Stewzer55's 1992 Olds CC

After searching coast to coast, scouring internet classifieds, I finally found one of the most rare wagons built of the 91-96 generation. A 1992 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser with the LO5 350 TBI engine and the towing package.  It's a pretty well optioned car, power everything, factory remote keyless entry, rear defrost, Cassette deck with equalizer and a build date of April 1992 so its a later one (when did they stop making them, June?). It came with a set of stock wheel covers, but this one sits on 9C1 steelies and 235/75 R15 tires.

Anyhow, enough of my babbling, here's some pics:













How do I fix this?



Oh, its got a Sungate windshield too.



Wheelcovers and an extra airbag



Dashboard, this isn't the radio pictured in the manual for the '92 OCC Late production issue? It also has the compass in the mirror.

You can pull the weather strip out and re-seat it.

Or replace it.

Use heat to help put it back into place?

When mine did that I just pulled it out, put it back, and left the window closed for awhile and it seemed to return to shape. It's foam. I wouldn't heat it.

Now, that is purty!!!

It needs a lot of cleaning, dusty interior, dog hair its pretty messy. It is a 23 year old car and I think it spent a fair amount of time sitting in a garage or barn for a while judging by the dust. Also, there's a small part of the headliner that is coming lose, there's some minor discoloration on the seats, the power mirrors don't work and the antenna is stuck in the up position.

Happy you finally got it Stew,now you are officially HOOKED on these wagons!

Wow, congrats on finally getting your car! I was afraid you might lose out on that one. Come on down to wagonfest next month and show it off.

Clean car! too bad about the dog though. I'd rather drive a smokers car than smell dog **** when i drove around. Saw a copy of this car in a JY once and thought it was a very hansom car.

It doesn't smell like dog, now at least, I plan on shampooing the interior as a safe measure.

I've had the wagon bug for a long time, I really thought about finding a good 96 Roady when I bought my Trailblazer. When I was looking for getting a first car, I wanted to get a Jetta TDI wagon with a 5 speed.

Good looking car congrats.... Jeff

I had to get it before you did!

You got the premium radio, and the manual HVAC.

How many miles?

On repairing your antenna...Depending on whether the motor is fried, mast is bent, or if the cable is broken, you may need different parts. If the motor is fried, any similar motor unit will work, but you have to swap the cable and pigtail.

If it is just the cable, you can get the repair kit for the antenna at: [url=http://www.antennamastsrus.com/GM/Cheverolet/Caprice/Caprice 1991-1996.htm]http://www.antennamastsrus.com/GM/Cheverolet/Caprice/Caprice%201991-1996.htm[/url].

If your mast is bent, you are going to have to find a donor antenna, because the mast is no longer available.

The antenna is replaced by loosening the wheelhouse up to the battery tray, and accessing it through the bottom. It is a bit of a pain, but can be done in about an hour.

When getting the headliner redone, be extremely careful with it when removing. The areas beside the vista window are fragile. I reinforced mine from the backside (top) with resin and carbon fiber. You can use fiberglass. 3 ounce is more than sufficient. I used 5 ounce carbonfiber, and I can almost stand on it.

The window run channel is relatively easy to replace, but plan on removing the glass to do it. It extends about a foot into the door at the rear, and fits into a couple of "lock tabs". If you go to the junk yard for a replacement, check the front for a gap at the window sill end of the run channel. A nice one should extend slightly below the sill. I do not know if you can adjust the lower part of the run channel, but it may be forcing the glass out at the top just a little, and causing the glass to catch the top of the run channel.

I like the look of the OCC with the 235/75 tires. It gives it a more predatory stance.

What gear ratio do you have (GM*, GU*), and does it have a posi (G80)?

To reinstall the roof rack crossbar, you have to remove the stops at the rear.

If you want the RM sun shades for the vista window, they are easily adapted to the trim.

Im glad you finally got her home. Congrats.

Wow nice find hopefully it cleans up well for you.

stewzer55 wrote:

I had to get it before you did!

I just wanted to be sure someone didn't buy it for their painting business..... Jeff

Thanks Fred, I'm waiting on Mike to chime in here, I know a guy on another forum who lives like 10 minutes away from him on another forum. Already has the roof shades from the factory. Its got the 3.23 gears in with the tow package, decently firm ride. Had to get some 4x8 plywood at Lowe's and my TB is too short, trailer is full of snow and 1 ton isn't running so I took the Olds with my mom. Rode great, had to get gas because the low fuel light had come on, took 19.3 gallons and accelerated from about 30 to well over the posted 55mph speed limit effortlessly. (cough, cough cough 80 cough cough)



Mike says its got a Buick radio, could be original since it was built in April 92.

Nice score.

Tomorrow, I should be able to get the inspection done so I can get an Ohio title for this beast.  I'm gonna go with special plates, specifically http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/08/13/POW-MIA_license_plate.html those. It drives great, need to figure out why the power mirrors don't work and after it gets inspected, no more driving until the weather breaks and all the salt washes off the roads. Will need to get some tune up parts, air filter, oil change and a serpentine belt to start off.

Stew,I can read the excitement in your post,let the upgrades begin.Each new wagon owner brings their own special enthusiasm with them and its always interesting to read it here.

Got it titled and plates ordered. While I was at the BMV they noticed that my license was a little blurry and since I got it done there about 6 weeks ago they went ahead and made me a new one at no cost. That office is run by a contractor and not the State.





Plates on there are from my old S10 and were hanging up in the garage, the paper in my rear window is the temporary plate for now with the number of my plate on it.

Do I see salt on that nice wagon?

Tom

Unfortunately. Its all washed off now, I had to stop and take some pictures in George Rogers Clark Park and it was still dirty. Put a few miles on it today just enjoying it. I know I said I was going to wait for nicer weather, but it had to be on the road to get inspected today anyway, so....

I think its been regeared, and in a good way. Speedometer reads faster than actual speed by 8-10 MPH, with the taller tires, typically it goes the other way by 1 or 2 MPH, so it may already have 3.73s out back.

You probably have the 3.23s The speedo on my 92 reads 3 MPH fast at 50 with 2.93s and 29 inch tires and stock VSS gears.

My 91 has 3.23s and it used to read about 7-10 MPH fast at 50. I put 15/35 tooth VSS gears in the trans, and it reads about 49 at 50 on 27 inch tires.

You should have a green driven gear (42 tooth) on the VSS. I have a purple 43 tooth if you are interested in slowing the speedo down closer to the true speed (about a 5 MPH difference). You could also install a 17 tooth drive gear to replace your 18 tooth stock one. Just changing the 17 tooth gear will get you close to the correct speed. I do not have a 17 tooth, and do not know what cars have them. Most of the gears are no longer available, even the speedo shops do not have a good selection.

Congrats! That's a good looking wagon!

It consistently reads about 8 MPH faster, at 35 its showing about 43. I set the cruise at 70, I'm doing 62. SPID says it should have a 3.23. It's on 235/75-15 tires and I have not ruled out it being the VSS either.

There are two types of VSS units. One for the 40 and above tooth driven gears, and another one for the 39 and fewer tooth driven gears. Make sure you get the correct one if you decide to change them. Yours should have the 40+ tooth version. If your trans was rebuilt at some point, you may have the wrong gears for the VSS with 3.23 gears. Not everyone knows that the gearing is important. I would check the VSS gear. The drive gear, on the trans output shaft, should be blue (18 tooth), and the driven gear should be green (42 tooth). The number of teeth is marked on the outside perimeter of the driven gear. The color should be enough to identify it. I would pull the VSS and check the gears before you do anything else. If you have a VSS with a 39- tooth gear, you need to replace both the gear and VSS. The only external difference I can find is that the one for the 40+ gears has a white connector, and the one for 39- gears has a black connector. The 40+ also has a part number on it of 10456089, and a 6110. There is also a DR on the black center. The 39- has no markings on it. The 40+ tooth unit has the metal cover centered over the mounting boss, and the 39- has the metal cover raised so that the top is almost even with the top of the mounting boss (off center).

Thanks for the advice, I'll have to look underneath sometime and figure it out.

That's the wrong tire size. Should read about 2% fast because your stock size is 225/75R15.

Minor difference, but still.

So, its been an interesting last few weeks, lost my job and have had to pause my internship because now I have to find another place to finish it. It has given me a little more time to enjoy the Olds and to figure out any minor issues with it. I do get a SES light after running it hard, need to figure out what's causing that. I think the TRW Remote Keyless entry box is dead, remote is good though, pulled the back panel and it didn't cycle when I grounded the wire. I also got the front door window weather strip/moulding back into place, that's going to need to be replaced. Noticed that the lower hinge on the left rear wing window is not attached to the glass and there has been some not so great rust repair hidden under the cladding. There's water getting into the spare tire well somehow. I need to SEM the door panels and the cargo area panels. Headliner will need to be dropped and repaired, its starting to come loose on the edges in the back and its got a small cut back there too. Rear lamp covers in the grab handles are trash, they've cracked and warped. And, it needs new speakers, pretty sure the old ones are the stock, 23 year old Delcos installed when it was being born in Willow Run.

Despite all the little things wrong with it, its smooth driving, quiet, refined comfortable, It's got power when I need it. But it needs more power, and I already have someone on Bangshift trying to talk me into an Olds 455.

Make a list of the things that need fixing, scratch off one at a time, as you fix it.

Two things that I would fix first: 1. Make sure the drain in the spare tire well is clear. This isn't fixing the problem, but prevents a bigger problem. 2. Fix the hinge on the butterfly window or there's a good chance the window will fly off. I have two wagons and I had those windows sealed at a glass shop, so they won't open. Never used them and I didn't want a problem. At a minimum duct tape the window temporarily to hold it in place until it is correctly replaced.

Tom

Yeah. Those hinges are easy to repair, too. Clean the glass and the hinge and use rear view mirror adhesive.

Won't go anywhere.

Been there done that.

Stingroo wrote:

Yeah. Those hinges are easy to repair, too. Clean the glass and the hinge and use rear view mirror adhesive.

Won't go anywhere.

Been there done that.

You are the only person I have heard of, who got good results with mirror cement. Nothing else seems to work either. On the other hand, most people probably did not take the time to do it right.

Yeah, mirror cement can be tricky, I had to cement the mirror button back on in my old S10, used the best stuff they had at the parts store and it was a nice hot day. Cleaned the entire inside of the windshield then too. I'm not opposed to having them sealed.

The spare tire well has been patched and doesn't have a drain that I can see. The wheel wells are mint. I would not be surprised at all if the water is coming from the roof or the rear glass. Thanks for the help

There should be a hole in the bottom of the spare well, under the tire.

Okay, backed it up onto ramps today and looked underneath at the VSS, Black cover with no parts numbers. It would have been better to pull up onto the ramps. It will need an oil and filter change before too long. It's got a Fram filter on it and I don't really trust them. I'll have to pull the spare and put in a drain hole for the spare well.

I noticed that I had a key shaped piece of metal that fits perfectly in the A and B terminals in the cup holders when I got it, didn't get the code from it.

Thanks Fred.

You have to pull the VSS out and see what color the gear is, or count the teeth. Those are numbers Fred is talking about, the VSS tooth count.

The number of teeth is marked on the side with the depression around the outside diameter of the gear. The number is a little difficult to see. The color is the easiest way to determine the tooth count.

Had to fill it up today, MPG came to a grand total of 14.30. Absolutely horrible. It must be running in open loop is all I can think of, temp gauge does look a little on the cool side right in the middle between 100 and 210. It could be running cold, Coolant temp sensor could be bad, thermostat its got a bad Oxygen sensor is all I can think of, but heat still blows hot. Its got a Four Seasons remmanned AC compressor on it, it seems to be stuck and the clutch doesn't kick in when the AC is activated.

Thats the best I ever got my 92 OCC to run...good luck. I gave up chasing Gremlins...lol

The AC clutch may not kick in for a couple of reasons: low refrigerant, and ambient temp. If you have the electronic climate control, and it is low on refrigerant, put it in econ, and the compressor should start.

For the engine to go into closed loop, the coolant temp has to reach a certain point. It will also get better gas mileage with a 195 degree thermostat. The sensor that runs the computer is the one on the manifold. The one that runs the gauge is on the driver's side head.

After thinking it over, reading the gauge and figuring out what temp its reading, its showing between 160 and 170.  The weather strip around the front windows is getting its regular shape back after putting it back into place slowly.  It has the manual HVAC, pretty much has every option except electronic climate control and alloy wheels.



There's a tarp shoved in the cab of my slow moving truck project next to it, its not full of trash lol.

You can bypass the relay, and hook the compressor clutch to the battery, to test it for function.

Or Defrost mode!


Oi vey, Its gotta have a leak in the roof, I noticed that in the gap above the taillights, a slight bit of rust in there, a coin-slot sized hole above the right tail light. Maybe this winter it will get sent to paint and body hell and get the spare well properly fixed and those spots addressed with the handful of other dings repaired. D-pillars have a little bit of trash in the paint too. I know a kick ass body guy, here's an example of his work, He did the base paint, not the airbrush work.







I know its fiberglass, but his metal work is great too.

Mine get 12 MPG currently on a tired engine - mainly city. So 14.30 sounds about right.

I get between 14-15 in town on my 96 Roady wagon. As much as these beasts weigh, I really don't think that is too bad. I get in the low 20's mpg on the highway, which I still think is amazing.

Yeah, in the city, I got uh.... well, hah.

Highway was 22-24 at 75-80mph all day long.

Yesterday, I filled up before making the 350ish mile round trip to go visit my grandparents and that tank yielded 15.5, filled it up again this afternoon at the same pump and returned 19.5.


But wait, there's more! My odometer intermittently stops logging miles every once in a while and during yesterday's travels, there's probably a loss of about 50 miles or so. Any cluster gurus out there have an idea what could be causing this?


It cruises nicely on the interstate, even at 80+ in passing situations.

The cluster board or the VSS could be the culprit. The board is the same for all of the Roadmaster sedans and wagons up to and including 93, as well as all of the OCCs.

If you have to replace the VSS, there are 2 types. One for the driven gears up to and including 39 teeth, and one for 40 plus teeth.

Last but not least, the odometer may be malfunctioning. You can check it against the trip odometer.

It is possible that the wiring may be an issue, but that is a lot less likely than the other options.