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Light window tint job just to help with the heat transfer in order to make yourself more comfortable while driving and then help save the interior while sitting in the sun. Yes R12 was definitely more efficient and colder.
Retired GM Powertrain sealing engineer here, I would recommend not using RTV as an assembly aid to hold a PIP (press in place) gasket in the groove as once the RTV cures it will not compress which will result in the PIP gasket taking a permanent set. When this happens the contact pressure that is required for the seal to function properly is affected resulting in a leak path! The better option is a product called Amojell basically Vaseline.
I didnt know that about RTV not compressing, I do typically use trans assembly lube or grease for this purpose though just because I hate cracking my RTV open unless its necessary (the trans assembly lube is like my version of the MB sunroof grease, I bought it for my first trans rebuild 10 years ago and we barely used any of it, and I've found it works for everything because it's sticky and oil melts it)
@@autotalon unlike traditional rubber gaskets that seal vis contact pressure and surface area RTV seals vis adhesion and elongation properties of the cured material. There needs to be an ample cross section of cured rubber created in the joint to withstand the forces of thermal expansion and contraction think of it a gluing a rubber band to a substrate and pulling it until it fails. For RTV you always want the failure to be cohesive in nature meaning tearing the material before adhesive failure occurs!
Retired GM dealer tech here, I've worked on hundreds of the "Quad 6" engines (don't miss 'em one bit). I've done many of the timing belt/chain replacements. Need to keep an eye (ear) on the "dummy" cam shaft, they like to snap off. That distributor thing is actually the oil pump drive. Ahh, the training videos, don't miss them either. Tip for you, if you have to do plugs on the back head, remove the front cradle bolts and lower it down. It tips the engine and you gain about 4" of space.
Cutlass vs. Exotics: listen, I've been sitting here waiting for this to post. I don't bother watching Lambo videos at all. This is actually interesting.
I feel like there's two kinds of car people. The kind that like that stuff, and the rest of us that actually work on stuff. Can I appreciate the engineering? Sure. But watching someone work on one sounds like a drag. I'd rather be wrenching on it myself (maybe, depends what it is)
I'm like 99% of the people who watch your channel, I love the fact you go after the unique, not really known about and of course just cool cars. The depth you go into doing repairs or even mods makes me smile, getting to see such a variety of different models and vast selection of years too, I'm so glad you haven't gone the route of 90 % of the car youtubers. Keep up the amazing work Alex
I am from Namibia, living in Berlin Germany. I know the cars from here but, I have learned and got to know and love so many really cool cars they used to build in the US thanks to Alex and Max and people like them. I don`t like modern US cars so much, but I love the old and young timers.
Former Oldsmobile line tech here. The "shiny alternator" at 4:05 was a frequently replaced part on these engines. The engine heat combined with driving in year round hot temps (Florida) would cook the alternators on these engines. Many times, we were replacing them under 3/36 warranty.
And tricky to get to down there, I recall a splash shield coming out later, thinking water coming off the tires/underside spray in rain/puddles was not helping either. GM engineers are tops, and the dealer techs who see the results after the miles pile on and vehicles come in needed service do their part too.
Hello Freddy, Watch this guy, Alex bro. A bloody Genius mechanic, especially Mercedes. Another Fantastic channel. Hello from Ireland again Alex. 🙏🙏👌👏👏👏👏👏👏
This is not a "3400" engine. This engine was actually developed in anticipation for the next version of the fiero. While the cylinder block is in fact a derivative of the GM 60° V6, not much else relates to that motor. An upgrade if you ever want, is to change the Pistons and connecting rods to those from the 4.6 Northstar engine. They are a direct, exact fit.
From one dad to another, I think you have a great sense of humor. That unobtaniun, adamantium...Wolverine bit made me crack up. I appreciate your vulnerability and your quirky positivity, the world could use more of the fun and genuineness you so naturally exhibit in your videos. Plus, the tech info and processes are the best on RUclips. Keep it up!
I had 91 Z34 with that engine. I loved that car! While you're in there, replace that distributor plug gasket. The LQ1 was well-known for an oil leak there. The problem with doing that is getting that plug out. A bolt boss is in the way the prevents the plug from being removed. I know that engine all too well! If you trim the bolt boss down, you can lift that plug up just enough to slip on a thin o-ring around that plug and clamp that plug back down. No removal of the cylinder head is needed and any leaks there will be eliminated. I did that repair on a lot of those engines, and was widely accepted by customers that didn't want to spend the money on the cylinder head removal.
Your channel is so much better and more relatable than it used to be, you doing the work yourself on more everyday cars is so nice and such a good change on YT. I used to barely be able to watch but now youre excellent
I agree with a lot of the commenters. These are more realistic cars most people can afford. I love the old cars from the 90's and 80's. I''m 68 and it brings back a lot of memories. I have worked on a lot of 70's cars, also.
I had a Z24 I put a million miles on. A 1990. I would much rather see vids about these. You can buy one of these exotics at auction. You just can afford to maintain it. A 35k dollar Testarossa that will cost at least that much to maintain because the engine has to come out to do it.
I was a GM technician up until 2007. As to the cam timing, you should loosen all four of the cam gear bolts and make sure that the gears can move on the camshafts.. They are just pressed on. With the rear bank cams flats up, install the tool. Install the belt and new pulley's and tighten the rear cam gear bolts. Rotate the crank 360*, then install the cam tool on the front cams. Then tighten the front cam gear bolts. The cam gears can and do move on the shafts so it will effect the belt/gear spacing.
They went away from Green coolant because they were finding out it was detrimental to aluminum parts too corrosive. And that's definitely belt material 100% I've seen it before
The reason it was detrimental too was that people never changed it. Never listened to their 2 year service recommendation for the cooling system. That's why dex cool was invented to make a coolant last 10 years or their whole 10 year 100k miles warranty. Those were the days for great warranty programs. It also helped them to go broke by 2008 but there were many reasons for that too. Including not enough emissions reductions quick enough due to Regan era laws for emissions in the US. Gmac literally was the only thing making them money sadly.
The reason they gave it a 2 year service interval was because if u left it in an aluminum engine it started eating the aluminum from the inside if left in it for more than 2 years.....dexcool is not corrosive to aluminum and that's why it was invented @@WthaHatchet
@@WthaHatchetAnd some engines (Aluminum block with open cooling system) get corrosion in less than a year with green coolant. My Subaru EA71S engine is that way. Changed it over to Dex-Cool and not only did the corrosion stop but what was there completely disappeared. Now they have coolant that lasts even longer for semi trucks. CAT ELC and the other similar coolants last 600k miles plus. And additives are available for them to extend the life of the coolant without changing it.
@@theodorgiosan2570 that's why they make foreign car coolant with a different ratio of phosphates. I don't recommend using dexcool it can do even worse on your system and crystallized if you leave it in there over time. Look up terrible effects of dex cool. Check out the Peak line of foreign car coolant to find your specific type. I think the Japanese style coolant is much safer and purple or dark green if I remember correctly. 🤘
May have been said already, but the workshop manual is wrong for cam belt timing. I was a GM tech back in the hay day of those engines. There was a service manual supplement that GM released that never got out in the manual. The first one I did a belt on in the mid 90’s I put it on wrong cause that’s what’s the manual said. Took me a week to figure it out.
I rode in a DOHC 3.4 V6 Pontiac Grand Prix with a manual transmission once, several years ago. To me, it felt every bit as good as a stock supercharged 3.8 V6, and more willing to zing to red line than the supercharged V6 as well. That said, I am pretty sure that the 5 speed helped massively with that more "peppy" feeling. Also, I thought the normal 2.8, 3.1 and 3.4 liter V6 engines made some great sounds, these DOHC engines are glorious!
Pretty much any OHC engine will be and feel revvier than a pushrod one. Just the inherent nature of the two designs. That said, manual transmissions do aid that impression.
I was a technician at an Oldsmobile dealership in the mid-late nineties. GM had a special tool for the timing belt on that engine. You'll notice there are flats on the camshaft and a threaded hole between them. The tool laid across the flats and you put a bolt through it into that threaded hole to hold the cams in position. The dealership didn't have the tool, so I just drilled a hole in two pieces of flat strap steel. I still have them in my tool box 30 years later.😂 The tools aren't absolutely necessary, but they sure make the timing belt replacement easier.
Built same tool pretty much same way when i had to do one of these timing belts just to make my life easier, was looking on alldata to make sure there was nothing weird or crazy about the job i had to look out for or needed special tools and saw the cam holder tool. Of course i could do it without the tool just like many others like it but being able to lock cams just makes life easier when installing belt and assures that cams are in proper location. Took me 10 min to whip up the tool from the almighty metal stash/scrap pile and was good to go. Used it one other time in 10 years when a friend had one of these belts/tensioner to do and remembered i had the tool cause he was actually here that day helping me drink beer plus a little help. That's y i didn't charge him for using the tool that i actually never got back come to think of it lol. Doubt it will ever be needed again or just make another one:)
Easy way to do a cam belt. Cut the belt in half all of the way around and remove the front half. Leaving the back half on the pulleys to keep it perfectly timed. Slide your new belt onto the front half of the pulleys. Then cut and remove the last half of the old belt before seating the new belt properly.
I've seen this tip before and it's actually a genius way of doing it, at least if you can get to the belt and cut half of it off. I guess you could just have a real sharp blade cutting the belt while turning the engine over with a wrench. If the engine is already in time, no hassle with lining anything up!
I remember working on those engines. 😀 With age, the intake manifold gaskets would shrink and the car would run rough sometimes due to a vacuum leak when cold. After the car warmed up it ran OK. It called for 5.6 hours to replace the alternator because you had to remove the passenger side axle shaft. 😲 Many GM fuel injectors of that era would shut down when the injector resistance got too low. It was a protection feature to prevent damage to the computer. As resistance gets lower, the current increases. If the engine shut down due to this, sometimes you could pull one of the fuel injector wiring harness connectors off, that wasn't burried under the intake manifold, and the car would start. Sometimes you would let the engine cool down and it would start up later. Those cars take the small glass headlights. Sometimes a car would be brought in that ran extremely rough at idle and you needed to remove the EGR and remove the piece of carbon that broke off and was holding the EGR open. This was essentially internal vacuum leak. R12 was a very good refrigerant. I remember driving on the highway on a hot day and the A/C cranked up. It was so cold, you could see your breath! It was easy to find leaks also. Where you had a leak, a little bit of the refrigerant oil would leak out and dust would stick to it. With R134A, it kind of evaporated and did not show leaks . I was told that the R12 molecules were bigger and would leak out slower. Not sure if that was true. I also heard, Dupont's patent on R12 expired and they wanted everybody to switch to their new formula of R134A refrigerant. 😝 It was supposed to be harming the ozone layer. It was heavier than air so when you checked for leaks with a tester you checked the underside of the connector. Somebody in our shop said, if it is heavier that air, how does the R12 end up miles in the atmosphere? 😲 I don't know??? 😑 When 1/2 - 1 lb of R134A leaks out, cooling performance drops dramatically. R12, still fairly cool.
AHHHH the good old days of always having to replace GM fuel injectors and alternators on this motor. Every freaking time a customer show up and i open the hood and see this motor, I just want to walk away.
Yes R-12 was cooler and better, imo. Had many GM cars with R-12. Cooling was incredible, especially in 60s and early 70s. The whole ozone story was a hoax, imo, as is most everything from climate alarmists. Now the R134 is not safe enough. My new freezer has CEFTANE, which is flammable. Changes that make life more dangerous for humans, but safer for ozone(doubtful)? And more money for manufacturers. And btw, Alex, your narration is flawless and entertaining to listen to. Well done. (I just found your channel today. Even though you’re way over my head, I enjoy watching the process.)
So, you haven't really talked about the transmission much yet, but you should. It has an interesting background if the story that I've heard has any merit. The Getrag 284 supposedly was developed for use in the 80's mid-engine Corvette that got cancelled. It eventually got used in these GM car AND 501 Chrysler Maserati TC's (it has a different bellhousing and looks like a different shift mechanism from what I can see). It was supposedly one of the strongest transverse transmissions of the era. In the factory service manuals for the Maserati the transmission is not a serviceable unit and if any internal work was needed, it was simply to be taken out and replaced with a new unit. Getrag pretty much refuses to acknowledge they built them and while the GM W-body manuals show a breakdown and tools, apparently the tools were never made available to dealerships. They do share a lot of architecture with the 282, so my theory is that procedures for that can be followed to get into them. I have a spare "bad" unit that I intend on trying to take apart. Since no parts are available, I figure I can't mess it up any more than it is, so at the worst I have a sawzall...it WILL come apart!
We had a 1990 four door Cutlass Supreme SL with the automatic transmission. One day we heard a loud bang and thump from the car, it drove three miles to home, and the next day it wouldn’t go into gear. It turns out that a large gear in the transmission (I’m remembering a sun gear)had been improperly welded, and the weld had failed a few hundred miles out of warranty. Worst of all, the dealer absolutely refused to repair it, even though it was clearly a manufacturing defect. That was our first and last GM vehicle.
@@FS2K4Pilotserious question, what would you have for the customer that came in with a vehicle out of warranty, that needs 4,000$? Repair? Remember the manufacturer is probably going to deny the repair bill. I mean, give them 4k trade in credit for a new one? Seriously, how could you have been made happy with that ‘91 Cutlass?
@@mcgusto82As the dealer, for such a large defect as that, which was definitely the manufacturer’s fault, if the manufacturer denied the repair I’d cover it myself, especially for a first-time customer.
@@FS2K4Pilot I always found it funny how GM couldn't get a FWD transmission to handle any torque during the 80's and 90's. People would always joke that if you make 200hp, your transmission will explode. "GM just can't seem to figure out the FWD trans." Then I remind them about the 1966-1970 Toronado. BIG BLOCK OLDS. The 425ci was 475 lb⋅ft, and the 455ci was 510 lb⋅ft. The FWD transmissions lasted just fine.
@@castanza128 (I made a mistake and the following regarding the older transmissions is wrong, they are in fact set up similar to the later longitudinal units, just much more beefy) completely different designs. The transmission in the old cars was nothing more than a RWD transmission with a special case to make it a longitudinal transaxle. The 80's/90's transmissions were fully transverse units with all of the torque holding bits shoved behind the engine, making them very undersized. Add to it the introduction of electronic controls that were in their infancy and you get a recipe for junk. I think these would have had the 4T65 if it was an auto, but this car is a manual. As a sidebar, the Getrag 282 (and the follow-up that I can't remember the designation for off the top of my head) can hold some power. That's what the Fireo guys typically use for the V8 conversions if it's a manual. Only thing is I don't think any sort of real limited slip existed for any of them, which I can tell you that in a FWD makes a HUGE difference in the driving/handling and EVERY high performance FWD needs one.
Timing belt + 2 chains (!) on the V6 Maserati Biturbo engines! Belt in front, going to the exhaust camshafts, and then 1 tiny chain on the back of each bank, connecting to the intake camshafts. And sure enough, you officially have to take out the engine to change the chains at 80,000km (50k miles)!! Some specialists do it with mirrors and seven joints per finger 😉.
Alex said a while ago that he wanted to do an Italian car at some point. I suggested he do a Biturbo because it’s an AFFORDABLE Italian exotic and it’s the type of car he usually has on the channel: unusual, kind of quirky, always needs some attention to get working right, tons of power, and a blast to drive when it’s tuned right. A pre-1987 car with the twin-turbocharged CABURETED engine would provide great content while he gets it running right, and then the LS swap would provide even more content!
Hi Alex. You are my number one Autoshow on RUclips. As a host you're genuine and funny and your car choice is random, cool and realistic. I usually tune out when creators go the exotic route unless its really rare like a Lancia Stratos or like Ratarossas BB512 Resto. I have a 1999 Vehicross, 1988 RHD UK Spec MR2, a 1987 Merkur Xr4Ti, 1989 Ford Probe, 1986 Fiero rally car (not joking). I even have my 1993Z28 from when I was a teenager just like you with your trans am. And funny enough my girlfriend drives a 1996 Cutlass 2dr similar to your blue one. Lifetime watcher. Keep the direction of your channel it's perfect. Stay genuine dude. And thanks for the awesome viewing. Best show.
Alex, that Cutlass is fantastic! You're right to never sell it, unless it's to me! With all that glass, you should have the windows tinted, and if you want it to look stock, get the lightest shade they have, even clear. The UV rating will still protect the interior and reduce heat. Tint doesn't need to be dark to achieve these results. I've had this done on a few cars. Also, Illinois now has RFID IPASS stickers instead of those bulky boxes.
My buddy and I both had Luminas, I had a Euro 3.1 and he had an Iron Duke LS. We used to drool at the Z34s and LTZs parked at the billiards hall when we pulled up in our wrecks. But they all had 3.8s and they all leaked at #4. I was glad to have a 60° V6 for that reason. And my cousin’s Cutlass Supreme looked just like that one - but his engine never went bad because he cut the roof off with three passengers using a semi in a snowstorm on I-90 in New York. Ah, memories of the old full-size FWD
The 60° Degree's need more love lol. My buddies always joke about swapping out the TBI 3.1 in my 92' Lumina APV for a 3800, but nah...I'll stick with my little 3.1, sounds good, and is stupid reliable, still has some get up and go at 175k miles all things considered. The 3.8's are awesome, don't get me wrong, but they aren't as perfect as everyone makes them out to be.
Just another reason I absolutely love the LSC channel. Alex your integrity doesn't waver my man. A simple screw up like the wrong "#1 cyl" could've been edited out. But you left it in to show even the best mechanic can make the honest mistake. Keep up the great work my friend!!
Legend has it, that when the Mercedes Benz sunroof grease runs out, Alex will go back to Italy and live alone on a mountain giving wrenching tips to the worthy mechanics who climb up to visit him
It was the other way around Alex. I had a 92 4dr Cutlass with the 3.4 DOHC /5spd and a 95 Monte Carlo Z34 with the same engine. Both popped belts and were repaired without head/valve issues. The "interference" came in 96 and 97 when they redesigned the heads. Also, the "plug" where the distributor was is actually for the oil pump drive.
I love me some exotic cars but truth be told; those cars are priced way above your common man/woman. These videos are REALISTIC and just as great in CONTENT ALEX! Thanks pal!
@@JoseSantos-gl3vkthis car is cool as hell. Just because YOU don’t appreciate an under appreciated survivor like this doesn’t mean the rest of us feel the same. These were amazing cars!
@@JoseSantos-gl3vk ok so move on and go watch a video about that craaaaazy Pagani Huayra or McLaren Senna or whatever hotwheels car floats your boat...
Interesting FYI for you, the 1990 Prototype Fiero GT which I have seen in person has a prototype of that 3.4 DOHC. It’s actually a 3.2 DOHC in the 1990 Fiero GT prototype.
Since I am a Trekkie, I guess I should answer the question about the cloaking device. The Romulans and the Klingons had cloaking technology. The only Federation starship that had cloaking technology was the USS Defiant in DS9, given to them under the authority of the Romulans in trade for information they received from the Gamma Quadrant. It could only technically be used in the Gamma Quadrant. There was another Federation starship that had an advanced, experimental cloaking device that allowed them to not only cloak, but pass through matter, as well. It was on the USS Pegasus. That cloaking device was developed secretly and hidden from Starfleet Command because it violated the Treaty of Algeron, a treaty that the Federation had with the Romulans to preserve peace, but in order to keep the peace, the Federation could not develop cloaking technology. Yes, even though I am a car guy, I am also a nerd. But I prefer to think of myself as a Sci-Fi enthusiast.
@@mediocreman2 Not that I am ever aware of. I have never seen a cloaked Ferrengi ship. There might be an alternate universe show where they got the technology, but I have never seen one.
I appreciate you doing more realistic cars on this channel. Seeing cheap content and work on so many different engines have taught me so much and given me so much confidence to work on my car.
Check the egr tube that feeds the valve and the valve itself. mine wasn't working, the solenoids worked, but the valves were carboned up and the tube was clogged. It gave me a permanent CEL. Tube runs down to the cat, and I believe required replacement of the cat to replace the tube. The dealer who installed the new timing belt couldn't get the system working and gave up. Didn't cause any problems driving it just the light to stay on. I was so done with the car I didn't care and traded it off a year or two later after the third alternator I had to install. Mine was a 92 lumina 3.4 euro sedan. It was a beautiful white with red trim car, the tail lights, door handles, wheel moldings, badges, and door strips were white to match, with red in the door moldings and the badges. When washed and polished it was amazing to look at. I was tired of the alternator issues, and the CEL on all the time. It wasn't fun to wrench on after a while and I moved on.
There is a better refrigerant to convert an old R12 system rather than 134 and it is R152a also known as duster spray you can get at Walmart. Us old guys know that an old R12 system converted to 134 never cools as well as the R12 especially at idle since the condensers for the newer 134 systems have much smaller passages than the r12 condensers. To use the duster spray can, you need a Robin-air side tap to attach to your manifold gauges. I have 3 of my cars and about 40 customers cars converted to R152a and many for over 15 years and they are just as ice cold as the R12. Below is the conversion by molecular weight. The correct amount according to theory is as follows: The molecular weight of 134a is 102 and the molecular weight of R152a is 68. 68/102=.66% So multiply your 134a factory charge by .66 and you have the theoretical correct charge for 152a. Molecular weight of R12 =120 68/120=.56% So multiply your R12 factory charge by .56 and you have the theoretical correct charge for 152a. Example: If the vehicle calls for 3 lb. 4 oz. of R12. That is 52 oz. of R12. Multiply 52 x .56 and you get 29.12. You would theoretically need 29.12 oz. of HFC152a to fill this system to the equivalent of R12.
Great advice and conversion ratios above. 152a is far more efficient refrigerant than 134a or R-1234 and nearly as efficient as R12. 152a is not an environmental (ozone depletion) hazardous air pollutant (HAP) per the Clean Air Act. So, 152a capture is not necessary. I "fill/flush" the already vacuumed AC system with 152a prior to final filling with 152a and further reduce any residual air/moisture/contaminates not previously "boiled off" during the vacuum purge. But 152a is very slightly flammable and anyone converting to it should be informed. I consider the risk insignificant compared to all the existing combustibles. I use synthetic ester oil for compressor lubricant and "green" viton seals/o-rings for compatibility. 152a posses a financial threat to the "regulated" HVAC industry because you can DIY for safer and cheaper. They will find a way to "regulate" it eventually.
@@rwdplz1 lol, gasoline is flammable too but yet you drive a car with a tank full of gasoline but yet you're afraid of a few ounces of gas that disperses in a couple seconds. You risk/reward calculations are a bit off
Probably the nicest cutty like that one out there. Fun vid. The zip tie method of holding on the timing belt is an epic good Idea! I was allready doing the line up method. I love learning new (to me) tricks like that. Thanks for the great vid on a great car.
On the topic of weird timing chain-belt combos. Old Audi 4.2 v8's (DOHC) 40 valve engines had a timing belt going from crankshaft to one camshaft per head. And then the exhaust and intake camshafts were hooked up together by a small chain and all the good stuff that comes with timing chains. And the funny thing was that usually the cam chain guides would go bad faster than the chain. So usually every time you changed the belt you needed to change cam chain guides too.
Keep up with the great content. You have captured my attention. Being an 80s kid and reading Motor trend and R &T. Seeing all these cool cars on the glossy cover and dreaming about driving one when I got my license.
Its belt edge fluff. Timing belts wear at their edges. I used to work at Gates, they build and cure the belts on long calendar rolls and then cut them to the proper width. The fluff is the by product of the skiving (cutting) process.
Hello, I remember watching my 1st Video of you years ago, saying to myself " this is such a silly guy" boy u have not changed, you have a great personality & you do great work & I learn sooo much watching you. Thank you for creating great clean content 😊
Nearly 90 minutes? I’m down! Used to look forward to watching cartoons on Saturday morning as a kid. As an adult, these are my Saturday morning car-tunes.
This is the beginning of the "3D CAD era" at GM. The hallmark: there isn't a single square inch of unused space under the hood. Later models were a little bit better, but "design for serviceability" is still an ongoing opportunity for most car brands.
Yeah you can really tell. Look at the Cosworth Vega to see an early GM car with fuel injection and a timing belt, and look how easy it is to service. Some of the newer cars have quite a bit of space. The Chevy Trax/Buick Envista for example has such a tiny engine that there is quite a bit of space to service it.
In 91 i bought a new Dale Earnhardt edition Z34. Ten years and 210,000 mi passed and we parted ways. What a cool locking rocket i enjoyed. This brings back memories.
I loved every moment of this but when you got to the underhood light...my early 90s GM nostalgia wave hit hard and I really missed all these "in between" years cars. Elements of old on the way to modern new crazy. Keep it up!!!
So glad I found this channel! Gave up 3 cars I loved due to a growing family and my favorite was my 92 cutlass. Floated everywhere and I never saw another one nicer than my gold turd. Keep this car rolling and I'll keep watching! Thank you for your content.
The 90s Monte Carlos Z34 had those 3.4 double overhead cam as a performance option, too. It was fun when it worked right. I bet it's even better with the manual. 😊
Really been enjoying the videos on the olds I have a deep soft spot for older GM's and these videos are giving me ideas of things to try to fix on my 1988 Oldsmobile Delta 88 royal brougham has the 3.8 and some days it will run fine other days it randomly flips out runs like garbage wants to die all the time have to two foot it to keep it running the mass air flow is unhooked because it don't like having one
All of your quirky one-offs and retro masterpieces are so much more exciting than a generic supercar. Anyone with money could buy a super car, it takes a lot of skill to do what you do.
This kind of engine is why I love ford's older 302 Windsor series 5.0 liter HO over head valve V8's and regular 5.0 liter over head valve V8 engines.They were so simple to work on.I like fords 3.0 liter dohc V6 engines too.
Exactly what makes you different keep it up I’d say 90% of vids are exotic but who can relate ? Most people aren’t in that exotic category so I really appreciate your vids,have a good weekend
Those Dual over head Cams came from the foundry i work at today CWC TEXTRON. Been there 26yrs so they were made before my time but we still make OEM and aftermarket cams every time a youtuber takes apart an engine i look for our stamp love what ya do keep it up
As an Aussie I had never seen this car before. I really like the look of the front end. The headlights were really ahead of their time. Weird motor for sure, but a nice looking ride.
Popular car in the early to mid 90's, my parents bought a new one in 1995 .. I had the old school Cutlass Supreme Salon coupe (1987). Cutlass Supremes sold at a rate of 100,000 units per year in the US during the 90's.
Love the time your spending on the Oldsmobile Alex. I have a unique 1989 Olds Cutlass Calais International its the only surviving factory test LGO Calais with the HO 2.3 Quad 4 and 5 speed. That was forgotten about for 30 years outside a test facility. Until I was able to rescue it in October of 2019.
You caught me, lol. I took a 1991 Gran. d Prix apart to replace the timing belt and crank seal. I was setting on my recliner saying exactly that, don't forget the 2 on the back. Lol. Love the videos, keep it up man.
I think part of what makes yours one of my top two RUclipsrs is that you are enthusiastic about the things you like regardless of what the algorithm suggests would be better. Don’t change Alex, we love the channel as it is. You can change clothes and stuff, and maybe get a bigger shop.
Regarding R-12 systems: It wasn't so much that R-12 was more efficient, it was more about the first gen of R-134a systems weren't properly sized. They were still based off of R-12 systems so the A/C wasn't all the great while sitting still. It needed more airflow over the core to cool properly.
12 was very thermally efficient. 134a was a junk science compromise to appease (for a short time) the global warming tree huggers. Not to be assuaged the tree huggers took a break from hugging trees to slam us with 1234YF slightly flammable but it is a decent refrigerant. 40 year AC guy with AC 608 and 609 cert and testing proctor.
My dad had a ‘91 version of this car. It was a red 3.4 with 5spd. It was a lower trim level but had a digital dash(I think ‘91 was the last year of that) and when the clutch went out it was almost impossible to find a replacement in the late 90’s. That engine always sounded so good especially for a v6. It hurt some feelings leaving stoplights back in the day too. I wish I could find one now.
Love all the great clean content. I agree there is enough exotic car content, it’s nice to see these neat unique finds. W body’s rock!!Keep up the good work!!
Wow, watching this video showed me how old I am. This 3400 engine was one of the most sought-after front drive engines for us GM guys. I know a couple of people who swapped this engine into their Chevy Cavaliers. I got my driver's license in 1996. I drove a hand-me-down car for 2 years. The first car I ever purchased with my own money was a 1994 z34 Lumina that I purchased in 1998. On the same day I also managed to score a 78 Malibu for $250. In 1999 I sold the Lumina. As of today September 23rd 2024, I still own the malibu.
i picked up a 80 malibu for $500 when i was 18 (2004), never should have sold that car. i later had a 84 regal t-type (bought as a rolling shell, LS swapped it) that i ended up selling to buy a house, wish i hadnt sold that car either...
When you got it back together and accelerated it reminded me of my 94 lumina Z 34. The sound inside the car is identical, same motor like you said earlier in the video. But I purchased it new in August and by December I found out they had trouble with that engine starting in cold weather, so 35 degrees F on down it wouldn't start up. Go to the store for groceries, come out no start in cold weather. Another bad flaw of that motor. Thank you for the video. Stay safe. Cheers.😊
Hi Alex, I'm in Australia and I have been hooked on your channel for quite a while now. Your take on car resto's and repairs is unique in the RUclips world and it's really refreshing. Thanks for the top shelf videos mate, you have inspired me to start looking at cars from auctions to do up. The only problem in Oz is, like everything else, cars are EXPENSIVE, even from auction! We have a massive problem with "flippers" here too, the clowns with too much money who snap up all the good deals and do a botched up repair job then flog the cars off for massive profit, they are getting worse and it's getting harder to find a good deal nowadays. Don't ever lose your down to Earth attitude and keep up the high standard of videos for us. Cheers mate.
Same in South Africa man. Good example: a 1998 Ford Bantam half tonner from 1998 cost the literal same R40k that a 2008 model would cost. Auctions are no help either. No, the 2016 model isn't much more than that either, so these oldies are WAY overpriced. That is about $2000 US, and all these vehicles I mentioned call up these prices though they are in similar condition.
GM has overtime proved again and again that they were an engineering giant. Unfortunately their bean counters typically destroyed it by cheapen it out prior to production...
Thanks very much for this beautiful video. You have unlocked the mysteries of the GM LQ1 engine. Thanks sharing the GM video of how to change the LQ1 timing belt. Thanks for sharing a secrets of successful techs by demonstrating how to zip tie an old marked belt to a new belt.
You keep calling it a 3400, that’s a different engine haha But it’s so fun seeing you work on this engine, I’ve had a number of them over the years, currently I have a 92 Grand Prix GTP 5 speed. I should really check my timing belt again, it’s been a while…
Alex you're the man. Thanks for giving me videos to watch when I sneak off work and steal a quick peek and give me something to look forward to watching at lunchtime
R-12 would get so cold you could see your breath 😂. Nothing is as good as the old refrigerant . I remember when they were changing over. People were buying up all the R-12. Cans got very expensive a few years later. I have two modern Mercedes now. And they definitely get cold with the new refrigerant . But nothing like the R12 that would literally freeze you out. That was some good stuff. But apparently not good for the ozone. 😅
This is amazing. Have never watched one of your videos before. Where did you acquire this knowledge and know how? You’re obviously a young man. You must have been under hood of a lot of engines to know so much. Very impressed with your work. I need a mechanic like you.
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Get a Head Cam so you can use both hands.. Goof.
Alex ! You need a Gino Vannelli CD in that car ... You know ! PERIOD CORRECT !
green antifreeze is a silicate based antifreeze dexcool and equivalent is a non silicate based antifreeze theres alot of interesting science in it
Light window tint job just to help with the heat transfer in order to make yourself more comfortable while driving and then help save the interior while sitting in the sun.
Yes R12 was definitely more efficient and colder.
*_I would professionally clean the window's..._*
I’m sick of all the wrecked exotic cars that nobody can afford to own or fix. This channel rocks.
Stop Voting For The Left Then...😶🧂
I’d rather watch a 1990 ford crown vic than a lambo
Couldn’t agree more. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
100% with you on that! This is the best Chanel!
@@jalos012 Or a ‘99 Camry!
Retired GM Powertrain sealing engineer here, I would recommend not using RTV as an assembly aid to hold a PIP (press in place) gasket in the groove as once the RTV cures it will not compress which will result in the PIP gasket taking a permanent set. When this happens the contact pressure that is required for the seal to function properly is affected resulting in a leak path! The better option is a product called Amojell basically Vaseline.
Yours is the kind of comment that makes this community great.
Hope he sees the comment ! @LegitStreetCars
Over in the uk 🇬🇧
I was always taught to use vaseline, as its sticky but with heat melts away with no damage or trace.
I didnt know that about RTV not compressing, I do typically use trans assembly lube or grease for this purpose though just because I hate cracking my RTV open unless its necessary (the trans assembly lube is like my version of the MB sunroof grease, I bought it for my first trans rebuild 10 years ago and we barely used any of it, and I've found it works for everything because it's sticky and oil melts it)
@@autotalon unlike traditional rubber gaskets that seal vis contact pressure and surface area RTV seals vis adhesion and elongation properties of the cured material. There needs to be an ample cross section of cured rubber created in the joint to withstand the forces of thermal expansion and contraction think of it a gluing a rubber band to a substrate and pulling it until it fails. For RTV you always want the failure to be cohesive in nature meaning tearing the material before adhesive failure occurs!
Retired GM dealer tech here, I've worked on hundreds of the "Quad 6" engines (don't miss 'em one bit). I've done many of the timing belt/chain replacements. Need to keep an eye (ear) on the "dummy" cam shaft, they like to snap off. That distributor thing is actually the oil pump drive. Ahh, the training videos, don't miss them either. Tip for you, if you have to do plugs on the back head, remove the front cradle bolts and lower it down. It tips the engine and you gain about 4" of space.
There's 2 types of men that wish they could gain 4 inches.
The 3300 olds v6s run great. Power and reliability
Also, pull the dog bones and ratchet strap the engine forward
Done 2 timing chains never ever again.
Oh the memories....nightmares. I went to GM school on that engine so I got all of them that came in. One reason I left the dealership in '94.
Cutlass vs. Exotics: listen, I've been sitting here waiting for this to post. I don't bother watching Lambo videos at all. This is actually interesting.
I'd much rather watch a video on something I could actually buy one day, not some $200k Ferrari or Lambo.
💯
Couldn't agree more!
I feel like there's two kinds of car people. The kind that like that stuff, and the rest of us that actually work on stuff.
Can I appreciate the engineering? Sure. But watching someone work on one sounds like a drag. I'd rather be wrenching on it myself (maybe, depends what it is)
Absolutely tavarish is an idiot
I'm like 99% of the people who watch your channel, I love the fact you go after the unique, not really known about and of course just cool cars. The depth you go into doing repairs or even mods makes me smile, getting to see such a variety of different models and vast selection of years too, I'm so glad you haven't gone the route of 90 % of the car youtubers. Keep up the amazing work Alex
I am from Namibia, living in Berlin Germany. I know the cars from here but, I have learned and got to know and love so many really cool cars they used to build in the US thanks to Alex and Max and people like them. I don`t like modern US cars so much, but I love the old and young timers.
To be fair, this video has 500k views in the first 3 days.
Cutlass was produced for 40 years and was the second best selling car in the US at one point. I wouldn't say it's unique or not well known.
Former Oldsmobile line tech here. The "shiny alternator" at 4:05 was a frequently replaced part on these engines. The engine heat combined with driving in year round hot temps (Florida) would cook the alternators on these engines. Many times, we were replacing them under 3/36 warranty.
I had a 1995 Grand Prix , went through three alternators
I really did not like changing them alternators. The instant i lift up the hood and see this motor. SCREW IT i am done. Give it to the new kid.
And tricky to get to down there, I recall a splash shield coming out later, thinking water coming off the tires/underside spray in rain/puddles was not helping either. GM engineers are tops, and the dealer techs who see the results after the miles pile on and vehicles come in needed service do their part too.
I’m glad you aren’t like other RUclipsrs, Id rather see see different videos like this 🔥
LETS GOOOOOOO
Saw your last video yesterday. Tits are getting smaller ! Keep doing diet. Kisses
How tha lambo doing Freddy ?
I told you a little about this engine but wait until you see inside. So weird!!
Go where? Is this you attempt to be hip with the kids? You’re old, just stop.
Hello Freddy, Watch this guy, Alex bro. A bloody Genius mechanic, especially Mercedes. Another Fantastic channel. Hello from Ireland again Alex. 🙏🙏👌👏👏👏👏👏👏
This is not a "3400" engine. This engine was actually developed in anticipation for the next version of the fiero. While the cylinder block is in fact a derivative of the GM 60° V6, not much else relates to that motor. An upgrade if you ever want, is to change the Pistons and connecting rods to those from the 4.6 Northstar engine. They are a direct, exact fit.
Terrific information!
From one dad to another, I think you have a great sense of humor. That unobtaniun, adamantium...Wolverine bit made me crack up. I appreciate your vulnerability and your quirky positivity, the world could use more of the fun and genuineness you so naturally exhibit in your videos. Plus, the tech info and processes are the best on RUclips. Keep it up!
Noice. I had a hunch all the weird engines like these were related in some way. What about the tech4? Is it related to either of these?
@@DRNEGOLICIS tech 4 is just a fuel injected iron duke.
No shit!
Hello im the son btw lol nice meeting you at great America it was funny seeing my dad reacton to being mentioned
That was so cool to hear! Even cooler to find you here in the comments!
I had 91 Z34 with that engine. I loved that car! While you're in there, replace that distributor plug gasket. The LQ1 was well-known for an oil leak there. The problem with doing that is getting that plug out. A bolt boss is in the way the prevents the plug from being removed. I know that engine all too well! If you trim the bolt boss down, you can lift that plug up just enough to slip on a thin o-ring around that plug and clamp that plug back down. No removal of the cylinder head is needed and any leaks there will be eliminated. I did that repair on a lot of those engines, and was widely accepted by customers that didn't want to spend the money on the cylinder head removal.
Exactly. That plug gasket ran oil all over the place
Your channel is so much better and more relatable than it used to be, you doing the work yourself on more everyday cars is so nice and such a good change on YT. I used to barely be able to watch but now youre excellent
I agree with a lot of the commenters. These are more realistic cars most people can afford. I love the old cars from the 90's and 80's. I''m 68 and it brings back a lot of memories. I have worked on a lot of 70's cars, also.
I had a Z24 I put a million miles on. A 1990. I would much rather see vids about these. You can buy one of these exotics at auction. You just can afford to maintain it. A 35k dollar Testarossa that will cost at least that much to maintain because the engine has to come out to do it.
Additional interesting tidbit about that engine. The rotating assembly is all forged. Made for boost! 👌
I was a GM technician up until 2007. As to the cam timing, you should loosen all four of the cam gear bolts and make sure that the gears can move on the camshafts.. They are just pressed on. With the rear bank cams flats up, install the tool. Install the belt and new pulley's and tighten the rear cam gear bolts. Rotate the crank 360*, then install the cam tool on the front cams. Then tighten the front cam gear bolts. The cam gears can and do move on the shafts so it will effect the belt/gear spacing.
They went away from Green coolant because they were finding out it was detrimental to aluminum parts too corrosive. And that's definitely belt material 100% I've seen it before
The reason it was detrimental too was that people never changed it. Never listened to their 2 year service recommendation for the cooling system. That's why dex cool was invented to make a coolant last 10 years or their whole 10 year 100k miles warranty. Those were the days for great warranty programs. It also helped them to go broke by 2008 but there were many reasons for that too. Including not enough emissions reductions quick enough due to Regan era laws for emissions in the US. Gmac literally was the only thing making them money sadly.
The reason they gave it a 2 year service interval was because if u left it in an aluminum engine it started eating the aluminum from the inside if left in it for more than 2 years.....dexcool is not corrosive to aluminum and that's why it was invented @@WthaHatchet
@@WthaHatchetAnd some engines (Aluminum block with open cooling system) get corrosion in less than a year with green coolant. My Subaru EA71S engine is that way. Changed it over to Dex-Cool and not only did the corrosion stop but what was there completely disappeared. Now they have coolant that lasts even longer for semi trucks. CAT ELC and the other similar coolants last 600k miles plus. And additives are available for them to extend the life of the coolant without changing it.
@@theodorgiosan2570 that's why they make foreign car coolant with a different ratio of phosphates. I don't recommend using dexcool it can do even worse on your system and crystallized if you leave it in there over time. Look up terrible effects of dex cool. Check out the Peak line of foreign car coolant to find your specific type. I think the Japanese style coolant is much safer and purple or dark green if I remember correctly. 🤘
@@theodorgiosan2570 i thought people went from dex back to green because the dex was extra corrosive?
May have been said already, but the workshop manual is wrong for cam belt timing. I was a GM tech back in the hay day of those engines. There was a service manual supplement that GM released that never got out in the manual.
The first one I did a belt on in the mid 90’s I put it on wrong cause that’s what’s the manual said. Took me a week to figure it out.
I rode in a DOHC 3.4 V6 Pontiac Grand Prix with a manual transmission once, several years ago. To me, it felt every bit as good as a stock supercharged 3.8 V6, and more willing to zing to red line than the supercharged V6 as well. That said, I am pretty sure that the 5 speed helped massively with that more "peppy" feeling. Also, I thought the normal 2.8, 3.1 and 3.4 liter V6 engines made some great sounds, these DOHC engines are glorious!
Pretty much any OHC engine will be and feel revvier than a pushrod one. Just the inherent nature of the two designs. That said, manual transmissions do aid that impression.
I was a technician at an Oldsmobile dealership in the mid-late nineties. GM had a special tool for the timing belt on that engine. You'll notice there are flats on the camshaft and a threaded hole between them. The tool laid across the flats and you put a bolt through it into that threaded hole to hold the cams in position. The dealership didn't have the tool, so I just drilled a hole in two pieces of flat strap steel. I still have them in my tool box 30 years later.😂 The tools aren't absolutely necessary, but they sure make the timing belt replacement easier.
Smart man 💪🏾😎
He literally says your entire comment in the video many times, he goes over the flats on the cam and the associated tool in great depth
@@Onewheelordeal I guess that's what I get for not watching most of the video. 😂
Built same tool pretty much same way when i had to do one of these timing belts just to make my life easier, was looking on alldata to make sure there was nothing weird or crazy about the job i had to look out for or needed special tools and saw the cam holder tool. Of course i could do it without the tool just like many others like it but being able to lock cams just makes life easier when installing belt and assures that cams are in proper location. Took me 10 min to whip up the tool from the almighty metal stash/scrap pile and was good to go. Used it one other time in 10 years when a friend had one of these belts/tensioner to do and remembered i had the tool cause he was actually here that day helping me drink beer plus a little help. That's y i didn't charge him for using the tool that i actually never got back come to think of it lol. Doubt it will ever be needed again or just make another one:)
@@D95SI420 How did that custom tool work on the right bank, (front bank), at 29:20, when there were no flats on the cams to begin with?
Easy way to do a cam belt. Cut the belt in half all of the way around and remove the front half. Leaving the back half on the pulleys to keep it perfectly timed. Slide your new belt onto the front half of the pulleys. Then cut and remove the last half of the old belt before seating the new belt properly.
That is the best tip I've read this century!!!
That doesn't sound easy at all.
I am definitely going to try this.
@@mediocreman2I think he means lengthwise, not widthwise. Genius really.
I've seen this tip before and it's actually a genius way of doing it, at least if you can get to the belt and cut half of it off. I guess you could just have a real sharp blade cutting the belt while turning the engine over with a wrench. If the engine is already in time, no hassle with lining anything up!
I remember working on those engines. 😀 With age, the intake manifold gaskets would shrink and the car would run rough sometimes due to a vacuum leak when cold. After the car warmed up it ran OK. It called for 5.6 hours to replace the alternator because you had to remove the passenger side axle shaft. 😲 Many GM fuel injectors of that era would shut down when the injector resistance got too low. It was a protection feature to prevent damage to the computer. As resistance gets lower, the current increases. If the engine shut down due to this, sometimes you could pull one of the fuel injector wiring harness connectors off, that wasn't burried under the intake manifold, and the car would start. Sometimes you would let the engine cool down and it would start up later. Those cars take the small glass headlights. Sometimes a car would be brought in that ran extremely rough at idle and you needed to remove the EGR and remove the piece of carbon that broke off and was holding the EGR open. This was essentially internal vacuum leak.
R12 was a very good refrigerant. I remember driving on the highway on a hot day and the A/C cranked up. It was so cold, you could see your breath! It was easy to find leaks also. Where you had a leak, a little bit of the refrigerant oil would leak out and dust would stick to it. With R134A, it kind of evaporated and did not show leaks . I was told that the R12 molecules were bigger and would leak out slower. Not sure if that was true. I also heard, Dupont's patent on R12 expired and they wanted everybody to switch to their new formula of R134A refrigerant. 😝 It was supposed to be harming the ozone layer. It was heavier than air so when you checked for leaks with a tester you checked the underside of the connector. Somebody in our shop said, if it is heavier that air, how does the R12 end up miles in the atmosphere? 😲 I don't know??? 😑 When 1/2 - 1 lb of R134A leaks out, cooling performance drops dramatically. R12, still fairly cool.
AHHHH the good old days of always having to replace GM fuel injectors and alternators on this motor. Every freaking time a customer show up and i open the hood and see this motor, I just want to walk away.
Yes R-12 was cooler and better, imo. Had many GM cars with R-12. Cooling was incredible, especially in 60s and early 70s. The whole ozone story was a hoax, imo, as is most everything from climate alarmists. Now the R134 is not safe enough. My new freezer has CEFTANE, which is flammable. Changes that make life more dangerous for humans, but safer for ozone(doubtful)? And more money for manufacturers. And btw, Alex, your narration is flawless and entertaining to listen to. Well done. (I just found your channel today. Even though you’re way over my head, I enjoy watching the process.)
The guy voicing the 3400 video is 100% Bud Haggart, the guy from the “turbo encabulator” video! So cool.
So, you haven't really talked about the transmission much yet, but you should. It has an interesting background if the story that I've heard has any merit. The Getrag 284 supposedly was developed for use in the 80's mid-engine Corvette that got cancelled. It eventually got used in these GM car AND 501 Chrysler Maserati TC's (it has a different bellhousing and looks like a different shift mechanism from what I can see). It was supposedly one of the strongest transverse transmissions of the era. In the factory service manuals for the Maserati the transmission is not a serviceable unit and if any internal work was needed, it was simply to be taken out and replaced with a new unit. Getrag pretty much refuses to acknowledge they built them and while the GM W-body manuals show a breakdown and tools, apparently the tools were never made available to dealerships. They do share a lot of architecture with the 282, so my theory is that procedures for that can be followed to get into them. I have a spare "bad" unit that I intend on trying to take apart. Since no parts are available, I figure I can't mess it up any more than it is, so at the worst I have a sawzall...it WILL come apart!
We had a 1990 four door Cutlass Supreme SL with the automatic transmission. One day we heard a loud bang and thump from the car, it drove three miles to home, and the next day it wouldn’t go into gear. It turns out that a large gear in the transmission (I’m remembering a sun gear)had been improperly welded, and the weld had failed a few hundred miles out of warranty. Worst of all, the dealer absolutely refused to repair it, even though it was clearly a manufacturing defect.
That was our first and last GM vehicle.
@@FS2K4Pilotserious question, what would you have for the customer that came in with a vehicle out of warranty, that needs 4,000$? Repair?
Remember the manufacturer is probably going to deny the repair bill.
I mean, give them 4k trade in credit for a new one?
Seriously, how could you have been made happy with that ‘91 Cutlass?
@@mcgusto82As the dealer, for such a large defect as that, which was definitely the manufacturer’s fault, if the manufacturer denied the repair I’d cover it myself, especially for a first-time customer.
@@FS2K4Pilot
I always found it funny how GM couldn't get a FWD transmission to handle any torque during the 80's and 90's.
People would always joke that if you make 200hp, your transmission will explode. "GM just can't seem to figure out the FWD trans."
Then I remind them about the 1966-1970 Toronado. BIG BLOCK OLDS.
The 425ci was 475 lb⋅ft, and the 455ci was 510 lb⋅ft. The FWD transmissions lasted just fine.
@@castanza128 (I made a mistake and the following regarding the older transmissions is wrong, they are in fact set up similar to the later longitudinal units, just much more beefy) completely different designs. The transmission in the old cars was nothing more than a RWD transmission with a special case to make it a longitudinal transaxle. The 80's/90's transmissions were fully transverse units with all of the torque holding bits shoved behind the engine, making them very undersized. Add to it the introduction of electronic controls that were in their infancy and you get a recipe for junk. I think these would have had the 4T65 if it was an auto, but this car is a manual. As a sidebar, the Getrag 282 (and the follow-up that I can't remember the designation for off the top of my head) can hold some power. That's what the Fireo guys typically use for the V8 conversions if it's a manual. Only thing is I don't think any sort of real limited slip existed for any of them, which I can tell you that in a FWD makes a HUGE difference in the driving/handling and EVERY high performance FWD needs one.
Timing belt + 2 chains (!) on the V6 Maserati Biturbo engines! Belt in front, going to the exhaust camshafts, and then 1 tiny chain on the back of each bank, connecting to the intake camshafts.
And sure enough, you officially have to take out the engine to change the chains at 80,000km (50k miles)!! Some specialists do it with mirrors and seven joints per finger 😉.
Porsche 928 S4 is like that too.
Alex said a while ago that he wanted to do an Italian car at some point. I suggested he do a Biturbo because it’s an AFFORDABLE Italian exotic and it’s the type of car he usually has on the channel: unusual, kind of quirky, always needs some attention to get working right, tons of power, and a blast to drive when it’s tuned right.
A pre-1987 car with the twin-turbocharged CABURETED engine would provide great content while he gets it running right, and then the LS swap would provide even more content!
Hi Alex. You are my number one Autoshow on RUclips. As a host you're genuine and funny and your car choice is random, cool and realistic. I usually tune out when creators go the exotic route unless its really rare like a Lancia Stratos or like Ratarossas BB512 Resto. I have a 1999 Vehicross, 1988 RHD UK Spec MR2, a 1987 Merkur Xr4Ti, 1989 Ford Probe, 1986 Fiero rally car (not joking). I even have my 1993Z28 from when I was a teenager just like you with your trans am. And funny enough my girlfriend drives a 1996 Cutlass 2dr similar to your blue one. Lifetime watcher. Keep the direction of your channel it's perfect. Stay genuine dude. And thanks for the awesome viewing. Best show.
Alex and The Car Care Nut are the GOATS.,
Alex, that Cutlass is fantastic! You're right to never sell it, unless it's to me!
With all that glass, you should have the windows tinted, and if you want it to look stock, get the lightest shade they have, even clear. The UV rating will still protect the interior and reduce heat. Tint doesn't need to be dark to achieve these results. I've had this done on a few cars.
Also, Illinois now has RFID IPASS stickers instead of those bulky boxes.
I agree with a super light tint.
My buddy and I both had Luminas, I had a Euro 3.1 and he had an Iron Duke LS. We used to drool at the Z34s and LTZs parked at the billiards hall when we pulled up in our wrecks. But they all had 3.8s and they all leaked at #4. I was glad to have a 60° V6 for that reason. And my cousin’s Cutlass Supreme looked just like that one - but his engine never went bad because he cut the roof off with three passengers using a semi in a snowstorm on I-90 in New York. Ah, memories of the old full-size FWD
The 60° Degree's need more love lol. My buddies always joke about swapping out the TBI 3.1 in my 92' Lumina APV for a 3800, but nah...I'll stick with my little 3.1, sounds good, and is stupid reliable, still has some get up and go at 175k miles all things considered.
The 3.8's are awesome, don't get me wrong, but they aren't as perfect as everyone makes them out to be.
Just another reason I absolutely love the LSC channel. Alex your integrity doesn't waver my man. A simple screw up like the wrong "#1 cyl" could've been edited out. But you left it in to show even the best mechanic can make the honest mistake. Keep up the great work my friend!!
Legend has it, that when the Mercedes Benz sunroof grease runs out, Alex will go back to Italy and live alone on a mountain giving wrenching tips to the worthy mechanics who climb up to visit him
😂
The grease WILL last 4ever ,no worries lol
Don't worry he has a brand new one ready to go after the old one runs out
It was the other way around Alex. I had a 92 4dr Cutlass with the 3.4 DOHC /5spd and a 95 Monte Carlo Z34 with the same engine. Both popped belts and were repaired without head/valve issues. The "interference" came in 96 and 97 when they redesigned the heads. Also, the "plug" where the distributor was is actually for the oil pump drive.
I have that Pontiac GTP with the 3.4 and the Monte Carlo Z34 with the 3.4. Excellent cars.
Learned to drive in a monte carlo Z34
Hi Randy!
@@puppet_theater_016 Hi
Had the Lumina Z34 with a 5 speed,fun car
I had a two door 1996 grandam GT with the 3.4 white with factory white 3 blades I have never seen another one!
I love me some exotic cars but truth be told; those cars are priced way above your common man/woman. These videos are REALISTIC and just as great in CONTENT ALEX! Thanks pal!
Yea but this is a wack ass cutless tho nothing cool about this car at all
Okay but this isn’t even a cool or interesting car. It just looks… cheap and old
@@JoseSantos-gl3vkthis car is cool as hell. Just because YOU don’t appreciate an under appreciated survivor like this doesn’t mean the rest of us feel the same. These were amazing cars!
@@JoseSantos-gl3vk Quick question Jose what cars do you own 🤦♂️
@@JoseSantos-gl3vk ok so move on and go watch a video about that craaaaazy Pagani Huayra or McLaren Senna or whatever hotwheels car floats your boat...
Interesting FYI for you, the 1990 Prototype Fiero GT which I have seen in person has a prototype of that 3.4 DOHC. It’s actually a 3.2 DOHC in the 1990 Fiero GT prototype.
Since I am a Trekkie, I guess I should answer the question about the cloaking device. The Romulans and the Klingons had cloaking technology. The only Federation starship that had cloaking technology was the USS Defiant in DS9, given to them under the authority of the Romulans in trade for information they received from the Gamma Quadrant. It could only technically be used in the Gamma Quadrant. There was another Federation starship that had an advanced, experimental cloaking device that allowed them to not only cloak, but pass through matter, as well. It was on the USS Pegasus. That cloaking device was developed secretly and hidden from Starfleet Command because it violated the Treaty of Algeron, a treaty that the Federation had with the Romulans to preserve peace, but in order to keep the peace, the Federation could not develop cloaking technology. Yes, even though I am a car guy, I am also a nerd. But I prefer to think of myself as a Sci-Fi enthusiast.
Did the Forengi ever steal the technology?
@@mediocreman2 Not that I am ever aware of. I have never seen a cloaked Ferrengi ship. There might be an alternate universe show where they got the technology, but I have never seen one.
Wouldn't the Ferengi trade for it? 🤔
@@PalleRunquist-d5c I don't think the Romulans or the Klingons would want to trade a defense mechanism like a cloaking device for any price.
Nothing wrong with being a nerdy car guy... They're the ones responsible for hot rods and supercars.
I appreciate you doing more realistic cars on this channel. Seeing cheap content and work on so many different engines have taught me so much and given me so much confidence to work on my car.
Yup.
Never gonna run right again.
Here I sit watching a 1+ long video about an 1990s Olds......and love it!
Check the egr tube that feeds the valve and the valve itself. mine wasn't working, the solenoids worked, but the valves were carboned up and the tube was clogged. It gave me a permanent CEL. Tube runs down to the cat, and I believe required replacement of the cat to replace the tube. The dealer who installed the new timing belt couldn't get the system working and gave up. Didn't cause any problems driving it just the light to stay on. I was so done with the car I didn't care and traded it off a year or two later after the third alternator I had to install. Mine was a 92 lumina 3.4 euro sedan. It was a beautiful white with red trim car, the tail lights, door handles, wheel moldings, badges, and door strips were white to match, with red in the door moldings and the badges. When washed and polished it was amazing to look at. I was tired of the alternator issues, and the CEL on all the time. It wasn't fun to wrench on after a while and I moved on.
There is a better refrigerant to convert an old R12 system rather than 134 and it is R152a also known as duster spray you can get at Walmart. Us old guys know that an old R12 system converted to 134 never cools as well as the R12 especially at idle since the condensers for the newer 134 systems have much smaller passages than the r12 condensers. To use the duster spray can, you need a Robin-air side tap to attach to your manifold gauges.
I have 3 of my cars and about 40 customers cars converted to R152a and many for over 15 years and they are just as ice cold as the R12.
Below is the conversion by molecular weight.
The correct amount according to theory is as follows:
The molecular weight of 134a is 102 and the molecular weight of R152a is 68.
68/102=.66% So multiply your 134a factory charge by .66 and you have the theoretical correct charge for 152a.
Molecular weight of R12 =120 68/120=.56% So multiply your R12 factory charge by .56 and you have the theoretical correct charge for 152a.
Example: If the vehicle calls for 3 lb. 4 oz. of R12. That is 52 oz. of R12. Multiply 52 x .56 and you get 29.12. You would theoretically need 29.12 oz. of HFC152a to fill this system to the equivalent of R12.
Great advice and conversion ratios above. 152a is far more efficient refrigerant than 134a or R-1234 and nearly as efficient as R12. 152a is not an environmental (ozone depletion) hazardous air pollutant (HAP) per the Clean Air Act. So, 152a capture is not necessary. I "fill/flush" the already vacuumed AC system with 152a prior to final filling with 152a and further reduce any residual air/moisture/contaminates not previously "boiled off" during the vacuum purge.
But 152a is very slightly flammable and anyone converting to it should be informed. I consider the risk insignificant compared to all the existing combustibles. I use synthetic ester oil for compressor lubricant and "green" viton seals/o-rings for compatibility.
152a posses a financial threat to the "regulated" HVAC industry because you can DIY for safer and cheaper. They will find a way to "regulate" it eventually.
Interesting, great info
R-152a is flammable, cars make a lot of sparks, I'll pass.
@@rwdplz1 lol, gasoline is flammable too but yet you drive a car with a tank full of gasoline but yet you're afraid of a few ounces of gas that disperses in a couple seconds. You risk/reward calculations are a bit off
@@rwdplz1 they are right dude.
Probably the nicest cutty like that one out there. Fun vid. The zip tie method of holding on the timing belt is an epic good Idea! I was allready doing the line up method. I love learning new (to me) tricks like that. Thanks for the great vid on a great car.
The highlight of my Saturday’s, and I’m so glad to see this back! I sure miss my Z34 with that same engine
Let’s get a moment of silence for all the tools that have fallen in the engine bay and never came back out…..
Peace out tools!
"I'll get you my pretty" never works for me.
Every now and then the automotive gods need a sacrifice, almost exclusively in the form of a 10 or 8mm short socket.
Aaaaalllll, Riiiightyyyy theeeeeennnnn
@@bryangillis1839 10mm
On the topic of weird timing chain-belt combos. Old Audi 4.2 v8's (DOHC) 40 valve engines had a timing belt going from crankshaft to one camshaft per head. And then the exhaust and intake camshafts were hooked up together by a small chain and all the good stuff that comes with timing chains. And the funny thing was that usually the cam chain guides would go bad faster than the chain. So usually every time you changed the belt you needed to change cam chain guides too.
That's the deal with most of them with chains ,the guides disintegrate. I don't why they don't use idler wheels instead.
Keep up with the great content. You have captured my attention. Being an 80s kid and reading Motor trend and R &T. Seeing all these cool cars on the glossy cover and dreaming about driving one when I got my license.
Its belt edge fluff. Timing belts wear at their edges. I used to work at Gates, they build and cure the belts on long calendar rolls and then cut them to the proper width. The fluff is the by product of the skiving (cutting) process.
Hello, I remember watching my 1st Video of you years ago, saying to myself " this is such a silly guy" boy u have not changed, you have a great personality & you do great work & I learn sooo much watching you. Thank you for creating great clean content 😊
Yes! Another cutlass Video! I absolutely love this thing 🦄
Nearly 90 minutes? I’m down! Used to look forward to watching cartoons on Saturday morning as a kid. As an adult, these are my Saturday morning car-tunes.
Dude! You read my mind! Same.
I watched cartoons with my kids first, then LSC. This car is so cool.
EXACTLY!
Love this era of GM my dad had a Red Pontiac Gran Prix GTP I believe and I loved that car just like the one shown in the GM video!
This is the beginning of the "3D CAD era" at GM. The hallmark: there isn't a single square inch of unused space under the hood. Later models were a little bit better, but "design for serviceability" is still an ongoing opportunity for most car brands.
Yeah you can really tell. Look at the Cosworth Vega to see an early GM car with fuel injection and a timing belt, and look how easy it is to service. Some of the newer cars have quite a bit of space. The Chevy Trax/Buick Envista for example has such a tiny engine that there is quite a bit of space to service it.
In 91 i bought a new Dale Earnhardt edition Z34. Ten years and 210,000 mi passed and we parted ways. What a cool locking rocket i enjoyed. This brings back memories.
I loved every moment of this but when you got to the underhood light...my early 90s GM nostalgia wave hit hard and I really missed all these "in between" years cars. Elements of old on the way to modern new crazy. Keep it up!!!
I caught the Nickelback reference. “ It’s been a while “.😂😂😂😂 Best automotive channel on RUclips.
Isn't that Staind?
@@Mark-r3iyea should be Staind, need a pic of Aaron Lewis! lol
That’s a Staind reference, Alex used the wrong person which I think made it more amusing
It’s staind🤦🏻♂️
I so look forward to Saturday morning lsc episodes! Keep this content coming!
So glad I found this channel! Gave up 3 cars I loved due to a growing family and my favorite was my 92 cutlass. Floated everywhere and I never saw another one nicer than my gold turd. Keep this car rolling and I'll keep watching! Thank you for your content.
1:19:46 DEFINITELY do the Weld wheels… those look fantastic.
The 90s Monte Carlos Z34 had those 3.4 double overhead cam as a performance option, too. It was fun when it worked right. I bet it's even better with the manual. 😊
Had a 96 lumina ls with that engine. The auto transmission wasn't able to handle that engine and would of liked it in manual
Really been enjoying the videos on the olds I have a deep soft spot for older GM's and these videos are giving me ideas of things to try to fix on my 1988 Oldsmobile Delta 88 royal brougham has the 3.8 and some days it will run fine other days it randomly flips out runs like garbage wants to die all the time have to two foot it to keep it running the mass air flow is unhooked because it don't like having one
All of your quirky one-offs and retro masterpieces are so much more exciting than a generic supercar. Anyone with money could buy a super car, it takes a lot of skill to do what you do.
Fall and winter season is upon us- I think it’s time for some LSC pajamas to watch these Saturday morning cartoons you put out for us!
This kind of engine is why I love ford's older 302 Windsor series 5.0 liter HO over head valve V8's and regular 5.0 liter over head valve V8 engines.They were so simple to work on.I like fords 3.0 liter dohc V6 engines too.
I laughed out loud at the waterpump dilemma. Thanks for working on such an interesting engine :)
Exactly what makes you different keep it up I’d say 90% of vids are exotic but who can relate ? Most people aren’t in that exotic category so I really appreciate your vids,have a good weekend
Those Dual over head Cams came from the foundry i work at today CWC TEXTRON. Been there 26yrs so they were made before my time but we still make OEM and aftermarket cams every time a youtuber takes apart an engine i look for our stamp love what ya do keep it up
As an Aussie I had never seen this car before. I really like the look of the front end. The headlights were really ahead of their time. Weird motor for sure, but a nice looking ride.
Always looks like an American calibra to me.
Popular car in the early to mid 90's, my parents bought a new one in 1995 .. I had the old school Cutlass Supreme Salon coupe (1987). Cutlass Supremes sold at a rate of 100,000 units per year in the US during the 90's.
I'm surprised that Holden didn't release a version of this car
Love the time your spending on the Oldsmobile Alex.
I have a unique 1989 Olds Cutlass Calais International its the only surviving factory test LGO Calais with the HO 2.3 Quad 4 and 5 speed. That was forgotten about for 30 years outside a test facility. Until I was able to rescue it in October of 2019.
Wow!.
That's awesome!.
I remember those engines well!
You caught me, lol. I took a 1991 Gran. d Prix apart to replace the timing belt and crank seal. I was setting on my recliner saying exactly that, don't forget the 2 on the back. Lol. Love the videos, keep it up man.
Love the dueling water pumps 😂
I think part of what makes yours one of my top two RUclipsrs is that you are enthusiastic about the things you like regardless of what the algorithm suggests would be better.
Don’t change Alex, we love the channel as it is. You can change clothes and stuff, and maybe get a bigger shop.
Saturday morning coffee and LSC…perfect.
Sunday morning in Australia. Coffee and toast.
Regarding R-12 systems:
It wasn't so much that R-12 was more efficient, it was more about the first gen of R-134a systems weren't properly sized. They were still based off of R-12 systems so the A/C wasn't all the great while sitting still. It needed more airflow over the core to cool properly.
Was a fairly easy fix on most vehicles. Add a hi-cfm electric fan to come on with compressor. Fixed many this way.
12 was very thermally efficient. 134a was a junk science compromise to appease (for a short time) the global warming tree huggers. Not to be assuaged the tree huggers took a break from hugging trees to slam us with 1234YF slightly flammable but it is a decent refrigerant. 40 year AC guy with AC 608 and 609 cert and testing proctor.
My dad had a ‘91 version of this car. It was a red 3.4 with 5spd. It was a lower trim level but had a digital dash(I think ‘91 was the last year of that) and when the clutch went out it was almost impossible to find a replacement in the late 90’s. That engine always sounded so good especially for a v6. It hurt some feelings leaving stoplights back in the day too. I wish I could find one now.
“Do I have to take this pully off”. 99/100 yesss. Great car Alex!
I’d rather have your car collection over these tool bag exotic owners collections anyday!
I had a burgundy one. Was an auto though.
I was ashamed of owning a fwd Cutlass😂
Miss my G Body 442😢
Best part of watching this is knowing one of these will never come to my shop and I wont have to do it! You are a mad man Alex!
Yes Alex uploaded!!! Im officially having the best birthday ever!
Happy Birthday!!
@@LegitStreetCars Tysm I love your videos Alex u rock
Dude, it’s my birthday too! Happy bday
Happy Birthday Fellas!
Love all the great clean content. I agree there is enough exotic car content, it’s nice to see these neat unique finds. W body’s rock!!Keep up the good work!!
Wow, watching this video showed me how old I am. This 3400 engine was one of the most sought-after front drive engines for us GM guys. I know a couple of people who swapped this engine into their Chevy Cavaliers.
I got my driver's license in 1996. I drove a hand-me-down car for 2 years. The first car I ever purchased with my own money was a 1994 z34 Lumina that I purchased in 1998. On the same day I also managed to score a 78 Malibu for $250. In 1999 I sold the Lumina. As of today September 23rd 2024, I still own the malibu.
i picked up a 80 malibu for $500 when i was 18 (2004), never should have sold that car. i later had a 84 regal t-type (bought as a rolling shell, LS swapped it) that i ended up selling to buy a house, wish i hadnt sold that car either...
I'm surprised the hanging water pump didn't pull the mirror off the windshield👍
If he drove it it's definitely rip it off or bust the windshield from weight or a nice hard stop 😂. I hope he doesn't ever try that.
@@WthaHatchet/e took it off but kepT it on the floor pan in the passenger side lol
@@dude...are-you-sure well that's good! I didn't even notice! Still wouldn't want it in the interior rolling around heh OCD. That thing nasty 😂
When you got it back together and accelerated it reminded me of my 94 lumina Z 34. The sound inside the car is identical, same motor like you said earlier in the video. But I purchased it new in August and by December I found out they had trouble with that engine starting in
cold weather, so 35 degrees F on down it wouldn't start up. Go to the store for groceries, come out no start in cold weather. Another bad flaw of that motor. Thank you for the video. Stay safe. Cheers.😊
Hi Alex, I'm in Australia and I have been hooked on your channel for quite a while now. Your take on car resto's and repairs is unique in the RUclips world and it's really refreshing. Thanks for the top shelf videos mate, you have inspired me to start looking at cars from auctions to do up. The only problem in Oz is, like everything else, cars are EXPENSIVE, even from auction! We have a massive problem with "flippers" here too, the clowns with too much money who snap up all the good deals and do a botched up repair job then flog the cars off for massive profit, they are getting worse and it's getting harder to find a good deal nowadays. Don't ever lose your down to Earth attitude and keep up the high standard of videos for us. Cheers mate.
Same in South Africa man. Good example: a 1998 Ford Bantam half tonner from 1998 cost the literal same R40k that a 2008 model would cost. Auctions are no help either. No, the 2016 model isn't much more than that either, so these oldies are WAY overpriced. That is about $2000 US, and all these vehicles I mentioned call up these prices though they are in similar condition.
Blessed us this Saturday morning. Thanks
I appreciate this channel AND that the GM Dealer techs of the day provide input in the comments. So much more relatable than exotics. I subscribed.
GM has overtime proved again and again that they were an engineering giant.
Unfortunately their bean counters typically destroyed it by cheapen it out prior to production...
I’m with you, Alex. I couldn’t care less about exotics. Show me something I might actually be able to buy for myself.
Thanks very much for this beautiful video. You have unlocked the mysteries of the GM LQ1 engine. Thanks sharing the GM video of how to change the LQ1 timing belt. Thanks for sharing a secrets of successful techs by demonstrating how to zip tie an old marked belt to a new belt.
You keep calling it a 3400, that’s a different engine haha
But it’s so fun seeing you work on this engine, I’ve had a number of them over the years, currently I have a 92 Grand Prix GTP 5 speed. I should really check my timing belt again, it’s been a while…
I freaking love this car. I love cars like this. And i would much rather see stuff like this then another lambo
Agreed
Yes in agreement
Alex you're the man. Thanks for giving me videos to watch when I sneak off work and steal a quick peek and give me something to look forward to watching at lunchtime
R-12 would get so cold you could see your breath 😂. Nothing is as good as the old refrigerant . I remember when they were changing over. People were buying up all the R-12. Cans got very expensive a few years later. I have two modern Mercedes now. And they definitely get cold with the new refrigerant . But nothing like the R12 that would literally freeze you out. That was some good stuff. But apparently not good for the ozone. 😅
Had a pathfinder with r12. The ac got so cold, you literally saw snow coming from the vents..
Keep the Olds (get it?) classics alive Alex. I love it I have a 20 year old car.
I have a 52yo Maverick and a 59yo Galaxie. I'll keep both.
Why is nobody talking about the coolant overflow bottle big enough to hydrate a small country lol
Those were Nice Cars.. Especially The CONVERTIBLES
I’ve been reloading and reloading… yessss. Let’s go Alex!! Love this thing.
I had one just like that with a custom moon roof and factory looking spoiler. I loved that car for some weird reason
This is how you know our boy Alex is a real car guy, bro copped the Oldsmobile. Mad respect 😎👌💯
Man your videos are so satisfying. mechanically restoring that beauty.
This is amazing. Have never watched one of your videos before. Where did you acquire this knowledge and know how? You’re obviously a young man. You must have been under hood of a lot of engines to know so much. Very impressed with your work. I need a mechanic like you.
Love it! I had a Cutlass Sierra S. I used to tell people the flags represented the countries it was banned from.