Hello from Sweden! Maybe this place is the right place to find answer to my cursed old beat up Buick Electra 225 Custom 1974. I was changing oil the other day... 5 qts right? That is the amount of oil to put in when you change oil. I put that in, but the dipstick still said ADD. uzzled: So I poured another 3 qts in, now it is showing FULL as it should. Well, the dipstick says it is at correct level, but Im starting to suspect there is too much oil. I cannot find anything online that says a buick 455 should contain 8 qts. Not really sure, but I think the breather is letting out a lot more smoke than before now. And maybe im paranoid, but it looks like the valve cover gaskets are more wet than before. But the engine runs fine at least. I have this grinding voice in the back of my head that says "dude, maybe someone that had the car before put in the wrong dipstick". Oh, and the oil pan looks stock sized. Not sure what to do. Drain 3qts and see if it smokes less? Anyone experience this before? Suggestions? It is cruising season very very soon! ray:
Alright, it is that simple then. Pretty sure it is a stock size oil pan, I can't see why anyone would put a huge hotrod oil pan on this junker. I'll have to drain 3 qts then, before I get it on the road. And then get a new dipstick. Thanks man. :TU:
Huskar Du?? Are you sure those were quarts and not Litres? 5 quarts for an oil AND filter change and MAYBE 1/2 more to top it off. Measure the dipstick overall length and then down to the full/add mark (or grab the part number off it) and Ill go check mine. Its a 72 GS with a 1974 455 in it. FWIW... have some hold a shop vac with a good seal on the valve cover and pull the drain plug. The vacuum will keep the oil in, then regulate the vac and let 3 quarts out; or make a mess. ws
You'll have to compare dipstick tube lengths too. If the tubes are different, the same stick will show different readings. Devon
Yeah I know but those are the numbers. Whats really awesome is sometimes we get chemicals at work, the manual says to use x amount of litres or cc's but the product comes in quarts, oz, gallons etc...the math can make your brain hurt after a while...LOL:laugh:
Drained 3 qts today and drove the car about 25 miles. Runs great, but there is a lot of smoke coming out of the brand new Breather on the valve cover. I wonder if I was too late with the oil or if I just need to check up on the PCV system. How are the PCV system supposed to be hooked up? Like this?
No, the PCV valve does not belong in the valve cover. There is a big port on the front of the Q-jet. The PCV is hooked up directly to that. There is a special molded hose that goes from the front of the carburetor, around the passenger side of the intake, and then to the PCV valve which goes into a grommet in the back of the intake. It looks like this, http://www.taperformance.com/proddetail.asp?prod=TA_1240D The stock air cleaner has a hose with a filter that goes to the driver's side valve cover. If you are using an open air cleaner, you can put a breather in the valve cover.
You could have blown that motor with that much oil in it if you drove it.It was smart not to drive it then.You can most likely still use the dipstic you have,with the 5 quartz in,that would be with a change of filter also,put the dipstic in and mark where the oil is.That will be your point of measurament.Bruno.
Oh.. We actually swapped the carb and put an Edelbrock on it when we started building on the car. I might have just plugged the pcv port thinking that putting the breather on the valve cover had the same effect... ou: You learn something everyday. I have a hard time remembering this PCV stuff. Would this cause smoke from the breather though?
PCV stands for Positive Crank case Ventilation. There is a large vacuum port on the carburetor. The PCV valve needs to be connected to that, and there should be very strong suction at the end of the PCV valve while the engine is running. The whole idea is to evacuate the crank case. If that is not occurring, pressure builds up inside the crank case from blow by causing oil leaks and smoking. On the Edelbrock carburetor, I believe there is a threaded port at the rear. You need a fitting that screws into that port. http://www.jegs.com/images/photos/300/350/350-1411_4.jpg
The PCV valve is metered (rattles) and lifts off the seat from vacuum so as not to be a wide open vacuum leak... ws
It rattles when there is no vacuum applied to it. I'm trying to make sure it is hooked up correctly. At this point, it sounds as if it is NOT.
Yes it rattles at zero vacuum, (if it aint gunked up) but when its running its still a metered vacuum amount. Otherwise you could just stick a hose into the manifold port to the carb. JAWAG, but Id say there was 2" of vacuum or less on the crank case? Maybe even just a negative pressure? I think the smoking is just a saturated PCV hose if it was hooked up to an over filled system (valve covers soaked). Another good reason to dump that dodge carb and put a quadrajet back on. ws
Bill, I'm trying to get this guy to hook the PCV valve up correctly. Do you really want to discuss PCV function? I don't.:grin:
NO. I re-read my last post and made a boo-boo. The valve rattles when shut down, and once started pulls the valve up ON TO the seat to produce a running metered position. Otherwise you wouldnt even need the valve. What was the PCV in 1964? Heres a pic of the PCV valve in the manifold and carb. The only reason I tried to help explain is because this seams to be a FM (forking mystery) to some people. I sure didn't mean to step on any exspurts toes :shock: ws
No, you're not stepping on my toes. I'm trying to make the point that the OP does not even have it hooked up right and that is what I'm trying to help with. You are going off on a tangent about PCV function, and that's fine, but it isn't helping the OP. I think maybe we lost him already. Did I hurt your feelings? Before PCV, there was road draft tubes, pre 1963 I think.
