Small Problems....

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slick843

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jul 23, 2009
17
0
0
Fayetteville, NC
I just got my 85 Regal out of the shop a few days ago after doing a 350 motor/trans swap. I have a few small problems Im trying to solve on my own instead of taking it to another shop. My speedometer stopped working. The fuel gauge and other lights work. I found out my brake lights doesnt work either. I looked at the fuses but they seem to be good. I couldve looked at the wrong fuses though. My last problem is the car smokes a little when I first start it and theres a ticking noise coming from somewhere near the cat. Any advice?
 

87GrandPrix

Greasemonkey
Apr 7, 2009
129
0
0
Michigan
slick843 said:
I just got my 85 Regal out of the shop a few days ago after doing a 350 motor/trans swap. I have a few small problems Im trying to solve on my own instead of taking it to another shop. My speedometer stopped working. The fuel gauge and other lights work. I found out my brake lights doesnt work either. I looked at the fuses but they seem to be good. I couldve looked at the wrong fuses though. My last problem is the car smokes a little when I first start it and theres a ticking noise coming from somewhere near the cat. Any advice?

Speedometer - There is a cable that runs into the transmission from what I rememember it has a little gear in there that spins the whole cable into through the firewall into the back of the guage cluster that spins and makes the speedometer needle work, the cable might of got burned on the exhaust.

Cat - I remember on my moms truck she had a bad sound coming from by the cats, one day I got under it and the cover of the cat on the top of it was just sitting there, I took it off. No more sounds.

Smoke - Oil is getting past your valves, causing smoke on start up and if its even worse, during idle.
 

slick843

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jul 23, 2009
17
0
0
Fayetteville, NC
Speedometer - There is a cable that runs into the transmission from what I rememember it has a little gear in there that spins the whole cable into through the firewall into the back of the guage cluster that spins and makes the speedometer needle work, the cable might of got burned on the exhaust.

Cat - I remember on my moms truck she had a bad sound coming from by the cats, one day I got under it and the cover of the cat on the top of it was just sitting there, I took it off. No more sounds.

Smoke - Oil is getting past your valves, causing smoke on start up and if its even worse, during idle.[/quote]

Is the speedometer a simple fix? I was thinking the same about the cat. The car sits too low for me to crawl under it. Im going to replace it when I upgrade the exhaust. The car only smokes during initial startup for a few seconds then stops. It doesnt smoke anymore after that. How can I stop that?
 

outsider_27

G-Body Guru
Mar 23, 2009
680
3
0
Aberdeen, SD
87GrandPrix said:
slick843 said:
I just got my 85 Regal out of the

Speedometer - There is a cable that runs into the transmission from what I rememember it has a little gear in there that spins the whole cable into through the firewall into the back of the guage cluster that spins and makes the speedometer needle work, the cable might of got burned on the exhaust.

Cat - I remember on my moms truck she had a bad sound coming from by the cats, one day I got under it and the cover of the cat on the top of it was just sitting there, I took it off. No more sounds.

Smoke - Oil is getting past your valves, causing smoke on start up and if its even worse, during idle.

My 93 S-10 smoked a little at start up since it was new. The valve seals are a little too hard when cold so oil passes through. Once it is running the smoke stops.

I would say look at the cable coming from the transmission up to the speedo head. It cold be stripped and need replacing. Also the ticking sound could be a small exhaust leak. Since the engine was just put in maybe the exhaust gasket didn't get seated.
 

slick843

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jul 23, 2009
17
0
0
Fayetteville, NC
Im going to eliminate the Y pipe and run true duals so that should fix the ticking noise from the exhaust. My biggest concern is the speedometer and brake lights. Would oil additives stop the smoke during startup?
 

87GrandPrix

Greasemonkey
Apr 7, 2009
129
0
0
Michigan
slick843 said:
Im going to eliminate the Y pipe and run true duals so that should fix the ticking noise from the exhaust. My biggest concern is the speedometer and brake lights. Would oil additives stop the smoke during startup?

Read this, http://www.carbibles.com/additives.html and that is why I don't use additives unless there is moisture in my gas tank. If you have pinging in your exhaust it could be you have a leak around the manifold where it connects to your crossover pipe, the donut seal is probably roasted and you have carbon build up all over the crossover.
 
Sep 1, 2006
6,687
34
0
Tampa Bay Area
If the engine is new, it could just be that the rings have not seated yet. It could also be too thin of an oil, or a mistake in assembly or machining. I would not use any additives in a new engine to stop it from smoking. They could do more harm than good.
 

slick843

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jul 23, 2009
17
0
0
Fayetteville, NC
Its actually a used engine and transmission. Has anyone used Thrush mufflers on their cars? I read that theyre pretty much like Flowmasters but half the price.
 

1evilregal

Comic Book Super Hero
Apr 23, 2009
3,056
4,357
113
Greensboro, NC
slick843 said:
Its actually a used engine and transmission. Has anyone used Thrush mufflers on their cars? I read that theyre pretty much like Flowmasters but half the price.

I've got some, just haven't put them in yet... could also check out the DYNOMAX mufflers...had some on the wife's old mustang, and had a good sound(not too loud, and sounded great when you got on it) and were just above what I bought the thrush's for.
 
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