Topics

1

General Buick Tech / Shift kit or no?

« on: January 24 2014, 10:52:40 AM »

Planning on installing a bigger turbo (Limit GT61P-trim, .63 A/R) on my car this winter. I have a TCS 3500 stall L/U converter that I bought when I got the turbo. I have a PTS .500 TV boost valve that I bought from PTS based on Bruce's recommendation .
The car is mostly street driven to cruise nights and short pleasure drives with maybe one 100 mile trip a year. I will take it to street night at the strip a couple times a year which is about 45 minutes from my house. Maybe a dozen passes a year. What would be your recommendation s, short of a complete rebuild? Tranny is a stock BRF with about 99K on it, big B&M cooler, no shift kit. It's not been beat on much and I've owned it since new. Will adding just the .500 TV boost valve give me extra life for the tranny? Will I need a shift kit? Or am I wasting my time trying to use my original tranny with 99K on the clock.
 
Thanks,
Gregg

2

General Buick Tech / engine removal

« on: January 14 2014, 08:28:04 AM »

Quick and easy question....
I'm gonna pull the motor and trans out of the car and was wondering what the best way is to approach it. Limited headroom in my garage/basement. I have a hydraulic engine hoist. I have about 8 feet directly over the engine but the headroom drops to about 7 feet about were the header panel sits due to HVAC crap that's all boxed and drywalled in. I assume I need to pull the motor and trans separately. I would think I would remove the hood,IC and radiator first. Should I unbolt the headers from the heads first or is there room to pull the exhaust attached to the engine. What say the experts? I know some of you guys can do this in your sleep.
TIA!

3

General Buick Tech / Weird clunk PS dash????

« on: August 26 2013, 03:18:26 PM »

OK you guys, here's a problem I've had with my car and it's starting to piss me off. For a while I've had a noise that seems to come from the PS dash, maybe behind the glove box area, maybe a little lower. It sounds like it could be an HVAC mixing door slamming or something like that. I could be completely off on that guess. It seems to happen randomly. It sounds like a hollow clunk, not really metallic. I don't think it's something loose because it does it going down a smooth road. At least we think they smooth here in NH. Is there a vacuum dashpot or something that could make a hollow clunking noise. I have felt around and not found anything loose. And no, it's not something in the glovebox....I emptied it already. In fact, I did that first..... Thanks in advance....

4

General Buick Tech / rear headliner trim clips...which direction?

« on: July 31 2011, 11:34:05 AM »

I broke my cardinal rule...take lots of pictures during disassembly.

I've got my headliner recovered and the board is reinstalled. I've got most of the trim installed and I got to the rear metal trim piece with my new plastic clips and realized I don't remember which way the clip goes into the trim. The clip has a forked side and a flat side. The clip fits into the metal trim either way. Which end of the clip faces forward in the car? I think the trim might end up crooked if I get it wrong. Does anyone remember which way they go?

TIA

5

IHADAV8 Playground / 8? Grand National for sale

« on: October 24 2006, 10:26:46 AM »

I saw a TB for sale at a local used car lot last Saturday. I was driving by and had to stop. It's one of those shady "used car superstores". It was out by the road and there were big signs saying "Everything on sale!". It looked like an 87 but when I asked the guy he said it was an 85. Hmmm, I said to myself. I was born at night, but not last night. I started looking a little closer. First off, this was one pimped out ride. I mean it was phat. I didn't look close for fear of puking but the wheels were at least 20's. The color....a nice black ...... with purple geometric shapes painted all over the sides. It said intercooled on the deck lid but no GN emblem. It had GN emblems on the front fenders. I asked the guy if I could see the engine. He popped the hood and I saw and intercooled 86 or 87 induction system, not a hot air. It had what I believe where Hydro-boost brakes. Powered off the power steering pump. The interior looked 87 to me but I'm not sure if the 85's looked much different. The header panel was definitely from an 87. I asked the guy if he was sure it was an 85. He said he was sure. I asked him if it had a clear title and he said he had a Carfax and it said it was clear, not a salvage. I told the guy it was not an original 85. He said it was and that there were about 200 "rare" intercooled special addition 85's. He assured me this car was legit and highly collectable. Did I say it was rare. My opinion is not only is this guy a liar, but he has no idea what he's selling. How would you like to be the buyer of this car and find out it's a hacked up piece that isn't "rare" at all. I want to get a picture of it and post it. It would be good for a laugh.

6

General Buick Tech / Traction action, Jackson?

« on: July 24 2005, 04:49:44 PM »

WTF, I went to the track on Friday night (no RecklessRob in sight) and I could not hook up to save my life! My car is not making THAT much power. I'm only running 99-100 MPH trap speed. Super hot and humid, until the thundershowers passed by. Even after that my ET's were still mid 13's. At the end of last year with good air I was running 12.98 - 13.2's at 103-104 MPH. All my 60' times on Friday night were in the 2.1 - 2.3 range. On my best runs last year they were 1.9's. Stock turbo at 17-18# boost. Stock cam and other internals. Stock tranny and D-5 conveter. TCC unlocked. Last year I locked it at the line so it locked when it hit 2nd. I've got Nitto 275-50-15's drag radials, boxed stock lowers with poly bushings, two air bags (PS @ 10, DS @2), pinion snubba (I know, I know), Poly motor mount on the DS (shouldn't matter). Stock ride height. I was only leaving with a couple pounds of boost. I could leave the line OK and wouldn't spin until I was 20-40 feet out. Then the car would break loose and wheel hop and I'd have to pedal it to get it to stop. I was hoping my boxed lowers and bushings would get rid of that.... they didn't. Tried both lanes and both spun. Tires aired to 22#'s each. Tried smoking them up pretty good, tried just scrubbing them off...no difference. I drove around the water box every time. When I got to the line the last time they shut the track down because a shower was coming with lightning and they wanted to disconnect their electronics. This was at New England Dragway in Epping, NH. I got out of my car at the starting line to talk to the official when the track was shutdown and my feet stuck to the pavement like glue in front of the car. What's next... moving the instant center??? Any ideas or suggestions? The whole outing was pretty embarrassing. First, I had a Mustang drive by me. Then I spanked a couple SRT-4's...big deal. The I got beat by an SLP Camaro (nice car) and was about to get thrashed by him again when, mercifully, it started to rain. Needless to say, I'm a little PO'd. I've got a GT61P sitting in the garage waiting for me to get my 3500 stall TC but I'm afraid I'll be pounding my pud unless I can HOOK! :jerkit;  I don't see this getting better with more HP on tap. I was thinking of putting the GT61 in with the stock D-5 and see what happens at the track. Heck, it wouldn't get rolling 'til half track.