3.8 Buick

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jiho

Royal Smart Person
Jul 26, 2013
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Well all I can say about your distributor is, good heavens. At least you don't need to hassle with the carburetor just yet.

When GM said HEI meant High Energy Ignition, that wasn't just marketing BS. :mrgreen:
 
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Street Sweeper22

Greasemonkey
Nov 18, 2017
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So I got the distributor back together and it runs a lot better as you can imagine. It still runs pretty crappy compared to a month ago. From what everyone has been saying is that it’s the accelerator pump so I’m going to try that. I got a carb out of a salvage yard to practice on. I read 69hurstolds thread about 3 times and I wish I had that dudes skills. I’m just going to do accelerator pump, tps and gaskets. I don’t have the tools or skills to do much more.
 

Clone TIE Pilot

Comic Book Super Hero
Aug 14, 2011
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Galaxy far far away
Do you have any suggestions on a descent dwell meter that won’t break the bank. I really want to Learn how to use one.
Nobody seems to make analog dwell meters anymore. About any brand is good asvused is the only option now.
 

Street Sweeper22

Greasemonkey
Nov 18, 2017
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Nobody seems to make analog dwell meters anymore. About any brand is good asvused is the only option now.
I found this one for $25. I like that it still has a box. What do you think?
 

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Clone TIE Pilot

Comic Book Super Hero
Aug 14, 2011
3,827
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Galaxy far far away
Looks ok from what I can see.
 

jiho

Royal Smart Person
Jul 26, 2013
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The difficulty for your '84, like my '83, is that you're supposed to do a measured base adjustment of the air bleed (fairly easy), then a live adjustment of the mixture screws with the dwell meter (not so easy).

On the 3.8L Buick there are obstructions in the way of good access to the mixture screws.

You can get tools with long flexible shafts and "double-D" sockets to turn the screws. I found the best approach was to have 2 of the tools and install them both, one on each screw, snaked around and through things, before even starting the motor, with the handles wedged where convenient to prevent things flying around once the motor starts. It's still not the easiest job in the world, though. The sockets can get dislodged from the screws fairly easy, and even when they don't it takes patience just eyeballing the situation and turning them. More than once I dropped the driver's side tool handle and it bounced violently off the smog pump belt.

I also tried using a tiny 1/4" ratchet with a socket to hold a "double-D" socket, but this proved so difficult that I went with the method just described instead.

Just thought I'd offer some encouragement. :mrgreen:

But seriously, I do believe this is substantially more difficult for the little crammed-together Buick than for, say, Clone's SBC and Qjet. It's doable, I've done it, but that's the best I can say for it.

And for that very reason, if you can even find a shop willing to do this, they would be unlikely to do it properly.
 
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Street Sweeper22

Greasemonkey
Nov 18, 2017
233
91
28
The difficulty for your '84, like my '83, is that you're supposed to do a measured base adjustment of the air bleed (fairly easy), then a live adjustment of the mixture screws with the dwell meter (not so easy).

On the 3.8L Buick there are obstructions in the way of good access to the mixture screws.

You can get tools with long flexible shafts and "double-D" sockets to turn the screws. I found the best approach was to have 2 of the tools and install them both, one on each screw, snaked around and through things, before even starting the motor, with the handles wedged where convenient to prevent things flying around once the motor starts. It's still not the easiest job in the world, though. The sockets can get dislodged from the screws fairly easy, and even when they don't it takes patience just eyeballing the situation and turning them. More than once I dropped the driver's side tool handle and it bounced violently off the smog pump belt.

I also tried using a tiny 1/4" ratchet with a socket to hold a "double-D" socket, but this proved so difficult that I went with the method just described instead.

Just thought I'd offer some encouragement. :mrgreen:

But seriously, I do believe this is substantially more difficult for the little crammed-together Buick than for, say, Clone's SBC and Qjet. It's doable, I've done it, but that's the best I can say for it.

And for that very reason, if you can even find a shop willing to do this, they would be unlikely to do it properly.
Thank you for this. I got a carb out of a salvage yard to practice on. I actually scored a unmolested carb that was in good shape. Al the plugs were still there and rivets. I thought I would practice on one before I went to town on the carb still on my car. After I got the plugs out I put notches in them to make it easier to use a screw driver. I had to order a tool to adjust the TPS and a dwell meter. I tried adjusting the mixture screws on the old carb and you are right. I don’t like making excuses but I got paralyzed a few years and it is hard to reach things. Good thing I’m 6’3” well used to be lol. I still have long arms and that helps. What I’m getting at is I like your idea about getting two tools on each screw. I appreciate your ideas and encouragement. I need it lol
 

Street Sweeper22

Greasemonkey
Nov 18, 2017
233
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It’s still throwing a 42 code. It runs good at idle but when I give it gas it stumbles and backfires. Does that mean it’s getting too much fuel?
 
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