Faults:
Two of the valve lifters were not getting oil properly and they tapped very loudly. A little bit of oil additive helped this.
After the vehicle had been warmed up, the torque converter clutch would engage too soon, causing the car to lurch. To fix that I would just downshift to 2nd until I got above 40 MPH.
The seats were worn out and the headliner was falling down when I got the car. I made seat covers and a new headliner.
The cruise control didn't work above 62 MPH.
The intermittent wipers didn't work.
The left-rear power window only went down about 3 inches.
The power antenna didn't work.
The left-rear inside door handle was missing when I bought the car.
Junkyard air conditioning compressor that was on the car when I bought it seized after about 10 minutes of use. I just disconnected the wiring and rolled the windows down.
General Comments:
Despite a lot of minor problems, the car was very reliable. Even on very cold mornings it would start right up.
The ride of the car was nice. Except for the noisy valve lifters the car was very quiet.
At speeds above about 55 MPH the car liked to weave a little from side to side. It did feel a lot like a boat.
I wish the car had had overdrive--with the three speed automatic I only managed around 11 miles per gallon. With a 25-gallon gas tank, though, the car would still go a long way between fill-ups.
All in all, at a purchase price of $200, this car was a great deal. It's a testament to American ingenuity that it still ran at all at that mileage.
3rd Mar 2005, 13:59
The V-6 huh? too bad yours doesen't have the optional Oldsmobile 307 V-8: much better engine!