The LeSabre & Bonneville Project -- New SSEi Progress: Pg 8

[sandrock]

The plastics along the center of the console, the gear indicator surround, etc. The stuff that's painted with the rubbery paint that scratches easy. I let mine soak in CSC for a few days to soften that paint up, stripped all of them clean, and painted with a gunmetal metallic then cleared.

[gweg_b]

Well, I haven't found any electrical issues at the moment, which kind of confused me. Until I realized that my alternator may dead. This may explain why the battery never seems charged (or constantly dead).

The weather is starting to change, and I'm still not done - I really need to hurry up.

[SSEiMan01]

As far as the console paint, I used SEM Color Coat on mine, and it still looks like new almost two years later. :O





These pics are pre-GXP interior parts, which is why the vents are black, painted with the SEM as well.

EDIT: I'll work on newer/better pics if you want.

[devin1986]

Is that the DIC on the right? Mine is big and obnoxious, but it seems to be less obvious on the bonnevilles.

[SSEiMan01]

Indeed the DIC is on the right. I'm familiar with the 00+ LeSabres, I don't think they're that bad but the Bonneville's seem to have them in a better place IMO.

[Bing]

Is that the DIC on the right? Mine is big and obnoxious

I just couldn't pass this up, it's too funny, at least to me...

[SSEiMan01]

Is that the DIC on the right? Mine is big and obnoxious

I just couldn't pass this up, it's too funny, at least to me...

IF you quoted it like so:

...Mine is big and obnoxious

Just sayin'

[devin1986]

I see what you did there. lol

[SSEiMan01]

If there's one person who thinks dirty here it's me.

[Bing]

I still like my DIC.

All right back on topic here

Progress looks good, somethings just take time though.

[gweg_b]

Thanks for the laughs guys! I'll have to remember that for later.

Ran into some family altercations this weekend over the fact the car has just been sitting for over a month and not moving. I've been fighting this uphill battle on trying to keep the car running, as something seems to keep draining the battery. The battery is good, the alternator is good, and I haven't found anything unusual in the electrical, yet.

I did get it running last night. I have the driver seat and shifter hooked back up for the time being, so I can move the car. Took it out for a drive, and with a lot of the interior not there, and it being a cool night, the car pulled hard. I really missed driving this car.

Apparently there is some corrosion on the positive terminal (which I missed the first time), so I tighten it down last night, and the car fired right up. The charging system was working perfectly, and this morning, the car started right up. So, I need to see if the battery is going to hold a charge by sitting for a few days.

If I had a garage to work in instead of the dark front yard, I probably would have had this done by now. Still need to fix the driver side sunroof drain, reseal the driver doors, swap the sunroof out (the replacement came broken, but that is being taken care of at the moment), patch up some rust spots, and put it all back together. Unfortunately, I won't be painting any panels because after the issues I got into the other night, this thing needs to get done as soon as possible.

In Buick news, I'm hoping to make some connections by Spring, and might be able to get it into a shop with a lift so I can start getting the underside repaired. For the time being, I need to get that car out of the grass and onto some concrete.

As always, I'll keep things updated.

[gweg_b]

A small update:

The car is running fine. My electrical problems seemed to have stemmed from the corrosion on the positive terminal - cleaned it up, and I've had no problems.

However, I have noticed the engine seems to be running on the lean side - I might have a vacuum leak somewhere, still looking into it. But what upsets me know is before I parked the car, in the hotter, more humid days, the most I would see of KR is up to 4*. Now that it's back on the road, I've seen KR of slightly over 8*, multiple times, and that's not even WOT - I'm afraid to go there.

For now, I'll just have to take it easy until I can figure what is doing this.

Also, it's getting time to change the supercharger oil.

[nos4blood70]

Sort out your vacuum leak and then maybe run some injector cleaner through her? Or better yet Seafoam.

[MattStrike]

Knock is a side effect of running lean. It might go away after you fix the lean condition.

[gweg_b]

The rest of the interior for the Bonneville isn't going in until Spring - it just won't stop raining here (and when it does, it's too cold). Time to switch gears for a little bit, as this post is about the LeSabre.

The LeSabre has been sitting behind my Aunt's house since June, and in the grass. With winter coming, I wanted to get it out of there, so the plan was to bring it home over the weekend.



Once I got some gas in it, and jumped the battery (it was completely dead, and there was a good bit of corrosion on the positive terminal), I primed the pump and engine. It fired right up (7 months of not being started - that L27 is a trooper). I headed down the alley towards the main road, and as I was going down the hill of the main road, I slowly applied pressure to the brake pedal, and I noticed it kept going further and further down until I heard the dreaded "pop" of a brake line.

Long story short, she's home now, resting on concrete/asphalt, and that's where the car is going to stay until at least Spring.



Next on the list now (in addition to the fuel lines) are brake lines and A/C compressor (that thing squeals like a banshie when the engine is running). Once those are replaced, the LeSabre will be drivable again - the first time in over a year and a half (the plan is to get this done before snow rolls in, since the all-seaon BFG's on that car handle the snow better than the Summer Michelin's on the Bonneville).

Then, I HOPE, I can get started working on the LeSabre in the Spring.

[gweg_b]

Another new, small update.

It was warm yesterday - almost 70. So, I took that opportunity to do something outside, and that was putting in the replacement sunroof into the Bonneville. I still need to get the glass lined up, and next series of nice days, I'm getting the headliner back in and making sure the glass moves the way it is supposed too.

Also, I will never make the mistake of removing and installing a sunroof by myself again.

Pictures:

Getting the replacement in the car:




The opening in the roof:


Sunroof in, but still needing adjustment:


The sunshade is in perfect condition:



Been driving all winter with most of the interior out. Some of those single digit days really sucked because the heat kept escaping. I hope to remedy it soon.






Nothing new with the LeSabre yet. The plan still is to wait for some warmer weather and then tackle the issues. It's been almost 2 years since I've driven that car around town, and I'm really starting to miss it.

[WhiteArrow3800]

I've been running around in the '01 like that as well. Trying to solve the water leaks

[gweg_b]

Yeah, that's how this whole project got started. Car wouldn't start one morning, and I look under the carpet - 3 inches of water. Then it took me almost 3 months to get a replacement sunroof (mine broke 2 weeks after I bought the car).

[nubuilder]

Making some great progress! Have you checked your doors and seals for leaks??? (I might've missed you mentioning that)
I should've left my carpet out to check for leaks again after fixing my sunroof drains....hopefully it's dry under there.....

Why did you have to replace the entire sunroof? (I might've missed that too)

[gweg_b]

All the door seals, except for the driver door, have been replaced. So far, the driver door does not leak, but I'm doing that door as soon as I get the chance. I still need to fix the driver side front sunroof drain as well. Yeah, I'm not putting my carpet back in until I know it's going to stay dry in there.

I had to replace the sunroof because 2 weeks after I bought the car, I opened the sunroof, and when I went to close it, the window stopped moving, and I heard nothing but a grinding noise. I managed to get the glass back into position, but found out the track was completely broken. Did my best to repair it, but all it would do is go into the vent position, and even then when I'd close it, it wouldn't line up properly. It also let a lot of water in because it wasn't sitting right. Hopefully that problem is fixed now.

Because of that sunroof, I have come to really hate them (I don't even use the one in my G8), and after I get this in and lined up, I'm probably never going to open it again.

Progress is slow (mostly because of winter), but I'm getting there!