Stewzer55's 1992 Olds CC

My trip was frozen for a while after a reset, they both started working together today, wouldn't be surprised if it was the board,

I think the starter is bad. Had to get a tow home

Sucks...Hope you get her back on the road soon.

It's just testing you.... Jeff

I want to punch whoever designed the exhaust in the TBI cars in the throat.  Starter is OE, it started to rain before I could get that last tiny nut off of the trigger/ignition/signal wire.  The battery cable terminal took significant effort to remove, made better by the short stroke from the lack of space. There must have been an oil leak or something prior to my ownership because of the greasy dirt on the transpan, torque converter cover and so on. Daylight ran out and it started to sprinkle, so I gathered up my tools, put them into the garage quickly along with my cardboard I was using to lay on, washed up a little and made some dinner.  Tomorrow, after my job interview, I should be able to finish the removal and hopefully have it running again.

Also, I should probably do the cap, rotor plugs and wires. I think it might have originals, Packard Electric and the cylinder numbers on them, could be the source of my intermittent SES light.

Even sitting on a rollback that's a good looking wagon,liking those wheels more and more.

I need to get Olds Rocket logo stickers for the centers, I have an extra set to polish out. Trim rings for the outside, yay or nay?

Trim rings - yea.

Not "Yay," it's "Yea," (I'm sorry. That's my English degree speaking).

I'll allow it.

By the way, what size are the nuts on the manifolds to the Y-pipe? It seemed like 14MM but, then again these were built at a time where there are lots of intermixing of SAE and Metric fasteners used.

Scratch that, not pulling the Y-pipe (should be the Why pipe, V8s need duals) poking around the internet says to remove the frame brace and in order to properly do that, I needed an 18mm wrench and I got that. Apparently I have to use some GED (Git Er Done) skills with a needle nose pair of vice grips to get the nut in the LCA mount since I don't have a skinny 18mm wrench. Took Sunday and yesterday to visit my grandparents, grandma has been fighting cancer for the last 2 and a half years, had a stroke before Christmas and had a really bad reaction to the cancer drugs in the last few weeks. I'll get the rest of this knocked out today and drive it for my meeting tonight.

Stingroo wrote:

Trim rings - yea.

Not "Yay," it's "Yea," (I'm sorry. That's my English degree speaking).

I say trim rings too!

You do not have to remove the frame support to put duals on a 92. You do have to make a hump in the trans support. Also, make sure you put the shift lever in 1st when installing the pipe to allow the pipe to clear the rotating shaft. You can get a muffler bracket for the driver's side from a passenger side of a junk car. They are the same, and the holes are already there to bolt it on.

Switching to duals is a later project, I  just ordered the thin wrenches because I need to replace the starter.   They'll be here Friday and I should have it running again Saturday.  Future plans, the duals, will come with an addition of 105 cubic inches. Plus there is the pesky business of the air compressor

455 BB Olds?

Perhaps...

Buy a cheap wrench at the hardware store and bend it.


Make your own tool. :p

Also you can definitely get the starter out with the frame brace in place. I did it on my '92.

Also you can definitely get the starter out with the frame brace in place. I did it on my '92.

If I had a vise, I would have done that with a cheap wrench and my grinder, but I don't.   My thin wrench set should be here Friday, right now its in New Jersey, could be here tomorrow. Still have no idea how that giant starter would come out of there without removing the brace.

You have to remove the brace or the Y pipe. I got it out with regular wrenches. It was a PITA. These cars should have never had Y pipes. You can thank GM for your headaches. The LT1 cars have the braces welded in place, because they have dual exhausts. Duals are one of the best things you can do to a B body. You should clearance the floor on the driver's side to clear the pipe if you are going to lower the car.

Got a Carquest Reman starter, started raining on the way home. It will go in on Monday, mini roadtrip tomorrow to visit family and get our new puppy. Blue Merle Sheltie thats 2.5 months old. Also going to pickup a rolling engine test stand my grandfather had built using part of a 2wd truck frame, another 350ish miles with my utility trailer. Would love to see how the Olds would tow it since it has a longer wheelbase than my Trailblazer but the OCC doesn't have a hitch.

Fred, I don't plan on lowering it, 235/75-15s do fill out the wheel wells nicely and it looks pretty good. Which would work better for the exhaust, long tube headers, shorties or a different set of manifolds? I'll do some searching here and on ISSCA on that. Will have to either relocate the compressor or eliminate the Air Level in the rear, I do like the idea of helper bags over the air shocks.

Since you are not lowering it, you can use either shorty or long tube headers. With the headers you will loose EGR. You can put the O2 sensor on the driver's side header in the collector. Make sure it is not on the lower half of the pipe. The shorties allow it to be closer to the head, and either way, you need a patch cable to attach it to the original connector. Just make sure you have the shifter in 1st gear, so that you do not block the linkage. If you use 2 1/2 inch pipes, I would recommend that you clearance the floor under the driver's seat, back to where the pipe enters the drive shaft tunnel.

Yes the compressor is not compatible with the duals. You can relocate it to the driver's front frame under the marker light with one from a 94-96 unit. You will need patch tubing and a wiring patch cable.

You can put 275s in the rear wheel wells with stock rims. The stock rims pinch the tires a little, but they work. I have heard that you can use 295s, but I forget where the thread is.

It's alive! Turns out the starter may have not been the problem at all, when I was checking everything before putting the flexplate cover and frame brace back on, same thing, one click and nothing. Cleaned both battery terminals to find lots of junk in the two positive terminals and it started right up. I figure though it may have been a good idea to do it anyway, starts very quickly now and the one post broke off of the solenoid during removal anyway.

I got a couple old trim rings to try out on it, two slightly different designs to see how they look with the 9C1 wheels.

If you are going to put headers on the engine, you have to relocate the oil pressure sensor. I used a 1 1/2 inch plumbing nipple, and a 90 degree elbow. The sensor goes straight back, and the wire will still reach the connector. Do not use Teflon tape to seal the piping.

^ Yes. That.

Spent some time this afternoon giving the OCC some much needed interior cleaning. Got a call late last night that my grandma has passed away and I'm taking it for the trip.

Sorry for your loss.

Sorry for your loss,Stew.

Too bad, it is difficult loosing a loved one.

Sorry about your Gram, but it's good that you saw her recently.

Tom

Thanks guys, cancer sucks.

Sorry to hear that Stew,always remember the good times.

Update.  I got a code from it, remembered to have the engine off to get it.

Code 13, oxygen sensor. I wonder if I can use the new in box one thats been in the glovebox of my 1 ton for like 10 years.


Part number is the same. I might change it tomorrow morning before hitting the road.

Stew,if you plan on changing it tomorrow go ahead and spray the old one now with some WD40 or something similar.If the part numbers the same,you should be good to go!Good luck on your trip.

I couldn't find the one that I have, so it didn't get done. SES light came on but only for a little bit. I'm guessing its intermittent. Wagon ran great for the entire trip, I love how these cars shine on the highway. First gear in the transmission feels useless and it takes off hard if you more than lightly touch the accelerator. When I get back home I need to jack up the rear and turn the driveshaft until tires turn once. I ran the numbers, its either the VSS or regeared to 3.73.

I hope it's 3.73s, can y'all blame me?

That's the ratio I would like to have.

Reman starter took a dump already, going too have to upgrade my AAA to platinum to get home.

I do not suggest changing parts because it is all you CAN THINK OF. Have them checked so that you KNOW what they are doing. Get your paper clip out and short the connectors to read the codes. You can clear the codes by removing the fuse at the fuel pump relay in the rear passenger's side of the engine bay. If there is a code, you will see your SEL illuminate. Then check for codes.

Codes are pulled key on, engine off.

14.3 MPG around town is not all that bad for these cars.

Thanks Fred, I'll clear it and see if it comes back. Wagon will be back home tonight.

Really because I've been getting 19 MPG lately just driving back and forth to work. about 60% city I'd guess, 40% country roads

MalibuSSwagon wrote:

Really because I've been getting 19 MPG lately just driving back and forth to work. about 60% city I'd guess, 40% country roads

If you get a little over 14 around town, and 24 on the back roads, that would average to about 19.

I'm mostly on country roads, but before it was a lot of short trips, going into town, stop light drags and general hooning.

I should have added, last time the Olds started, sigh, Took two of my nephews, technically 3 because my sister hadn't birthed him yet, my only niece and my one sister to Dairy Queen and used the 3rd row seat.

No, I still haven't got to pulling the starter again yet, between the heatwave and other obligations, the Olds has sat in my driveway waiting. Hopefully tomorrow since I'm leaving Wednesday for my grandmother's burial, cremation so there wasn't a rush, and will be coming home Thursday.

It needs a bath too, lots of nice nesting trees around my Dad's house, and bird feeders. One thing at a time right now.

Turns out the battery connection at the starter wasn't tight enough, starter is fine.

Posi may be worn out though.

Such is life with these rides. From one thing to the other...still love'em though.

stewzer55 wrote:

Turns out the battery connection at the starter wasn't tight enough, starter is fine.

Posi may be worn out though.

Your posi may just need new gear lubricant and that magic GM additive that seems to work miracles for ailing rearends.

Hmm, may have to try that. I know mine has the tag on one of the bolts.

I'm going to drive it to work tomorrow, it's not Wagonfest, but its something. High of 86 tomorrow, no AC, but she needs driven.

No real updates, been enjoying the wagon. For the last few weeks its been promoted to daily driver status since the transmission in my 2007 Trailblazer needs rebuilt. It will be nice to have my Trailblazer back as a DD, but the wagon handles the job well, last fill up showed a surprising 19 MPG. I figure the MPG increase is because of more gentle driving that I do on a daily basis rather than being a hoon.

Wagon is retired from DD duty today, got the shorter, taller longroof back aka Trailblazer.

I need to clean it out, things like my Red Cross gear, work ID badge, other little things that don't belong in a car that's not driven daily.   Before winter it should get a good wash/wax to protect it as there's no garage space open.   A good friend of mine has a very large storage unit I may ask to put it in and pay half, or get a good heavy cover. Would be nice to get some stuff done over the winter, headliner is sagging a little more and I'm thinking a little well placed glue can go a long way there.

Only a little more time left in my unpaid internship/apprenticeship, just through the end of the year.  Three weeks of class and two exams I'll pass before Wagonfest Daytona Beach and should be looking at having a job in April with a comfortable salary to spend on wagon parts and modifications as time permits their install.

Wagon was a great daily driver and come winter It may come out on warm, salt free days to turn the tires and circulate fluids.

SES light has been coming on everyday, code 32 EGR and nothing else ever comes up, another thing for the to-do list.