Hi,


I just bought Oldsmobile Toronado 1968, 455 engine, a guy I bought from told me what, I have to set ignition timing because he changed IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR. It is my first American car for me I am from Lithuania, not so much people knows how to do timing. I read and see films on youtube, I understude it should be 10 degrees, but I add picture and I don't know how to know there is 10, and how you know what is RPMs if there is no tachometer.


Thank you

 

Welcome to the site. There are 3 marks, ^^^. They are from left facing the engine 10-5-0. Line up the line on the harmonic balancer so it fits in the ^ on the far left.

 

Thank you.


I also should disconnect vacuum from distributor then I set timing?

 

Yes, disconnect vacuum and use an external tachometer - the kind you use for engine tune-ups.

Why did he replace the distributor?
What did he replace it with?
Can you still get the original?
The '68 Toro motor had a different distributor than most other engines, and will probably not run properly with the wrong distributor because the timing curves will be different.

Welcome to ClassicOlds.

- Eric

 

Does this help?



Note that the rectangular and oval holes in the tab are a one and zero, for "10". Similarly, the single oval hole is zero. The notch in between is 5.

You get one of these:

 

Hi,


I just measure compression on all cylinder, I think it is bad Cylinders: 1 - 190Psi, 2 - 172Psi, 3 - 174Psi, 4 - 180Psi, 5 - 182Psi, 6 -172Psi, 7 - 40Psi, 8 - 180Psi.


I think I am in trouble number 7 is dead, that you think is a ring is dead or it could be valves? Is others is normal?


Thank you

 

You can redo your compression test after squirting some engine oil into the cylinder to see if the compression comes up dramatically. If it does it would be rings. Either way to remove the pistons the head needs to com off, you can inspect at that point.

 

Hi,


Can somebody tell me what kind oil I should use for my car and how mush, I am in Europe so is it hart to get write one, should it be API SN,
help.


Thank you

 

Any reputable brand 5w30 or 10w40 should be fine for your engine. Depends which part of Europe you live in, if it's cold us a thin oil, if it's hot use a thicker one.
I use Miller 10w30 fully synthetic in my Buick 231 powered cars, both of them run fine with it.

Roger.

 

Hi again, I am still with problems now I put some oil to cylinder nr.7 and compression did not changed it still around 40psi, sow I think it is valve problem, do think it will cost a lot to fix it do I need any parts o just clean it.
And I attaching video its not very good but maybe it will help to understand my problem because the car is smoking like hell, is it could be because of valve gap? In video you would see how smoke comes from breather or how you call it.






















https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fzl...ature=youtu.be

 

Roger, do you really use 5W30?

It's only recommended in temperatures below 20°F (-7°C).



10W30 winter / 10W40 summer is pretty standard. If his engine has a lot of wear, he may need 20W50.



Aruse, a 40psi compression in one cylinder, unaffected by the addition of oil to the cylinder, would normally rule out rings or a holed piston as the cause (a hole in a piston would give you zero compression, and bad rings would improve at least a little with oil).
That leaves problems in the upper combustion chamber, including head gasket, a cracked head, or a burned or stuck valve, which is the most likely.

The next step is a leakdown test, where you set the cylinder to TDC / compression stroke (valves closed) and use a fitting to pump compressed air in through the spark plug hole.
There are gauge sets that are used for this that measure the amount of air leaking out, to determine whether it is too much (some air always leaks past the rings), but even if you don't have one, just adding compressed air (often the hose from the compression tested can be snapped off and attached to an air compressor) and listening carefully at the oil filler, the carburetor, and the tailpipe can tell you where the leak is.

Unfortunately, because of the frame rate of the video camera, it is impossible to see your timing settings.

I agree that the amount of smoke that comes out of the breather is a bit above average, but it is nowhere near what you would see if you had a hole in a piston.
You should check your PCV valve - the engine should be sucking that blowby in through that breather hose when you rev it, rather than letting it out.

I agree with Eric that it looks like a head has to come off - now the only question is which one...

- Eric

 

There is no question as to which head would need to come off. If your doing one, might as well get the other head cleaned up and serviced as well. As Eric stated above the PCV should pull that blowby back through the manifold and burn it. All older worn engines have blowby.

 

I just did distributor (do you thing is it the right one?) picture and pcv valve, I touk out pcv oil was coming out from it, then I shake it, I hear rattle noise, you think I need to change it?

 

Unfortunately, I cannot find a listing for an Auto-Tune D-243 distributor anywhere, so I do not know what the specifications of that distributor are.

Why did you replace your old distributor? Was it because the engine wasn't running smoothly?

I agree that the PCV is supposed to be good if you can rattle it, but it probably wouldn't hurt to get a new one anyway - they can't cost more than 3-4 Euros.

We need to focus on finding the cause of your bad cylinder right now, though.

- Eric

 

http://www.autoline.ca/distributors.htm

 

AutoLine is just another parts rebuilder similar to A1Cardone. That is the correct reman. points distributor for car, Rockauto sells them. A new distributor however has no effect on your problem.

 

Owner before me changed distributor because it was doing 5MPG,
after changed 10MPG,


hear is a link to that distributor


http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/rafr...ktemplate=true

 

I will try to blow air to cylinder nr. 7 and try to find there is leaking.

 

Good idea
bring engine to #7 firing position and run air into the spark plug hole, listen for leakage in exhaust and intake. Neither should have air leak sounds. In the crankcase [oil fill tube] you will always hear SOME leakage past rings.


5 MPG?!?!?!
Wow that is some good engineering!

 

Darned stylized typeface. I thought it said AutoTune.


A distributor will not affect your gas mileage.

Changing the mechanical or vacuum advance parts of a distributor may, depending on the change you make.

Changing a distributor to improve gas mileage is like changing a carburetor because your float is heavy - just change the part that is bad, there is no need to change the whole unit.

Could you get the old distributor from the previous owner?
The distributor you have is recommended for all Oldsmobiles from 1965 to 1973, and is guaranteed not to have the correct timing curves for this engine.

- Eric

 

So as I understand my distributor is wrong, and I can not get original what was before, so whish one I should get (I am on a budget ), what about this. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Oldsmobile-3...4d897d&vxp=mtr

 

Hi, I just agree with the seller what he will fix that cylinder nr.7 problem, so hope will be ok, but he don't have old distributor.

 

You will get the best performance and fuel economy from your engine if you get a distributor timing kit (Crane has a good one) and adjust the timing curves of your mechanical and vacuum advance.

This tends to be a tedious trial and error process, so you may benefit from using the specifications in the Chassis Service Manual as a starting point.

- Eric

 

I don't understand why we are talking about replacing the distributor or itnot working right. The problem with #7 is not related to the distributor. I have not seen any current timing settings anywhere in this post.

 

You are correct.

Just a personal obsession of mine: Throwing away good parts so they can be replaced by lousy or mediocre parts.

- Eric

 

No Eric, in my post I said I used 10w30. I did say Oldsmobile recommended oils ranging from 5w30 to 10w40. I think 5w30 would be suitable for a Lithuanian winter.
If an engine is so worn it needs extra thick oil to keep it going then it's on borrowed time........

Roger.

 

A worn out one certainly will. I don't know how Oldsmobile distributors hold up over time and mileage, but Vauxhall Viva distributors (Vauxhall has been owned by GM since the '20s) were notorious for wearing out, as were V4 ford ones back in the day. Even a Nissan my father owned had a knackered on, when I replaced it it made a huge difference to the cars economy and driveability.

Twice in one thread I've disagreed with you Eric, but if you still read the Guardian I know you won't mind.

Roger.

 

A worn upper bushing/ shaft can provide a LOT of slop in the area of the points cam, which can allow the dwell, and thus the timing, to vary. I have seen shaft/ bearing slop on the order of 0.020" - the point gap- which means if you get the point gap just right then later with the shaft off the other way you may have 0 or 2x as much gap.

Rebuilding the distributor is not difficult, and the parts are more or less available. I had occasion to buy/ make the tooling to install bushings recently. Readily available Corvette bushing is too long, just cut it off. Ream bushings. Dress shaft with sandpaper, replace if too worn. Dig out old grease that looks like week old cheese, replace with new grease. Lube and reassemble.

I would advise against the shiny new presumably Chinese epay dist'r. Trading one incorrect for another. You can find an actual '68 Toro dist'r with some searching. Get the PN and google it. I probably have a used one in the pile of distributors.

My records indicate you need 1111289
"DISTRIBUTOR, pre-HEI points type small OD
1968 455 H/O w/ AC
68 Toro/442 455 4 bbl "

1111286, '287, '288 also a close match

here is a fairly inexpensive candidate
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-Olds-Po...c0dc26&vxp=mtr


But, sure, fix your leaky valves first. It cannot run right w/o proper compression.

 

Hi everybody,


Thank you for all your respond, but wright now I don't think about cylinder nr. 7 because the seller take back my car, will fix the problem, and I will get it back then it will be fixed. I am from Lithuania but wright now I live in Norway that's there I bought the car, and they have the rules if sold bad car, they have to fix it or take it back. He will fix cylinder nr. 7.


About distributor, a wrote to AutoLine email about my distributor and I got this answer.



Aurimas:
This D243 is the correct distributor for this Oldsmobile Toronado in 1968 with a 455 ci.
Thanks Todd Smith

 

I also want to share my car pictures

 

Nice.

 

I am back with question


Then I took off, I don't know how you call it I think air filter pan ( I attached picture ) there you can see two vacuum hoses, one goes on top of pan, but there connect that short one, I can not find any spare hole. And what it is for.