1971 Buick Electra 225 Limited -freshening up

Use the lube they give you for the push-loc fittings. Use a lot of it. Better yet, you don't want to introduce any foreign lube into your trans, so try a lot of trans fluid to lube the fittings before you push them on.

If you stopped breaking in the cam half way through, then be sure you fire it up again and go right to 2000 RPM and hold it there for the next 10 minutes. That is OK to do. But only if you shut it down during break-in then fire it back up and pick up where you left off.

 

No lube supplied. I used trans fluid but its just too tight. They don't leak though.....yet (with my luck)

Yes that is exactly what I did regarding the cam. :Smarty:

Made a little bit more progress today. Attempted to continue breaking it in but the points held me up. The points in the distributor were worn so my buddy brings me a used set and it ran worse. Went to the parts store and picked up a set of points and condenser. Also installed a dual throttle spring setup as required when racing. Replaced the o-ring in the dipstick tube, no auto parts store had one or could get one so I went to the hardware store. It is a 9/16 OD O-ring and is 3/32 wide. Fit perfect and doesn't leak a drop.

Got some thread sealant too and doped up the brass threads on the oil pressure gauge and idiot light tee. That was leaking.

The starter heat shield was on the work bench so that had to go on. Off comes the manifold and down comes the exhaust after I tried for 45 minutes to start the bolts without removing anything but the starter.

The inspection cover was dripping so I pulled that, thinking the rear main or fresh trans seal was leaking, no bone. The fluid came over from the dipstick tube when that was leaking, so I cleaned it up again and bolted that back on.

Valve covers are still leaking, the passenger was ballooned out in the center which I didnt notice till it started going valdez on me. The driver's side lower corner drips onto the exhaust. I'm probably going to get a new set of valve covers or some nice originals, these are pretty beat up.

Charcoal canister vac line was disconnected. The service manual doesn't show what the vacuum port on the rear of the carb is for though, and ideas?

Best of all, I noticed antifreeze in the "drain holes" of the passenger rear floor pan. You know those little oval plates that are seam sealed into place. Sure enough the heater core is leaking right at the inside seam of the firewall, so I never saw it on the carpet or floormat.

Me thinks this boat won't be going to the nat's this year.

 

I didn't even think of bypassing the heater core. ou:

I know what canister your talking about. Does it go to the big port on the top or one on the bottom? There is a recess hole for a port on the bottom but no port. I think it's broken off.

 

Bypassed the heater core. Replaced the points with a new set. Fixed the driver's side valve cover leak. Ran it for about 5 minutes at 2000 before I started seeing smoke from under the car. Hat's off to the ****ty exhaust system that is melting the undercoating off the floorpans. I took a rag and wiped a section clean. ou:

Unfortunately this is one Electra you won't see at BPG this year. Not in this shape. I'd love to but there is still too many things not quite right with it. But I'm up for a "stretch its leg tour" down to st. louis for its first big trip.

 

Believe me, if it was just a few little things I would go but there still just too much wrong with it. I'm not happy with the way the motor runs yet let alone the exhaust, the fluid leaks and the leaks!

No Roadie either, that has its own list of issues.

Enjoy this for now. I don't like it though, it sounds like crap, worse in person.

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That didnt sound to bad to me just my 2cents Gene:TU:

 

That's a nice sprint you put in, it's almost there now. Someone can bring some valve covers to where you're going.

Good work!

 

The burning of the undercoating worries me but not as much as not having a working fuel gauge or speedometer. :spank: I'll try to fix the oil pressure gauge leak and passenger side valve cover after work. Maybe I'll drive it to work on Wednesday. Yes driving with the caravan.

 

Your doing great work Rob! Remember, its an old car. And old cars are designed to leak, run bad, and generally irritate you! Keep up the great work:TU:

 

The Electra is looking very nice. I am in the act of restoring my 79 buick electra 225 and just got the motor back. Its looking very nice and was very happy with TA Performance because I could get a few things for my 350 and the intake makes the motor look great. I will be posting some photos soon and it is great to see someone else working on their electra. Everyone thinks Im stupid to be redoing a full size car like my electra but their great cars and the 350 has loads of torque and horsepower.

 

Pulled it out of the garage this afternoon and replaced the fan clutch. Drove it to a friend's house and back just to exercise it. The car felt great. Alot of little tweaking left but the car drives really nicely. I am impressed.

 

Drove the car to work on Friday. The distributor hold down worked loose and caused me to have a very rough idle. A friend described the car sounding like "Christine" after a night of killing. :laugh: The car was a HUGE hit at work. I got in it and started it after work and everyone literally pulled their vehicles around the Electra! I was trapped! It was all in good fun though. Nice to see people have appreciation for these old girls. I even had a local Sheriff complement the car! :TU: I also changed the oil and filter yesterday, I'm running AMSOIL 10w30. I get 18lbs at hot idle at 180*. It never creeps past 180*!

Woke up early today after a rough night out and got the exhaust holes welded up. The exhaust sounds much nicer than it did. I can hear when i'm in the car and don't get high from the fumes at stoplights! :error: It sounds a little quieter than the same exhaust with the headers but still a real nice grumble to it. The downside is every moron coming by and revving up or flying by you. My buddy Pete who helped build the motor for me says the engine is running great but it could be better. When I get a chance I need to remove the Quadrajet and bring it to him.

While i was there he wanted to pull the quarter panel out and see what it could do. AMAZING what two trees, a duece and a come-along can do. The bumper sits where it should, the rear driver's side door can open and close freely, the trunk isn't under tension when opening or closing and the rear quarter isn't crunched in anymore. I will get pictures up later today or this weekend. It's really neat how the quarter panel was made. The factory used lead to attach the "extension." Whereas in '73 they went to a bolt-on extension.

 

Nice!

We're waiting to see what happens after you hand over the q-jet to your friend.

 

Here is a picture of the before. Its hard to see how bad the quarter really was. It WAS bad enough to send this car to the junkyard. But after I gave it a quick once over I knew this car was too rare and too nice to see getting crushed.

 

A little progress....

 

That the extact side mine was mangeled on, get a dent puller and welder and go to work to massage that quater back into shape! Please tell me what shop you had do your engine work, I live in Milwaukee, wi and I'm willing to drive for qualified shop. Thank fatboybuick