People differ in opinions (and shops love to push the flush treatment), but if you go to the books, a flush is generally recommended if there is contaminated fluid (or if it's been so long, the fluid is filthy) - otherwise, with regular fluid and filter changing, you should technically never need a full flush. Agree on the brake work. I don't mind doing the brake work, but bleeding bites. Then again, I don't really care for working with fluids. I'll do the brake work, but have a trusted shop I'll let do any bleeding if it's needed. They have cool tools that can do it fast and thoroughly.
hey adam, nice job on the brakes! I just noticed the bumper guards on the front of your car - were they an option? mark 1971 Centurion 4dr
Mark! Another Centurion owner....:beer Yes they were an option in 71..as well as the rear bumper guards. I am starting a Centurion registry here very soon - www.buickcenturion.com and I'd love it if you would be willing to register your car with me when I get it running.. you can email me at adamm@buickpartsdirectory.com to get in touch off the board here. Do you have any pictures of you car? Do you have the buildsheet? A sales sticker?:Brow: Can ya tell I get excited about these cars?:laugh:
yep, sure will adam! i will take some low res pictures of the car at the weekend so i can upload them. Engine is torn down at the moment , (top end) waiting for an ordered b4b to turn up :grin: then i will reassemble everything to make sure the new quadrajet works :Brow: and the new hei distributor :beer then i will tear it down again to put on the thin head gaskets(= higher compression :Brow: ) port and polish the heads hoping they are the hi po ones and get ready to do some single tyre burnouts - no posi yet :ball: but i will post some pics - just remember the bodywork going to be redone this summer! mark 1971 Centurion 4dr
Adam I notice you don't have the little smog motor mounted on top of the power steering thingie, have you taken it out, or was it never there?
Kimson... I believe that was a '72 forward thing... all 455s for '72 (except GS Stage 1) had the smog pump)
I know Adam's vert was bought in California by him. Kimson, do you mean the air pump that has lines running to the stock intake? o No:
Here's a picture of the so called smog motor. I've been told that since it says 73 on the engine block and the valve covers are blue, that the engine is a 73??? The car was sold in late 71 so that seems unlikely unless someone has changed it. I can take the smog motor out if I want to, does more harm than good (performance wise) he he.. someone said.
Oh I forgot to ask about the little hoses all connected together... I don't see them on Martin's car, what is the reason for them. I've heard something about a vaccum something, I don't really know, anyway, one is connected to the smog motor. They're indicated by a red arrow, bottom right.
The Vacuum Pump (or smog motor) started in 72 on the Centurions...although I think only the ones made for shipping to California (with CA emissions option code) had the vacuum pump in 72. In 73, it was standard on all motors. My car is a 71, so it never would've had a vacuum pump on it. Although my car was bought in CA by me, it was manufactured in KC (Fairfax plant) and was shipped to Oregon to be sold. It spent most of its life in Nevada, and then it came to CA for a few years to rot in the sunou:
Adam, your car never ceases to amaze me, my man! I'm gonna' run off and cry out obsenities in a raging fit of jealousy now...haha! Hey, are there any type of Buick shows or gatherings around our area? I'm in Columbia, MO.
Oh yeah there are!! Have you thought about joining the BCA? www.gatewaybca.org - that's our chapter site, which should list the calendar for 2005. Let mek now if you see anything good. The Easter show in Forest Park (St. Louis) is huge...but it's pretty early this year. .............. Let's see....there is the Wheels In Motion show in Westport in September, the Oktoberfest on Main Street in St. Charles in October, Sinclair Buick/Pontiac display in South County, Wally Berger Buick display in Alton IL, Wagner Buick display in Belleville IL, Bobby's Frozen Custard Buick cruise night in Maryville IL.... Just to name a few. This club is very active, and can be lots of fun if you can make some of the events! Good people too....I wasn't a club guy until I joined the Buick Club and the BPG. What are you doing on Aug 11-14??
What's generally referred to as the smog pump... is called the A.I.R. Unit (Air Injection Reactor Unit). It was installed on all '72 Buick 455s, except for Stage 1 (that meaning GS Stage 1). It's a belt-driven emission control system that pumps oxygen through passages in the intake manifold to be injected into the exhaust ports in the heads. The injection of oxygen causes unburned carbons to become a more complete burn so that it contributes to cleaner exhaust. It's certainly not an attractive system, but it's among the more benign emission control systems. EGR, which came later was far worse. The system can be removed and plugged, but there is no measurable performance effect. There's no horsepower to be gained from taking it off. If you take it off, it's also helpful to have a power steering mounting bracket from a '71, or you'll still have this unsightly bracket sticking up.
Aug 11 - 14th? I don't even plan ahead for a WEEK! So, I have no clue. Going to a Buick show, I guess...haha.
Removing it sounds tempting anyway, the less amount of junk the better I think . I'll have to unplug it at the intake manifold to have a look, what kind of plug are we talking about here? I'm also curious about the air conditioning box behind the passenger side wheel house. The big thing stuck on the firewall. My car doesn't have air conditioning anymore, and I'm wondering if this whole thing can come out, or is it also related to the heating system? I've already taken out the radiator for the a.c. and the compressor. I'll take a picture of it on Saturday, taking the car out tomorrow for a trip to San Diego, hopefully it will make it. Half the times this thing has left town there's been some kind of trouble getting home again. It just makes everything more interesting, rolling the dice... :3gears:
