Eastwood sells black rubbery stuff that feels like modeling clay and it meant to fill odd firewall holes
Build The Clustertruck Rides Again - Refurbishing a 1975 Chevota
- Thread starter RWBeringer4x4
- Start date
Member Builds and Stories
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Eastwood sells black rubbery stuff that feels like modeling clay and it meant to fill odd firewall holes
a local Buick club might be able to help - the guys in our club were all older than dirt with entire houses full of parts 
(be prepared for an interesting experience - BTW, the Buick forums are painfully slow compared to MUD http://www.buickclub.org/)
(be prepared for an interesting experience - BTW, the Buick forums are painfully slow compared to MUD http://www.buickclub.org/)
- Thread starter
- #43
Well that's good news!
- Thread starter
- #44
Ok, chief bonehead crown goes to me. My truck is not missing the linkage to the accelerator pump on my Quadrajet, it was just behind the stupid black tube hanging off the bottom of my air cleaner. 
Sounds like all the parts are there. Time to order a rebuild kit.
It seems strange though: I drove the land cruiser on Saturday. When I stopped by the garage today, not only was the bowl in the carb empty...the entire line was empty, including the inline fuel filer on the fuel line...
My oil is pretty badly diluted, I checked it today and it was above full, so I know I'm leaking fuel into the engine from somewhere. Could this be a problem located somewhere OTHER than the carb, or is this still the chief bet?
Sounds like all the parts are there. Time to order a rebuild kit.
It seems strange though: I drove the land cruiser on Saturday. When I stopped by the garage today, not only was the bowl in the carb empty...the entire line was empty, including the inline fuel filer on the fuel line...
My oil is pretty badly diluted, I checked it today and it was above full, so I know I'm leaking fuel into the engine from somewhere. Could this be a problem located somewhere OTHER than the carb, or is this still the chief bet?
carb is the only place to get fuel into the engine. Does your carb have a return line? If not, it's all getting dumped down into the intake. You're going to want to get that fixed asap, and drop your oil with some new oil, fuel in the oil is not a good thing.
Mechanical fuel pump?
- Thread starter
- #47
Agreed. Oil will be getting changed before I drive it anywhere. I knew the carb was draining I guess I didn't realize how badly. Sounds like a rebuild is in order.
Not sure about a return line either. Only lines I can remember off hand are a fuel line, a vacuum line to the distributor and an electric line...
- Thread starter
- #48
Also - would the draining bowl eventually break the vacuum in the fuel system and case the gas to drain out of the line? I'm still confused as to where the fuel in the line is going.
- Thread starter
- #49
Honestly not sure, but everything else on the engine is 100% stock 283, so I'd say its likely.
Mechanical fuel pump will be on the engine, so easy to check, follow the fuel line from the carb back to the gas tank. Mechanical Fuel pump location should be similar to this picture (at the 6'clock position):
I'm not familiar with your engine, but mechanical fuel pumps are usually on the front of the block.
I'm not familiar with your engine, but mechanical fuel pumps are usually on the front of the block.
- Thread starter
- #51
Man, I wish my engine looked that good! Actually, I don't, I'd never want to drive it.
I want to say I'm 99% sure it's a mechanical pump. I just never really thought to look. The 40 has enough problems, and pumping fuel wasn't one of them, so I've never bothered to check it out. Given that it takes 40 seconds of engine cranking to get fuel back in the carb, I'd say it's safe to guess mechanical. I don't hear anything kick on when I turn the key to accessory.
Unfortunately the garage I have stashed my Land Cruiser in is 2 miles from my house, so I'm not going to be able to check it out tonight.
Is the fuel draining out of my line indicative of a bad fuel pump letting gas flow backward?
Are you stepping on the peddle to provide gas to the carb prior to cranking the engine? The pump should block the fuel from draining out of the line between the pump and the carb. Cranking the engine via the starter should engage the mechanical fuel pump and should push more fuel from the pump into the line feeding into the carb. I have to prime my carb prior to engaging the start with one pump of the accelerator, and that is not abnormal, especially in a cold starting situation (I do have an automatic choke fyi). If you pull the line from the carb to the pump, and it's empty then most likely the fuel pump is your issue.
- Thread starter
- #53
It may be a combination of the two. After a day the bowl is dry but it will start if I pump the accelerator. If a week passes, the line is dry as well...
I don't know if the old Buick mechanical pump is capable of pumping fuel into the block the way that Land Cruiser mechanical pumps are, but it's worth looking into as a possible source of gasoline-diluted oil.
- Thread starter
- #55
I believe there is a rod off the cam that actuates the mechanical pump - so I guess this is possible...
- Thread starter
- #56
Your Questions, Answered, With More Pictures of Rust!
Hey guys,
Got over to the garage after work, took off the air cleaner, took some more pictures.
1. Yes, it is a mechanical fuel pump, and looks to be as old as time itself. No outward sign of leaking though...Doesn't mean it's not leaking internally.
2. Lots of fuel collected on top of my carb - it would appear that my accelerator pump is leaking. There's no gasket between the air cleaner and the top of the carb. Also - the secondaries are sticking about 1/2 way open, and the choke doesn't fully close. Should I order new metering rods with this rebuild?
3. There is no return line from the carb. There is a vacuum line to the intake manifold, a vaccum line to the distributor, a fuel line, and an electric cord plugged into the back.
I also found a random riser in my box of misc. PO parts...
Hey guys,
Got over to the garage after work, took off the air cleaner, took some more pictures.
1. Yes, it is a mechanical fuel pump, and looks to be as old as time itself. No outward sign of leaking though...Doesn't mean it's not leaking internally.
2. Lots of fuel collected on top of my carb - it would appear that my accelerator pump is leaking. There's no gasket between the air cleaner and the top of the carb. Also - the secondaries are sticking about 1/2 way open, and the choke doesn't fully close. Should I order new metering rods with this rebuild?
3. There is no return line from the carb. There is a vacuum line to the intake manifold, a vaccum line to the distributor, a fuel line, and an electric cord plugged into the back.
I also found a random riser in my box of misc. PO parts...
- Thread starter
- #57
This linkage seems wrong, and dangerous...
A follow-up question: This linkage can't possibly be right. Every other Q-jet I've seen has a "C" shaped linkage, with the return springs running back to the accelerator cable bracket. My springs run forward, to a mount welded to my alternator bracket. The are precariously rigged up to the linkage.
For laughs, I tried rigging the springs back toward the bracket tonight. As I suspected, this did nothing but hole the throttle open...Obviously, I'd like a safer, less rigged setup, but I'm having a hard time seeing how I would do that...
A follow-up question: This linkage can't possibly be right. Every other Q-jet I've seen has a "C" shaped linkage, with the return springs running back to the accelerator cable bracket. My springs run forward, to a mount welded to my alternator bracket. The are precariously rigged up to the linkage.
For laughs, I tried rigging the springs back toward the bracket tonight. As I suspected, this did nothing but hole the throttle open...Obviously, I'd like a safer, less rigged setup, but I'm having a hard time seeing how I would do that...
- Thread starter
- #58
So, after significant research on the subject of the Carburetor accelerator arm, it turns out the my Carb definitely came off a 1967 Buick with an Automatic Transmission, and a mechanical linkage, as opposed to the later cable driven systems. Most likely a LeSabre or a Wildcat...The return spring was originally near the firewall at the linkage joint.
Long story short, the throttle return springs will need to run forward, as they are now -OR- I can go back to a mechanical linkage -OR- I can get a different throttle body. I think, given the options, the solution is pretty clear. I'll be mounting springs forward, but hopefully finding a cleaner way to do this...
Carb Rebuild kit should be ordered tomorrow, along with new mounting brackets, return springs, and throttle cable. While I'm at it, I'll be trying to patch up the intake bolt oil leaks that are pooling oil on top of my engine.
Long story short, the throttle return springs will need to run forward, as they are now -OR- I can go back to a mechanical linkage -OR- I can get a different throttle body. I think, given the options, the solution is pretty clear. I'll be mounting springs forward, but hopefully finding a cleaner way to do this...
Carb Rebuild kit should be ordered tomorrow, along with new mounting brackets, return springs, and throttle cable. While I'm at it, I'll be trying to patch up the intake bolt oil leaks that are pooling oil on top of my engine.
- Thread starter
- #59
Grille Mounting Bolts
Another Small Project for the summer. My PO decided it would be a good idea to spray-paint my mesh radiator cover/grille with a very light coat of blue.
He then dropped it back in front of the radiator without actually bolting it back in. It's currently just sitting between the bib and the radiator.
A couple of questions:
1. I'm assuming some sort of high-temperature, black, rattlecan paint would be in order here, due to close proximity to the radiator. Any recommendations? Also, is the stock look glossy, or matte?
2. I've seen two posts talking about the mounting bolts for the mesh grille. I've seen M5 and M6. Does anyone have a definitive answer? What about threads? (1.25?) Are there captive nuts this mounts to somewhere, or should I get matching nuts/washers?
3. Does it mount to the same bolts as the bezel, or at different mounting points?
Another Small Project for the summer. My PO decided it would be a good idea to spray-paint my mesh radiator cover/grille with a very light coat of blue.
He then dropped it back in front of the radiator without actually bolting it back in. It's currently just sitting between the bib and the radiator.
A couple of questions:
1. I'm assuming some sort of high-temperature, black, rattlecan paint would be in order here, due to close proximity to the radiator. Any recommendations? Also, is the stock look glossy, or matte?
2. I've seen two posts talking about the mounting bolts for the mesh grille. I've seen M5 and M6. Does anyone have a definitive answer? What about threads? (1.25?) Are there captive nuts this mounts to somewhere, or should I get matching nuts/washers?
3. Does it mount to the same bolts as the bezel, or at different mounting points?
1. So I just took mine off last week for powder coating. I'm going semi gloss. Not sure about oem, but gloss seems too shiny, and flat, too prone to hold dirt.
2. The nut & bolt spreadsheet says this. Spacing will be taken away so I put in commas:
Description, # Used, Diameter , Thread Pitch, Length, Washer 1, Washer2, Nut size, Class, Notes 1
Bib Studs to hold Radiator Protective Mesh, 4, 6mm, 1mm, 15mm, split washer, flat, 6mm, N/A, Nuts 10mm heads
3. I think different points.trying to remember how it came apart. If you don't get answers on the this, I'll look tomorrow.
2. The nut & bolt spreadsheet says this. Spacing will be taken away so I put in commas:
Description, # Used, Diameter , Thread Pitch, Length, Washer 1, Washer2, Nut size, Class, Notes 1
Bib Studs to hold Radiator Protective Mesh, 4, 6mm, 1mm, 15mm, split washer, flat, 6mm, N/A, Nuts 10mm heads
3. I think different points.trying to remember how it came apart. If you don't get answers on the this, I'll look tomorrow.