78 cutlass W-31 build
- Thread starter Clutch
- Start date
I'm done I can't even look at that car right now.
Cylinder #1
Not what it should be but enough to run I'll take it.
Cylinder #3
A quick hmm? Wonder what's up with that? They were 145 and 150 before
Cylinder #5
Ok now there's a lump on my throat and I feel like a kid that just got sent to the principals office WTF!
Cylinder #7
That's it I'm done! I've had enough of this insanity if I go back out in the driveway tonight God as my judge I will burn it to the ground and fight off the fire department if they show up to put it out! To hell with this car!
Cylinder #1
Not what it should be but enough to run I'll take it.
Cylinder #3
A quick hmm? Wonder what's up with that? They were 145 and 150 before
Cylinder #5
Ok now there's a lump on my throat and I feel like a kid that just got sent to the principals office WTF!
Cylinder #7
That's it I'm done! I've had enough of this insanity if I go back out in the driveway tonight God as my judge I will burn it to the ground and fight off the fire department if they show up to put it out! To hell with this car!
Maybe your compression gauge has died? Sorry to see this.
Before you deep six it,I'd suggest pulling the rocker cover and see if you're getting full travel on #7. If you can source a helping hand, have them spin it over so you can watch #7 valve train. I can understand a little compression loss due to a different cam and timing, but a dead hole? Something's gotta be fubared somewhere.
Ok here I am again round 537 back to working alone after proving to to others I've tried everything they suggested I rolled off the preload on the valve train this morning hooked up the battery and spun it over until it had oil pressure then I put #1 on top dead center and set 0 lash agine. Then I went 90 and followed the valves 18436572 all at 0 lash spun it over with the key again and made sure I had oil at every rocker. All in all good take a compression test on #8 and a big fat 0 f me ok let's check #1 .... 120 that's no good either but at least I know the gauge works. I'm at a loss and to be quiet honest I need to move on with my life I should have put a stock 307bor 260 in it at least it would run then. It's also becoming obvious to me I have no idea what to do and not one person who does is willing to help. In fact most that could just offer to "take it off my hands" news flash I'll burn it first. The idea was to make a few good memories with Lauren in it over the last few months and give her the car when she gets her license. She's turning 17 this July and I wanted to give her something to remember forever. But instead all she got to see is me failing epically in the driveway while my health fades away. Hell she doesn't even know I'm sick and I don't want her to. I took care of my dying father and vowed my children would never go through that. But here I am blowing off all the Dr appointments and driving a borrowed car because my truck doesn't run. I think it's time to scrap everything that resembles a project in my life and move on before someone else has to clean up the mess. Hell I've missed so many Dr appointments I never even got a diagnosis other than I definitely have one of four things and there all not good. That's cool I probably have 4 vehicles that are no good also. Don't get the wrong idea typing this is like therapy for me it's not like I can talk to my wife she flat out don't give a sh*t. Paying someone else to figure it out comes to mind but I've exhausted that avenue beside the fact it has no computer to be scanned and even if there was they probably couldn't figure it out that's why I had to put a motor on Lexi's Camaro and it still has a ses light on and won't go through inspection. Idk I'm done I have no good answers I have no good news and nothing nice to say so I'm done talking
For what it's worth, I think you were more successful than you feel. Even though it's not running yet, you and Lauren HAVE been working on it together. THOSE are also good memories.
Can't help you with the motor itself as I don't have a huge Olds v8 knowledge database. Or I would.
But I can say this - go to the doc. May be more they can do then you think. I'm on the 3rd month of chemo these days. Sure I've lost 30 pounds. But supposedly, for now, things aren't advancing anymore. Yeah there's monthly EKGs and blood draws every 2 weeks to watch for liver and heart risks connected to the drug cocktail.
Meantime, still TRYING to do the things that are fun, when we can. Made a stupid last minute trip to carlisle, overnight 14hrs straight through. But, saw some cars. Met some people. Bought some junk that helps with one of my project heaps. Sure I couldn't walk straight through. Sure, one day I slept 2 hrs in the car parked inside the event because I just couldn't keep going. But, we had fun the rest of the time.
Go see the docs. Get an answer. Do what can be done. Then, keep on plugging. Maybe you hit on an answer - you've got multiple sets of heads, park, lots of junk around like most of us. I bet there's a running 307 car around you where the owner is doing a build, they'd swap you the engine for a couple spare Olds build parts. Then you can have the car running and keep plugging away on that engine on a stand.
Clutch, man, you've been more diligent than most of us probably would have been. I'm with ck80, working on this with Lauren ARE the memories. I can assure you, she recognizes how hard you've been wrastlin' this gator.
You may need to just step away for awhile...again. It's just a machine and the fix might be easier to find if you weren't so knee deep in it. There's really only a few reasons for zero and/or low compression. A leakdown test would be really helpful right now. I honestly would be glad to help you troubleshoot it if you weren't 2000 miles away.
And FFS, go see a doctor. What was the line in that Alice In Chains song? "I say, stay long enough to repay all who cause strife."
Agree entirely ^^^
Get to doctor first and foremost, they can accomplish amazing things today with modern medicine. My dad is walking again like nothing ever happened because a 30 year old surgeon fixed his back.
On the car front front, pick up a beater and live with it for the time being while you get the Olds sorted out. Worst case scenario, 307’s pop up from time to time around here as most hot rodders have no use for them and darn near give them a way. Find a 260 - 307 and get the car driving again. Sort the 350 out as a side project. 👍
All great ideas and I'm probably still working on this pos because I'm stubborn. So yesterday I got back at it again and I guess my brother had no actual clue what he was doing because at some point in all the rotations of the motor to degree it some valves hit some pistons and there bent. Definitely #7 intake the rest will need to be checked so today I'm going to take the heads back off the motor. I've onse again heated up a charge card because it's only money right. And I've ordered the crank socket for a Chrysler that accepts a degree wheel. I've researched it and it will also fit Oldsmobile I also ordered another set of ultra seal exhaust manifold gaskets because so far they are the only ones that didn't leak. I'm very happy I didn't reinstall the intake before checking because 4 intake gaskets in a month is a little out of hand. As for heads I don't know what I'm going to do probably just have Barry fix the #7 heads because they only have 5 minutes run time sense he built them. I sent him a text last night and he's going to let me know when he's going to be at the shop so we can make yet another deal. Good thing he drives rusty Chevy pickup trucks. And I'm probably going to call my cousin and have him look in the busses and trailers up there for whatever is still dry and rodent free because I may need an alternative.
Ok heads fixed he said I'll help you out but I'm not doing it for you. That said I now know how to grind valves and check seats today I worked on timing it because obviously it's not right with the aftermarket chains I have the timing marks literally cannot line up so back to the drawing board I had ordered a crank socket off that prime sight for a Chrysler. $47 and it accepts my degree wheel. Of course I don't really know how to use my degree wheel but I'm working on it. In fact I spent all day on it and had all 3 timing sets on it today.
Now before you say anything I went 6 and 12 to make it easy for me my eyes aren't what they used to be. Dot to dot is 180 out on an Oldsmobile but one revolution of the crank makes it TDC compression and that's where I need to make sure it's right. Unfortunately so far all I learned is how not to degree in a cam. After getting frustrated and eventually going inside to look on Utube I guess I was overheated and I passed out in the chair. When I woke up I did something I wouldn't normally do I called in a lifeline if you will. I know a guy who's really good and I know he'd help me out or probably even build something for me but I just hate to ask. I shot him a text and the photos you just looked at and he's going to come by one night this week. He's a very stand up guy and a straight shooter so if he says he's coming he's going to be there. So I'm going to get the gasket surfaces cleaned off and everything ready in the meantime. I'll have to get a photo maybe he'll shoot a video for his U Tube chanel that would be cool.
Now before you say anything I went 6 and 12 to make it easy for me my eyes aren't what they used to be. Dot to dot is 180 out on an Oldsmobile but one revolution of the crank makes it TDC compression and that's where I need to make sure it's right. Unfortunately so far all I learned is how not to degree in a cam. After getting frustrated and eventually going inside to look on Utube I guess I was overheated and I passed out in the chair. When I woke up I did something I wouldn't normally do I called in a lifeline if you will. I know a guy who's really good and I know he'd help me out or probably even build something for me but I just hate to ask. I shot him a text and the photos you just looked at and he's going to come by one night this week. He's a very stand up guy and a straight shooter so if he says he's coming he's going to be there. So I'm going to get the gasket surfaces cleaned off and everything ready in the meantime. I'll have to get a photo maybe he'll shoot a video for his U Tube chanel that would be cool.
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