65GS.com - Buick Gran Sport Enthusiasts!
Drivetrain => The Nailhead => Topic started by: Bigpig455 on January 18, 2010, 11:11:31 AM
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Aside from picking up the headers this week, I also finally brought the car home!
In the inagural 6 mile ride I found:
Car runs strong - will spin RR (open diff) tire from standstill with no brake preloading, and will continue to spin until you've had enough
Something smoked under the dash and the blower motor stopped working along with burning plastic smell - preliminary look shows no melted wires thank god - maybe the resistor?
Like 20 turns lock to lock - might have to look for a newer steering box.
Washed it! Alot more orange in the Flame red than I though!
Intermittant rocker type noise when idling - have to change oil and listen hard
Pics to follow
Rhett
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Washed - for the first time in 3 years -
Rhett
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Dont know what happened to the attached pics - lemme try again..
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Really nice.
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Rhett,
Looks very nice!!
My first guess would be the switch for the blower. Seems to be a weak spot from my experience with the '65s.
Loren
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Very nice :thumbsup:
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Thanks to you all - I'm pretty pleased with it too.
Loren - I'll break out the ohmeter - Any idea if the switch is repoduced or has any crossover (olds, etc..?)?
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Car looks really nice... very classy color combo. :thumbsup:
I see what you mean by the orange tint to the paint.
Chris
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Very nice car!! Looking good!
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Make sure you are using some kind of zinc additive/break in lube in your oil. If not, you could be wearing out a cam lobe and causing the ticking noise you are hearing. I put a bottle of the comp-cams break in lube (zinc additive) in all my Buicks every time I change the oil.
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SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET CAR...RHETT :thumbsup:
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I'll definately add the zinc when I change the oil, thanks for the tip.....
The car has been repainted, so I dont know if the orange tint is just on my car or all Flame Red cars are that color..I had a 71 Skylark that was alot closer to Blood Red - much more blue in it...
Sorry about the crappy pics - When the weather gets better I'll get the thing out in the sun and take some clearer shots
I'm told the car was built with a black top, and the previous owner changed it over to white (which I like better anyway) It also has a red top boot, and as nice as the interior color is, it's a little TOO much red....I'll probably pick up a white top boot at some point. I have one on the Corvair and I like the look, it'll break it up a little...
Rhett
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Rhett,
The switch is not reproduced , that I'm aware of. NOS do come up on ebay now and then. It is used in both '64 and '65. I'll have to look up the part # for you. Try to get that latter tonight for you.
Loren
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Blower switch:
GM part #
Group 9.275 pt# 1362737
It is used on '64 and '65 Special, Skylark, and '65 GS. Both non A/C and factory A/C vehicles. It is not the same as the switch used on the Buick Custom dealer add-on A/C.
Good luck on your hunt.
Loren
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Found a used oneon ebay for 20.00 - I'll grab it and put it on the shelf if it isnt the failure point.
Loren - It sound like you've had personal experience with the blower/switch failure. When mine failed, the car filled with a strong burnt plastic smell and when I turned the blower switch on, there was a definate draw on the electrical system and the lights will dim...
My first thought was that the blower cage was physically blocked, although it was working fine when I bought the car. I suppose a mouse nest could have fallen in there, but it seems kinda sudden. I didnt find any melted wiring at the motor terminal or the resistor either.
I'll try the switch quick and hope for the best, but I also wanted to check to see the motor/cage was able to turn free. Whats my best point of access? Through the cowl/wiper panel? I cant see the access to the fan when I put light into the cowl well, but I know it has to be there. As I look at the shop manual, it appears the heater core housing doesnt give access to the blower are either..and I'm pretty sure pulliing the blower motor itself is no picnic...I hate to start dismantling without knowing where I'm going.
Any suggestions?
Rhett
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That is one nice looking car!
Keith
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Rhett,
Yes I have had some personal experience with that switch.
I've owned a few Skylarks and GSs.
The blower is accessed from the engine compartment. As I remember, you need to remove the passenger inner fender to get it out. The switch is accessed via removal of the dash pad and the plastic dash surround then you can get at the screws that hold the trim cover around the switch and heater controls. When that is finally off, there are two screws that hold the switch in. It comes out through the front.
It's not all that complicated, just time consuming.
Best of luck,
Loren
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There is actually a "Buick Service" way to remove the housing that John E. mentioned before that involves (get this) drilling a hole in the inner fender well that allows enough access for a socket and extension to reach the one bolt that requires you to remove the entire fender well.
This is actually documented somewhere in either the 65 manual or one of the service supplementals.
I think Tom had this decision to make last year and decided to just bite the bullet and remove the inner fender well.
Chris
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Chris -
Thanks for the info, I did see the service manual instructions where you draw the arc, etc.. I just hate drilling holes. Think I'll cross my fingers and try the switch first!
Loren -
I think I can do the switch without much fuss, although that plastic surround looks like it's pretty brittle! When your switch quit, do you remember if the motor would still draw power and dim the lights? It seems to me that if the switch smoked, it wouldn't have any effect at all, unless the switch was grounding out somehow.. I also noticed that instead of a fuse in the blower motor slot in the fusebox, there's an inline breaker. (at least I think thats the circuit, I only looked quick). I thought that was some kind of previous owner hack fix but I see in the manual that some cars were equipped that way for "power options". What else runs off that circuit? The manual doesnt metion anything else.
Thanks again to all for your input - Rhett
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Rhett,
I have replaced the fan switch in my hardtop a few years ago. I knew that it was the problem because I could get it to work by wiggling it around until the fan kicked in. Follow Loren's instructions to change yours out. When removing the dash pad, you will need to remove the glove box liner to gain access to the two hidden nuts that hold the pad to the dash. There are other visible Phillips screws that also hold the pad to the dash. From this point it will be obvious how to get at that switch. Be sure to keep the screws organized so that they go back in the correct location as there are different lenghts and styles of screws.
I have also replaced the fan motor in the hardtop as it created a hot electrical smell just before the 30 amp fuse blew. New aftermarket fans are available and they are very easy to replace if this is the problem. Access is from the engine compartment. Unplug a single wire, then three or four hex head screws will remove the blower motor with the squirrel cage. What Chris mentioned in a previous post about taking off the fender or drilling a hole into the inner fender, that procedure is only necessary if you are replacing the heater core. If you smell antifreeze and the carpet is wet on the passenger floor, that's the signs for a heater core repair. I hope that is not the case as this repair is more involved.
I wonder if it could it also be a blower resistor that's the problem?
Rhett, consult you Buick Service Manual, section 11 for assistance. If you don't have one, Chris has it available here in the electronic garage section. Good luck and let us know that you got her fixed.
John Egel
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Thanks John -
That answers some questions, my switch has pretty positive and solid action, so I doubt it's the issue.
I havent yet pulled the resistor (that'll be next), but the harness at the resistor shows no heat damage.
Good to know the fan will come out without modification (in the back of my mind, I thought it would)
I do have a copy of the manual, and also have been using electonic garage copy when I'm away from home - the part about romovign the blower motor on page 545 would lead you to believe you need to pucnh a hole in the fender well. As the heater core is still solid, it sounds like I can avoid that.
Your fan motor failure sounds alot like mine - except I've got the inline breaker in place of the fuse. if the resistor is good, I'll pull the motor.
You said they're available from the aftermarket - as in Napa, Pep Boys, Autozone, etc..?
Thanks, again - Rhett
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Rhett,
You might be able to find one a NAPA, etc. I bought mine online from AMC, Imports, 1040 E. 4th Street, Graham, TX 76450. 800-900-9560 or 940-549-0288. Part # JW510-226. Cost $45. It was a prefect fit. You might want to pull your old motor out and try lubricating it. That may free it up. Just a thought.
John Egel
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John,
Thanks for the extra input.
I was just going off memory, should have gone out to the garage and looked at the parts car.
Loren