1971 Buick Electra 225 Limited -freshening up

Brought the rotors up to work to clean them out in the pressure washer. They are the original rotors and man what a difference from today's cheapo rotors! After a thorough cleaning, I scuffed the surface of the rotor and used a 3M Scotch-brite Roloc bristle disc to achieve a fresh set of crosshatching. Once I got home I packed the wheel bearings and rotors. Installed new seals in the back of the rotors, National Federal-Mogul part number 8871. Cleaned the calipers and lubed those up! Picked up four new caliper bolts, one was partially stripped before I took it off. The Part number for new ones is Dorman HW5004. Two per box. Adjusted the bearings, cleaned the lower ball joints from years of greasing, mounted the tires back up up and dropped her back down. Sent Sean payment for the tent. I had forgotten! ou:

Also picked up the transmission seal removed and installer tool. It was $43.20 with tax. Tomorrow I will remove the old seal and install the new one. Install the input shaft seal, and governor cover gasket. The tool part number is T-1001-PV. A google search will yield results.



Here's a couple pics for once.



Not much room to work on the passenger side

 

Didn't get anything done yesterday, another house showing. This is getting old real quick!

Interstate ended up warrantying my battery out of my old Skyhawk and prorated it towards the purchase of a bigger battery. I got the bigger battery, 700cca and 85 month warranty. Interstate has always been so good to me.

Installed the governor gasket today. Also removed the transmission gear shifter seal and installed the new one. The tool worked well. But the new seal didnt go in perfect. Part of the inner seal didnt seat right. Hopefully it will seal. If not its no sweat to replace it. Pulled the torque converter only to find out I need a seal puller for the input shaft seal. Hoping to have the motor in this weekend but I'm not holding my breath. My buddy I'm building it with finally got some real work at a jobsite which hasn't come often.

 

Rob, did you have the rotors checked for thickness and trueness? Those are factory rotors, with all the work you are doing, I personnaly would have just gone with new ones. Changing pads can be a major PIA with those rotors, too, as that groove will cause the pad to wear into the groove and lock it in. Took my uncle and myself over an hour to get the calipers off mine the first time I did a brake job.

 

Zach, I checked the rotors and they were plenty thick. There was no pulsation in the pedal either. There wasn't anything wrong these rotors to warrant replacing them AND there isnt a store out there that will carry a rotor built as well as the originals. At work we use Carquest parts, the rotors have trouble lasting one year. The rotor literally flakes apart. Were going back to using GM rotors and pads.

Replaced the front input shaft seal today. I just ended up using a standard seal puller. Put the converter back on and dropped it back onto the shaft. Cleaned the fan clutch, starter, motor mounts, steering box, and put all the bolts I need for the install on the cowl for easy access.

Drilled and tapped the smog ports on the heads for plugs. Heads are in the process of being dissasembled, cleaned and reassembled. Maybe tomorrow.

Got my tires yesterday. Will mount them up on monday. I hope they hold the car up.

 

The motor is together and has been primed. Oil came up to the top of the motor right away! The only hiccup was the intake manifold gasket was stamped backwards.

Dropped off the freshly painted manifolds at a shop with a EDM machine. The EDM machine uses sound waves to blast apart specific things, in my case the remaining exhaust manifold studs. One manifold is for sure getting planed for a true surface.

Loaded the Roadmaster up with the new tires in the back seat, and the old four fit in the trunk with room to spare. Gotta love the fullsize cars! :beer

Replaced one wheel stud on the passenger rear axle. It had snapped off when I removed the tires the first time, I had removed it then and bought a new one but never got around to putting it in.

Tomorrow I will mount the new tires at work. Bring them to sears for balancing and slap them back on at home. Tuesday is the engine install day.

Here is a picture of the finished master cylinder.

 

Right On Rob!

 

Got the new tires mounted up and balanced. They look great on the car BUT, now I really need to clean up the rims.

The motor is scheduled to meet the frame pads at 4pm! :Brow: It can't start it tomorrow though. Still waiting on adapters for the transmission line kit. I'm going to try to stop by a hydraulic shop tomorrow or Wednesday, I can't be held up by some fittings.

 

The motor is in! Slid right in. I only did the bellhousing bolts and motor mount to frame pad bolts. I feel like more than a little under the weather today. No more progress. And to top things off I got raped by a shop to have the studs removed from one manifold and both resurfaced, $150. I should have just gone with headers.....ou: :eek2: And I will again

 

Lookin Good!!!!

 

Rob,the engine looks great just sitting there,good job.The tires look good too,nice looking car.

 

Got a little done today.

-plumbed oil pressure gauge and idiot light in
-ran wiring down front of engine and secured on side of block
-installed starter
-installed crank pulley
-torqued bellhousing bolts
-installed flywheel-to-converter bolts
-installed choke thermostatic control
-installed heater hose fitting, vacuum tree, brake booster tee
-clear coated a bunch of little parts for the intake
-broke a fuel pump bolt off in the timing cover
-greased front end
-torqued motor mount bolts
-installed water pump studs
-installed sensors in back of heads


The manifolds really help me up today. The studs aren't in yet and it ended up being a mental block, i.e. didnt think I could install several things without the manifolds in first.

The Stage 1 fuel pump doesn't rub the double roller chain. No modification needed.

 

Thanks guys.

Here is a visual update. To tired to type......

Please excuse the radiator cap and coil. Hoping to tow it to the exhaust shop today, Friday. ray:

 

Looking good, Rob :TU:

 

Sooooooo..... were you able to extract the broken bolt from the timing cover?

I've always found it infinitely easier to install the wiring harness and starter while on the engine stand, then just plug the harness into the firewall bulkhead.

 

Yes I did. I thought about that after I dropped it in. ou:

Got the exhaust ran from the manifolds down to the existing pipes. That is a big relief. I got almost everything done. Tomorrow after work is when I'll break in the cam. Had a few issues though.

Driver's side rear lower corner of the valve cover isn't sealing completely.
The transmission lines (hydraulic hose) is extremely difficult to push on to the push-lock fittings. I only got one of four to seat completely. The others are on halfway. :error:

And while filling the transmission. It appears as though the o-ring at the base of the transmission filler tube went bad because after 6 1/2 quarts it decided to burp all over the floor. It might just be air but I will change it if I can find one in time.

I haven't even started it and she's already back to her routine.

 

Man seeing your progress is keeping me motivated, that engine in there is looking like a new baby. If possible when you start it tape it I would like to hear what it sounds like! Thanks and keep up the fantastic work.:TU:

 

Man this motor runs flippin' NICE! Broke in the cam a bit today. Found a couple leaks, fixed a few.

Will break it in more tomorrow. The engine was running hot, I need a new set of points. Most of the paint on the exhaust portion of the heads has burned off. The exhaust sounds like crap but the engine is so smooth and has gobs of oil pressure. Gotta back off the oil pressure a bit. The oil comes RIGHT to the top of the motor. Might need a fan clutch too, its the original. That and there was a ton of air bubbles in the cooling system, as to be expected. I need a fan to throw some air through the radiator while its running.

 

Just got done with a transmission fluid shower. I removed the dipstick tube and was promptly showered with trans fluid. I think it was overfilled. As I understand it, the fluid level should never be above the filler tube hole in the transmission housing. Going to try to find an o-ring, the old one broke off when I removed it. Might try to pull the modulator and get one for that too.