Winter Maintenance

GNONYX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
I started by replacing the intermediate exhaust pipes, muffler, and reused the original tail pipes
Replaced the powermaster with complete vacuum system, and I'm still working on them. I started by bleeding all brakes by gravity just to remove the old dirty brake fluid. Installed Russell speed bleeder, Bench bleed the MC, fresh brake fluid, and started to bleed the pass. rear. Only to find out nothing was coming out of the bleeder, I removed the bleeder clean it a bit and still nothing.
The bad new is now I have to replace the wheel cylinder, and reading how it's connected with a clip instead of two bolts. I replace the exhaust elbow/downpipe donut was damaged from moving back and forth when installing the mufflers system.
I couldn't figure where the ticking noise was coming thinking it was the donut, being I removed the throttle body to replace the shaft seal, and replace the oxygen sensor. Here I thought I was going to use a 7/8" wrench and the damn thing was so loose I removed it by just a few turns. Now I know where the ticking noise was coming from, and why the BLM was reading over 148.
I don't know if this is a winter maintenance or a winter project.I made a smoke machine and that's is how I found a major vacuum leak coming from the throttle body shaft seals, as this is the second time I replaced them.
I did found out these seals are not a direct replacement, and the following statement explains: The only available shaft seals for Buick GN throttle bodys measure 10 X 17 X 5mm. These are .010" oversize. ANSI Standards for these seals specify a maximum press fit of .0011" thousandths. For this reason you really need to enlarge the seal pockets to get a good seal there. Distorting the shaft seal will affect its function.
I used my Dremel with a sanding band and rotate in circle inside the throttle body shaft seal pockets, and it fit pretty good, but the true test is when I use the smoke machine.

The left oxygen sensor is what I removed and the right is Denso replacement, and the damaged exhaust elbow/downpipe donut
 

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nice homemade smoke machine ... maybe contact Steve Monroe in mustang OK to fix your throttle body
 
Have always had good luck bleeding the master cylinder after installed on the car. Run the hoses up into the reservoir and watch the air bubbles till they're gone as you relax in the driver's seat. Didn't you replace the proportioning valve? Any small leaks there. A couple of times I loosened the lines where they go into the distribution block over the axle and just let it gravity bleed to help get some air out.
Why did you have to replace the wheel cylinder? If they're not all rusted I'd just spend a few dollars and rebuild them and not mess with the crazy clips. Other than honing the bore its about as simple as simple can get.
And put the AC sensor in parts for sale as oem for $50. :LOL:
 
nice homemade smoke machine ... maybe contact Steve Monroe in mustang OK to fix your throttle body
Thanks Doc, right now once I finish putting all together, and test with smoke machine for the throttle body seals, and if still leaks then I'll contact Steve Monroe. Thanks Again
 
Have always had good luck bleeding the master cylinder after installed on the car. Run the hoses up into the reservoir and watch the air bubbles till they're gone as you relax in the driver's seat. Didn't you replace the proportioning valve? Any small leaks there. A couple of times I loosened the lines where they go into the distribution block over the axle and just let it gravity bleed to help get some air out.
Why did you have to replace the wheel cylinder? If they're not all rusted I'd just spend a few dollars and rebuild them and not mess with the crazy clips. Other than honing the bore its about as simple as simple can get.
And put the AC sensor in parts for sale as oem for $50. :LOL:

I remove the bleeder valve on the pass. rear and nothing came out .I'm going to try something else before messing with the wheel cylinder.
And yes, those clip can be a PITA, especially putting back a new clip
Yes I already replaced the proportioning valve and on my other threads I listed this proportioning valve tool
 
Have always had good luck bleeding the master cylinder after installed on the car. Run the hoses up into the reservoir and watch the air bubbles till they're gone as you relax in the driver's seat. Didn't you replace the proportioning valve? Any small leaks there. A couple of times I loosened the lines where they go into the distribution block over the axle and just let it gravity bleed to help get some air out.
Why did you have to replace the wheel cylinder? If they're not all rusted I'd just spend a few dollars and rebuild them and not mess with the crazy clips. Other than honing the bore its about as simple as simple can get.
And put the AC sensor in parts for sale as oem for $50. :LOL:

I had a soft pedal after my vac swap, but the car stoped so much better I thought it was ok. I drove it like that a couple months. When I mentioned the soft pedal to a friend he asked if I bench bled it, I had no idea what he meant.
His interpretation was the reason you bleed them on the “bench” was because you can’t push the M/C piston all the way to the end of the stroke while in the car, leaving some air in the end.

I did as he suggested and then I had a nice hard pedal.

Maybe mine was just extra finicky.
 
Since you are replacing the wheel master anyway get 3/4" S-10 for both sides. your stoping will be much better.

the masters on there now are 11/16 inch.

I got mine off E-bay for like $8.00 a peice.
 
Finally good news, after Installing the Russell speed bleeder, I Bench bleed the MC again, fresh brake fluid, and started to bleed the pass. rear. only to find out the wheel cylinder started to bleed brake fluid. The only thing that could have happen when I open the bleeder to clear a blockage in the bleeder itself, left it open as I continue to replace all the brake lines to the wheels caliber, and drum wheel brake cylinder. After replacement I reinstalled the MC, add brake fluid, and fluid started to come out on the pass. rear. The good news the vacuum brake system went well.
Once everything was put together, I used the smoke machine to see if the throttle body seals, and the throttle body vacuum block, were good to go.
The only thing I have to do is to readjust the TPS, replace the shifter handle, and readjust the shifter to lock into the park location.
 
Finally good news, after Installing the Russell speed bleeder, I Bench bleed the MC again, fresh brake fluid, and started to bleed the pass. rear. only to find out the wheel cylinder started to bleed brake fluid. The only thing that could have happen when I open the bleeder to clear a blockage in the bleeder itself, left it open as I continue to replace all the brake lines to the wheels caliber, and drum wheel brake cylinder. After replacement I reinstalled the MC, add brake fluid, and fluid started to come out on the pass. rear. The good news the vacuum brake system went well.
Once everything was put together, I used the smoke machine to see if the throttle body seals, and the throttle body vacuum block, were good to go.
The only thing I have to do is to readjust the TPS, replace the shifter handle, and readjust the shifter to lock into the park location.


That’s GREAT news!!!
 
All the work of trying to find my problem with the high blm reading is when I finally found the culprit.
I try to do something different and it work out great
I used my homemade smoke machine and connected to the downpipe A/F sensor; connected my shop vac machine to the tail pipe and block off the other end of the tail pipe.
Once I started the smoke machine and the shop vac, is when I notice some smoke and misted baby oil leaking from the driver side header gasket. What really annoys me is I replaced these header gasket about 10 years ago and haven't driven the car. During that time all of the spec was reading within the normal spec, including the BLM of 129.
I believe I used copper header gasket with no silicone and everything went well; so once my transmission gasket get deliver and installed is when I remove the driver side header.
 

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I've tried no gasket, high temp. RTV, copper gasket and Remflex. Zero leak with Remflex not so with the others.
 
Finally got the tranny gasket, installed it dry
Start engine, warm up, and check tranny fluid all is good
After engine warm up, check scanmaster and the blm is now 160, I guess the mist of baby oil finally gave more opening between the driver side header and the crossover pipe .
Is there a donut between the driver side header and cross over pipe?
 
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