SooKrazyMamaof7

Hello. This is my 1st time joining any online forums. My oldest son is turning 16 on 7/19/17. I bought him this car in hopes that he and I can "fix it up together" I bought it in 2012 for $400. I bought it as a back up vehicle because it has 6 seatbelt. Anyway it always ran good except after being on the highway or having it up to 45mph for 10mins or more. Afterwards it would act as if it was flooded. Only other time it done that was going around a circle on the highway it would seem as if it was going to die from not getting enough gas. Now it will not fire up. It use to if you poured gas in the thingy but now it won't. Does anyone have any suggestions for me as I really want to get it running for him. Also the car is in fairly good shape having very little rust but there are something's (cosmetics) I would like to help him replace once we get it running and safe. When looking at junkyards and online what parts or other car years/models are interchangeable with this make and model? Any help or suggestions would be a blessing his father could do all this for and with him but he chooses not to be in his (or the others) life. I'm not afraid to get dirty with him. I just need a little guidance. Thanks soo much in advance and I hope I am doing this right lol but Incase I can't find my way back here or something goes wrong my email address is ShirleyThornburg16@aol.com

joe_padavano

Welcome. Your car has what is known as the Computer Command Control (CCC) system. It is an early computer-controlled version of the Quadrajet four barrel carb and unfortunately it is about the most complex carburetor system ever produced by GM. It is probably not the best choice for a novice to learn on. This system used the computer to sense throttle position, RPM, coolant temp, and air pressure to control both the spark timing and the mixture ratio of the primary throttle bores. It also has limited control over idle speed and several of the emissions control systems. Any adjustments to the system must follow the procedure in the factory Chassis Service Manual EXACTLY, otherwise you will be constantly chasing your tail to get it to run right.

Also, you may have noticed the miles of vacuum hoses under the hood. As these age and crack, any small leak (or missing or improperly connected hoses) will throw the system into convulsions. In addition, since this is a very early version of automotive computer controls, the computer is pretty stupid. It cannot sense most of the failures that can occur in the sensors and actuators on the motor, so a bad part may or may not set a Check Engine light and code. Unfortunately, this means that diagnosis requires someone who both understands the system and has the patience to work through every single possible failure mode. These people are few and far between.

Your first purchase should be a factory Chassis Service Manual for the car, which will help with this diagnosis and repair. Good luck.

SooKrazyMamaof7

Joe thank you for taking your time to reply to me. Yes there is ALOT of hoses and tubes everywhere. Some are in not so good shape and a couple are not even hooked up. Iam going to go through and replace the ones that need replacing but in the meantime the car ran (pretty well I drove it on long trips)prior to this. The repair manual you suggested is that like the books autozone sells for cars? Also if it is the carburetor would it be easier to just replace it? Does it have to be the 4 barell it currently has? Thanks again for your reply. Ohhh could you please tell me when looking at junkyards what other car models are interchangeable with this one?

joe_padavano

No. Do not waste a dime on those generic manuals. The factory CSM was sold by Oldsmobile and is MUCH more detailed. It is the manual that dealership mechanics used. You can find them on ebay regularly. Be sure you get the one that says "Delta 88" on the cover. There is an identical one for the FWD cars that will not have the correct information. There is also a matching Electrical Test Manual that has all the wiring diagrams.




Most rebuilt replacement carbs I've seen are poorly rebuilt and frequently are cobbled together from different carbs. Even if it's rebuilt correctly, it still must be adjusted following the procedure in the manual. THAT'S the tricky part that people don't do correctly. Of course, it is highly likely that the problem is not the carb but something else in the system, so throwing a rebuilt carb on it without understanding the cause of the problem is simply throwing away $300.

Yes, unless you want to make major changes to the car. It is common to disable the computer on these cars, but that requires changing both the carb and the distributor, and causes collateral damage that requires additional work.

The 1980-85 Olds Delta 88s are all just about identical. There will be minor differences in trim (like the grills) but nearly everything interchanges. The 1980-84 Olds Ninety Eights are the same from the front seats forward. The Olds Custom Cruiser station wagons are pretty much the same from 1980-1990 from the back seat forward, except that the wagon doors and front fenders are different. Also, obviously, 2dr and 4dr sedans use different doors and windshields.

Also be aware that these cars came with two different size brakes. Most used 11" front rotors and 9.5" rear drums, but the wagons, Ninety Eights, and D88s with HD suspension got the larger 12" rotors and 11" drums. The bigger brakes also came with a different wheel lug bolt pattern 5" diameter vs. 4.75" on the lesser cars) so those parts don't interchange.

SooKrazyMamaof7

Wow thank you SOOO much for all the information! I am truly trying to learn as much as possible. I will do as you suggested and start with purchasing the manual. Again thank you soo much you've truly been a blessing to us. Shirley