The UK 'big ask' thread. Part numbers, tips and tricks, help

[4muddyfeet]

Hi all,

For a bit of background (Hello (again) from the UK).

In a couple of weeks we will begin work on the Aurora, and our first step is the engine and fluids.

While the car hasn't been on the road for around 7 years, the engine has apparently been run but I can imagine never up to temp and under no stress, so we will begin with full filters/fluids/fuel change, sparkies, leads (maybe), and serpentine belt (the current one has given up spectacularly) before even attempting to start the engine. Once she's moving under her own steam it will make it much easier to progress with the restoration, not least just getting the bodywork and chassis cleaned of all the mould and detritus, and being able to drive it onto the lift.

That said, I have three questions to ask. Please feel free to answer all, some, one or none of them. 

1). We need the basics on hand immediately. Can someone supply me with:

• Fuel filter part #
• Oil filter part #
• Air filter part #
• Serpentine/aux part #
• Spark plug recommendation
• ATF recommendation
• Total oil capacity and brand/spec recommendation (Probably don't need winterised oil, so I'm assuming 10W30?)
• Serpentine belt diagram (Found this How To Change the Serpentine Belt, but no map)
• Recommendations for Olds Aurora parts suppliers, preferably web based and with international shipping.

2). Are there any notable problem areas on the Classic Aurora, be it structurally, mechanically, or otherwise which we should consider on a 20 year old vehicle that has spent it's last 7 years sitting outside in the damp flannel that is Britain's weather system?


3). With a suitable arrangement, would anybody consider becoming a middle-man (or woman) to ship parts out to the UK?

Pip-pip cheerio and what what. Silly Brit over and out.

[XJSman89]

I'll reply to the others in more detail tomorrow but as for #3 if you need a middleman, look no further. I'm happy to help.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 4 via the ProBoards app

[skizo]

This should help for part numbers. Rock Auto has most of the stock GM numbers as well as common aftermarket. Not sure what all you've got to chose from over there ... you just have to do some digging, and cross match to what you can find.

www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?carcode=1216954

You'll find that most of these jobs are ones you only want to do once, so get quality parts. For plugs, I'd highly recommend iridium as those should be good for 100k miles. Hard to beat the Delco wire set, but I went with Belden 7mm silicone wires here and haven't had any problems.

Transmission fluid - GM Dexron or equivalent, and don't forget, there's TWO filters ...

Oil - listed capacity is 7 US quarts, 10w30, with filter change, but that leaves the stick a bit low if you've let it drain properly. Get 8, and you'll have some left over after topping it off.

Oh. DO check your engine codes prior to draining the old oil, as there's some projects that would require draining the engine anyway. I just did crankshaft sensors on mine ... some disassembly required.

[rorafan]

Belt routing




You mentioned the serpentine belt failed...it may have snapped/shredded if one of the pulleys or the A/C compressor seized. Make sure to check those. The A/C compressor tends to be a trouble spot on these cars, and more than one member here has had that lock up and shred the belt.

The belt tensioner (#1 above) starts to get questionable after 100,000 miles...I replaced mine at 115K and it was making plenty of noise. Due to tight clearances it's not as easy to change as on most cars, but it looks worse than it really is. Details here if you decide to tackle it: aurorah.proboards.com/thread/22727/tensioner-assembly-idler-pulley-updated

Keep in mind there is a separate belt AND tensioner for the water pump on the other side of the engine (how's that for quirky?), near the airbox. That's prob. due for a change also.

[RCA1186]

Sept 30, 2015 17:02:56 GMT -6 4muddyfeet said:

• Fuel filter part #
• Oil filter part #
• Air filter part #
• Serpentine/aux part #
• Spark plug recommendation
• ATF recommendation
• Total oil capacity and brand/spec recommendation (Probably don't need winterised oil, so I'm assuming 10W30?)
• Serpentine belt diagram (Found this How To Change the Serpentine Belt, but no map)
• Recommendations for Olds Aurora parts suppliers, preferably web based and with international shipping.

2). Are there any notable problem areas on the Classic Aurora, be it structurally, mechanically, or otherwise which we should consider on a 20 year old vehicle that has spent it's last 7 years sitting outside in the damp flannel that is Britain's weather system?


3). With a suitable arrangement, would anybody consider becoming a middle-man (or woman) to ship parts out to the UK?

Pip-pip cheerio and what what. Silly Brit over and out.

• Fuel filter part # (ACDELCO GF578F {#88915468)
• Oil filter part # (ACDELCO PF61F {#19210337, 89032612})
• Air filter part # (ACDELCO A1096C {#19166101, 19259030, 25096932})
• Serpentine/aux part # (ACDELCO 6K837 {#88932760)
• Spark plug recommendation
• ATF recommendation
• Total oil capacity and brand/spec recommendation (Probably don't need winterised oil, so I'm assuming 10W30?)
• Serpentine belt diagram (Found this How To Change the Serpentine Belt, but no map)
• Recommendations for Olds Aurora parts suppliers, preferably web based and with international shipping.

Rockauto.com would be a good place for parts. As mentioned you should be able to find part numbers on there, and they ship internationally.


For spark plugs I stick with the stock AC-Delco Platinum, NGK seems to work okay as well, but I wouldn't venture too far from there as these engines seem to be picky about their plugs.

ATF - Stock is GM Dexron III but many moved on to Dexron VI, full synthetic and superior to DexIII. See this thread for changing the fluid

Oil capacity with filter is 7.5 quarts. According to google that's 7.09 L haha. 10W30 is recommended, I use full synthetic. Not necessary though.


I added the belt diagram to the serpentine belt how-to


As mentioned you probably will want to change the waterpump belt on the opposite side of the engine too ACDELCO 3K243 {#19187938}




As far as problem areas...hmm. Rust-wise check the subframe bushings. The rear wheel wells. From my experiences and as was mentioned, these cars tend to throw the AC compressor clutch. The coolant crossover gaskets by the water pump tend to be pretty bad. I'd suggest checking out your engine and transmission mounts too. Really any rubber part that could have dry rotted in the time it sat.

Problems I've had on both my Aurora's have been:

The AC compressor clutch going out, both times I just replaced the whole compressor.

The flashing headlight problem outlined in this thread

Power antenna failure


But outside of a radiator on this one, I haven't had much to do to them besides basic routine maintenance.


You would be well served to pick yourself up a 1995 Factory Service Manual on eBay. Although you might have trouble finding an international shipper. Not sure if there are any on there right now.

[schaefft]

Here as well thanks for the help guys, this certainly helps getting the car back on the road!

XJSman89: Thanks man! Right now most of the stuff on the list should be available on Rockauto but I'm sure there will be stuff coming up that we will need some assistance with. Glad to see you wanna help.

[emarkay]

Is this an Export vehicle or one brought over from the old Colonies?
If a US car, what changes have to be made to make it legal there, and if an export, PHOTOS please!

Thanks,
MRK

[schaefft]

Nov 14, 2015 9:56:33 GMT -6 emarkay said:

Is this an Export vehicle or one brought over from the old Colonies?
If a US car, what changes have to be made to make it legal there, and if an export, PHOTOS please!

Thanks,
MRK

Its just a normal Canadian Aurora that someone brought over here when it was new, I don't think Olds ever sold Auroras outside of North America, but you never know. 


The registering process in the UK is fairly simple if the car is ten years or older. It needs a rear foglight with a switch on the dash on the right side of the car (left side in Germany), the indicators need to be orange/amber instead of red in the back and you might have to adjust the headlights to make sure you don't blind any oncoming traffic on the right side of the road. Apart from that it just needs to pass the yearly inspection. (MOT)


In Germany the whole thing is a lot more complicated. On top of the things mentioned above, the car needs headlights that were certified for road use in the EU. Obviously none exist for the Aurora which means the headlights need to get modified, the old low beam bulb gets replaced by a EU-spec projector thats built into the original housing. The car also needs its VIN stamped into the body somewhere, usually its just stamped onto a metal plate that gets welded to the strut tower, easy. You'll also need various data sheets (that cost several hundred Euros) that serve as reference for emissions testing and the info you'll find in the German vehicle title, so engine displacement and power output, dimensions, load on axles and max. weight, tire dimensions and a few other things. I am currently trying to register a '95 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC that I bought here in the UK in Germany and its a major pain in the ass, even though I did own the same car there before and didn't have a single problem with all the crap mentioned above. Laws are getting tougher every year unfortunately, which makes importing/registering a car like this quite expensive.

[schaefft]

Alright guys, I'm resurrecting this thread as the Aurora is still not running! I've asked about it in our FB group but I might as well do so here as well.

The problem that I am still having is the car not wanting to start. I originally thought the fuel pump might be the problem as I couldn't hear it running when the ignition was on. I ordered a new fuel pump (Bosch) and installed it today, but that didnt fix the problem. I couldn't hear the new fuel pump running either so I checked its fuse and relay (switched it with the central locking relay as it seems to be identical, central locking worked with both) and both were fine. I also measured the voltage on the positive and negative wires for the pump (no fuel level sender unit) which you can see in the video below.



Just to be 100% sure, I also unplugged one of the fuel lines in the front to see if any fuel arrives at the engine, I stuck the line into a bottle which was pretty quickly filled after cranking for a few seconds, the line was under pressure before as well. I guess that tells me that the fuel is pumping even if I can't hear it?

I've also checked the fuse for the injectors because why not, it was fine. What I did notice though is this mysterious plug on the passenger side behind the engine that only has one pin in it, it was unplugged in my car. Instead of the connector coming from the fire wall, its now used by a thick wire that runs into a relay of some sort of self made starting button - the car is being cranked by pressing that button while the key is in the "on" position (electrics working, but not the "crank" position). I don't know if this is supposed to be some weird anti theft system or whether it is there to circumvent the anti theft system of the car or fix another issue with the ignition, but it might be whats keeping my car from starting. That's why I need to know where that plug is running to, I'm getting the feeling that the "starting button" is messing around with the engine. There are no other wires being connected to the electrical system of the car apart from earth points and the positive terminal in the engine bay.

Edit: I've attached a picture showing the area where that connector is located.

Edit2: Looking at the diagram here, this can only be one of the positive wires to the starter motor:

nemiga.com/cat_spares/epc/oldsmobile/35g-g/02/3g02-015/

[sall]

So it cranks but does not start?

When the key is placed in on you do not hear the fuel pump prime. It should prime for 2-3 seconds. Do you have a fuel pressure gauge? You be reading 48-55psi primed.

[schaefft]

Yeah, it cranks but doesnt start. I dont hear the fuel pump, dont have a gauge either. But with the fuel actually arriving at the front of the car, I dont think thats the problem. The fuse/relay is fine after all, and the pump is new. If any of them would cause trouble, no fuel would arrive at the engine. If fuel pressure was too low, it would still try to start and not just crank, right?

[schaefft]

I made sure the engine has spark today, tested the 4 front spark plugs and all work as intended, I didnt test the back ones but Id be extremely surprised if things are different there.

Also one thing to note: The diy starting button that I mentioned above does let me crank the engine, doing the same (and plugging in the connector behind the engine, its definitely for the starter motor) with the key and I dont get anything, its as if the battery was empty (it definitely isn't). Would this sound like a faulty ignition switch?

Here's whats confusing me, I tested the continuity of the ignition switch connector pins as described here (http://aurorah.proboards.com/thread/23583) doing the Ohm meter test, and all of them had perfect continuity. Does that mean that my ignition switch actually is okay?

I've also checked the voltage at the fuel pump fuse (even though I tested it at the fuel pump wiring harness before). Is a little low but thats probably just because the battery was getting a bit weak.

I don't really understand how I can both have spark and fuel, yet the engine doesnt start. The only thing I can thing off are the crank shaft sensors.

I will get buy a fuel pressure gauge and check the pressure. If that is fine, I can only think of the crank shaft position sensors causing the problem. Anything else would let me at least start the engine, even if it runs poorly.

Where would I connect the fuel pressure gauge and what size is the valve/port?

[RCA1186]

Have you tried disconnecting the starting button and re-connecting the plugs?

[schaefft]

Yup, in that case the car doesnt crank at all, like when the battery is dead. There are no wires cut underneath the steering column either, which leads me to believe that the button was the fix for a faulty ignition switch when cranking the car (or would nothing happen at all when turning the key if it was the ignition switch? Its obvious that its trying to use the battery's power to crank it, the lights dim and the dash turns off most of its lights with the key in "Start" position, it just doesnt do much else). Whats confusing me here is that I tested the pins of the ignition switch conector at the firewall doing the ohm meter test I linked to in the post above yours, and I had perfect continuity in exactly the pins I was supposed to check (and none in all the others).

[schaefft]

Something that I wanted to mention in this thread as well, my Idle Air Control motor is pretty noisy when putting the key in/taking it out of the ignition. Sounds like its completely worn out. I assume that wouldn't cause the engine to not start anymore though, right?

[schaefft]

So I tried measuring the fuel pressure today but I've got the feeling that my gauge didnt quite fit on the schrader valve of the fuel rail, do I need a specific adapter for the Aurora? Also, I tried starting the engine using starter fluid, and believe it or not, it actually was running for about a second! This should confirm that it has a fuel delivery problem, I will try again when the battery is fully charged. Just to make sure that the injectors are working, I pulled them and had them squirt into these plastic containers. What you can see there is just the result of putting the key into the RUN position (battery was too weak to crank it), I think it proves that the fuel pump does prime even if I cant hear it. However, is it normal that only 3 injectors are actually squirting fuel? Or should they not squirt any fuel at all to make sure fuel pressure is building up before cranking the engine?


EDIT: Yup, I don't think those 3 injectors are supposed to do that... Guess I'll check their voltage and resistance, but Im pretty sure they are simply stuck open from the car being parked for so long so theyll need a good cleaning.

[RCA1186]

Yeah, I don't know that the injectors should be releasing any fuel on prime. AND #1 on the list of symptoms of leaky injectors happens to be;

Starting issues.

[schaefft]

So I've took all the injectors off the fuel rail today and tried to clean them up a bit. I put them back in and actually managed to get my fuel pressure gauge connected to the Schrader valve on the fuel rail. Fuel pressure now is steady and doesn't drop at all, HOWEVER it is way too low. First time I turned the key to RUN (without starting the engine) it only rose to 10 PSI, turned it again and it rose to 20. The pressure increase slowed down with every additional turn of the key, so the pump obviously struggles to build up pressure. The fuel pump is new, so I assume the fuel filter is clogged up?

I've also checked the resistance of all injectors just in case, all are around 12.5ohm.

[RCA1186]

Definitely change the fuel filter if you haven't. Believe it is usually recommended with a new pump