1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham

[gdouaire]

Taking my effin' time still. New knock sensor installed, with the right pigtail. Triming the wires and hoses, routing them to be as clean as possible. The first time around, I have to admit I had done a spaghetti-ish job...!

I had put the EGR solenoid on the firewall, bad idea, noisy. Will relocate to stock location.

Just enjoying playing with that stuff - it's winter in a heated garage, sipping cheap beer, listening to old music on my outdated cd player and working on a car I like.

 

[gdouaire]

Cable and hose routing is better, still some to optimize, but it doesn't really show 🤣

 

[gdouaire]

Found a vacuum leak, check! Hopefully will fix the dysfunctional idle. TBC.

Improved the fuel line routing between the fuel pump and the carb, using AN-6 stuff, check:

re-installed the cruise control vacuum balloon after fixing its broken plastic tabs, check:

Next - exhaust leak, need to redo the R exhaust manifold to Turbo pipe; re-install the vacuum servo for cruise control (on older turbo cars, the servo sits in front of the carb, not behind)

 

[gdouaire]

While I am waiting on (slightly) back-ordered exhaust parts, playing with the cruise control stuff.

On old Turbo engines, the servo sits in front of the carb, not behind. I went another route, because the original turbo cruise control setup are difficult to find - got a GN cruise control servo that has a long actuator but same wiring & vacuum ports. That will look stock and be out of the way.

While cleaning up the servo before installing it, found out this thing looks cool! Three coils, neat colours pretty groovy 🙂

And the tech itself is cool - that vaccuum release port on the brake light switch is something I enjoy looking at 🙂

 

[gdouaire]

Cruise control servo installed, not tested.

Re-built the turbo inlet, did some welding that looked semi-horrible but tested airtight & buffed the solder imperfections.

Tomorrow, out in the driveway test, can't wait to see that 1) the vaccuum issue is really gone for good and 2) the idle is stable

 

[gdouaire]

Finally got an OK idle, soon to be driving around. It's (been) a long way to Tipperary.

No boost testing yet, just getting a good idle, adjust the timing and an ok all-around behaviour before going to the next step.

So far, everything fits under the hood - but maybe the clearance is tight and there will be some rattling going on at WOT...

 

[olds307 and 403]

Great job, probably the only more door Oldsmobile G body with a carbed 3.8 Turbo on the planet. You have to love that. Hopefully it meets all expectations, enjoy!

 

[gdouaire]

Great job, probably the only more door Oldsmobile G body with a carbed 3.8 Turbo on the planet. You have to love that. Hopefully it meets all expectations, enjoy!

True! If I can make the car run fine under a few psi of boost, I'll be happy 🙂

 

[gdouaire]

Today further played with the car idling and found out that the electric EFE is absolutely required if you don't let the long-running choke cycle do its full thing (10 celcius outside).

With a pair of temporary wires, disconnecting the EFE during the first minute of idle kills the engine within 3 seconds. Pretty dramatic improvment to have it hooked up properly - the ECM has an EFE wire that controls a relay, to be installed.

 

[gdouaire]

What I see:

- the real OEM bonet & air inlet are OK;
- the missing "3.8 litre turbo" sticker, but it's "somewhere" in my things;
- 1979 carburator I rebuilt myself, it has all "adjustment screws" exposed, made it work ok after a few trial-and-error experiments
- the distributor, has the right 14 degrees adjustment, but it's so hard to tighten the distributor hold-on clamp;
- Ah! the temp connectors I use for EFE, soon to be replaced by a relay linked to the ECM, "as it should";
- the heater hose valve, i should move it further on the side;
- or hear - the 7-blade radiator fan is loud, wondering if a Cadillac fan with same blade count (different design) would be quieter;
- that engine bay looks dusty;
- so many things to do 🙂