4WDlifeform

All -

I have a 72 Cutlass S I am working on, with a 350, 130k, entirely original. My plan is to get the engine cleaned up and running well. The car currently runs, but it has been sitting for 5 years before landing in my garage. I need to get this done, so I can spend more time with body and interior. I am engaged, and planning to use this car for the wedding, which will be in June. Also means I can't spend much! Some concerns -

Old Fuel - It ran with it in, but just wondering the condition of the tank, and what it did to the carb/engine when we ran it to get it here. Planning to drain tank, and re-fill with clean gas. I'd like to get a big in-line filter, just incase serious debris attachs! (that stock tiny thing makes me nervous!) Also on fuel line, that charcoal canister. Not familiar with these... Are they necessary? Any advice for a block-off method? The mount is completely rotted away... I will replace this if recommended I keep it.

Carb - Never dealt with one. Not familiar with them. Pic below. Seems a bit dirty... Should I try to remove/clean? It does run OK... few backfires now and again. Maybe seafoam it?? Grow a pair and just get the 4-barrel now!? Help!

Fluids - The engine oil and trans are OVERFILLED. Maybe a storage technique?? But, it was burping trans fluid out the dip stick driving here. Fluid looks clean. Should I just drain it down to normal levels? Worth draining completely/replace? I will do engine oil/filter for sure. PS steering and brake fluids look clean. Worth bleeding those anyway?? Got a new radiator to put in. What is best way to flush coolant at this point? Should I remove pump to inspect? I know it too works...

Components - Put a new starter on. Needs bat. Alternator seems to work, but might as well get new one, bearings sound "dry" and seem loose. Currently removed AC compressor (old R-12). Maybe deal with this in the spring if I have time.

Wires/hoses - EVERYWHERE. Maybe just repair, rebundel them!? Need a Haynes manual!

Here are some pics of my current progress. I am at the point where I am nervous to dig deeper. I want to get new stuff on, new fluids, and test run. Then focus on body/interior through winter here. Anything I should check at this point? I should say that this is my first classic car... I feel like I know nothing. I am a jeep guy, so this is a completely new realm! Any thoughts/advice is very greatly appreciated! I will continue to search the site, Lots of info on here, hard to find exactly what I am looking for! Thanks in advance!

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Willidog

I would say unless you know when all of the fluids were last changed that you should change all of them and fill to the proper levels. I would also replace all of the filters including the transmission fluid filter. If the car sat for five years that would be the minimum I would do. I would also put some miles on it before I used it in my wedding to make sure it isn't going to die on you on the big day. Looks like you have the core support off, now would be a good time to clean everything up in there. Also check your balll joints, tie rod ends, suspension, drive train and brakes.

oldcutlass

I just dragged a 51 Chebby 2 door delivery into the shop that had been sitting for 5 years. It it had a 1/2 tank of nasty smelling fuel that I drained and 1/2 inch of crud build up inside it. Drop the tank, pull the float,and inspect. If it has a bunch of crud in there, take it to a radiator shop for a thorough cleaning and re-install with new rubber lines. Also blow out the fuel line that runs to fuel pump. I would replace the fuel pump and all the rubber lines forward to the carb. Throw a kit in the carb and a new fuel filter. Or, just do the 4 barrel and manifold now.

The prestone flush kit is pretty good, just follow the directions.

Drain the fluid levels down to where they belong. On the trans, the fluid level will be higher in the pan if it were sitting for a long period of time cold. It needs to be checked once the engine has run for a few minutes to warm up and cycled through the gears.

Do a thorough service check on the brakes and front wheel bearings, as you know they are very important. LOL!

Pull all the old spark plugs, points, etc..., clean, re-gap, and reinstall and set to spec's. I would not buy any new tuneup parts until you get it running decent unless you have to.

Once you get it running and driving, then start your resto.

Good luck!

john paul

i pretty much agree with what all the other poster have said, but if you're looking for a manual, stay away from haynes. it gives you just enough infoto be dangerous. go to wildabout cars.com. everything you need is there and then some.
good luck
John Paul.

jaunty75

How much gas is still in the tank? Considering that the car ran OK with the gas that's in it, and if there is no more than half a tank of the old stuff, I'd just put in fresh gas to mix with the old and run it through. I doubt that the old gas "did" anything to the carburetor or engine other than burn up, which is what it's supposed to do. This is a heck of a lot easier than dropping the tank to drain it. If you have other issues, such as the tank itself needing repair or a need to repair or replace the fuel gauge sending unit, and so you have to drop the tank, anyway, then, yes, might as well drain the old fuel, which you'd have to do, anyway. But draining and dropping a tank is not fun, so I'd try to avoid it if the system is ok.

Carburetors always look like this. Spray it with Gumout. If you want to rebuild it, kits are available, and it's not difficult. But see if you can't get the engine running well with just a complete tune-up. New plugs, points, condenser, etc., set timing and all, and you might be just fine. That fact that you did get it running is significant and good. Don't fix what ain't broken.

I don't know of any way to drain the transmission only partly unless you try to suck it out of the fill tube, which can't be easy. If you're going to drop the pan to drain some of it out, you might as well do complete change of the fluid as you will have done 95% of the work required, anyway. Yes, obviously engine oil and filter should be changed. I wouldn't worry about the power steering if the fluid looks OK. It's not exactly a disaster if the system should fail as you can still steer the car. The brakes are different. How do they perform? How does the fluid look, and does it maintain its level? How does the pedal feel? Firm or spongy?

You certainly want to check vacuum hoses for dryness and cracks and replace as necessary. Wiring is likely ok as long as it hasn't been monkeyed with. Agreed that the Haynes manual is not the way to go. Get an Olds Factory Service manual. They're for sale all the time on ebay and well worth the money. You should get the Fisher Body Manual as well for your year.

4WDlifeform

Thank you all so much for the input, this is definitely helpful! Planning to make a trip out of town to do a little shopping. Hoping to get it back to running order on a week or two. Some responses to the above:

The fuel gauge is showing 3/4 tank. Assuming that is actually what is in there! Definitely don't want to pull the tank. I think I'll just stick with the extra in-line filter for a while. Will look into replacing pump, and other hoses. Most seem OK though. Slight surface rust on most hard lines, but nothing concerning.

Again with carb, would rather not touch it, if not recommended by you guys. I think with new fuel and a quick cleanout, should be OK, we will see. At least for now, i'll leave it be.

I can not even find a Haynes manual! I was on Wildaboutcars, looks that I have to sign up? Looking further into this. Also, found this. Seems like what I would expect the Haynes to be? http://www.gregsonline.com/eshop/CDs...le/72OLSMC.htm

For the underbody stuff, brakes, etc, havent really started yet. Brakes currently work well, but sound nasty. Any popular disk brake conversions out there? Mostly everything else looks good, planning to replace bushings for sure, ball joints... I'll have to drive it around to get a feel for that. The seem good in the garage!

Again, thanks a ton!

jaunty75

Once and for all, forget Haynes, Chilton, etc. That link is to a CD version of the Oldsmobile Chassis Service Manual, and that's what you want, but I'd get the paper version. It's much easier to work with, especially when you're out in the garage actually trying to do something. The price for a paper copy isn't much different from what they're charging for that CD, and remember that those CD copies are just scans of the paper copy, and their quality can be poor at times depending on how much care was taken during the scanning process.

You have to sign up at wildaboutcars.com if you want to access anything there, but it costs nothing to do so, and it you have access to all of that literature. Well worth it.

This is what you want as far as a manual goes:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1972-Oldsmob...6ee645&vxp=mtr


You also ought to get this as it complements the above. If you need or want to do any work on the interior, doors, body, roof, exterior trim, electrical components like power windows, doors, locks, and so forth, it's in this manual, not the chassis manual. The seller is calling it the Oldsmobile Body Manual, but that's a misnomer. While GM put out a separate chassis manual for each of its makes each year, it put out only a single body manual for the entire company. So this manual has Chevy, Pontiac, etc., as well as Oldsmobile, but it's what you want.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1972-Oldsmob...6ee9e2&vxp=mtr

MDchanic

+1 to all Jaunty said above.

Why would you pay for a (possibly inferior, and possibly pirated) CD version of the manual when you can get it on line for free?

The one thing I would say about the Wild About Cars 1972 manual, though, is that that one year has a black and white scan of the wiring schematics. All the other years are color scans, so I would recommend downloading the Electrical section from 1971 as well, so that you have a good schematic.

- Eric

4WDlifeform

Just would like to post with an update. I am just about done and VERY happy with this motor! I just found out from the original owner (soon to be family of mine) that the engine was rebuilt and bored .030 over just a few 100 miles (and 6 or 7 years ago). Also new thermostat, thinking 180 deg.

I went through about a half can of Gumout carb/choke cleaner and the engine runs 99%. Its quick to respond. Just does not like running cold, and I think I am burning rich, says the black stain on the garage floor under the tail pipe!

For the fuel, I added the extra in-line filter (temporarily) and added octane boost to the old fuel. Seems to have done the trick. Tank is now down to 1/8th or so.. So will get new fuel through it soon. Any recommendations? Should I run 93 octane, or is the 87 regular just fine?

I bought a set of gauges, oil pres., temp, and volt. Planning to get those mounted in soon, as I am working on interior now. I found some good info out there for setting these things up, so I thank all you again for all the great info! On to the interior!

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Lady72nRob71

Looking good so far! Looks like you have done well at shielding away the MAWs (might-as-wells)!
I have had good luck running regular 87 gas. Of course this depends on timing and other characteristics of your engine.
You will have fun with the interior!

Miles71

I use 87 from Gulf on my 71 350/4bbl, without any issues. Except, not all 87 are the same. There is one station in my town that my engine hates (not going to say the name). The only time my engine, diesels, is when i go to that station.

Here is a problem I had with my Brakes, the previous owner mixed the Dot 3 and Dot5 and it all turned to sludge. Here is a tip I found on the web, have not tried it yet but will soon.
Test for Dot 3 or 5

1. Get a dropper (an eye or ear-dropper) and withdraw some fluid from the master cylinder.
2. Put it into a glass jar and then add some clean water to the fluid.
3. Now put the lid on the jar and shake it well.
4. Let it stand for a few minutes.
5. If the water and the fluid have mixed thoroughly and can not be separately identified, then you have regular auto brake fluid.
6. However, if the water and the fluid have not mixed, or have formed blobs or layers, then the fluid is Silicone (Dot5)

Allan R

87 octane is fine. That's not a high compression motor and 87 today is the equivalent of 91 back in 72.

Miles - have you checked your fuel filter? Usually when it's plugged dieseling will happen. That station may have ok gas, but dirty tanks which is being passed along to your car. And try to stay away from ethanol blended gas

4WDlifeform

Thanks for the tips on the brake fluid. Before I do any change, I will check this!

For the fuel filter, I did change the original, and just for further protection (in case there is sludge in the tank) I put a larger in-line filter with a clear housing to inspect that. I will remove it after I get a tank or two through it.

Even with the old gas (add octane booster additive) the engine runs great! Can't say I have had any dieseling happening... Just burning rich.

oldcutlass

It could be that your choke is acting up. Also look down into the carb with the engine running and see if it's dribbling fuel.