Bill Stoneberg Posted October 11, 2004 Share Posted October 11, 2004 Recently My 1947 Buick Super has decided it wants to double as one of thos vehicles that drive around the town fogging for insects. This is happening espcially on acceleration. Also when I fill the gas tank I have to add a quart of oil.In response to the inevitable questions, I have not done any compression tests or leakdown tests yet. I just replaced the starter so I am going to get to it.What should I look for to try to solve or narrow down what I should do so my car can kick the smoking habit ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted October 11, 2004 Share Posted October 11, 2004 Sounds like it's time for a ring job And new valve seals..Might try some of that anti-smoke sludge stuff as a last ditch effort.You've been racing too much haven't you?! Definitely get the compression test done...and let us know the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrbuick714 Posted October 11, 2004 Share Posted October 11, 2004 The FIRST thing you check is the fuel pump, the vacuum section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Phillips Posted October 11, 2004 Share Posted October 11, 2004 Bill,I agree with the above post re.: fuel pump. Your '47 has been too nice a car and too well cared for to suddenly need a ring job. I'm willing to bet that one of the diaphrams in the fuel pump is letting crankcase oil into the combustion chamber. The "new" gasoline is very hard on old fuel pump diaphrams.Pete Phillips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Brink Posted October 11, 2004 Share Posted October 11, 2004 Bill,Unless you were power-shifting 1st to 2d at the strip... Just kidding. Make it three for the fuel pump diaphragm. Easy fix I'll bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted October 12, 2004 Author Share Posted October 12, 2004 So, How do I check it ? I put a gauge on the vacumn to the wiper and was pulling 14 lbs. Would this explain why i have some oil at the manifold vacumn connection ?I would rather fix this then the rings.....Gene, I cant powershift anymore, no syncros left Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Phillips Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Bill,If you have found oil at the manifold vacuum connection for the wipers, there is nothing more to check. You have just confirmed our diagnosis. If you need more proof, take the fuel pump apart and look at the hole or split in your upper diaphragm, which is the one for the wipers. Time to rebuild that fuel pump before the Texas environmental authorities pull you over (I'm joking of course. The Texas environmental department is so weak and under-staffed that they can't even halt the biggest polluters in the state--G. Bush's legacy--sorry, I couldn't resist).Pete Phillips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 wow! I had no idea that could happen with a fuel pump. Could this happen with a 37 Buick? I have a friend who uses a quart of oil every 25 miles! But his compression readings are really bad, so I do suspect engine problems there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Guy Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 The easiest way to tell if it is indeed the fuel pump, is to disconnect the vacuum line from the pump to the intake, and plug it off. Drive the car ,and if the smoke goes away you have found the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted October 18, 2004 Author Share Posted October 18, 2004 Thanks for the suggestions and I actually had time to try plugging off the line yesterday. I am sad to say it didn't help. I am still smoking.Can oil get into the gas from the fuel side of the pump ? I really am hoping it is something easy as opposed to a rebuild. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted October 18, 2004 Share Posted October 18, 2004 Hey BillThe car is not a teenager, so it is old enough and legal to smoke. It has always smoked some when I have followed you...not enough to notice if you are driving.Oil cannot get into the gas at the fuel pump, but gas can get into the oil causing dilution and oil burning. If this is the case you should smell gas on the dipstick. Also if the carburetor is too rich it can wash to oil off the cylinder walls, accelerating wear.Pull the plugs and you may be able to tell which cylinder(s) are contributing to the pollution...and then do a compression check.Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted November 29, 2004 Author Share Posted November 29, 2004 Well, it has been awhile since I was able to work on my car. Sheetrocking a living room sucks.But I did finally get to it and am I bummed now. One cylinder had NO compression at all. The rest were all between 60 and 80 lbs.I squirted oil into the offensive cylinder and the gauge still didn't move.So I am thinking I have a valve problem or worse. I dont know what to think about the rest of them yet. Plugs were all a nice black color so it looks like it ran rich too. And I thought sheetrocking was bad..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Brink Posted November 29, 2004 Share Posted November 29, 2004 Bill,No compression rang a bell with me. Blew a hole in a piston on my '54 once and boy did it ever suck oil into the cylinder and out the exhaust pipe. Looked like I was intentionally trying to lay down a smoke screen so the troops could come out of their trenches to attack the... Oops too much History Channel...Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judd Posted November 30, 2004 Share Posted November 30, 2004 Bill What is this loose a Buick piston week? My 56 did the same thing Saturday, started smoking, blowing oil through breathers,and missing. I removed the plugs on the left side (the one smoking) and #8 was fouled. I also found bent push rod on #8. Rebuild time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 Hoy Boy!!! Me thinks I'll should wait till next week to warm up my Buicks. Can't afford these troubles. JohnD3757 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judd Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 John You may have put your car in danger by just answering this post! LOL.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted December 4, 2004 Author Share Posted December 4, 2004 Finally got the massive and heavy head pulled. That was a job.Looks like number 1 cylinder has a broken ring. I pured gas into it and instead of staying in the cylinder, it immediatly went past the rings and into the oil pan.Looks like the engine is coming out.Now, do I just rebuild the engine or do I stick the nailhead in that I have been building and turn the car into a full fledged street rod ??? Decisions, Decisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 I hope Tommy 1927 doesn't see this....Ran both cars today, and the curse has passed me by ( for now). Might have something to do with the bug guts all over the windshields?JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 Hey BillJust put in the one you have already rebuilt for the Woody and then build this one for the Woody. You should really use the nailhead for the fastback.Year ago I would have just cut the ridges on the cylinders, do a hone job and replace the pistons with new rings...any pistons with broken rings would need to have the upper ring groove cut and shimmed...should be good for 25-50k (the sparkplug change interval for newer cars) and then do it again. Or sell it to Tommy1927. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 Hey Old Tank, can you describe what you mean by shimming the upper ring? JohnD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 JohnDOn well worn engines the upper ring will break and rock in the upper ring groove making it larger. Replacement rings would fit too loose and soon fail. Machine shops would re-groove larger and then put in shims or spacers (look alot like the rails on the oil control ring) to make the groove standard size again. This is at best a stop gap repair since the reason the rings broke in the first place is excessive taper wear in the cylinder causing the ring to flex (expand at the top of the cylinder and contract at the bottom).I have done this twice on my projects. The first was a '51 Ford flathead six...I used NOS rings that failed at 20K. The next was a '55 322...I used at the recommendation of the machine shop the best moly rings. When the the engine failed at 30K for other reasons (cam) the rings were still intact and the cylinders still showed the hone marks. The engine was noisy from piston slap and had more blowby due to increased ring end gap. That engine has 0.012-0.018 wear on the cylinder wall...0.006 is the upper limit. I was just fixing this car up for resale in the mid '80's and didnot want to spend $480 for new pistons (Kanter was the only supplier back then). Anyhow I still have the car.Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Thanks for the explanation Willie. I suppose the real fix for this is reboring the cylinders?JohnD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 53and61 Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Willie,Could you (and others) comment on two other approaches that I've read about? First, is it possible to true up cylinders with a rigid hone (but no true boring) when out-of-round and taper are around 0.010"? Second, is piston knurlizing a good idea or false economy? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 On the 55 322 engine 0.006 is the upper limit for wear (I think it says so in the service manual).I cannot comment on knurlizing since I have never done it.Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_buick5563 Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 Jeez Willie, I thought you were just supposed to make up stuff if you didn't know about something. I guess I'll never post again. I'll just leave it to NTX5467. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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