distance. You simply hook the spark tester up like a spark plug, and adjust the two brass points further and further apart. If you car getting a good strong spark, you will see a bright blue flash. And it will get brighter as you move the points further apart. But if your spark is weak, it will look yellow in color, and moving the two brass points further apart will cause it to fail to jump the gap at all. Just a couple thoughts.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Tierney Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Noted everything is "like new'... If your cap is old, and you haven't already done so, examine it carefully for: minute cracks or deposits that could bleed off spark intensity... clean contact surfaces on both the top and underside of the cap.. clean contact surface on the rotor... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styria Posted August 29, 2019 Author Share Posted August 29, 2019 Dear community. Kompression an all 8 cylinders is: 5,2 to 5,3. Rotor and contacts in the distributor like new, no deposits. We are now changing the capacitor and if that does not help, remove the distributor.Maybe, that the contacts on the shaft for the ignition timing are worn out, and cylinder 4 & 6 comes that little moment too late.If that does not help, we've found a state-of-the-art distributor that fits the Buick. I don´t like new parts, but better than a useless car taking away space. If we find that bug, and we will find it, we´ll be discribing in detail, how to fix it for future Buick owner. Georg PS: This weekend the largest US-vintage car meeting in Austria and the neighbour countries takes place. I´m sorry, that I can not compete with the BUICK 56S. He would have won his class and maybe more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 On 8/26/2019 at 11:17 AM, Styria said: Thanks, but the previous owner removed the heat riser. We closed the hole to the carburator absolutely tight. Did the previous owner remove the whole heat riser body or just the tube inside it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted August 31, 2019 Share Posted August 31, 2019 On 8/29/2019 at 5:38 AM, Styria said: Dear community. Kompression an all 8 cylinders is: 5,2 to 5,3. Rotor and contacts in the distributor like new, no deposits. Georg PS: This weekend the largest US-vintage car meeting in Austria and the neighbour countries takes place. I´m sorry, that I can not compete with the BUICK 56S. He would have won his class and maybe more... Georg, If I get your pressures, they are in atmospheres. For the rest of us, that is about 76-77 PSI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styria Posted November 2, 2019 Author Share Posted November 2, 2019 Dear community. We have found the mistake. But it is not one mistake, it is a chain of very unprofessional work on engine, carburetor and ignition! - The carburetor is so botched that it's only worth getting a "new" one. - The ignition can be repaired, but I have already bought one from Bob. So I have one in reserve. - The main problem is the engine. Two weeks ago I brought the Buick to Bavaria to a 74-year-old expert, who is still working in his company, specialized exclusively in the rebuilding of engines before 1970. (British, US and German cars). He made a lot of theses straight eight engines. The engine timing is not right. We opened the front and valve cover of the engine and saw, that someone fumbled here several times, only ruining the screw heads. We do not get the settings at all, so the expert is convinced, that there is something wrong with the camshaft. The engine must have been exposed to the weather for a loner time with the valve cover open. Many parts are very rusty and even provided with pox scars. There is a crack in the block on the driver's side. In addition, the crankshaft has an enormous axial play. The engine is a 1934 with a 1932 carburator and a 663C distributor. Driving the car like this for as long as it seems, the valves and possibly other parts have been severely damaged. For this purpose, the engine is now completely disassembled and, if possible, completely rebuilt. (Somebody knows a good "new" one ;0) ) At the end of next week, I get a report after all parts are completely disassembled and measured. The estimated cost of this rebuild-job without spare parts is ~ 7000, - $, but we will see what else we will find. If it is possible to get the engine running again, due to the fact, that everything is disassemled at this time, we will make the clutch, check the transmission and steering, and give it a new stainless steel exhaust. If it is not possible, I will sell the car to some HotRod guy in Germany or the Netherlands! I hope for your support and advice, helping me find parts, that I can not find on the internet myself. Nice greetings from Austria, Georg 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styria Posted November 17, 2019 Author Share Posted November 17, 2019 Dear community.The engine manufacturer has now disassembled and measured the engine right down to the last screw.The good news is that we could get him working again, but only with much effort.I will inform you about the individual work.But now a mystery that I ask you to solve.- The engine block is painted green- some parts of the head could have been black- Serial number is: 2922039- Fireing order is that of a 1932, also measured on the camshaft- The carburetor is a 1932 according to Bob, but unrepairable. (I have to take a 1934, the only one I found.)- The distributor is a 663CDo we have a mix here from 1932 and 1934?How can this work regarding the fireing order?Many thanks for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styria Posted November 17, 2019 Author Share Posted November 17, 2019 Here are some fotos of the engine: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 See if it needs a new vacuum advance (probably rebuildable) - Egge recommended the second to last person to do one for me and Terrill machine also did one for me for a 1939 Cadillac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8014haar Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 34 is a single point distributor, 32 is a dual point. Bobs automobilia sells rebuilt vacuum advance modules. Yours looks like it has been modified a bit. All those updraft carbs had problems with the preheat tubes in-the manifold above the carb as mentioned earlier. Examine cam gears carefully. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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