Engine id.

[kalaoaboy]

I’ve been looking everywhere I can find and can’t match up this number. The first digit looks sort of weird I’m not sure what it supposed to be. Any help would be Greatly appreciated. Its in my 38 century.

[Spinneyhill]

This help?

https://www.teambuick.com/reference/ident_engine.php

[kalaoaboy]

I looked there but no matches. I'm unsure of the first symbol. A  b? 

[Spinneyhill]

Probably a "6".

[Spinneyhill]

Any other identifying characteristics? http://www.buickheritagealliance.org/index.php/restoration/engines/straight_8

The first ref. I gave also had some casting numbers; maybe try them too?

[kalaoaboy]

Well it's not the original engine because it's dual carb. I was told it was 40's or so.  I guess 40-41 had duals. Its got two carter wcd 608s on there. 

[Spinneyhill]

Manifolds and carb's are easy to change. Find the casting number... Maybe there is even a casting date on the block.

 

You might get very good ID from the Buick Pre-War forum a page or two below.

Edited September 10, 2019 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[kalaoaboy]

Ok I'll check it, Thank you

[1939_Buick]

6 7044827

6 (b) = 60 series

7044827 =????

The engine may have been re-stamped or re-manufactured are some time  (often stamped "RE")

Over the years the dip stick position moved back towards the flywheel housing.  That can help identify a block

Other engine photos may help identify

Some time (1946?) the series was the last digit

1952 series 70 which start at 6652000-7 may be an option. 1952 has a different water pump design compared to 1938

https://www.teambuick.com/reference/ident_engine_til_52.php

Edited September 10, 2019 by 1939_Buick (see edit history)

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

1 hour ago, kalaoaboy said:

I’ve been looking everywhere I can find and can’t match up this number. The first digit looks sort of weird I’m not sure what it supposed to be. Any help would be Greatly appreciated. Its in my 38 century.

 

 Welcome kaloaboy.     That first digit is a 6.   Buick used a lower case b for six, and inverted it for a nine.  Also used uppercase i for one.

 

  So the number is 6,704, 482    7.   Through 1942  the series number  4,for 40 series Special,   through 7 for 70 series Roadmaster, preceded the engine number.  Beginning after WW 2 in 1946 the series number followed the engine number.   1952 series 70 numbers started with 6,652,000, so your number falls in at the 52,482 series 70  , Roadmaster, 320 cubic inch engine for 1952, the LAST year the 320 was produced.

  The dual carbs were 1941 and 1942.  The manifolds will fit on any 320 engine, so they tell us nothing about the year.

 

Again, welcome.  Come on [scroll ] down to the Buick forums.. WE LIKE PICTURES.

 

  Ben

[kalaoaboy]

So its a 52 roadmaster 320. Thats great to know. The man that had this passed a couple years ago so I didn’t get to talk to him. This is the carb set up that is on there now. Doesn’t run so great,  I was considering whether to rebuild these carbs or order some new ones,  since they aren’t original anyway .

[carbking]

Whether to rebuild what you have or go back to stock would be a personal thing.

 

The picture shows a very well set-up aftermarket dual set-up.

 

Before making any decision, I would suggest finding out WHY the engine is not running as well as you wish. In order: compression test, ignition test, and if both are good then check the adjustment of the carburetors. Also, if the gasoline in the tank is more than a couple of months old, you might hook up an auxiliary fuel tank with fresh gasoline. You said the owner had passed a couple of years ago. Two year old gasoline will barely burn in a low compression tractor engine, let alone a car. If the issue DOES turn out to be carbs, then you can make your decision.

 

I think you will have no trouble at all in selling the set-up you have, should you desire to go back to original.

 

Remember that if the set-up you currently have is not the issue, then replacing it with original would not solve the issue, just cost money. Testing is the key.

 

EDIT: just remembered, was the first name of the owner who passed Pete?

 

Jon.

Edited September 10, 2019 by carbking (see edit history)

[kalaoaboy]

I dont want to change the dual set up. I like it.  I should probably just find someone to rebuild those carburetors for me.  I wouldn’t mind doing it but I know they’ve been taken apart by at least a couple different people and now they run like crap. And yes it was pete. You knew him?

Edited September 10, 2019 by kalaoaboy (see edit history)

[carbking]

I sold him the carburetors maybe 25 years ago. He was obsessed with multiple carbs. I have no idea where he found the intakes, but over the years we did a complete multiple set-up (he supplied the intake) for a Packard straight 8, one for a big Chrysler 6, and I think two of the Buicks.

 

All ran extremely well for him.

 

Sorry to hear of his passing. He was a true gentleman.

 

As to the dual carbs: the first criteria is to make sure you have good compression. The Carter carbs use engine vacuum to control the metering. An engine with one or two really weak cylinders might have uneven vacuum to the two carbs, resulting in uneven metering. So, assuming the fuel is fresh, the first item would be a compression test.

 

Don't throw rocks at the carbs until after you have done some testing. If it should turn out that you need to rebuild the carbs, I can furnish you with rebuilding kits.

 

Jon.

[carbking]

Just what to expect:

 

The 1952 model 70 came with a single four-barrel carburetor.

 

The dual 2-barrel set-up should provide marginally (3~5 percent) more power than the single four-barrel due to more uniform cylinder fill density. Under wide-open throttle conditions, your seat of the pants meter is not going to be higher than the single four-barrel, although the increased power would be measurable on a dyno. 

 

Idle should be silky smooth, and fuel economy should be somewhat improved (3~5 percent) over the four-barrel.

 

This particular set-up is more eye candy than performance; but there should be minimal improvement.

 

As mentioned above, I did the complete Packard set for him, and shipped it to him. On subsequent set-ups, Pete used my patterns, and fabricated fuel lines, linkage, and choke lines locally to avoid the shipping charges from the main land. Somewhere, I have pictures of the Packard set-up before I shipped it to him.

 

Jon.

Edited September 10, 2019 by carbking (see edit history)

[kalaoaboy]

Wow cool! I understand the family still has the packard but I haven't heard of any other buicks up there.  The car sorta idles now but upon any throttle it coughs out the top and some backfires. I feel its a lean backfire. Hopefully I can mess with it this week sometime. 

[carbking]

With those symptoms, and assuming you have fresh fuel:

 

(A) start engine

(B) stop engine (carb bowls are now full)

(C) remove air cleaners

(D) open choke butterflies

(E) while observice inside the carburetors, work the throttle to wide open to check for pump squirt.

 

If good pump squirt on both carbs:

 

(A) check vacuum advance mechanism on distributor

 

If good pump squirt and functioning vacuum advance:
 

(A) compression test

 

If my assumption was incorrect on fresh fuel, try an auxiliary tank and fresh fuel.

 

I sent you a picture of the Packard set.

 

Jon.