1983 Cutlass Calais “The Cripples Cruiser”

[Stupidquestionspro]

Well on top of having to seal my small intake oil leak it looks like my drivers valve cover may some how have a leak. I knew I should have just RTV’d the hell out of everything dang it

I also need to finish my spacing on my pulleys but I believe I have a plan now just need money hardware and time!

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[fleming442]

I bet the oil spray is from the breather not the cover gasket....

 

[Stupidquestionspro]

I bet the oil spray is from the breather not the cover gasket....

You think so?[emoji848] I just cleaned it not very long ago at all plus my pcv valve is only a month old what could be causing that?


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[fleming442]

Blow-by: rings or exhaust valve guide clearance

 

[Stupidquestionspro]

So excuse my ignorance how would I check either of those?

Also could it just be I did a bad job of cleaning the breather out?


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[fleming442]

No, cleaning the breather out probably made it worse (the spray). Checking that stuff requires going into the engine pretty deep. IIRC, you ran thin synthetic oil in it last change? Switch up to a thicker dino oil, and it should decrease.

 

[Stupidquestionspro]

Oh dang ok well thanks now hearing that I might be happier if my new gaskets were leaking


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[olds307 and 403]

I do like those Edelbrock valve covers painted black with the Edelbrock script left chrome. A closed breather to the air cleaner will help.

 

[Stupidquestionspro]

Ok maybe I’ll look that up and thanks they were chrome and my dad painted them all black but when I redid the gaskets the paint wasn’t very good and I had extra paint so I resprayed and then sanded out the letters and clear coated it. It’s done badly but from a few feet away you can’t even tell.


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[Stupidquestionspro]

So I have been wondering off and on about my brake booster and master both are factory to my knowledge and I’ve noticed that it seems that my brake pedal has a little bit of travel with almost no resistance then hits some pretty good resistance and I have to give it more of a push than I’m used to with other vehicles to really get it to stop the fronts are a kit from ssbc with I believe dual piston calipers drilled and slotted rotors and it’s newer I don’t remember how old but very low mileage and the rear is factory drum with newer shoes hardware and wheel cylinders. Based on the master it doesn’t seem I’m losing any brake fluid and the rubber lines are all new. The gasket on the master lid is fine and in place as well.

I did the brake boosters tests I found online such as holding the pedal while shutting the engine off and waiting 30 seconds and the pedal didn’t drop. And then when I was holding the brake and started the motor the pedal dropped initially a little bit and then as I was holding it went lower and lower until it seemed like it hit the end of travel. I don’t think I was pressing any harder [emoji848]

Also to note my 04 expedition with new pads and rotors stops better and faster than the cutlass with less pedal effort I’m not sure that’s a fair comparison or not.

My idle when I press and hold the brakes either in gear or park does lower but it seems to be about 100-200 rpms or so.


Also my tripometer in the gauge cluster works well but the reset stalk is terrible half the time I can’t get it to grab and definitely can’t reset the thing Is this likely user error or what should I check for when I pull the cluster to put in my LED bulbs?


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