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Jim Grant's Tech Tips
'84 Buick Regal, Gram Runs Faster
Q:
I just bought an '84 Buick Regal. It's in very good condition, however
it is VERY slow. It drives fine if you very slowly ease the peddle down,
but if you floor it, it barely moves; my great grandmother could walk
faster. It is the 3.8 liter model of the v6. There was some oil in the
air filter pan, and the air filter was clogged with oil itself. The PCV
valve is fine, but I replaced the breather. I also sprayed an entire can
of that carb cleaner stuff in the carb while holding the throttle open.
The car is still not responding. Do I need to rebuild the carb, and if
so, how? Or is this even an carb problem??
A:
My first impression? A restricted catalytic converter. A restricted converter
blocks the flow of exhaust gases from the engine. This condition can have
a profound affect on engine performance. Lightly working the throttle
the engine will run fine, but ask the engine to get up and go and it is
no go time. One way to check for this condition is with a vacuum gauge
or unbolt the exhaust from the exhaust manifold. If unbolting the exhaust
puts performance and roar back, you have a restricted exhaust. Remove
the restriction, Gram wont stand a chance of catching you off the
line.
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