A noob's adventures in old technology

[Jay2TheRescue]

I like lifetime warranties, but in the end they're only as good as the company they're from. I used to buy all my parts from Trak Auto because they offered lifetime warranties on their remanufactured parts. I bought a starter for the Buick in the early 90's for $30, and I got 2 or 3 free ones over the years. Trak is gone now, so all those "lifetime" warranties I had with them are gone too. The only thing that I've had to replace on the Buick in recent memory was the alternator and battery. About 15 years ago I put a junkyard alternator in the car for $10, and it just died maybe 3 years ago. Batteries are replaced about every 12 -18 months under warranty because the car isn't driven much, the batteries go down fast.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by theclencher

Oh bloody hell. I run cheap parts and even junkyard parts when I get em and they work just fine.

Regarding the distributor cap? I'd normally agree with that attitude, but after that experience I may want to use less-cheap stuff in some instances. One terminal broke off while I was installing it, but then another broke off while it was in its box on the way back to the store...that doesn't leave me confident that it won't break off when I drive over a bump.

Originally Posted by R.I.D.E.

HC, again I apologise for my first comment that was inconsiderate.

The bit about fascination with old technology? I thought it was funny. Plus it gave me an excuse to talk about what I like about the car.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by theholycow

...One terminal broke off while I was installing it, but then another broke off while it was in its box on the way back to the store...that doesn't leave me confident that it won't break off when I drive over a bump...

I've never had one break apart on me, but the last cheap, no-name cap I bought literally burned up within a month, and the cheap generic points were so worn after a month that I could start, but not drive the truck. This happened while I was at college (I commuted 30 miles to college from home). I had to re-adjust the points in the student parking lot just to get home. That's when I made the decision to convert the truck to electronic ignition and be done with it.

-Jay

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

... the cheap generic points were so worn after a month that I could start, but not drive the truck...

-Jay

Used to have a similar problem with my then new '78 Yamaha XS-400. I'd replace plugs and points...it would start and run fine for about 1000 miles...then I could only kick start it, no more electric start. Replace plugs and points, it'd be fine again for another 1000 miles. Never did figure that one out...

[theclencher]

Shooda put a new CONDENSER in too. Ya can't blame the points for bad condensers.

[R.I.D.E.]

Points and condensers today are a joke as far as quality.

The 37 Ford was neat, dual point distributor, with each set talking half the load. Driven directly off the nose of the camshaft.

regards
Gary

[Jay2TheRescue]

Yeah, I bought all that stuff... When those points went out though I just went to a junk yard and got an electronic distributor out of a 75 Chevy van. I just got tired of working on the ignition system every weekend. What started as "preventative maintenance" ended up making me work on the ignition every weekend. It was just easier to convert it to electronic and be done with it. Once I converted it to electronic we never had to ever touch it again (I finally sold the truck about 5 or 6 years after the conversion to electronic.)

[theholycow]

Ok, so this weekend when I work on the car, I'm going to continue trying to get that fuel filter changed, and I'm going to check the WAI/CAI flap. What else should I look at for my bucking above 45mph problem?

Actually, gagging or wretching might be more descriptive. You know how it is when you're about to vomit and you start to spasm? That's what the car does. I think it's similar to when you run out of gas and the gas sloshes in the tank getting alternately picked up and missed. Thinking about that, I can definitely see how it could be the fuel filter.

Could a plugged up catalytic converter cause it? I hear that 70s/80s GM cats tend to get clogged up in their old age.

How about carburetor maladjustments/failures other than the fuel filter?

Somebody please tell me it can't be anything wrong with the transmission, I don't want to have to mess with that.

[Jay2TheRescue]

The converters were prone to clogging up easily. I've replaced them on both my Buick and on my 86 Chevy. Its not the modern "honeycomb" design, but the cat is nothing more than a metal box full of metal beads, coated in catalysts. I highly recommend an aftermarket replacement. They're much better and cheaper than trying to find a new OE cat for that car. I remember 10 years ago they wanted like $500 for a new OE converter on my Buick. I bought an aftermarket one for under $100.

While it could be your tranny, I doubt it. Its a mechanical transmission, no computer controls. You'd have other problems I think if it was your tranny. Which tranny do you have? I'm thinking you probably have a TH-350, but it is possible you have an M200 or maybe an early version of the TH-700R4.

[JanGeo]

Wow you guys just gave me quite a trip down memory lane.

The Carb bowl should hold a bit of gas if the floats are not sticking so you should have some response to heavy throttle use then if the fuel pump is not flowing the gas through the filter it will die out in a couple of seconds. If it is dieing right away when you hit the throttle you may have weak spark and you are blowing out the spark either in the distributor cap gap or the plugs or the coil. if you run the engine in the dark with the hood up and work the throttle to cause the problem you may see sparks from whatever is failing - I had big sparks off the spark plug boots on my Rambler in damp weather. You might also disconnect the fuel line and crank the engine over to see how well the fuel flows from the pump INTO A BUCKET.

I would probably just take the top of the carb off and check the floats needle valves and look for junk in the bottom of the bowls first. You can also get some carb cleaner into the vent hose over the venturi right into the bowl and let it soak then run it thorough the jets and engine.

The stuck plug that was hard to turn could be carboned up threads or the outside of the socket binding in the spark plug hole. Try some lube on the plug and work it in and out again and see if it loosens if not then . . . dun da dun dun . . . get a tap and be ready to do some more work on the plug hole.