I have had this car for a couple weeks now. Been evaluating what needs to be done first and working on plan of attack.
With world conditions, turns out alone in the garage is a safe place to be.
Today I was able to tear into front of motor and get to the timing chain. Nylon cam gear was still intact, so I am very happy.
Going forward;
Original carb going to Quadrajet Power for level 1 rebuild, anyone have any experience with these guys?
Repalce timing chain with Sealed Power OEM style, is double roller really necessary?
Replace water pump
Radiator going to local shop for rod out
Replace thermostat. Thinking 180 degree.Also are thermostats for Oldsmobile different? It looks like a hinged door to divert coolant. Do I need to be specific on replacement?
Replace fuel pump. Original pump has some sort of diagram on the pressure side to carb. What does this do and will a replacement come with it?
Course all new belts and hoses will go back on.
Any advice or criticism is much appreciated.
Thank you

 

That thingy on your fuel pump is a pulse reducer, its supposed to do just as its named to calm down the quadrajet. I guess the early Quads had some sort of issue with the float level due to pulses... You can leave i9t there for looks and if its not leaking but it probably isn't doing anything.

 

Good to know, should be able to eliminate it. Thank you

 

A 180 stat is fine a 160 will work also. A good quality timing chain set is fine, no need for a double roller. Make sure you take old water pump with you to the parts store as most surely you will get the wrong length snout one. A recored radiator is a good investment and standard quadrajet rebuild. Your are on the right track....

 

Have your original water pump rebuilt. There’s a guy in Michigan that provides this service. He’s called the Waterpump man. If you do buy one over the counter from a auto parts store Don’t give up your original for a core.

 

Thanks for the responses, trying to be careful and make the right decision.
Car is a gem and want her to feel special.
New water pump is coming from Rock Auto. They give specs on the length, so hopefully I get it right.
Some of my stuff was wholesale closeouts, belts for $1.79 is a good deal. If anyone needs some it's worth checking.
This week is scraping gaskets and cleaning stuff up. Parts showing up over the next week and carb is 8-9 weeks out.
I will be a happy camper to get that timing chain cover back on,,,,

Next train of though,,, replace valve seals
Hoping I can do this on engine.
Any experience with the Lisle 36200 Valve Keeper Remover and Installer?
Basic umbrella valve seals or something fancier?

Thanks again for the tips

 

The hinged door on the thermostat must face the rad when installed, if you get another with a hinged door.

 

Thanks I saw front written on the old one. Other than that it works like a regular t-stat correct?

 

Odds are it's the original Dole t-stat. If it's working, yeah, keep it, but I'd be inclined to turn it into garage art and get a later Robertshaw type t-stat. That was a running change mid-1972 or so.

 

I like the garage art idea, it’s going to be a paper weight on my desk. It’s cool to see the made in USA stamped on it

 

Someone pour me a drink, I joined the “replace the timing cover without dropping the pan” club

 

Good Job, the trouble usually is getting the oil pan gasket to seal again. While a new rubber front seal goes on the bottom of timing cover at times the pan gasket gets torn at the front and front sides. RTV can be your buddy!

 

Agreed, I whittled down the sides of the pan seal at the top and was getting pretty liberal with the black RTV. It took a few tries simply because I was trying to trim as little as possible. What a good feeling when it finally popped into place. I see a nice little ring of the rtv around cover at side of pan seal, so I am optimistic that oil won’t be pouring out when I get it started

 

Well you were right, first one was too long, second one was two short. Contacting water pump man and shipping mine out tomorrow. Does he clean it all up, or is that something I should do?

 

He will clean it up for you, when I got mine back it was bare metal so you’ll want to paint it.

 

Fantastic! I have a can of the old Ford red that has been suggested on this site.
Thanks for tips

 

Water pumps need correct oem cast impeller to maintain correct gpm flow rate
always boil stat before installin to ensure it works..& good place to splurge...bad 2 skimp
Check housing thoroughly for deterioration caused by chemical reaction with the antifreeze
be certain your clutch fan is not on his way out as nothing will ruin your day like that thing Cuttin Loose
Fan should be clutched 6 blade & all 66 shrouds same EXCEPT toronado
Can send you fan pix if needed...or fan..if you run fuel filter...pls dont butcher metal "pressurized line " as contrary to almost every filters installation ever seen...presure side ....after pump might not be optimal locaton to have two..cause 4 is unheard of..cheap tiny clamps ensuring your preszurised hi test dont spray on hot exhaust...& after you watch your first sweet ride catch fire & burn to ground while NOBODY stops to help th long hair out....you tend to have fire extinguisher in every car.... Never need it for yourself then but guys whose cars you save from aformentioned disaster are friends for life
& of courze use quality tires when producing billowing clouds of smoke ..cause trim & Q/Ps are a terrible thing to waste
& if ever overheating rears its ugly head..park it imeadiatly..let it set & cool...unless you have meetin with Jesus.... Nothins that impotant..even if u do....still up 4 debate...

 

I'd try to get in touch with Joe Padavano. He's got factory tools for quadrajets and knows the in and outs

 

Thanks man, some good reading there.
keeping the factory hard line to carb.
I think water neck is ok
Putting on a new fan clutch
ditto on fire extinguisher

 

Radiator shop says radiator is toast, they found a replacement but the right side tank won’t fit in the saddle. Are OEM style radiators hard to come by?

 

Man said $230 to your door
New alum 2 core w/giant cores
Coolin prob went away

Hav a few oem...but why a 50 year old radiator....if ya can hav NEW

 

To maintain originality have your original radiator recored, it will be expensive but worth it. Your car should have the original “Harison” radiator. It cost me around $400.00 to recore mine on my 65 442. This way everything fits as it should.

 

They're not hard to recore yourself, as long as the tanks have remained undamaged. I doubt that the core would cost much less than an entire radiator, though

 

Yeah. Want to keep it original. Will check back in with radiator shop on Monday.
For fun I've been riding my electric MT bike around and found a couple cool cars. One was a 69 Pontiac Catalina 2 door sitting in driveway.
I also talked to a guy getting started on a 67 cougar project with a 390.
Made my day.

 

Hav many radiators I considder only tanks...& some nos harrison tanks....
who ownes 69 cat ?..,need an original starter from /4 one of those with th big engine..

 

Will be in touch if my tanks are bad.
Not sure who owns the Pontiac, but will keep an eye on it and see if I see owner.

 

Certainly not askin anyone to rip there starter. out but they may know where one is
doubt they hav any idea of its #....should be 1108 tripple 3....originally....slim chance of it havin original starter any way
however if by chance it does have that part number stamped into the case and if it goes bad and they need another you can let them know I would be willing to give them a freshly rebuilt one in exchange for their old one with a condition it has the correct numbers
Sounds like replacement radiator has four core tank on rite....if so ...saddle replacement could be an option
If old tanks are salvageable at all , may still have another life.......started savin four core tanks years ago & now most all of em whatever they are...
If lower hose is not ribbed it needs spring in there....never saw one sucked & collapsed but its possible

 

Changed valve seals today in car. Used air compressor in cylinder and a lisle valve spring remover tool. Went surprising well.

 

Sounds like your on the right track, I bet you’ll have a great running engine without any major surgery, those “Rocket” motors are tuff!

 

Radiator shop came up with correct radiator. Looks and fits like original, Set me back $500. Will be continuing to clean up parts and reassemble front of motor. Water pump is still a week or so out and carb is 6 weeks out.
Going to switch attention to brakes and suspension.
Will determine what is needed for brakes once opened up, but will be sticking with the drums. Really would like a dual piston MC however. Thinking about the Cadillac one that will bolt right in. Anyone have a picture of their plumbing at the MC?

 

Car seem pretty low in the back. What is best solution? Replace springs, a coil over shock?
I would be ok with something a little firmer.

 

Hello YFZRDP, there is some past posts that I have read on how to change the timing cover and seals without dropping the pan or removing the motor. With this down time that most of us have I think I going to replace the timing cover on my 400E. Is there anything you learned about what you did different that you could share? Did you loosen the front pan bolts and cracked the oil pan seal a bit? I thought of making 2 dowels out of 2 bolts, screw those in the front of the block and sort of pry the timing cover over them?

 

Here is what i found through my struggles.
Yes i loosened the first 2 pan bolts on each side. doesn't allow much movement, but i think its required.
I used permetex aviation sealer on the paper gasket, but dry fit it first to make sure it does not hang down below the bottom of iron block. I used the aviation sealer because it stays flexible and holds gasket to block. The reason it should not hang lower than the block is it tries to bunch up when the cover is being worked into position.
As for the pan seal, the permetex black ultra is recommended for oil seals.
I thought i could be clever and sneak the pan seal in with out any modifications. I was wrong.
You will need to trim of the ears, and whittle down the sides, probably like the top 1in to 1 1/2. Not much, just a little shave with a razor blade, but it just would not go with out. You will see this when you do a dry run. It just kinda bunches up there
Some of my approaches were to start with one side, and work it around. that never quite made it.
It takes getting the right angle of the cover. Keep the top of cover away from block, and pry down from the top. I was able to get a flat bar in there and pry off the intake manifold. Having a couple of the cover bolts handy helped too. At one point you can get them started and get some pressure down low. Just be sure to keep some space between cover and top of block. If it swings in at the top, it will pop out at the bottom. Then start back over,,,,
You will want to have the black permatex all around, but a pretty big goop at the corners of pan.
It took me more than a few tries, mainly because i didn't want to trim pan seal. As the time wore on and frustration mounted, out came the razor.
At one point it just popped in. It was heard and felt. I knew i had it. There was a nice little bead of RTV oozing out and am pretty comfortable that oil wont be pouring out.
Good luck my friend
Dean

 

Thanks Dean. When I get on it I will chime in my thoughts...

 

Oh, and a rubber mallet is absolutely required imo

 

Waiting for water pump and carb to come back so moving to brakes, and suspension.
Putting together order for parts, from what I gathered the Cadillac dual circuit MC is a direct fit. I have seen the MC36373 part number used on other forums.
Let me know if I am wrong please.
Thank you
Dean

 

lower the front to match,low and lean

 

Car should sit level, coil over shocks in the rear will give a bit of lift, new springs all the way around should give you stock height if you buy stock style springs. Here is a pict of a Sfire I restored and sold. This was a great driving car. You would forget you were in an old car when driving. Quiet Smooth Strong

 

Sweet looking car man, thanks for the tips. Looking forward to driving mine. All my weatherstripping is dried out and cracked. Whats a good source for that?

 

Here is what mine looks like, Is this good?