Hey all, I have a confusing dilemma, I got my 80 cutlass running, changed some fluids, but I have a ticking on right side of block area and nearly no exhaust coming out of right pipe. the motor seems to rum some what smooth, i miss hear and there. the left pipe has normal flow, It wont let me cover with my hand, but right side feels like no flow at all.

The Tanny needs rebuilt badly, but does move under it's own power (with some slipping). I don't feel as if the ticking is from lets say the torque converter. the ticking is steady, and increases with rpm's. I have true dual exhaust, so I am confused to this dilemma.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance

I am happy to say after 13 yrs in storage, she fired right up and does not leak a drop of anything, WooHooooo!!

 

When you say "no exhaust in right pipe" where are you checking that at?

Also does the car have true duals right now? Does it have those crappy 1980's A.I.R. tubes?

If it runs fine, I'm willing to bet it's leaking somewhere in front of where you see "no exhaust" If no exhaust was comming out of one side of the engine, the car would most likey flood and stall, basicly choking itself to a stall

 

See if there is a vacuum valve right off one of your exhaust manifolds (it will have a vac hose going to it.) IT is supposed to route exhause through the intake manifold and out the other exh manifold to aid in warmup. If it has this then it may not be working as it should.

 

^^ Forgot about those, then again, I like to forget about those anyway

 

Hi Redog, I am checking at rear of car (end of pipe)it has dual exhaust, i had the oem replaced a long time ago, but each manifold has its owm pipe out the back, I even cut the tips to look like an 85 442.

I was thinking the same thing about it leaking somewhere, but wouldn't that be loud? the car is fairly quiet.

 

Hey Rob, thanks for the info, you always know good things to check. I will check that after we hit the pool and it cools down, it is 108 degrees here now.

I will say it doesn't have that crossover pipe that connects to the other side, ya know, making it a dual manifold to single pipe.

The vac hoses are all messed up, it needs to be reworked, does any one have the scematics for the vac lines including valves, and tee placement for the 78-80 cutlass v-8 class?

 

Oh, and what are the A.I.R tubes you speak of?

 

Any idea if mice have nested up there?

 

It looks like your car was equipped with that stupid vacuum operated heat riser exhaust valve. They often freeze up in various states, esp if the car has sat a while.
It really sounds like you want to keep and restore that car, so do yourself the biggest favor and get a service manual. Even the Haynes manual is pretty good for your year. It talks about that EFE valve and the hose routing.

It is 104 here, so hibernating inside. I did get a mild sunburn when going out to retreive the mail..........

 

Oh crap, I didn't think of that, wouldn't it run really rough though?

 

I did see something like what you mentioned on the left pipe, but it flows fine, but i will take a better look tomarrow, it has two places for a vac line, but only one is connected, I will order a manual tonite.

we inside now, pool was nice, but someone pooped in the large pool when we got there, we left for a bit whilst they clean it, then, when we came back we where told that the main pool would open in 5 min, but some one pooped in the baby pool, probly a toddler, they where cleaning the large pool in the same area they teach the tikes

 

The mice thing, I would think you'd smell that since the exhaust at the coolest point would still be in the 400* range at idle.

A.I.R. tubes are pretty much just that. a tube system that has a port, 4 in each head, that brings exhaust up from the cats back into the engine to reburn it to keep emissions down by burning any extra carbons that did not get burnt in the fully in the first place, pretty easy to spot.

They break a lot. Just rust away. They sound like a valve tap. Usually exhaust leaks are not very very very loud. I had one on my Alero. The front header (right side of the motor) burnt thru the paper gasket on #2, and #4. It's not like running with "open" exhaust or no exhaust manifold at all. That's loud

 

Here's a good pic of 85-90, Olds 307 7A heads, casting 0142

See the extra crap on the heads, that's the A.I.R. tubes

 

HAHA! yeah, It would smell I think.

well, I did remove the cat when I changed to a 350 motor, with headers, but that is all gone now, so I dont think I have those tubes you speak of, but I will look this weekend, I think you are right though about it being a manifold leak, I was thinking that, and I hope that is all it is, it is just a little annoying and not bad at all. I had a tick in my 92 full size "Eddie Buaer" Bronco, but it went away as the block warmed up.

I did remove the Smog pump long ago and the vacume canister is disconnected too. would you replace the smog pump and make the vac can work again?

 

They do "go away" when warmed up, but they are still there

 

Holy crap, that is a great pic, thanks for this!

My car does not have those, would you make it original like smog pump and vac canister?

I had removed or disconnected that stuff, but I will be replacing the 260 with a 403, mostly stock (if I can find one) and I dont want to race it, I just want more pep.

 

All the reason I stopped using public pools after my teenage years. Like a buddy of mine said, it is just one big douche...

My exGF had her own private pool and it was nice (except for the neverending maintanence.) However, I would jump in during August and not even feel that cool sensation... TOO darn hot here.

 

Meehehehe! Good point, it didnt feel right in the pool after that.... Yuk!

I did just start her up to put back into the garage for the nite, and no ticking... but it did try to though. It is really odd, I dont think I imagined it. I didnt let her rev high very long this time, less than 30 seconds or so, flow was good in both pipes. last time from letting her idle at about 1,100 rpm's or so (I dont have a tach), for 20 minutes or so and noticed a tiny flow of blue smoke from the right pipe, thats when I decided to check the flow from the pipes, hell. I dont know.

Tomarrow, I plan to get an axle gasket and oil for rear end. Ya know, small steps. I am thinking of tagging it, rebuilding carb and tranny and drive around the neigborhood a bit, to strech her legs.

 

A.I.R. tubes are pretty much just that. a tube system that has a port, 4 in each head, that brings exhaust up from the cats back into the engine to reburn it to keep emissions down by burning any extra carbons that did not get burnt in the fully in the first place, pretty easy to spot.

Not quite accurate, they allow a little exhaust to recirculate to reduce peak combustion temperature by lowering the oxygen content in the mixture slightly.
Reducing combustion temperature helps prevent formation of toxic oxides of nitrogen.
I believe this method was first used in air cooled Volkswagens, not for emissions in the first place but to prevent hot spots in the combustion chambers, very important in air cooled engines.
Roger.

 

Blue smoke is oil burning. The 260 is a real dog. I had one in my 76. I replaced it with a 455. I wouldnt even spend the money to rebuild it. Thats just me. You can slip a 350 or 403 right in there with your 350 trans.

 

I agree Oldswarrior, I dont plan on rebuilding the wussy 260, just maybe the carb, if I can do it cheap. I want to build a 403, it would be awesome, I just have to find one.

How do you like your 455 and how much had to change to get her to fit, like bracket and what not? I was considering a 455, but I believe i would have to change some stuff, I just want a bit more pep, and direct drop-in... ya know

Thanks for your input friend, this site is wonderful. :^)

 

As far as your carb on your 260 its only a 2 barrel. If you go with the 403 you will need a 4 barrel carb. The 403 will be more of a direct drop in for your 80 Cutlass. My car is a 76 which is different body style and the 455 had no problem going in. I love the 455. I have a 3.42 posi in there and it will smoke the tires from a dead stop. If you are going to change the engine, dont even put any money in the 260. I made that mistake till I got tired of how slow the 260 was. And having the money to do it also helped.

 

yep, it is a 2 barrel, I have a friend who works in a reputible, shop, and he has several 4 berral carbs sitting on his HUGE tool box, and he said he would give me one and rebuild it for me, WOOhooooo!

I am gonig to start to look for a 403, I have a buddie that started a shop last summer in a small town near me, I hope he can find one.

 

I am glad you like your 455, I have a 2.29 "slipper" rear end, but I plan on keeping it, I hope to get money to do the major stuff in time, I am laid off at the moment and only have $2,500 from the sale of my 94 Lincoln town car to last till after school in may YAY! New career change ya know.

 

I'm wondering if the servos and clutch pack in your 350 tranny is going to be able to handle a 403?

Bolt right up, sure, but you're going from a 260 with very little power to a mildly built 403. More than likely your talking about 30% - 40% more torque, and we all know, it's not horsepower that breaks things, it's torque

 

Wow, really? I was just planning on roller lifters, roller rockers and maybe a high volume oil punp and tranny cooler. I read reports of Stock specs on a 1977-79 403 are: 185hp@3600 RPM, 320ft/lbs torque @2200 RPM, 4.351 x 3.385 bore/stroke, 8.0:1 compression ratio. I might increase compression to 8.5 but 9.0max.

Do you think it would be to much for a stock TH-350 trans, no shift kit of any kind? Plus I dont have a heavy foot as I am a commercial driver as well. I don't mash the pedal because I feel as if I am beating her up.

 

Hey don 71! guess what! A nest looking thing popped out last night after putting her in garage, I started her, reved her for a sec or two and noticed no ticking, then I checked flow from pipes and is flowing well.
after coming home today, I saw the odd looking thing in driveway where I had her parked. It looked nasty.

I am so thankful for all the input, I feel silly with the result though. I didn't think anything would stay in there after the 2-4 hours of running time.

 

In the 77 Cutlass 403s came with 350 trannys. The 350 trannys are strong. Good for a small block.
Im sure if the trannys been sitting for 13 years its going to need all new seals and most likely a rebuild.

 

Hey there, yep, it needed a rebuild when I parked it, I had it rebuilt for $350, or so I though, but then a yr or two later it started slipping, and the fluid was a grayish brown. I don't think he rebiult it, just flushed the fluid. I was a stupid 18 year old who didn't know anything about cars.
I might rebuild the tranny if I can find a good deal from a reputible shop. A local shop wants $1,000, and I am not sure about it.