I'm in for $176 so far.
I towed it home with my John Deere
91 Olds Calais - coming back from the dead?
Moderators: MostMint, wxo, Fred32v, Basement Paul, ttamrettus
91 Olds Calais - coming back from the dead?
This car came from the neighbors. It has a Quad4 that has an internal problem. I am guessing the timing chain is broken. There is a good chance valves are bent. We can rebuild it...
I'm in for $176 so far.
I towed it home with my John Deere
I'm in for $176 so far.
I towed it home with my John Deere
[quote="Basement Paul"]Is that a mint rocketship on the hood?? :shock:
-BP[/quote]
-BP[/quote]
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ttamrettus
- Posts: 887
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:59 pm
- Location: on the edge
It's a kitchen knife - I found it under the seat. Apparently it was there to fight off would-be carjackers. 
As you can see this car is a real treasure.
Also came with a set of cheap jumper cables and a handfull of pennies. I definitely need to take out the back seats to see whats under there.
As you can see this car is a real treasure. Also came with a set of cheap jumper cables and a handfull of pennies. I definitely need to take out the back seats to see whats under there.
[quote="Basement Paul"]Is that a mint rocketship on the hood?? :shock:
-BP[/quote]
-BP[/quote]
Quad 4's forever
Can the 16's be far behind?
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ttamrettus
- Posts: 887
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:59 pm
- Location: on the edge
Mark,
What you may not know is that I have owned four Quad4's prior to this one, and three of them had problems:
#1) Wife's 91 Skylark. Timing chain broke at 96K miles, the head gasket had been leaking so I got a two-fer when I fixed it. (Guess I did not own it but close enough)
#2) 88 Skylark - had 25k miles and seized up intake cam. Bout it cheap knowing it had a problem. Problem was check ball in oil passage that got stuck and starved top end for oil. I won't tell you how much extra work it took for me to figure that one out.
#3) 94 Grand Am - had 146k and a blown head gasket when I bought it (again cheap - it was 7 years old at the time and cost me $600). Had to have the head welded and machined, and put in new head gasket. Actually this was the 2-valve per cylinder version, and it had no power.
I am hoping to get out of this engine problem for about $200 or less, plus time. If the bottom end is wrecked, well the junk man will always give me $140 for it. Timing chain, head gasket, and a few valves is all I should need if I get lucky.
The only Quad4 I did not have to work on was in an 89 Grand Am, which I bought for $650 when the wife's car was down. I was going to switch the engines, but the Grand Am ran so good I had her drive it while I fixed her car. I won a cheeseburger type challenge (before they were called that) against Pauls' stick shift 2.5 Grand Am. I have it on video. Quad4's kick butt on the top end.
This is the first one with a shank though - kind of gives it a "bad-boy" image
What you may not know is that I have owned four Quad4's prior to this one, and three of them had problems:
#1) Wife's 91 Skylark. Timing chain broke at 96K miles, the head gasket had been leaking so I got a two-fer when I fixed it. (Guess I did not own it but close enough)
#2) 88 Skylark - had 25k miles and seized up intake cam. Bout it cheap knowing it had a problem. Problem was check ball in oil passage that got stuck and starved top end for oil. I won't tell you how much extra work it took for me to figure that one out.
#3) 94 Grand Am - had 146k and a blown head gasket when I bought it (again cheap - it was 7 years old at the time and cost me $600). Had to have the head welded and machined, and put in new head gasket. Actually this was the 2-valve per cylinder version, and it had no power.
I am hoping to get out of this engine problem for about $200 or less, plus time. If the bottom end is wrecked, well the junk man will always give me $140 for it. Timing chain, head gasket, and a few valves is all I should need if I get lucky.
The only Quad4 I did not have to work on was in an 89 Grand Am, which I bought for $650 when the wife's car was down. I was going to switch the engines, but the Grand Am ran so good I had her drive it while I fixed her car. I won a cheeseburger type challenge (before they were called that) against Pauls' stick shift 2.5 Grand Am. I have it on video. Quad4's kick butt on the top end.
This is the first one with a shank though - kind of gives it a "bad-boy" image
[quote="Basement Paul"]Is that a mint rocketship on the hood?? :shock:
-BP[/quote]
-BP[/quote]
-
ttamrettus
- Posts: 887
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:59 pm
- Location: on the edge
Found some broken parts in the tensioner. Crank rotation was impeded by the chain which had wrapped itself around the crank. Once the chain was out the crank would turn freely.
Some hack had been in here before, as was evidenced by the cracked chain guides, and broken parts on the tensioner. I think I need to replace some parts of the tensioner - just not yet.
So I put it back the way it was and ran the compression tests. First cylinder: 170 psi, the second 75 psi, the third 0 psi and the fourth 0 psi.
Up next - remove the head to see how bad it is.
Some hack had been in here before, as was evidenced by the cracked chain guides, and broken parts on the tensioner. I think I need to replace some parts of the tensioner - just not yet.
So I put it back the way it was and ran the compression tests. First cylinder: 170 psi, the second 75 psi, the third 0 psi and the fourth 0 psi.
Up next - remove the head to see how bad it is.
[quote="Basement Paul"]Is that a mint rocketship on the hood?? :shock:
-BP[/quote]
-BP[/quote]
-
Basement Paul
- Posts: 3388
- Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2005 9:27 pm
- Location: In the dirt.
Well, as suspected there were bent valves in two cylinders. Intakes in one and exhausts in the other. The strange thing is that all four pistons had marks in them like they've been through this before. The head looked good though. Not being able to get valves on Sunday from the parts store stopped us from beginning reassembly.
The way it looks, this car should be a winter terror for around $300. WOW!
Looks like the Master of the Road might spend some time sitting this winter (along with the S-10, Caddy, and Honda bike).
-BP
The way it looks, this car should be a winter terror for around $300. WOW!
Looks like the Master of the Road might spend some time sitting this winter (along with the S-10, Caddy, and Honda bike).
-BP
Before tearing the engine apart, I put some oil in #2 cylinder and re-ran the compression test - it showed 100 psi. Better than the prior reading of 75, but not convincing me that all the compression is getting by the rings.
Then we took it apart.
As BP said, the engine appears quite fixable. We had a little trouble removing the bent valves until BP "straigtened" them. The coil spring compressor was not able to get a good grip on the spring until he took a piece of wood and a hammer to straighten the valve head most of the way. One of them actually broke off.
Interesting that two of the valves were not magnetic - I doubt they were aluminum but there was definitely no iron in them. Maybe this was a prototype...
A couple of holes for cam tower bolts are stripped and probably need helicoil.
Parts list: (edit - current as of 10/14)
1991 Olds Calais - 176.00 bought
Timing chain - 32.85 bought
Head gasket - 26.49 bought
2 valves + alt belt - 28.59 bought
2 valves + head bolts - 31.77 bought
tensioner - 30.75 bought
another intake valve - 7.18 bought
subtotal: 333.63
another exh valve + heli coil - 13.76
threaded rod to for cam tower - 4.22
temp tag - 10.50
rod bearings, oil, filter, spark plugs - 56.24
subtotal: 418.35 (as of 1/1/07)
insurance also running about $20/month
To buy
Spark plugs - the old ones look fairly well rounded
Nitrous kit - 75 HP shot
4 new valves - 40.00 (estimate) Autozone says $5 each but somehow I doubt this
Alternator belt - the old one is separating in the grooves
Thermostat gasket - in stock. I also have a front seal and a few of the other gaskets from a past job so we'll save a few $ there.
To do:
Fix the tensioner - this may cost extra money.
Lap in the new valves
Lap in valves on cyl#2 as it shows 75 psi (100 psi after adding oil in the cylinder). This is to clean off the surfaces and make sure valves are not off just a little
Put it all back together
Then we took it apart.
As BP said, the engine appears quite fixable. We had a little trouble removing the bent valves until BP "straigtened" them. The coil spring compressor was not able to get a good grip on the spring until he took a piece of wood and a hammer to straighten the valve head most of the way. One of them actually broke off.
Interesting that two of the valves were not magnetic - I doubt they were aluminum but there was definitely no iron in them. Maybe this was a prototype...
A couple of holes for cam tower bolts are stripped and probably need helicoil.
Parts list: (edit - current as of 10/14)
1991 Olds Calais - 176.00 bought
Timing chain - 32.85 bought
Head gasket - 26.49 bought
2 valves + alt belt - 28.59 bought
2 valves + head bolts - 31.77 bought
tensioner - 30.75 bought
another intake valve - 7.18 bought
subtotal: 333.63
another exh valve + heli coil - 13.76
threaded rod to for cam tower - 4.22
temp tag - 10.50
rod bearings, oil, filter, spark plugs - 56.24
subtotal: 418.35 (as of 1/1/07)
insurance also running about $20/month
To buy
Spark plugs - the old ones look fairly well rounded
Nitrous kit - 75 HP shot
4 new valves - 40.00 (estimate) Autozone says $5 each but somehow I doubt this
Alternator belt - the old one is separating in the grooves
Thermostat gasket - in stock. I also have a front seal and a few of the other gaskets from a past job so we'll save a few $ there.
To do:
Fix the tensioner - this may cost extra money.
Lap in the new valves
Lap in valves on cyl#2 as it shows 75 psi (100 psi after adding oil in the cylinder). This is to clean off the surfaces and make sure valves are not off just a little
Put it all back together
Last edited by MostMint on Mon Jan 01, 2007 12:32 pm, edited 4 times in total.
[quote="Basement Paul"]Is that a mint rocketship on the hood?? :shock:
-BP[/quote]
-BP[/quote]