The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

Time for a support our Sponsors moment.

I'm looking at the Air Over Leaf set up from RideTech as I'd like a little more lift over the rear axle, particularly when I've got the trunk loaded up and/or the trailer hooked up.

http://www.ridetech.com/shop/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=1918

And for $300 I don't know why I haven't looked at these sooner. $50 for a 1-gallon tank would probably suffice for my needs. My Old Man has a small stock pile of air fittings from working on 18-wheelers for the plumbing. Then I'd have to decide on valving (not worried about speed, on the fly adjustments or even remote operation).

Now I just need to figure out which one I need to order :-\

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

Just a thought - I've had the Air Bag system on a 93 Chev truck, and currently I have airbags from the front of a motorhome in the springs of my Buick..... there might be cheaper ways of doing this

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

I have no welder or welding skills, and where in podunk Ely will I come up with something cheaper than ~$400-$500? Not exactly salvage yards around here for a two hundred or so miles..... Besides the "bolt in" appeals to me. I already have an MSD box, an Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator, might as well get a RideTech product ;D

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

hmmm.. bolt in huh? I think my ancient dad says things like that ;D

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

Did you put intake gaskets (beside the valley pan) on your 455 when you rebuilt it?

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

I just used the standard Felpro Valley Pan Intake Gasket. Nothing fancy. I did use the 1970 one, the later one doesn't seal the exhaust cross over properly with aftermarket intake manifolds. Or at least that was my experience with the '72 Centurion engine and the Performer intake (or do I have that backwards..... it's been three years....). May have to google that, there is an intake gasket mix match that is possible and I can't remember if you have to use the ones for the year of the heads, or for the intake. I'm thinking intake, and all the performance ones use the 1970 one.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

I'm seriously considering just silicone on both sides of the pan gasket.... I did it on a caddy build and it worked fine - there's no pressure on the outside of the seal, nor is there oil that can slop up in there.... thanks - it's good to know there's a difference in gaskets.... if I block the passage, hopefully it won't matter which gasket I use (actually the two on each side).

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

If you block the heat cross over passeges in the Heads then it definately does not matter which gasket you use.

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

I need a good baffled oil pan for this car before I attempt any autocross type event :-\ I've tried it before, and I gave it another go with the same result. Seems when I crank down on the brake hard enough (especially at ~75mpg) and the car come slamming to a stop, it looses all oil pressure. Seems good on acceleration though.

I've needed to wire in an oil pressure switch to cut the engine since it has an electric fuel pump, so I might as well get it done to protect the engine during driving antic's.

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

I got the traction bars installed ;D now I need stickier tires ;D They have successfully eliminated wheel hop, make it effortless to leave two black stripes on the pavement. The car definately behaves slightly differently, the car doesn't torque over any more, it just goes (or breaks the tires loose).

Taking the tire off, it surprises me how the rotor looks considering I had it turned before installation and with new pads. The pads still look essentially new. ~9,000 miles on them.


I had to go to work after I got done installing them, so got to test them out on a side road ;D Unfortunately the last half of the road is dirt/mud :-\ I'm going to look for some slightly shorter bumpers, as this is the passengerside, and I'd like to see twice the clearance. The driver's side could use some more clearance as well.


Also today at the hardware store I saw and bought one of these:


Anybody using one? It's got a battery that lasts 2hours, plus a cigarette lighter plug and AC plug. After looking at it for a moment is looked very useful. Like laying flat to look up under the car, magnetic to stick to the underside of the hood, etc. I had to buy one.

http://www.amazon.com/Cooper-Lighting-LED130-Rechargeable-Worklight/dp/B002T4AEGK

[mustang13]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

Randal, try Jegs for some Energy Suspension poly snubbers, you can cut them to the height you want with a hacksaw, leave um alittle short for daily driving, and keep a hand full flat "fender washers" to shim between them and the bar when your at the track.

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

Thanks for the tip. I noticed the snubber is the same (at least in appearance) as the control arm bumper in the Help Section of the parts store. I was thinking of possibly trimming these ones (or ones purchased) if I didn't find something else locally.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

I'll be bringing my drag radials on Anti Tour. You're welcome to try them out on a few runs. I take no responsibility for non removeable smiles or broken parts.

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

I'll be bringing my drag radials on Anti Tour. You're welcome to try them out on a few runs. I take no responsibility for non removeable smiles or broken parts.

Thanks but I think my 5x5 bolt pattern will hinder that :'(

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

Ok I'm begining a reconfiguration of the ignition system on the Skylark to ditch the GM module (7-pin) for the MSD 6AL-2. I had disconnected the MSD when I went from the 4-pin module to the 7-pin module, then removed it entirely when I did the heater core. I had to move it anyway since it interferred with the A/C lines when I go to hook them up.

So I first put the A/C lines in place to mock up where the MSD box needs to be moved.

(Modern Duct Tape Motif, I swear I have a new hose for this thing in the trunk, and it will be changed out prior to the Anti-Tour)

The MSD box had to move over roughly 2" and wiring will go under the A/C line. The A/C lines have to be shortened up a bit since the compressor is a bit closer to the condenser than with the V6 :P


For the conversion I need to switch the MegaSquirt II from a Hall/Opto ignition input to a VR input to hook up to the HEI's stock pickup coil. For that I need to open up the MSII I need more DIYautotune stickers, I have two, but they are going on the car's quarter windows ;)


So here is the top of the MSII 3.0 board. I forget what the red wire/pull up circuit was for, I was using it to diagnose something prior to figuring out my ignition wiring, so I'll remove it while I have it open. Another BIG question is since I have it open should I change firmware? Go to a MSII extra firmware? Hmm.....


The bottom side of the MSII 3.0 board. The soldered in jumpers I have to move are in the lower left corner and one in the middle just under the upper horizontal red wire. I may have to change out a set of diodes or something (I have to look it up) The lower horizontal red wire is going to my MapDaddy map sensors, that's what gives the real time barometric correction. The Black and White wires are the 4-outputs for the Idle Air Control Valve control.


And just for the heck of comparison. Here is a picture of the MSI 3.0 board for my T-bird. Not much different, easily noticable a different processor chip ;)



(I'm still jazzed about the fact I put these together )