- Dec 23, 2006
- 6,886
- 0
- 76
Over the weekend I got bored, so I decided to take my old 1978 cutlass supreme (first car) which had been sitting in the driveway for a few months out on a cruise. As I'm sure you can expect, it didn't feel like starting very easy
After checking and topping off the fluids, getting fresh gas in the carb, I pull the spark plugs to clean them out and find that 4 have some pretty major buildup, basically the entire business end was hidden under the gunk. I get them cleaned off, put 7 back in, and as I'm tightening down the eighth, it snaps. Luckily, it was the ceramic end, and I was able to back it out ok.
So I head on down to the auto store (only one in town) and find that it's closed (it's 5pm saturday at this point). Luckily I see the owner about to walk out the back door, so I run around to meet him and ask him to grab one for me really quick. To my luck, he does. I also get some starter fluid for good measure
Back home, I get the last plug put in and get it fired up (barely) with the starter fluid. To my dismay, the alternator is now making such an unbearable racket I can barely hear the engine (and this is a 305 with wide open exhaust, mind you)
Being 7pm by now I decide to wait for the morning to get a replacement
SUNDAY:
I wake up around noonish and go to an o'reillys about 20miles away to pick up a new alternator. I remove the old alternator and hand the main bolt to my dad, who promptly loses it. Another trip to the store, and another about 15 minutes, and the alternator is in. I crank it up, and end up having to use the starter fluid once again.
So! I go on my cruise on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Oklahoma, and all is well! except that the engine has grease all over it that is now smoking and basically nasty. Another trip to o'reillys, a can and a half of engine degreaser, and 5 minutes at the local car wash and the engine is pretty clean (for a 30 year old car). I continue my cruise. About two hours later (~7pm now) the alternator belt slips off, shreds itself to bits, and I limp the car home
I am now seriously considering a ZZ4 engine swap
After checking and topping off the fluids, getting fresh gas in the carb, I pull the spark plugs to clean them out and find that 4 have some pretty major buildup, basically the entire business end was hidden under the gunk. I get them cleaned off, put 7 back in, and as I'm tightening down the eighth, it snaps. Luckily, it was the ceramic end, and I was able to back it out ok.
So I head on down to the auto store (only one in town) and find that it's closed (it's 5pm saturday at this point). Luckily I see the owner about to walk out the back door, so I run around to meet him and ask him to grab one for me really quick. To my luck, he does. I also get some starter fluid for good measure
Back home, I get the last plug put in and get it fired up (barely) with the starter fluid. To my dismay, the alternator is now making such an unbearable racket I can barely hear the engine (and this is a 305 with wide open exhaust, mind you)
Being 7pm by now I decide to wait for the morning to get a replacement
SUNDAY:
I wake up around noonish and go to an o'reillys about 20miles away to pick up a new alternator. I remove the old alternator and hand the main bolt to my dad, who promptly loses it. Another trip to the store, and another about 15 minutes, and the alternator is in. I crank it up, and end up having to use the starter fluid once again.
So! I go on my cruise on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Oklahoma, and all is well! except that the engine has grease all over it that is now smoking and basically nasty. Another trip to o'reillys, a can and a half of engine degreaser, and 5 minutes at the local car wash and the engine is pretty clean (for a 30 year old car). I continue my cruise. About two hours later (~7pm now) the alternator belt slips off, shreds itself to bits, and I limp the car home
I am now seriously considering a ZZ4 engine swap
Facebook
Twitter