New member, first hobby car

C

Chef

New Member
Joined
May 18, 2012


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Hello everyone.
Figured i'd join after creeping the forums for a bit. I just picked up a 87 GN with 68k on it, all original immaculate inside. Body needs some love but no rust. I've been craving one of these beasts for a while! The guy I bought it from owned it for 12 years and only put 4k on it, but, I don't think he did a damn thing to maintain it, and probably beat the hell outta it. After getting it home I gave it a quick tune up, plugs, (the spark plugs had spider eggs in there when I pulled them!) wires, fluid flush etc. Then took it out for its first ride. I took it out to a safe stretch of road and ran it a few times, until the head gasket blew up....
IMG_0801.jpg

I couldn't do anything but laugh and call AAA. So, Its been in the shop for a week and im praying it doesn't become a money pit. I'm totally green with cars but very eager to learn and understand how to work on my own. These forums seem like there do me a lot of good.

So that's the story so far...
 
Welcome aboard! I'm a new timer here as well, the people here are great! Ur lucky u have a car, I'm hunting now can't decide on a GN or finding a we4... I really want to find a we4

Anyway I suggest using the search button I love spending my free time reading threw all the old posts full filling my craving for knowledge!! Best of luck!!!
 
hello and have fun with your new hobby; Lets here more on how you ran it a few times?
IBBY
 
If its not part of the newbie's guide it should be:

Before beating up on your new ride, do the following carnage-prevention steps.
change fuel filter
change fuel pump
REPLACE the boost control hoses.

Your story is a common occurrance on these cars when they change hands.

Hopefully the shop you chose has some experience with these cars, if not, you will need to become the expert so you can guide their work.

Good to have you aboard, don't get discouraged, once the short-list of gotchas is handled these cars are lots of fun to own and drive.

Regards,

Bob
 
Welcome aboard and since you are green to the Turbo Buick world, #1 educate yourself. Anything you need to know about these beautiful cars is at your finger tips, this site has an unbelievable amount of valuable information. The members here are AMAZING and will help you out in anyway possible. Enjoy your car and have fun and like TurboBob said there are some basic upgrades and maintenance you need to do, after you get your car back together, to insure it doesn't happen again.
 
Chef said:
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So, Its been in the shop for a week and im praying it doesn't become a money pit.
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I had to laugh when I read this part of your post!!:D If you dont want a car that is going to be a money pit, do yourself a favor and sell it now. RIGHT NOW!!!!
 
jdpolzin said:
I had to laugh when I read this part of your post!!:D If you dont want a car that is going to be a money pit, do yourself a favor and sell it now. RIGHT NOW!!!!
Click to expand...

I don't want to scare anyone off from these cars, but I have to partially agree. I had experience with tuning a supercharged 3800 first and other cars for my whole life. I consider myself very lucky and have still had plenty of expensive issues with my car and I know multiple good and trustworthy mechanics. Like everyone has mentioned though, keep doing your research and try to develop an understanding of how the car actually works. It's all worth it in the end. A few weeks ago I road in a Ford GT, and I've ridden in numerous other exotics, old and new Ferrari's, AMG Benz's, 32 Fords with blowers, 49 Merc's, various Shelby cars, and NONE of them are as satisfying on a daily basis as my turbo Buick. Those other cars all have their high points, but day in and day out, to and from work, at the track, on the cool ride home from the track, street racing, car shows, and just cruising around at 20+mpgs, a TR gets it done!

Welcome to the darkside...
 
I had to laugh when I read this part of your post!! If you don't want a car that is going to be a money pit, do yourself a favor and sell it now. RIGHT NOW!!!!
Click to expand...
HA! I know that's excellent advice, but the chances of that happing are slim. I plan on it hitting the pocket a bit but just dont want to get in way over my head. Thanks for all your responses so far. I hope to have her back in the next few days.. I'll be sure to post the work done and the tears spent...
 
So, after about 3 weeks I finally got my GN back home. The engine was a bit of a mess the previous owner never took care of it. Turns out that the wastegate diaphragm had went bad and wasn't dumping causing the head gasket to explode... but now its all said and done. I have Two questions for you all:
1)When I got the car back they changed the way the turbo celluloid is set up using two vacuum hoses instead of one split. Although still really green in the turbo Buick world I have yet to read about a set up like this. Any advice??
IMG_0826.JPG
IMG_0828.JPG

And the other question is best way to remove a broken caliber bolt? Did a break and rotor change and the last bolt of the project snapped at the head leaving the threads and shaft inside. Hitting it with pb blaster daily until I can get back to it on Monday. Going to try to wrench it out from the front using vice grips.
Thanks!
 
looking at the picture of your left valve cover that boost solenoid is supposed to be open to atmosphere on one side with a little filter on it, i'm new here to just had my car about a month now.so please someone correct me if wrong.
 
rereading that so they have the line running from turbo pressure side to boost solenoid then to wastegate?
 
best way to unseize any bolt i've found is heating it then shocking it with cold water ,repeadedly when nessesary.
 
If your wastegate solenoid, hoses, Y fitting, and wastegate actuator are NOT hooked in accordance with the attached, then it's WRONG. Looks like the shop you're using is not the shop to be using.

OH, btw, according to the attachment the Y fitting on GN's should be black. HOWEVER, I've NEVER seen a black Y fitting on a GN. They've all been gray.
 

Attachments

  • wastegate Y fitting.pdf
    107.4 KB · Views: 98
You really need to get that car over to a knowledgeable member to help you with it before you blow it up again. Where are you located?
 
Reggie West said:
You really need to get that car over to a knowledgeable member to help you with it before you blow it up again. Where are you located?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know your right, I plan on babying it for a while until I know everything is up to spec. It still needs a ton of work until I even attempt opening it up again.
I'm located in central New Jersey about 15 minutes from Trenton and 40 min from Philly
 
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