Messages

61

General Buick Tech / Which Exhaust ?

« on: September 25 2013, 12:08:57 PM »

Had the car on the lift to install a new set of MT Drag Radials, and I realized my one muffler shit the bed... Exhaust system is aftermarket but has been on the car for the past 20 years. Car only has 14K on the clock.

I did my research and it looks like the Pypes, 2.5" cat back system with the Race Pro mufflers is a good value for the money for a complete bolt on system.

Is there any other system that is cat back, bolt on, 2.5", that I should look at before I pull the trigger on this Pypes system?  I don't want a loud exhaust... 

62

General Buick Tech / Re: Wild, Scary Ride......

« on: September 16 2013, 05:29:59 PM »

oh and

WTF is with the rue goldberg throttle bracket contraption 

looks like aftermarket cruise control  which is kinda stupid since the factory parts to do cruise arent too hard to come by

This car has a NOS kit installed back in the late 80's, and all that came with the system.  Never filled the bottle, but I kept it on the car.   Went for the Kool factor..
The cruise control is all factory.


Me rethinking keeping that shit on the throttle bracket...    Going to clean it up a bit.

63

General Buick Tech / Re: Wild, Scary Ride......

« on: September 16 2013, 02:10:25 PM »

It happened to me once when the pedal got hung up....was on a freeway and had punched it because the guy next lane over wanted to race...turned the key off and then the powermaster brakes and steering got really hard but better than the alternative...

Ahh yes, turn the key off.. What a brilliant F-ing idea..  Too bad I didn't hink of that under pressure..  Pacecar TA was friendly when he said "i know in a panic you can loose sight of whats easy"

64

General Buick Tech / Re: Wild, Scary Ride......

« on: September 16 2013, 12:49:36 PM »

I need new front tires because they have major flat spots.LOL
 
I'm happy to buy them as this really could have been ugly.

65

General Buick Tech / Re: Wild, Scary Ride......

« on: September 16 2013, 11:32:56 AM »

Forget I even asked... Call me a horse's ass, please.
 
I just found the problem.  I run a VDO fuel pressure gauge off the fuel rail, and apparently when I replaced my old fp regulator with the Accufab, I did'nt have the gauge positioned properly, and the metal piece that the throttle cable is connected to hit it.  When I pushed the pedal to the floor, there was enough force to push it past the gauge, and lodge it there.  It held the throttle open.  It would not go past unless you really forced it.  That explains why I was able to do a few part throttle burnouts without incident. 
 
     

66

General Buick Tech / Re: Wild, Scary Ride......

« on: September 16 2013, 10:58:42 AM »

Turn the key off.... what a brilliant idea.  Wish I'de thought of that when I was in panic mode.  Thanks for the tip.
Looking at it when I got it home, I initially thought it had something to do with the throttle cable.  Couldn't find anything wrong with the exterior, but didn't think about the interior of it. 
How do I check the inside of it? 
 
 

67

General Buick Tech / Re: Wild, Scary Ride......

« on: September 16 2013, 10:17:30 AM »

should we assume the gas pedal was stuck to the floor?  One of mine used to some how get stuck in the floor mat and I would have to kick it to make it pop back up

I wish it was that easy Steve, but the floor mat does not interfere with the pedal.  I can post a pic of it to confirm if you like.

68

General Buick Tech / Wild, Scary Ride......

« on: September 16 2013, 09:21:36 AM »

Alright Steve and gang, put your thinking caps on...
 
Temps were in the mid 60*'s yesterday, so I parked the John Deere and hopped in the GN.  Got out on my favorite stretch of highway and cut her loose.  And that's where it got ugly!
 
I stabbed it to the floor and boost went to 19lbs, I glanced at the Scanmaster at the top of third gear and it read 800 w/2.5* kr.  Thought life was good.. I lifted and nothing.... boost stayed at 19 lbs with my foot off the accellerator.  Life was not good..  0ver 100 mph and the pucker factor building.  I was belted in to a run away GN.  First reaction was to hit the brakes, which only locked the fronts and created major tire smoke.  Second reaction was to stab the pedal trying to get it to release, no go.  Passing other cars like they were standing still and keeping a lookout of where I could crash this thing and not kill anyone but myself...  Kept trying to kick down the pedal and then threw it in neutral to get it out of gear.  Somehow it shut off, and I coasted to a safe place off the road.  After I changed my shorts , I tried to start it to get it off the shoulder.  It started normal and drove normal for about 100 yards.  I got out and took a look under the hood.  Could not see anything out of place. 
WTF I thought.  So I sat there for a bit to clear my head, then turned it around to head back home.  I drove for a few miles at 45-50 mph while monitoring oil pressure and listening for anything suspect.  Oil pressure was 40 lbs plus, and no audible noises.  I figured it had something to do with boost, so to prove myself right, I put some boost back in and it came un-glued again.  Same ordeal, foot off the pedal and it maintained boost.  Runaway GN again.  Tried the same sequence as before and it "un-boosted", but did not shut off. 
That's it, I thought, and milked it home with no boost and put it in the garage.  Went inside and poured my a Crown straight up to calm my nerves.  I'm getting too old for this shit.
To help you diagnose this problem, I'll tell you what recent mods I made.  A few miles before this incident, I did a few healthy burnouts without issue.
New Walbro 255 with Hotwire kit and in tank wiring.
New RJC 3" DP utilizing stock wastegate accumulator.
New Accufab fuel pressure regulator put on the same day this happened.     
 
This is an '87 GN with 13K on the clock.
 
Your expertise please, because common sense and reason will keep me from driving it.
 
 
 
     

69

General Buick Tech / Re: Walbro 255 Install/Car Shut Off

« on: September 11 2013, 09:58:48 PM »

I guess I got the "other harness " but I never knew I had an option..  Probably a blessing in disguise as two of the three wires from the pump to the bulkhead fitting pulled right out of the terminals.  Would have vibrated off in short order.  I soldered everything tight and ran a few continuity tests to put the right wires in the right spot on the plug. 

70

General Buick Tech / Re: Walbro 255 Install/Car Shut Off

« on: September 11 2013, 03:34:14 PM »

Thanks for the info on the pumps Steve.  Now you have me thinking I'll just run this Walbro until it dies...
 
I just got finished puttin' the tank back up and adding the juice back in that I pumped out.  Hooked up all my wires, and low and behold we have ignition..    Steady 44lbs of pressure on the rail, and a nice smooth idle.  Let it run a bit before I put a beating to it.  Ran well for a few miles so I parked it and called it good.  Now I have to install the new DP that has been looking at me from the bench while I played with this fuel pump issue. 
 
Thanks to all who chimed in on this thread, and my good friend that helped me sort out the "what wire is supposed to go where issue" 

71

General Buick Tech / Re: Walbro 255 Install/Car Shut Off

« on: September 11 2013, 09:54:28 AM »

This is a godsend for dropping fuel tanks.. Catch it on sale or drop a coupon - you will thank me later. 

http://www.harborfreight.com/450-lb-capacity-transmission-jack-39178.html

Sure, now you tell me..

72

General Buick Tech / Re: Walbro 255 Install/Car Shut Off

« on: September 11 2013, 06:43:37 AM »

This Walbro pump was relatively cheap, and so was the wiring kit...


If a guy wanted the best pump, hanger, and wiring kit to go with it, what should he buy.  Keeping in mind, this is a street car that will probably see 10's at the track once in a blue moon.


I'm not opposed to replacing this whole deal down the road.. Hell, I've dropped the tank numerous times in the past two weeks...gettin g pretty good at it.

73

General Buick Tech / Re: Walbro 255 Install/Car Shut Off

« on: September 10 2013, 03:11:07 PM »

I'm not impressed with the connections on the wires from Racetronix... The hot and ground ones that go from the pump to the bulkhead fitting have pulled from the small metal connectors.  I will be soldering those before I re-install.  In fact, I'll solder all the others as a pre-caution.
When I researched the fuel pump deal, I went with what the masses were running.  Figured it would be just a plug and play like advertised.
You know, I don't mind paying good money for quality stuff.  This whole Walbro/Racetronix situation has left a bad taste in my mouth.  I sent them an e-mail asking to speak to a live body as I was having issues with their product.  Their response was to go to the website... never saw a website with a pulse... 
I run a small business, and I pride myself in customer service.  If it's not right, then I will make it right.  How you treat people is more important than the profit you make off the sale.  oh well better start soldering...

74

General Buick Tech / Re: Walbro 255 Install/Car Shut Off

« on: September 10 2013, 02:27:20 PM »

LOL

I thought those things only happened to me.  Did this pump come from Eric also?

there are a lot of counterfeit walbros on the market.

If it worked when you reversed the connections, then that is definitely the problem.  Don't think it is possible to be elsewhere than the pump but if this was a new wiring harness, meter it to be sure the wires are not crossed in the bulkhead connector or in the outside the tank harness....str ange things happen with new stuff

Unless I find something quick, it looks like I may be dropping the tank on one of my cars.  It was cutting out and then running okay...today, it failed in front of my shop after I returned from a test drive...Thank goodness it failed there and not on the highway..and thank good it failed!  Lot easier to figure out the problem when it stays failed!

This pump also came from Eric, but it is in the Racetronix packaged box...  The "in the tank wiring harness" also came from him and was packaged from Racetronix as well.
 
Going to check it thoroughly with the volt meter in about an hour.
 
Don't know how much fuel you have in your tank, but i bought a $14.00 hand pump that worked like a charm in getting 10 gallons out of mine last night.
 
When this thing first failed it was on my driveway and I was bitching I had to push it in the garage...
 
 

75

General Buick Tech / Re: Walbro 255 Install/Car Shut Off

« on: September 10 2013, 01:33:15 PM »

 

wired direct as you had it eliminates any fuses or relays...almos t sounds like the polarity is reversed...pum p running backward and nothing coming out....but, unless the first one was bad and this one is reversed on the polarity markings, that ain't it

 
 
I pulled the guts out of the tank and took a look  at the wiring.  It all looked just like it did when I put it in the tank a few days ago...
Sooo.... I took it to the bench and filled a small container with gas and put a short hose on the hard feed line coming off the sending unit.  I kept the new Racetronix supplied wire plugged into the bulkhead.  Had a friend hold the works while I gave the hot and ground terminals of that plug a 12 volt zap.  pump ran, but no gas out of the feed line... WTF.. I said.. scratched my head and figured I would reverse polarity.  Why not... Nuthin' else seemed to work thus far.   
Reversed the wires and hit the ground with the hot and the hot with the ground.. pumped like a good pump should and had fuel gushing out of the feed line..  Go figure.  As you know, there's only one way to plug these things in as the connectors are stupidproof.  So the only conclusion I can come to is that the wires are on  the wrong terminals on the plug.
A friend of mine who races NHRA Super Stock at the national level is headed over in a few hours to help me figure out where to go from here.  He's a bit more savy on solving wiring issues than I am.