A first timers guide to a performance SBB

Discussion in 'Small Block Tech' started by Darryl Roederer, May 4, 2005.

  1. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    So you just bought your first buick, and it needs a little work...
    No problem, we can help! :TU:

    What follows is a complete guide to "building" a good performance buick 350.
    From giving it a good tune-up, to figuring out exactly what's wrong with it, what it needs, what you can afford, and weather or not you should actually attempt the work yourself.

    We will cover the following:
    *Proper starting procedures for a car that has not run for several years
    *Making sure the car is safe to drive, and getting it road ready
    *Tuning the car for the best performance and economy
    *Diagnosing common, and un-common engine problems [that may require a rebuild]
    *Removing the engine
    *Dis-asembling the engine
    *Inspection of dis-assembled engine components
    *Dealing with a Machine Shop
    *Selecting parts for a street performance rebuild
    *Re-assembling the engine
    *Detailing the engine compartment
    *Upgrading/Rebuilding the tranny
    *Installing the rebuilt engine
    *Power tuning the engine
    *Bringing the suspension up to safe specs
    *Installing a performance rear end or gear ratio
    *Minor body work for the novice
    *Having your car painted on a budget
    *Making the interior just like new

    There will also be a complete cost breakdown of each step of the way.

    Let's pretend you just bought a 1970 Buick Skylark with a 350 4V, T-350 tranny, totally stock. It has been sitting in the driveway of the "old lady" who lives up the block for the past 4 or 5 years, and it does not run. You just drug it home for the AMAZING price of $1000.... Congradulations!

    The problem is that you have never done any "major" work on a car before... Oh, yea,,, You changed the oil and spark plugs in your last car, you even did a break job on it and changed the alternator once before,,, but that's about it.

    Well, the good news is that the Buick 350 is one of the simplest and most straight forward engines to work on- ever.
    Our "buildup" will center around the most worn out- used up klunker of a 1970 skylark that ever existed... Infact, if your car is anywhere near as bd as our "hypothetical" project car, you should seriously consider finding another car to work on, but we will do it this way to show a "worst case scenario" so that no detail is overlooked.

    Of course because of our "worst case scenario", all of the steps may not apply to your particular needs.... Just pick and choose the steps that apply to your car, and always remember, WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!!!!! If you run into trouble, or get in over your head, just ask right here in the small block forum, and we will answer!

    **********CONGRADULATIONS***********
    :Smarty: You have just been accepted into "Buick University"... A university made up of some of the greatest guys and girls in the world, and deticated to the ideals that the buick 350 IS THE GREATEST SMALL BLOCK EVER!
    Our motto is "We fear no big block", and we believe that "different is better"!
    Requirements to take this course:
    *A computer with internet connection
    *A car equiped with a buick 350 engine [215, 300, and 340 are acceptable]
    *A decent collection of tools
    *A willingness to learn
    *A $10 donation to V8Buick.com, Paypal to jim@trishieldperf.com
    *A $2 membership to www.buickperformance.com click here for details
    ........ Shall we begin? :laugh:

     
    Last edited: May 13, 2005
  2. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Proper starting procedures for a car that has not run for several years

    Proper starting procedures for a car that has not run for several years

    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says-
    :Smarty: Class is in session.
    Subject:
    Getting my Buick to run

    The first thing to do is investigate why it was parked in the first place. Ask questions of the seller, and get as many answers as possible. This could save you a lot of time. It could also give you a better idea of exactly what your getting into with your new purchase.

    Example:
    Q. Why did you stop driving it?
    A. The engine just stoped running, so we just parked it. [most people just stop here, but you are going to investigate a little further...]
    Q. When it stoped, did it go BANG and stop, or did it sputter and stop? Give me some more details...
    If the next answer has the word BANG in it, that's a bad thing, and worth considering as to weather or not to buy the car in the first place.

    Once you have as many answers as the seller can offer to you, [and you like the answers], it's time to see if we can get this beast to run!

    First, check all the fluids in the engine. If it has no coolant in it, that could be a bad thing, like a cracked head or block, or it could be something as simple as a leaking radiator hose or bad watr pump. If it has no oil in it... Well, that's almost always a bad thing. Start by changing the oil and filter. Dont forget to fill the new filter with fresh oil. Then put a 15/16 socket on a breaker bar with a short extension. Put it on the bolt in the middle of the ballancer, and try to turn the engine in the same direction as if you were tightening the bolt. If the engine moves, GREAT... If it wont move, the engine may be locked up :ball:
    If the car has been sitting for more than about two years, it is a good idea to drain the gas tank, as the gas in it has probably gone bad. An easy way to do this is to remove the 2 lines from the fuel pump. Plug up the smaller one and attach a longer hose to the bigger one going into a bucket large enough to hold all the bad fuel that's in the tank. Then put a compressed air line down the filler neck, and use a wet rag to form a seal... Get the idea?

    After getting a couple gallons of good fresh gas in the tank, next is to prime the carb. Run down to the dollar store and buy a coule of those cheap plastic restaurant style mustard-catsup squirt bottles. Fill it with gas and squirt it down the vent tube on top of the carb. It'll take about half the bottle to fill the carb, and then just let it sit to re-hydrate the gaskets. At least a couple of hours.

    While waiting, remove the plugs and squirt some penetrating oil down each cylinder. Wd40 works good, as does 3 in 1 light lubricating oil. Personally I use marvel mystery oil, available at most auto parts stores. Get a good tablespoon or so down each one. Another cheap squirt bottle with a length of vac line makes this easy.
    Visually inspect the plugs as you pull them out. If they are burnt up, oil fouled, crusty, or just plain nasty,,, Now is the time to replace them.

    Pull the distributor cap off, and visually inspect the points for surface rust. If it's really nasty and/or rusty in there, replace the points and condensor, and put a drop of oil on the distributor cam. If it does not look too bad, use a fingernail file to LIGHTLY sand the contacts on the points, charge or replace the battery, and check the tranny fluid level.

    Ready to go- pull the coil wire and crank the engine for 20-30 seconds to get some oil back into the engine, replace wire and start it up!

    Of course there are no guarantees, but the above steps will protect the engine from damage. After it starts, if it dies after a few seconds, reprime the carb and try again. Make sure to have a friend keep an eye on the dash board guages durring these first few critical minutes of run time.

    There's a good chance the carb will need a rebuild before its road ready, maybe a fuel pump as well. After its actually running, then replace belts hoses, vac lines, and any other small parts that have obviously suffered from sitting for so long.

    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    $$$$-Cost break down-$$$$
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2005
  3. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Making sure the car is safe to drive, and getting it road ready

    Making sure the car is safe to drive, and getting it road ready

    :Smarty: Class is in session
    Subject: Making the car safe to drive

    So you have it running... It's a good bet that you have run it up and down the driveway a couple of times, maybe even around the block. It's got oil pressure, it's not overheating, the tranny is working... so far.
    Well, it's time to move on to the next step, getting it road ready, and making sure it's safe to drive.

    Step #1- GO THRU THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM!
    Don't even think adout moving it under its own power untill you do... I'm speaking from some embarassing expirence here, so believe me. A remanufactured master cylinder goes for about $20, shoes about $10 to $15 a set, turning the drums about $5 to $10 each, and new wheel cylinders are $25 each for the front, and $5 each for the rear. So for about $100 you can go thru everything, and believe me- that's cheap insurance! Even if the brakes are working perfectly, at a bare minimum, you should change the brake fluid and bleed out the system.

    Step #2- Tires.
    If the tires have been sitting for more than about 3 years, it's a good bet they are dry-rotted. This will show as hundreds of tiny "cracks" on the sidewall of the tire. A dry-rotted tire should be replaced. Even if the tread is fine, it's a safety issue. The only thing these tires should be used for is a couple of big smokey burnouts, and a short drive to a tire store :laugh:

    Step #3- Electrical system.
    Start at the source... The battery. GM's are notorious for rusting out the area under the battery. It needs to be addressed. The battery should be securely ancored to it's mount. If it were to tip over, it could short out and cause a fire that would destroy the entire car, and we dont want that.
    A cheap quick fix is to use a piece of laminated plywood [not particle board] cut to about the same shape as the battery area. Put it down there, and secure it to the rusted out fenderwell with a few sheet metal screws. Then SECURELY mount the battery to the plywood using a battery tie down sold at any parts store. Sure, this is a goofy low tech temporary repair, but it's better than the flaming alternative. Besides, the fenderwell is already rusted out.... A few more holes wont make that big a difference. Replace the battery cables if nessecary.
    Next check all the lights on the car for proper opperation. Headlighs, taillights, brake lights, you get the picture. Replace any bulbs that need to be.

    Step #4- fuel lines.
    This will require the car be supported on jack stands... No substitutes.
    There are 4 lines that need to be looked at, and probably replaced. The first 2 are under the rear of the car, on top of the rear axle. There are 2 rubber lines about 8 inches long that go from the fuel tank, and into the metal lines that run down the drivers side frame rail. The other 2 come out of the frame rail at the drivers side front tire, and go to the fuel pump. Even if they look ok, they should be replaced.... Why? Because there nearly 40 years old, and they carry dangerous flamable gasoline.... That's why! :Dou:

    Step#5- Steering and suspension.
    As with the fuel lines, everything here is 40 years old, and probably needs some work. Start under the hood. The steering shaft comes out of the firewall, and runs down the drivers side frame rail to the steering box. Where the two meet, there is a piece called a "rag joint". Its a circular piece of reinforced rubber that was put there by the factory, and it actually connects the two together. It was designed to keep excessive vibration from the suspension from getting to the steering wheel. I'v seen these pieces wear out and break. If your rag joint shows any signs of age or damage, REPLACE IT!!! Next, do a "bounce test" to see if the shocks have excessive wear. A car with bad shocks is a dangerous car. Finally, give every single piece of the suspension [and steering assembly] a good visual inspection. Grab ahold of it, and try to move it by hand.... Nothing should move. If anything is loose or worn out, or missing [like the rubber inside a suspension bushing], it needs to be addressed before the car is road ready.

    Step #6- the other stuff.
    Check wipers and blades for proper opperation, horn, turn signals, emergency flashers.... Just the basic safety check

    Step #8- exhaust.
    Unfortunately, there's nothing a novice can do here...
    If the exhaust is worn out, loud, or rusted thru, it needs to be replaced. Dont go to the megga exhaust chain store, but instead shop around for the best prices. Were building up a performance machine, so a set of duals is a must!

    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    $$$$-Cost break-down-$$$$
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2005
  4. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Tuning the car for the best performance and economy

    Tuning the car for the best performance and economy

    :Smarty: Class is in session
    Subject: A MAJOR tune-up

    Our '70 skylark has been re-born, riased like a phoenix from the ashes of death, and ready for a new life. We got it running and driving, and it feels good to do a little cruising in a classic old Buick. :bglasses: We know it's safe to drive, and we have addressed, and corrected, all of our most basic issues relating to safety...... But the 'old 350 runs like it's got a dead cat inside of it :confused:
    It is most definately time for a major tune-up.

    In this section we will cover the following:
    Rebuilding the carburetor
    Rebuilding the electrical/ignition system
    Changing the "other" fluids [trans, P/S, radiator]
    Replacing [all of the] filters
    Replacing belts and hoses
    Replacing the fuel pump

    Up to this point, all of our work has been done using the most basic of hand-tools. The following steps, however, will require some more "specialized" tools.
    *A Vacuum guage
    *A timing light
    *A dwell meter
    *A gasket scraper

    Carburetor:
    I dont work on carburetors, plain and simple. It's not that I cant, or dont know how... It's just that a carburetor is a precision insturment, and no matter how hard I try, I simply lack the "touch" it takes to get one juuuust right. I'm not embarased to admit that.... Motzart was a better musician than I am, Einstein was a better scientist than I, and my carburetor guy, Bill Rose, is a better carburetor builder and tuner than I EVER will be.

    Books, yes- entire books have been written on the "art" of building and tuning a Q-jet. And even if I was a carb guru, there's too much information for me to just type it out here and expect you to have a sucessfull rebuild. So instead, I'll try to point you in the right direction as to finding someone in your area who can build your carb for you.

    All of the parts you have bought for your car so far have most likely come from a megga chain store... Pep-boys, Autozone, etc. While you may be able to get the best prices at the megga store, you simply do not get knowledgable car people there. So instead, go looking around in the locally owned parts stores. If you can find one that has a machine shop inside of it, that's even better. If it's got a race car parked around back, that's FANTASTIC. Go inside, walk up to the counter, and look for the oldest guy working there. Look him over from head to toe. Your looking for somebody who just screams "automotive knowledge"... Someone with a wrench in his back pocket and grease under his fingernails. Once you have found your guy, get his attention, and in the most polite way possible, say the following.

    "Excuse me sir, I'v just bought a 1970 buick with a Q-jet 4 barrel carburetor, and I dont have a clue as to how to rebuild it... Do you know of someone locally who does good carburetor work and wont charge an arm and a leg?"

    There are 5 possible ways he can answer.
    #1. [blank stare] "Uuum,,,, I dont know..." ---find someone else to talk to.
    #2. "Dont rebuild it, there impossible to rebuild. Here, let me sell you a new one instead" ----Get out of there as quickly as possible.
    #3. "You should put a holly on it instead" ----Get out of there fast!
    #4. "Yea, Bubba-Joe-Jimmy-Bob does, but he's out deer hunting right now and wont be back till thursday" ----Thank him, get "Bubba-Joe's" phone number, go to a couple of other local parts stores, and ask if Bubba Joe does good work. If nobody elas has heard of him, you should probably keep looking.
    #5. "Yes I do, and he works right here in our shop" ----BINGO! That's the answer we were looking for. Of course that's a perfect answer, and you wont get it very often... Ususally it's #4, and you have to do a lot of asking around to find the right guy for the job.

    Once you have found your guy, it's time to ask him a few questions.

    *How long have you been working on Q-jets? [the longer the better]
    *How much will you charge me for a basic street rebuild and tune? [my guy charges $60 + parts for a street setup, $75 + parts for a street/strip/race setup. If your guy wants more, he should be VERY good, and guarantee his work]
    *How will you tune my carb out? On my car or yours? [my favorite answer is "both"... Rebuild and test on his car, and final tune on my car]
    *How long will it take you to do it? [basic rebuild only takes a couple hours for a good carb guy, but my guy takes a couple days on his car to get it just right before he puts it on my car]
    *how soon can you do it for me?

    Parts for the rebuild should cost no more than about $30, so figure about $100 total.

    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    Electrical/ignition system:
    There is already an EXCELLENT write-up here on V8Buick on rebuilding and powertuning your distributor. This is required reading for this course. It was written by Larry [70larrygs], and you will find it here:

    http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=63475

    The advance curve kit discribed in that post is $5, and the adjustable vacuum advance is $20

    In addition, it's time to replace the following
    *Spark plugs
    *Spark plug wires
    *Distributor cap [and a new rotor button]
    *Coil
    *points and condensor

    The procedure for ALL of the above:

    #1. Start with the forward most drivers side spark plug. Replace it, and replace the plug wire going to it. Put the new plug wire onto the old distributor cap still secured to the distributor.
    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    #2. repeat for the remaining 3 drivers side plugs and wires
    #3. repeat for the passenger side
    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    #4. With the new plug wires secured to the old distributor cap, remove the cap, and set it back as close to the carburetor as possible, so that the distributor is open and ready to work on.
    #5. Bump the starter untill the rotor button is pointed exactly at the #1 plug wire position, and make a mark on the distributor indicating where it points to.
    #6. Take a picture, or draw a diagram of exactly how the distributor sits in the engine. This will make it much easier durring re-assembly.
    #7. Using a 9/16 wrench or socket with a universal, remove the bolt and wedge holding the distributor into the engine.
    #8. Wiggle the distributor loose as you lift it straight up out of the engine.
    #9. Refer to Larry's post, http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=63475 to completely rebuild the distributor. A couple of cans of brake parts cleaner are a good idea, and remember to put a little grease on all the moving parts durring re-assembly.
    #10. Install the new points and condensor. The points will need to be adjusted once the engine is running using a well meter, but a neat little trick is to use a book of matches. The paper cover is really close to the proper amount of opening required for the points. There will be a set of instructions with the points. Once you read them, the match book trick will explain itself.
    #11. Re-install the distributor. This will take a couple of tries since the rotor button and main shaft will want to move against the gear as it seats itself. Make sure to get it just right... This is important!
    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    #12. Once the distributor is re-instlled and the bolt and wedge replaced [but not tight, as we will need to rotate the distributor to time the engine], install new distributor cap, and transfer the plug wires from the old cap to the new one ONE AT A TIME AND IN THE PROPER LOCATIONS!!!!!
    #13. using some white-out, reach down on the crank ballancer and make a mark on the little groove, that should be in plain view. If it's not, have someone bump the engine untill you can see it. If it's grease covered, use the brake parts cleaner to clean it up. The white out will make it MUCH easier to see. Be carefull of moving parts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    #14. Start the engine.... It may not start. If it does not, remove the distributor cap and adjust the gap on the points. Remember the match book trick. Work slowly, double check proper plug wire placement in the cap [Starting with the #1 plug wire, the firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2]. If that does not do the trick, rotate the distributor while someone elst turns the key untill it fires up.
    #15. Get out the timing light and connect it to the battery and to the #1 plug wire.
    #16. Double check that none of the plug wires are touching the exhaust manifolds, or are too close to moving parts.
    #17. Refering back to Larry's article, and the instructions that came with your new points and adjustable vacuum advance, tune the distributor. This will require the dwell meter. Be EXTRA CAREFULL of moving parts!!!
    #18. Tighten down the bolt holding the distributor to the engine.
    #19. Replace the coil, paying special attention to the positive and negative side to make sure it's installed properly.
    #20. Do a little victory dance and test drive the car :TU:
    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    Replacing the fuel pump:
    It's best to do this at the same time the carb is off the engine. If for no other reason, it gives you something to do while your carb guy is working his magic.

    #1. From under the car, remove the 2 lines going to the fuel pump.
    #2. un screw the "hard metal" line going from the pump up to the carb [9/16]
    #3. Remove the 2 bolts on each side of the pump securing it to the engine [9/16 or 1/2, cant remember for sure]
    #4. remove the pump from the engine.
    #5. using a gasket scraper [if nessecary] clean off the old gasket from the engine. Use some brake parts cleaner and a rag for final cleaning.
    #6. Reverse steps 1 thru 4 above to re-install.

    Changing the tranny fluid and filter:
    This is a nasty messy job, and it's no fun rolling around under the car working upside down. Doing this will require a very large pan to catch the fluid as it drains out, as well as a "pan and gasket kit" for the tranny. You will also need about 4 quarts of Dextron III tranny fluid, and a 1 quart bottle of "Lucas" brand tranny additive.

    #1. Support the car on jack stands... Accept no substitutes!!!
    #2. Position the large pan directly under the tranny pan.
    #3. Remove the 20 or so bolts holding the pan to the tranny. Start at the front edge, and work your way back. About 1/2 way thru the removal, fluid will start to come out of the front side of the pan. position the drain pan to capture it.
    #4. Remove the pan and bolts out from under the car, but leave the drain pan to catch the drops still coming out.
    #5. Do a visual inspection of the "contents" of the tranny pan. If there's sludge built up in the bottom, it's a good indicator of internal tranny parts wearing out.
    #6. remove the tranny filter. Pay special attention to how "tight" the bolts are holding it in. You will notice they are not very tight at all!!! That's normal. These bolts go into the valve body which is made of soft aluminum. When you re-install, dont over-tighten these bolts or they WILL strip out.
    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    #7. scrape off any remaining gasket material, and clean up with brake parts cleaner and a rag.
    #8. Install the new filter, just as it came out, being carefull not to over-tighten.
    #9 Reverse steps 1 thru 4 as above to re-install.
    #10. Add the Lucas tranny treatment first.
    #11. Top off with new tranny fluid in the aproximate ammount that came out in then drain pan.

    Changing antifreeze along with belts and hoses:
    *The following shuld be done with the engine cool!!!
    *There is a drain valve on the back side of the radiator located near the lower hose. Dont use it!!! I'v had one break off, requiring replacement of the radiator. Instead, remove the lower hose and let it drain out that way!
    *It's a good idea to put some radiator cleaner into the system a day or two before doing this.

    #1. Remove radiator cap
    #2. Remove lower radiator hose from radiator, and allow it to drain into a catch pan.
    #3. Completely remove upper hose from car.
    #4. remove "S" shaped hose that goes from the back of the water pump to the front of the intake manifold.
    #5. Remove the 2 heater hoses from the engine, but for now, leave them connected to the fire-wall
    #6. Remove the lower hose from the car.
    #7. Loosen [but do not remove] the top and bottom boltS located at the A/C compressor, Alternator, and P/S pump.
    #8. Slide the A/C, P/S, and alternator ON THEIR MOUNTS untill the belts are loose enough to remove.
    #9. Remove belts and wiggle them past the fan and fan-shroud to get them out.
    #10. Replace the belts with new ones.
    #11. Using a tire iron for leverage, get the belts tight and re-tighten the bolts holding the A/C, P/S, and alternator. How tight??? You should be able to grad the belt and twist it around exactly 1/2 a turn. In other words, they should be very tight.
    #12. Using a garden hose, or compressed air, blow out the heater core. Position a catch pan under the longer hose [re-directed under the car] to capture the antifreeze.
    #13. Remove the heater hoses from the fire-wall.
    #14. Start working backwards to replace all the hoses removed with new ones.
    #15. After all the new hoses are installed, and tight. [dont forget the "S" shaped bypass hose] Add 1 gallon of antifreeze to the engine, followed by 1 gallon of tap water. If the cooling system wont take this first two gallons, start the car up, and rev the engine... Turn on the heater to MAX.
    #16. Split the second gallon of antifreeze into the empty jug, and top both of them off with water so you have a 50/50 mix in each jug.
    #17. Keep revving the engine, and topping it of untill it starts to get VERY warm, and coolant comes out.
    #18. Replace radiator cap.
    #19. Let the engine cool, and repeat the topping off procedure untill the system is as full as you can get it. [this may actually take a couple of days]

    Changing the power steering fluid:
    Very simple procedure, requiring 2 quarts of Dextron Tranny Fluid.
    #1. Un-screw one of the P/S lines where it bolts to the steering box.
    #2. position a drain pan to catch what comes out.
    #3. Remove the cap from the P/S pump
    #4. When it stops flowing, replace the hose, top off the system untill full, and start the engine.
    #5. Work the steering back and forth from lock to lock for about a minute.
    #6. repeat the entire procedure to completely flush the system clean. If crappy nasty fluid comes out the second time, go ahead and repeat a third time untill it comes out clean.

    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    $$$$-Cost break down-$$$$
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2005
  5. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Diagnosing common, and un-common engine problems [that may require a rebuild]

    :Smarty: Class is in session.
    Subject:Diagnosing common, and un-common engine problems [that may require a rebuild]

    Way cool! We have got our buick running, and running GOOD! It's really surprising how much power was locked up in the little 'old 350.... But something is just not right... That annoying "ticking" sound comming from the engine, or maybe it's overheating and puking up antifreeze all over the roadway. Or perhapse it's got a miss that just wont go away... There's something that's just not right deep inside our engine, and it's time to dig a little deeper to find out what it is.

    The first thing to do, before anything else is to install a set of aftermarket guages. Oil pressure and temperature are a must. Install them under the dash in the ashtray area. You can tap into the oil galley from under the passenger side of the car near the oil filter. Where the timing cover meets the block, there's a sensor with a wire attached to it. This is the oil pressure sending unit. Most likely, your buick is equiped with an idiot light. You will need to make a trip to the local hrdware store for a "T-fitting" with the proper thread size to fit into the sensor location. Off one side of the "T" install the stock sensor. [actualy, go ahead and replace it, only about $5]. Off the other side, install the line to your new pressure guage. Be sure to route the line away from moving parts and hot exhaust manifolds. Under the brake booster is a place where the clutch pedal linkage would come out of the fire-wall. Poke a small hole thru it to run the line to the guage.

    For the temperature guage, there's a "plug" on the intake manifold up close to the thermostat housing. It's on the drivers side, and has a square opening that accepts a 3/8 wratchet extention, Screw it out and install the temp guage sensor there. Route it along the drivers side valve cover, and thru the hole we made under the brake booster to the guage.

    Make sure to use teflon tape on the new sensor and T-fitting.

    Once we get the guages installed, we can get a much better idea of what's going on inside the engine.

    First, lets investigate a "ticking" sound.
    The most common causes of a tick comming from a 350 buick are as follows, and in this order...

    #1. worn rocker arms and/or shafts.
    #2. bad lifter
    #3. spun rod bearing
    #4. cracked exhaust manifold
    #5. bad cam shaft [worn lobe]
    #6. cracked flywheel
    #7. spun main bearing
    #8. worn timing chain [slapping the inside of the timing cover]
    #9. burnt valve
    #10. Cracked piston skirt [rare]
    #11. "other" things, like a bent push rod, bad piston wrist pin, or something wierd.

    Make a few mental notes as to when exactly the engine starts to tick, and if it gets louder when you drive it hard.

    If it ticks all the time, but does not get much louder, it's usually, but not always worn rocker shafts, or a worn cam lobe or lifter.

    If it ticks all the time, and gets louder when you rev it, it's usually, but not always a cracked flywheel, or a cracked exhaust manifold, or exhaust leak.

    If it only ticks when started, and goes away after a few seconds, it could be a leaking lifter, or a bad crank bearing.

    If it only ticks when it's warm, it could be a bad lifter, or a bad crank bearing.

    If the tick "comes and goes", it could be a bad timing chain, [did the timing mark jump around when you timed it?] or a SPUN crank bearing.

    Yep.... There's a lot of "maybe's" and "could be's" in that list. And any one of those "maybe's" could be wrong........... So how do we deal with this problem.

    First, have a look at your oil pressure guage. Your motor should have better than 50 lbs of pressure @ startup, and it should not drop below 25-30 lbs at any time, even at idle. But I'v never seen a 100k+ mile buick that had numbers that good. Buick oil pumps always wear prematurely.

    Start with an oil change. Use 20-W-50 conventional [never use synthetic IMHO] and at least 1 quart of Lucas oil treatment, or STP oil treatment. This "thicker" blend will help to build more pressure in the oiling system.
    If the tick goes away, or gets quieter, it's a good indication of a deep internal engine problem, like a bad bearing.

    At this point, you need to make a decision. If the tick was not too bad to start with, and the thicker oil helped, or eliminated the problem, you could refer down to post #24 in this series about replacing the timing chain and upgrading the oiling system. Putting [upgrading] a hi-volume, hi-pressure oil pump on it will keep the engine alive a little longer, but you need to remember that the damage is already done, and basically, your just putting a band-aid on a broken leg.

    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    If thick oil does not help the problem, it's time to use your ears. Get under the hood and LISTEN for where the tick is comming from. [be carefull of moving parts]
    Start to narrow down the area of the engine the sound is comming from. Valve covers, oil pan, timing cover????

    If it's comming from the oil pan, get under the car and remove the torque converter cover plate, and listen to see if it's comming from a possible cracked flywheel, or from inside the oil pan. Both of these are bad news, but a cracked flywheel is at least cheaper than rebuilding the engine. Refer down to post #13 for removing the tranny so you can replace the flywheel if that's your problem.

    If it's comming from the front of the engine, it's most likely cam or timing chain related. It could also be the fuel pump. Refer down to post #24 for a procedure on replacing these items.

    If it's comming from the valve covers, or the top of the engine, it could be a bent push-rod or bad rocker shaft or arms.
    Start by removing the valve covers, and make a visual inspection for anything obviously wrong. If you see nothing wrong, refer down to post #7 and read step #4. Your going to do the valvetrain inspection described there while the engine is in the car. Run down to the auto parts store and buy 1 new rocker shaft, 2 rocker arms, and 8 of the plastic buttons. [about $35 total] Put a new rocker on a new shaft, and feel exactly how firm the new assembly feels. Next, remove the old rocker shaft with arms, and start feeling for bad ones. Save the good rocker arms, and re-assemble with the new shaft. It may be nessecary to buy more new rocker arms if you find more than 2 bad. Remove the push-rods one at a time and roll them on a level surface to check for bent ones. Re-install them in the same holes, and in the same top/bottom position as you removed them. [that's why one at a time] Replace any that are bent. Also check to make sure oil is flowing thru them. Clean them out if nessecary.
    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    Hopefully by this point, you have found, and eliminated the ticking problem. If not, make plans to remove the engine for rebuild or replacement.

    Overheating:
    Here are the 6 most common causes of overheating:
    #1. Bad radiator cap
    #2. Cracked/leaking overflow tank
    #3. Stuck thermostat
    #4. Clogged-up radiator
    #5. Blown head gasket
    #6. Something else, like a cracked block/head, broken water pump, or a clogged up engine coolant passage.

    Cause and cure:
    #1. Bad radiator cap. Your cooling system is pressurized, just like a pressure cooker. The cap is what keeps the pressure inside the system. If it's bad, it wont hold the pressure, and lets an excessive ammount of coolant into the overflow tank instead of keeping it in the engine where it's needed.
    Cure.... Replace the cap

    #2. Leaking overflow tank. The radiator cap is designed to let some coolant out of the engine while it's running. When you shut it off and it cools down, it then sucks the coolant back into the engine. If the tank is leaking, every time you run the engine, more and more coolant is lost untill the system runs low and the engine overheats.
    Cure.... Repair or replace the tank. [in a pinch, an old antifreeze bottle secured to the inner fender with the overflow line run into it will do untill you can properly repair or replace the tank]

    #3. Stuck thermostat. The thermostat is designed to stop the coolant from circulating inside the engine while it warms up to "opperating temperature". Once it reaches this temp, it opens up and lets the green juice flow thru the radiator to cool. It's a regulator of sorts, keeping the engine right at that perfect temperature where it performs best. Sometimes, this little gadget will get stuck in either the open or closed position, which causes the engine to overheat, or not get hot enough.
    Cure.... Replace the thermostat. This is a simple enough procedure. It's located inside the housing where the upper radiator hose meets the intake manifold. 2 bolts and 2 hose clamps, along with a gasket scraper are all that's involved with repair.

    #4. Clogged up radiator. This is a no-brainer. If the thing that cools the engine is clogged up.... How can it cool the engine?
    With the engine cold, and the coolant a little low, start it up and remove the radiator cap. Watch down inside the radiator. There will come a moment when the thermostat reaches the proper temp, and opens up, and coolant flows thru the system. You will see this moment. Just look to see if coolant is comming thru all the little holes inside the radiator. It should be a good even flow comming from all the holes. If only a few are flowing, this is a clogged radiator.
    Cure.... Remove the radiator by unbolting the large sheet-metal plate over top of it, wiggling the fan shroud loose, dis-connecting the coolant and tranny lines, and lift it straight up out of the car. Take it to a radiator repair shop, and have it professionally serviced.

    #5. Blown head gasket. This is bad news. If a head gasket is bad, it may be letting coolant leak inside the engine. Either into the oil pan, which will show as your oil turning "chocolate milk-shake brown", or into a cylinder, which will show as either steam comming from the exhaust pipe, or a continuous stream of small bubbles comming out the radiator opening.... Or possibly as coolant completely dis-appearing without a trace from a closed cooling system.
    Cure.... :ball: See post #6

    #6. The wierd stuff..... For a novice, seek professional help. Either at a repair shop, with a friend who is mechanically inclined, or right here on V8Buick :TU:

    That "miss" that just wont go away:
    a "miss" is defined as a continuous sputter, shutter, or vibration comming from the engine. It usually means that 1 cylinder is not opperating properly.

    There are an in-calculable number of causes, but the best first step is to take the car to a repair shop that has a diagnostic machine. Old fashoned corner gas stations that work on cars are my personal favorite. Be sure to get a price quote before they diagnose your car, because some are as low as $20, others as high as $100+ for the same procedure.

    Having the engine professionally diagnosed can tell us a great number of things about how the engine is opperating as a whole. For example, it can tell us if our problem is carburetor related, ignition related, or in some cases, if the problem is comming from inside the engine. It can tell us which cylinder is missing, and if the mechanic doing the test is expirenced enough, he can point us in the right direction as to why that particular cylinder is missing.

    Make sure to milk the mechanic for as much info as he can provide. Ask a million questions, and if you dont understand something, ask again.

    Sometimes, the shop will diagnose a problem, and offer to repair it right then and there. Here's where it gets a little complicated, as repair shops seriously overcharge for labor and parts. On the other hand, if they can fix, or positively diagnose the problem then and there, it might be worth it. Whatever they "offer", try to counter-offer, and put them on the spot.

    Example:
    Mechanic- Well, we ran the diagnostic, and it looks like you got a bad plug wire. We can replace it for $20.
    You- A bad plug wire? But I just put those on there last week.... Are you sure it's the wire?
    Mechanic- I'm pretty sure, at least the machine says it is. Do you want us to replace it?
    You- I would like to have it fixed, but I'm a little concerned... If you replace it, and that does not cure the problem, I'm out $20, right??? I mean, your going to stand behind your diagnosis, arent you?
    Mechanic- Well,,, er,,, umm,,, no, it does not work that way. We can replace the wire for $20. Do you want us to do it or not?
    You- [remain as friendly as possible] I do want the car fixed, but what are the chances that a spark plug, or the distributor cap could cause your machine to say the wire is bad... Please understand that I'm on a budget, and just cant afford to replace one part after another untill you get it right. What are the chances that you guys have an old spark plug wire laying around the shop here that you could test it with?
    Mechanic- Well,,, yea... I guess we could do that.
    You- Ok, great. If it shows an improvement with a different wire, I'll go ahead and spend the $20 for you guys to install a new one. [big smile on your face]
    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    All right then, enough of how to deal with a mechanic....
    For the sake of arguement, lets say that we just had our engine diagnosed, and the repair facility was un-able to correct our miss, but they did give us a print-out of the diagnosis.

    If they said it was fuel related, it's time to re-visit our carb guy, [remember- courtious, professional, and respectfull] to see if there's something he may have overlooked. Keep in mind that just because it's a fuel related problem does not always mean it's "the carb guy's fault"... It may be a problem with your carburetor that re-building it CAN NOT cure. Work with him to solve the problem.

    If they said it's ignition related, start with the spark plugs. Remove them one at a time, and see if any of them are oil-fouled. If you find a plug that's caked over with carbon build-up..... :ball: See post #6, as this usually means the engine is ready for a rebuild. Otherwise, start by a process of elimination untill the problem is solved.

    If they said it's an engine related problem [and it's not the timing chain], it's time to get our hands dirty.
    #1. Remove the valve covers, and perform the in car valvetrain inspection as we discussed above, and found in post #7, step #4.
    #2. Perform a compression test. Actually, the repair facility you went to for the diagnosis should be capable of performing this test, and for less money than what you would spend for a compression tester. Even if you found a very affordable tester, the shop has better equipment that could more accurately tell you what's going on inside the engine. The bad news is that the only thing a compression test can tell you is that your engine needs a rebuild. If one cylinder is reading low, there's simply nothing that can be done from outside the engine to repair it... See post #6 :ball:

    $$$$-Cost break-down-$$$$
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2005
  6. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Removing the engine

    Removing the engine


    :Smarty: OK, School is in session... Buick engine removal 101

    REQUIRED tools for this procedure:
    a nice collection of S.A.E. tools.
    An engine hoist
    A few feet of heavy chain [or an engine strap]
    A large drain pan
    An old tire [to set the engine in]
    A 2 X 4 cut into pieces
    A few feet of rope
    A set of ramps
    A camera with lots of film
    Masking tape and a marker
    A box of sandwich baggies
    A GARAGE TO DO ALL OF THIS IN

    Not "needed", but you should have:
    A floor jack
    An engine stand
    An air compresor with tools [impact and 3/8 drive]


    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    Removing the engine:
    #1. Drive the car up onto the ramps [2/3 of the way into the garage]
    #2. Dis connect the battery
    #3. Get under the car and remove/dis connect the following:
    working from the front of the car back:
    *both fuel lines from the frame [flat head screw driver]
    *both motor mounts [9/16 wrench and socket w/ extention] [nut and long bolt]
    *both sides of exhaust [pipes from manifolds] [9/16 deep socket w/ LONG extension and breaker bar]
    *Starter [remove wires first] [9/16 or 5/8, cant remember for sure] [it's heavy]
    *Torque converter cover plate [3/8]
    Place 15/16 socket w/ extension on a wratchet, and put it on the large nut inside the ballancer in the front of the engine to spin the engine [clockwise] for the following
    *All 3 bolts connecting torque converter to flywheel
    *Remove the 4 lower bolts connecting the tranny to the engine [9/16] [socket w/ long extension, and-or wrench] [tight fit]
    #5. Get out from under car, gather up everything you removed, separate it, and place them into baggies... Labled

    ****NOTE****
    Number the baggies also, in the order the parts were removed. Baggie #1 will contain the hose clamps from the fuel lines, motor mount bolts, and exhaust bolts. #2 will contain the starter bolts, cover plate bolts, and torque converter bolts.... etc, etc, etc. This way, when you re-install, it's easy to work backwards. Also, dont put simmilar bolts to different components in the same bag. For example, the intake manifold bolts are very simmilar to the alternator and P/S bolts, so baggie and number them separately.

    #6. Place the items removed, and the corrosponding numberd baggies on a shelf, or in a corner... Neatly laid out, and in the order they were removed.
    #7. drain all fluids from the engine.
    #8. Roll the car back off the ramps so it sits exactly 1/2 way inside and outside the garage, and clean up any mess from fluid removal. [2 person job- safety]
    #9. Use the marker to trace around the hood hinges, and around the bolts holding the hood to the hinges. this will help to re-align the hood durring re-assembly.
    #10. Place a soft blanket on the roof of the car. Remove the 4 bolts holding the hood to the hinges, and place the hood [gently] on the roof. [9/16] [2 man job] [baggie and label]
    #11 Remove the air-cleaner. Tape the nut to the top of it, and put it on the shelf
    #12. Start taking pictures. Lots of them. Be spacific. Both sides of the carb, wiring harness route, vac line assembly, front acessory assembly, etc, etc.

    ****NOTE****
    From here on. "Baggie, Label, and Place on shelf" will be expressed as "BLS"

    #13. Starting on the drivers side, remove the #1 plug wire. Write "#1" on a piece of tape, and wrap it around the wire close to the plug end. Repeat for #'s 2, 3, and 4 on the drivers side. Then write "Drivers side" on a longer piece, and wrap together all 4 wires going to the drivers side. Repeat for passengers side, labeling #'s 1,2,3, and 4. Then remove distributor cap with wires still attached and place on shelf [flat head]
    #14. Remove upper and lower radiator hoses, as well as the 2 heater hoses. Label each one. Place rad hoses on shelf. Use a piece of rope to tie heater hoses to pass side hood hinge.
    #15. It's time to start labeling everything. use a piece of tape to make labels for the entire vacuum and wiring system. Start with the wires you removed from the starter. Reach down behind the pass side valve cover and pull them up and Wrap with a piece of tape labeled "To starter". Follow the wiring harness from this point. Every time a wire comes out of it, and attaches to something, make another label... "To A/C compresor", "To Alternator", "To negative coil". Every time you label something, dis-connect it. Continue untill the entire wiring harness is free of the engine. Next is the Vacuum system [which is actually quite simple] Every vac line you see, label first, then remove. Make multiple labels for each piece if nessecary to show which end goes where. Continue to take pictures if something looks as if it may be complicated to re-assemble... [BLS] [tie the wiring harness to a windshield wiper]
    #16. remove the P/S pump ASSEMBLY from the engine, and tie it to the hood bumper on the drivers side. [9/16 and 1/2]
    #17 Remove alternator, BLS [9/16 and 1/2]
    #18. remove A/C compressor ASSEMBLY [that means brackets still attached] and tie it to the hood bumper on the pass side. [9/16 and 1/2]
    ****Remember to BLS the bolts to each individual assembly****
    ****Snap a picture or two each step of the way****
    #19 Remove the "hard" [metal] fuel line that goes from the fuel pump to the carb. [BLS] [photo's]
    #20. Dis-connect the throttle cable from the carb, and remove the 1/2 inch bolt that holds the cable assembly to the intake manifold, and tuck it up inside the wiring for the windshield wiper motor. Then dis-connect the "down shift" cable that runs from the pass side of the carb down to the tranny. Next Remove the 12 [9/16] bolts holding the intake manifold to the engine. Leave the carb and all the doo-dads attached to the intake. Dis connect the small tube that goes from the back of the water pump to the thermostat housing. [BLS] Place a pry-bar down into the thermostat housing and *gently* pry the intake loose from the engine. If you encounter resistance, double check for missed bolts. Remove the complete intake system, and shelf it.
    ****Your getting close****
    #21. Using 2 of the short intake bolts, secure the heavy chain [or engine hoist strap] to the rear most pass side intake bolt hole, and the front most drivers side bolt hole. Leave enough slack so that when you lift it, there's about 10'' of clearance. [double check over-head clearance inside the garage.] [get the bolts tight... for safety]
    #22. Remove the radiator top cover plate [8 bolts, 1/2]. Wiggle the fan shroud loose, unscrew the 2 tranny cooling lines, and lift the radiator out of the car. [carefull, it's fragile and expensive] [BLS]
    #23. Jack the front of the car up... Not much, and place pieces of the 2 X 4 onder the tranny pan to support it once the engine is removed. Lower the car. [the engine may lift off the motor mounts... That's ok]
    #24. Get the engine hoist into place, and connect it to the chain.
    #25. pump up the hoist to ever so gently support the weight of the engine.
    #26. Remove the last two 9/16 bolts on the top of the bell-housing connecting the tranny to the engine.
    #27. Double check, and triple check for anything still connecting the engine to the car. [probably a ground strap, or something overlooked... There's always something]
    #28 Pump the hoist untill it FULLY supports the engine. Use a pry bar or screw-driver to get the tranny to come loose.
    #29, Lift the engine untill there's room to get the fan shroud loose. Shelf it, and remove the engine.
    #30. Place the engine inside the "old tire" on the floor inside the garage.
    #31. Do a little victory dance
    #32. put a couple of long nuts and bolts thru the two top bellhousing bolt holes, and use a piece of rope to tie it up to the hood hinges.
    #33. Reach down under the car and remove the pieces of 2 X 4 supporting the tranny.
    #34. GET YOUR PICTURES DEVELOPED A.S.A.P.!!!

    $$$$-cost Break-down-$$$$
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2005
    Bogus919 likes this.
  7. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Dis-asembling the engine

    Dis-asembling the engine

    :Smarty: Ok boys and girls- class is back in session. Subject:

    Buick Engine Tear-Down 101

    Today we will discuss a complete engine tear-down, inspection of each individual component. And additional organizational and BLS procedures.

    Additional tools required:
    A hammer [Kentucky speed wrench as we call 'em around here ]
    A looong piece of pipe for additional leverage on your breaker-bar.
    A broom stick
    Patience.... You will need lots and lots of patience

    Teardown:
    #1. Remove the valve covers [3/8] [BLS] [you may have already done this durring engine removal, that's ok]
    #2. Remove the spark-plugs [inspect each one, if any have unusual burn or build-up, make a note to investigate further]
    #3. re-connect to the hoist, and lift the engine a foot or so off the ground.
    #4. put 15/16 back on the center crank nut to rotate engine for the following:
    *inspect each valve assembly [push-rod, rocker, valve-spring] one at a time. Your looking for excess play. At no time should any rocker have any "play" in it. Eerything should be firm and solid.
    *look for broken valve springs
    *rotate the engine untill each rocker stops moving [one at a time... remember patience] and see if you can physically push the lifter down by pressing on the push-rod side of the rocker with the palm of your hand.
    *watch each rocker move up and down, and see if any particular one moves any less than the others.
    :Smarty: Professor Buick Says:
    #5. Remove both rocker shaft assemblies [3/8] [4 bolts on each side] [shelf them] [further inspection for excess play or anything obviously wrong]
    #6. Remove all 16 push rods and inspect each one [tips for excess wear] [roll them on a flat surface to make sure none are bent] [BLS]
    #7. Place a length of pipe in one of the cut-outs in the flywheel so it "jams" the crank from spinning, and use the 15/16 to break loose the crank nut inside the ballancer. Remove ballancer and BLS
    #8. Inspect and remove flywheel. [bls]
    #9. using a 3/8 wrench, remove the 4 studs and nuts that connect the fan and clutch to the water pump.
    #10. Remove the water pump [3/8, 1/2] [bls] [inspect for any free play or wiggle. It should be firm and tight. If not, may need replaced]
    #11. Remove the distributor hold down nut and wedge [9/16] and remove disrtibutor from engine. Inspect lower gear for excess wear, inspect shaft for excess free-play. BLS
    #12. Remove front timing cover. Lots of bolts [3/8, 1/2, and 9/16] [some bolts under timing cover connecting it to the oil pan!!!!!] [dont bother opening up the oil pump] [it's full of oil, so hefty-bag it B4 you shelf it]
    Remove the bolt in the center of the cam gear, and snap a photo of it before you take it off the engine. This bolt, and off center shaped "thing" is the fuel pump cam, and is very important. Remove the upper and lower timing gears and chain, BLS. [did the chain have excess wear?]
    #13. Lower the engine back down on the tire
    #14. Remove all 20 head bolts... This part is important. use a TIGHT FITTING 6 POINT *QUALITY* SOCKET [5/8] A cheap, or 12 point socket could round off the old rusty bolts!!! [actually, do one side at a time for you first timers]
    #15. Pull the heads off the engine by placing the handle end of the breaker bar down one of the intake ports, and pull up with steady force. DONT LET IT HIT THE FLOOR because cast iron WILL crack if you drop it.
    ****Head inspection****
    Flip the head over and inspect the valves. Look for any that are cracked, chiped, or obviously burnt. Observe the carbon patterns in each combustion chamber for "uniformity". If any one cylinder looks different, investigate further to detirmine a cause. Inspect carbon patterns on pistons as well for the same reasons. Inspect the head gaskets for any obvious problems. [shelf]

    The motor, or more spacifically, the short block is now down to under 300 lbs. so the hoist is no longer needed, you can physically man-handle it on the floor for the following:

    #16. Lay something down on the floor to protect the engine [your going to roll it over] A couple of old floor mats, a piece of ply-wood, an old [thick] blanket, whatever... Just dont roll it over and drag it around on concrete.
    ****This is where you really wish you had an engine stand****
    #17. Roll the engine over, and remove the 20 or so 3/8 bolts holding on the oil pan. Remove pan. BLS
    *Inspect the sludge in the bottom of the pan. look for anything obvious like pieces of metal or "sparkle" from tiny pieces of worn metal
    #18. remove the oil pick up tube [3/8] and inspect the "contents" of the screen
    #19. put the crank hub nut back in the crank [without the ballancer] to rotate the crank for the following steps
    #20. Rotate the engine back and forth with the breaker bar and 15/16 socket. LISTEN for anything out of the ordinary. There should be [almost] no sound at all. Maybe a slight "swooshing" sound, but that's normal. If anything "grinds", "chatters", or "jingles",,, investigate further. The rotating assembly should go around with uniform resistance. If it "grabs" at any point, investigate further. Grab ahold of each rod cap, and see if you can wiggle it by hand. If any are excessively loose, investigate further. [possible spun rod bearing]
    #21. Use the marker to number the rods #'s 1 thru 8 starting at the front of the engine. Also make a mark on one side of the rod where the "cap" connects to the rod so you can line them back up after you take them out. Do all of them on the same side, and take a picture to remind yourself. [durring re-assembly, the same pistons and rods go back in the same cylinders in the same orientation and dirrecton as they came out... This is important!]
    #22. Break loose all the bolts on the rods, all 16 of them. Then 1 at a time, remove the bolts, and tap on the side of the cap/rod to break the cap loose from the rod. Once it breaks loose, replace the bolts, but dont tighten them at all. Do all 8 rods. [spin the crank around to facilitate this.]
    #23. Turn the motor up so the bell-housing area is on the floor. Then 1 at a time, remove the rod bolts, remove the caps, and use a broom stick to push each piston out the top of the hole. Examine the bearings inside the rods, and IMMEDEATLY replace the rod cap, double check that the rod/piston is numbered [1 thru 8 with the marker... remember?] and marked for orientation. Remove all 8, BLS
    #24 do [basicaly] the same procedure [marking and numbering] for the main caps holding the crank in the block. Remove the main caps [examine bearings] Remove the crank [be extremely carefull not to scratch the metal on the bearing surfaces] and shelf it. Replace the main caps [in order]
    ****Last steps comming up!****
    #25. With the block [cant call it an engine anymore] still upside down, reach down inside it and with your fingers, push the lifters off the cam, and as far up the holes as they will go. Then remove the cam retaining ring off the front of the block [3/8], and gently slide the cam out of the front of the block. Examine the lobes on the cam. They will all have a distinct wear pattern. If any lobe has a different pattern, pull the corrosponding lifter out and examine it for wear.
    #26. Lift the block back up onto it's bellhousing, and push the lifters [one at a time, and remember to examine carefully] down into the crank area.
    #27. Victory dance time!!!!
    #28. Clean up your mess. Of course you laid out/placed on the shelf every single piece, and it's in nice neat order. Move the block over to the side, and go clean up your greassy hands.
    ****Congradulations!!! You have just dis-assembled your buick 350****

    $$$$-cost break-down-$$$$
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2005
  8. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Inspection of dis-assembled engine components

    Inspection of dis-assembled engine components

    Ok everybody- Class is back in session

    Subject:
    Individual components inspection.
    If we have time before we break for lunch, well discuss "machine shop".

    Additional tools required:
    A parts washer.
    www.harborfreight.com search by key-word "parts washer" [$39]
    3 gallons of grease cutting solvent
    A collection of cleaning brushes
    A cheap engraving tool [K-mart, $15]
    A can of "pam" cooking spray [yes, trust me]
    An air compressor [if your into it this far, you need one!]

    ****NOTE****
    Were going to pretend that the buick 350 we have just dis-assembled is the most worn out used up engine in the history of planet earth!!!!! We are going to do it this way to "dramatize" a worst case scenario. Naturally,,, or at least hopefully, your engine wont be anywhere NEAR this bad. Of course your engine WILL have some bad parts in it, otherwise you would not have torn it apart.... Right????????

    ****NOTE****
    Every time I tell you to "trash" something, that means it will not be re-used in the engine. It will [eventually] go to the landfill, but for now, SAVE EVERYTHING incase you have to match a part up, or need to go back to it for reference.

    Block:
    The foundation of our motor. Nobody tears their motor apart to replace the block... If the block is bad, your motor is parts only!
    There's not much you can actually do to your block, as only a machine shop has the tools nessecary to bring a block back up to usable specs, but here's what were looking for to detirmine what were going to need.
    Cylinders: Run your fingernail up and down each cylinder bore just at the last inch or so where the head meets the block. Were looking for any kind of a ridge that was created by the piston rings scraping up and down the cylinder walls. If the cylinder walls are smooth and shiney, there is most likely a ridge that will have to be machined out. If you can still see the criss-cross pattern that was left by the ORIGINAL machining done at the factory, that's great! But it does not mean that the cylinders are ready for the pistons to go back in. At a bare minimum, the block will have to be honed. At worst, the cylinders are so worn that the block will have to be OVER-BORED and new pistons will have to be purchased in a larger size.
    Also look up and down each cylinder for any long scratches that may have been caused by something scraping up and down the cylinder. If you find any, it could be a bad thing.
    Cam bearings: Put a shop light into the crank area of the block, and look down the hole where the cam shaft once was. You should clearly be able to see 5 holes that hold the cam. Each of these holes should have a bearing inside it. If any are missing, or are worn "off center", that could be bad news. Naturally the cam bearings WILL be replaced... There actually quite cheap, but they must be installed by a machine shop as there pressed in.
    Main bearings: The bearings should still be in the block. You had no reason to remove them yesterday. One at a time, remove the main caps and inspect the bearings. Bearings are made up of several "layers" of differing metals. Inspect the surface of the bearings where it cntacted the cank. Look for excessive wear that will appear as several "layers" of bearing metal worn away. This will start to give you an idea of the condition of the crank. The bearings are held in place by a little "tab" of metal that sticks out the side of the bearing, and fits into a little "notch" in the block. A spun bearing will have broken this little tab off, and the entire bearing will have physically "spun around" inside the block and cap. If any main bearings are spun, you need to make your machine shop aware of this as it may have damaged the block, and will require speecial machining to get the block back up to specs.
    Also look for pieces of foreign material embeded into the soft metal of the bearing. Too much of this "foreign material" can scratch up the crank, requiring additional machining also.
    At this point, you want to get out your engraving tool, and number the main caps. Starting with the front of the block, number them 1 thru 4. The rear cap is completely different, and requires no number. Also number them on the same side, and number the block where the caps go. It's important that the caps go back on the block in the same location, and facing the same direction as they came off.
    Presuming the block does not have any blatently obvious problems, such as a chunk of it missing where a rod came thru it, that's about all you can do. Set it aside in a clean corner of the garage. It will be the first piece in our collection of parts going to the machine shop.

    Crank:
    As with the block, there's nothing we can do for it in our garage. But a carefull inspection is once again in order. When you dis-assembled your motor, and made notes of any damage you found, what did you find wrong with the crank and rod [bearings]? If any of them were spun, or had chunks embeded in them, the damage will show up here on the crank. All of the journals will have a dull shine to them. They should all be smooth. If any have scratches going all the way around them, or they are not perfectly smooth, or if they do not have the dull shine to them- the crank will have to be turned or replaced. If none of the bearings were bad, and the crank looks good, you might be able to get away with having the machine shop just "polish" the crank, which is much cheaper than turning it, but only the machine shop can make that detirmination.
    Set it aside in the new pile.

    Rods and pistons:
    The following work we will be doing on the presumption that the block only needs a hone job, and we can re-assemble it with the pistons and rods we already have. If the block needs over-bored, or a total rebuild, skip this step completely, and just pile all 8 with the rest of the machine shop stuff.

    Pull the pistons off the shelf ONE AT A TIME. Start with the #1 [that you labeled] and remove the rod cap. Inspect the bearing [as described above] and remove it, replace the cap. Next inspect the rings. Are any of them broken into pieces? How about frozen to the pistons? All the rings should be intact and spin around the piston freely. Use a pair of pliars to grab one side of the ring, and bend it out about an inch. This will make removing them a snap. Remove the rings. Now use the engraving tool to re-number and orientate the rod/piston assembly. Dont make any marks on any part of it that contacts any thing else. The bottom of the piston or the flat area on the bottom of the rod is a good place to do this.
    Grab the piston from the top, and let the rod hang under. Wiggle it so the rod swings on it's pin. The rod should swing freely and fluidly. If it grinds, sticks, or makes any noise, it may have a bad wrist pin. Grab the rod with your free hand and try to move it against it's natural movement on the pin. It should be firm... Very firm. If it has any movement, wiggle, or makes a tapping sound, it may have a bad pin or piston.
    Drop the piston/rod into the parts washer, and move on to the next one.
    After it's as clean as you can get it, use compressed air to blast it dry and blow out as much crap as possible, then spray it down with pam cooking spray to protect it, and place it in the machine shop pile.

    Valvetrain:
    Cam, lifters, pushrods, timing chain, and rockers...
    Cam: Trash it
    Lifters: Trash them
    Timing chain and gears: Trash also, but for god sakes DO NOT trash the bolt or fuel pump gear that bolts to the front of the cam. Drop these items, along with the cam retaining ring into the parts washer. Clean them, pam them, and store in a new clean baggie.
    Push rods: You MIGHT be able to re-use the push rods... Some will argue that they should be replaced, and they are correct, but I'v got a trick up my sleeve that I'll share with you later durring the re-assembly process. For now, roll them on a level surface. They hould all be perfectly straight. If any of them are bent out of shape, or the ends show excessive or off center wear, trash the bunch of them. If they ore ok, clean them, blow 'em out with compressed air, pam them, and re-baggie.
    Rocker assembly: Grab ahold of each rocker arm and try to "wiggle" it on the shaft. It should be firm and tight, but spin freely on on the shaft. If any arm has excess "wiggle", the shaft mat have to be replaced. [dont freak out, there only $24 @ autozone] or it could be a worn rocker arm [$4.50 @ autozone] Remove the plastic button securing the arm to the shaft, and slide the first one off. Just like the crank or cylinders, they should be perfectly smooth. If there are ridges or scratches where the rocker was, trash the arm and shaft. Remove them one at a time. [the plastic buttons are 50 cents each] Save the rockers that show no wear and are firm on the shaft, trash the rest.

    ****NOTE****
    There are at least 3 different types of rocker assemblys out there that you might find on your engine. The first was installed 68-69. It is the "oil thru the heads" type. there's nothing wrong with this setup, but replacement parts for it are extinct. The rockers are cast steel, and are secured on the shaft with "springs" between each rocker arm. It's an "old tech" system, but is actually the more durrable setup. If the pushrods looked good and re-usable, just double check for excess wear where it contacts the push-rod and valve, clean in the parts washer, pam, and wrap in plastic. [lifters and push rods are available new, but if the rockers or shafts are worn out, this is a perfect time to up-grade to the more modern 70-up valvetrain setup]
    The second kind is a 70 only item, but I'v seen them installed in quite a few 71's and at least one 72. These are the cast aluminum rockers secured on the shaft with a plastic button in the middle of each rocker. These are the more desirable from a performance standpoint because there a little lighter, and they have a 1.55:1 ratio as opposed to the 1.5:1 ratio of the other kinds,,, However, they are the most likely to have worn because they are made of soft aluminum. If you have a set of these, and they do not have excessive wear, you are very lucky. replacement aluminum rockers are available, but they are a little expensive. As before, clean, pam, and wrap
    The third kind is the most common. The 71-up stamped steel rockers. These are hollow steel rockers secured to the shaft with plastic buttons. They are quite durrable, easily replaced, and relatively inexpensive. As above, check for excessive wear, clean, pam, and wrap.

    ****NOTE****
    Your going to notice a pattern start to develop here. Go to the shelf and pull a part off. Clean and inspect it, and either place it back on the shelf IN THE SAME PLACE FROM WHERE IT WAS REMOVED, or put it with the items going to the machine shop.

    Oil pan and valve covers:
    There's not a lot that these items actually need. There either good and usable, or need replaced. Clean them in the parts washer, including the bolts that hold them on, and then decide if you want to spend the money to have them bead blasted for a like new appearance, or if you just want to spray a fresh coat of paint over top of the flaking factory paint. Chrome valve covers are available on ebay for $30 plus shipping, but chrome does nothing for performance,,, just looks cool Powder coating is also an option, and when we discuss our "build-up" a little later, were going to go with that option.
    The oil pan will certainly have some minor scratches and dents on the bottom, and that's ok, but major dents or pin-holes need to be addressed.

    Heads:
    *With the exhaust manifolds still attached*
    For the first timer, there is absolutely nothing you can do to your heads in your garage. Simply move them over to the pile of items going to the machine shop. The heads are where you are going to spend the most money, and almost always, they need new valves, springs, etc. The last pair I had done cost me $415 to bring back to specs, and that's about normal.
    For the more expirenced, or daring, cleaning up the ports or polishing the chambers is an option, but this is not the time or place to discuss that information. Spend a little time refering back to your notes from the teardown, and double check for any cracked, burnt, or sunk valves. Also look closely at the carbon buildup pattern in the combustion chambers. All 8 chambers should have a uniform carbon pattern. If any one chamber is cleaner than the rest, it could have been caused by engine coolant leaking into that cylinder.... Maybe a bad head gasket, cracked block, or cracked head.... Let's hope not, but only the machine shop can make the final detirmination by performing a pressure test.

    Front timing cover with oil pump:
    ****Remember, it's full of oil, be prepared to make a mess****
    Remove the oil filter, and trash it. Allow as much oil as possible to drain out of the pump housing as possible, and remove the 3/8 bolts securing the oil pump to the front timing cover. When your removing the last bolt, hold the whole assembly upside down so the gears dont fall out. Once it's off, drop it into the parts washer. Slide the 2 gears out of the cover. One has a long shaft that goes up to the bottom of the distributor, and the other has a short shaft that only holds it in place. Trash the gears. Inspect the area that the gears were just removd from. There is going to be some wear from the steel gears turning inside the aluminum housing, this is normal, but excessive wear, or deep gouges from pieces of metal getting sucked into the oil pump may have permanently damaged the housing, requiring replacement of the timing cover. If your housing looks good, drop it into the parts cleaner, and start working on removing the old gasket where it mounted to the block. BE CAREFULL not to scrape up or gouge the aluminum when removing the gasket. Work slow and be paitent. Remove the oil pressure sending unit and trash it. Pam and baggie the steel pump base plate that holds the oil filter, and then put the timing cover with the valve covers an oil pan. [were going to have it powder coated]

    Distributor:
    ****I'v got a little confession to make here, I personally dont work on my own distributors, I'v got a friend who does all my work for me, and it's well worth it. I just drop it off and tell him what I want it to do. He charges me $50 plus parts. Do a little research as to someone in your area who does distributor work and see what they would charge you. There's a FANTASTIC thread on distributor setup here on V8Buick:
    http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=63475
    And you should read thru it, and follow it to the letter.****

    For a first timer, the distributor REALLY should be done by a professional. While I can tell if a distributor is useable "as is", or if it requires rebuilding, the bottom line is that a distributor is a complicated device, and a novice has no business working on it, just like a carburetor or a transmition... Seek professional help.

    If someone wants to write up a "distributor rebuild for dummies", I'll be happy to include it here.

    For now, just clean it up in the parts washer [not HEI, solvents will damage electronics], spray it down WITH WD40 [not pam], and place it back on the shelf.

    Intake manifold and carburetor:
    We will assume that the engine we just tore down has a Rochester Q-jet 4V carb and intake. If your engine has a 2V, then this is the time to consider upgrading. [If you do upgrade, remember to get the throtle cable from the donor car as the 2V linkage wont work on a 4V, also get the air cleaner, unless your going to use a performance aftermarket chrome one]
    Get your camera back out and take a couple of pics as you dis-assemble. Remove the carb, and place it on the shelf,,, were going to have a pro do our carb for us. [my "carb guy" charges me $60 plus parts]
    Remove any hoses or sensors on the manifold, and drop it in the parts washer. Clean it up, and put it with the valve covers. [were going to have it powder coated]. Remember to BLS all the bolts and hardware.

    Everything else:
    By now, we have cleaned and inspected all the parts that need to go out for machine work, or professional assembly. All that's left are the small parts, such as the front ballancer, water pump, brackets, fan and clutch, etc, etc..... The "small stuff".
    Make a detirmination as to what you want to do with it, how your going to treat it, how much money is in your budget, and what you want your "final project" to look like when it's finished.
    For the budget challanged, a good cleaning in the parts washer, and a fresh coating with cheap spray paint will do just fine.
    For the more detail oriented, a trip to the machine shop for bead blasting, and or powder coating is in order... It's up to you.
    Just take the pieces down off the shelf one at a time, clean them up, and place back on the shelf in order for easier re-assembly.

    Ok then, lunch time.
    When we return, we will talk "machine shop"
    Class dismissed.
     
    Last edited: May 4, 2005
  9. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Selecting parts for a rebuild... What level of performance???

    :Smarty: Class is in session, Subject:
    selecting parts for a performance rebuild
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2005
  10. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Dealing with a Machine Shop

    :Smarty: Class is in session... Subject:
    Dealing with a Machine Shop
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2005
  11. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Re-assembling the engine

    :Smarty: Class is in session, Subject:
    Re-assembling the engine

    My Machine Shop charges $200 to assemble an engine [provided they did the machine work], and if this is your first time, you really should have a pro assemble it. At the very least, have them assemble the short block and heads.

    For the more expirenced, or adventurous, we will discuss a basic re-assembly paying particular attention to a few performance and longevity tips.

     
    Last edited: May 15, 2005
  12. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Detailing the engine compartment

    Detailing the engine compartment
     
  13. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Upgrading/Rebuilding the tranny

    Upgrading/Rebuilding the tranny

    I'm about to share with all my small block brothers and sisters one of my BEST low buck tips. LISTEN UP AND LISTEN GOOD! Because I'm only going to spill the beans once...

    Go to your local city directory, or phone book, and look up "core suppliers". There's at least 1 in every sizeable town, infact there's 4 of them here in Louisville. These are the companies that buy in bulk from the junk yards, all of their engines and tranny's when they crush their cars. These core suppliers, in turn, pull all of the acessories off the engines, and dis-assemble the transmitions, and then re-sell them to national rebuilders... They also sell to the public at quite reasonable prices.

    The up side of this is that you get an engine or tranny that's ready for rebuilding, and carries a "rebuildable guarantee". The down side is that you [rarely] get any of the acessories with the engine,,, but if you dont need them, that's not really a problem at all.

    The reason I bring this up here in the tranny section is because I always use my core supplier for my tranny needs. Here's how it works:

    The company I use is called "Indiana Core Supply", and it's located in New Albany, IN. It's run by a "good 'ole boy" red neck who loves to talk BS. Sometimes I go up there just to shoot the breeze for an afternoon. Working in the back room of this establishment are 2 Mexican gentlemen who do nothing but dis-assemble transmitions all day long, breaking them down to their components, and crating them up to ship out to a rebuilder.

    Indiana Core Supply will sell me any tranny I want, for just about any car I can think of [provided they can get one] for $85. Or if I trade one in, the cost is $25. Now here's the trick. If I go there a week or two in advance, and tell the Mexican workers exactly what I am looking for, they will make it a point to select one for me that looks especially good internally, and set it aside untill I'm ready for it.

    When I show up for it, I always have a tranny rebuild kit and $50 cash with me..... See where I'm going with this one :Brow:
    After they finish their shift, they take about 1/2 hour to assemble my rebuilt tranny. The owner is fully aware of our little "side transaction", and has no problem with it.

    So, lets say, for example, I wanted a TH-375 [That's a late 70's version of a T-400 with one less clutch pack, and a T-350 output shaft] But I wanted it built with a truck T-475 internals [Motorhome and HD towing T-400], and a big passage early 70's valve body with larger mod valve for quicker downshifts,,, All I do is tell them what I want, wait untill they have everything, give them the rebuild parts, pay my money, and take it home.

    These guys have built 8 tranny's for me over the past couple of years, and I have had zero problems with any of them.
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2005
  14. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Installing the rebuilt engine

    Installing the rebuilt engine
     
    Jesse89 likes this.
  15. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Power tuning the engine

    Power tuning the engine
     
  16. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Bringing the suspension up to safe specs

    Bringing the suspension up to safe specs
     
  17. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Installing a performance rear end or gear ratio

    Installing a performance rear end or gear ratio
     
  18. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Minor body work for the novice

    Minor body work for the novice
     
  19. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Having your car painted on a budget

    Having your car painted on a budget
     
  20. Darryl Roederer

    Darryl Roederer Life is good

    Making the interior just like new

    Making the interior just like new
     

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