is this the forum for 86 pontiac bonneville questions?

I bought an 86 pontiac bonneville, and I have a bunch of questions about
maintaining it --- is this the right forum, or is this for more up-to-date
pontiacs? If this isn't the best forum for these questions, could you
suggest an alternative?

I've had my bonneville for almost five months now, driving it a few tens of
kilometers every other day or 2, and all it needs is gas (LOTS of gas) ---
it doesn't leak any fluids, at all, and almost everything including
air-conditioning works perfectly. I love the way it handles --- my friend
says it, 'handles like an aircraft carrier'.


In case this is the right forum, I'll just go ahead and ask:

--- How on earth do you get the wire wheel covers off? I tried everythiung
I could think of and I don't want to force anything, but if I have a flat
right now, as it is, I can't change it because I can't get the wire wheel
covers off. I have the jack and the spare tire and the lug wrench, but
nothing for removing these darn covers.

---It was tuned up by the seller just prior to the sale, and over the last
five months it has slowly become 'un-tuned' and although it still runs just
fine (for a 20 yr old engine) it's now starting to make kind of diesel-ish
sounds and has lost some power --- how realistic is the idea of tuning up
the engine by myself? I've got mechanical aptitude but I've just never
worked on autos before. My friend has a garage full of tools he's offerred
to let me use --- can you tune up this kind of engine (the smaller V8) with
everyday type tools or do you need something really expensive or unusual?

---Sometimes the left turn indicator lights don't flash, the left-turn
indicator light just stays on continuously as long as the turn-indicator
lever is in the "turning left" position. I noticed there are wires in the
trunk that have been screwed with and there's some kind of connector or
something black-taped onto the wires. How big a deal is this likely to be
to fix myself? I've got a decent multi-meter. Where is the circuit that
turns the power off and on to flash the turn indicator light? Is it in/near
the steering column or is it integrated into the light itself somehow?

---Sometimes, when it rains, the drivers side window stops working untill
the car dries out and then it starts working again.

---Are these cars good for fixing up? This one is in amazingly good shape.
The interior is unbeleivably new-looking and there is only one small ding on
the bumper. Almost zero rust. This is clearly a wet coast car (no salt
damage from salt sprayed on icy roads east of the rockies).

Here's my completely opinionated responses, below.

"cyberhun" <cyberhun[no_spam]@shaw.ca> wrote

In case this is the right forum, I'll just go ahead and ask:

--- How on earth do you get the wire wheel covers off?

Are they locked? Sometimes you'll find them locked using a funny screw
that's right under the center medallion. If it looks like the center emblem
is made to pop out, look for a lock under there. You'll need to have the
right tool to unscrew it.

sounds and has lost some power --- how realistic is the idea of tuning up
the engine by myself? I've got mechanical aptitude but I've just never
worked on autos before. My friend has a garage full of tools he's
offerred
to let me use --- can you tune up this kind of engine (the smaller V8)
with
everyday type tools or do you need something really expensive or unusual?

Tuning is not about mechanical or tools. It is all about experience with
autos. This doesn't sound too promising unless you can somebody in on it
that has some experience.

---Sometimes the left turn indicator lights don't flash, the left-turn
indicator light just stays on continuously as long as the turn-indicator
lever is in the "turning left" position.

Could be all your bulbs aren't getting power. It takes a big power draw to
make the flasher work.

Where is the circuit that
turns the power off and on to flash the turn indicator light?

It's a simple round thing that makes noise when you're signaling. Use the
noise to find it if you want to know where it is.

---Are these cars good for fixing up?

What they're really good for is driving them and getting your money's
worth. They're pretty un-stylish, so they'll never be all that popular to
spend tons of money on. They were kind of expensive in their day, but I
don't think they'll ever be really cool collectors items.

cyberhun wrote:

I bought an 86 pontiac bonneville, and I have a bunch of questions about
maintaining it --- is this the right forum, or is this for more up-to-date
pontiacs? If this isn't the best forum for these questions, could you
suggest an alternative?

Yes. This is the place. This is an open newgroup, not exactly what I would call
f forum. You can post about fixing your car here.

I've had my bonneville for almost five months now, driving it a few tens of
kilometers every other day or 2, and all it needs is gas (LOTS of gas) ---
it doesn't leak any fluids, at all, and almost everything including
air-conditioning works perfectly. I love the way it handles --- my friend
says it, 'handles like an aircraft carrier'.


In case this is the right forum, I'll just go ahead and ask:

--- How on earth do you get the wire wheel covers off? I tried everythiung
I could think of and I don't want to force anything, but if I have a flat
right now, as it is, I can't change it because I can't get the wire wheel
covers off. I have the jack and the spare tire and the lug wrench, but
nothing for removing these darn covers.

Does the wheelcover have a center cap that can be pried off? Try it. Perhaps
there is a bracket bolted to the lug nuts that the hubcap is fastened to. If not,
then just keep prying around the edge of the cover. There could be lots of teeth.

---It was tuned up by the seller just prior to the sale, and over the last
five months it has slowly become 'un-tuned' and although it still runs just
fine (for a 20 yr old engine) it's now starting to make kind of diesel-ish
sounds and has lost some power --- how realistic is the idea of tuning up
the engine by myself? I've got mechanical aptitude but I've just never
worked on autos before. My friend has a garage full of tools he's offerred
to let me use --- can you tune up this kind of engine (the smaller V8) with
everyday type tools or do you need something really expensive or unusual?

You did not say what the engine is. Probably a Chevy 305. I could tune it up.
My ex-wife would not be able to.

---Sometimes the left turn indicator lights don't flash, the left-turn
indicator light just stays on continuously as long as the turn-indicator
lever is in the "turning left" position. I noticed there are wires in the
trunk that have been screwed with and there's some kind of connector or
something black-taped onto the wires. How big a deal is this likely to be
to fix myself? I've got a decent multi-meter. Where is the circuit that
turns the power off and on to flash the turn indicator light? Is it in/near
the steering column or is it integrated into the light itself somehow?

Not enough current running through the flasher to heat the strip.

---Sometimes, when it rains, the drivers side window stops working untill
the car dries out and then it starts working again.

Could be loose dirty electrical connections, bad switch, or dirty gummed up
regulator and tracks. You or your appointed proxy will have to find out which.

---Are these cars good for fixing up? This one is in amazingly good shape.
The interior is unbeleivably new-looking and there is only one small ding on
the bumper. Almost zero rust. This is clearly a wet coast car (no salt
damage from salt sprayed on icy roads east of the rockies).

I can't answer that. It is a subjective question.
If you like it then fix it.

Thanks for solving the mystery of the un-removable hub caps. The little
'hubcap' on the hubcap came off, and that's where the funny little
wrench-like tool is used --- to unscrew the nut in the center. If I get a
flat, now I can put the spare tire on.

I'll try to figure out some way of using my multi to determine how much
current is being supplied to the flasher.

One of the reasons I got this car is because it's old enough that most of it
should be relatively easy to diagnose and repair myslef, unlike late model
cars that need a computer genius wearing a white labcoat to even look at it.
I'll do some reading up on tune-ups. I think one of the main adjustments
you make when doing a tuneup is adjusting the delay/advance of the
spark-plug firing pulses --- I think there's a strobe involved? Anyway, I
have some time on my hands and I like playing with mechanical stuff and this
car is just begging to be 'played with', so I'll read up myslef on it.


"Joe" <Joe (AT) dontspam (DOT) net> wrote

Here's my completely opinionated responses, below.

"cyberhun" <cyberhun[no_spam]@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:dY9tg.156421$iF6.87944 (AT) pd7tw2no (DOT) ..

In case this is the right forum, I'll just go ahead and ask:

--- How on earth do you get the wire wheel covers off?

Are they locked? Sometimes you'll find them locked using a funny screw
that's right under the center medallion. If it looks like the center
emblem is made to pop out, look for a lock under there. You'll need to
have the right tool to unscrew it.

sounds and has lost some power --- how realistic is the idea of tuning up
the engine by myself? I've got mechanical aptitude but I've just never
worked on autos before. My friend has a garage full of tools he's
offerred
to let me use --- can you tune up this kind of engine (the smaller V8)
with
everyday type tools or do you need something really expensive or unusual?


Tuning is not about mechanical or tools. It is all about experience with
autos. This doesn't sound too promising unless you can somebody in on it
that has some experience.

---Sometimes the left turn indicator lights don't flash, the left-turn
indicator light just stays on continuously as long as the turn-indicator
lever is in the "turning left" position.

Could be all your bulbs aren't getting power. It takes a big power draw to
make the flasher work.

Where is the circuit that
turns the power off and on to flash the turn indicator light?

It's a simple round thing that makes noise when you're signaling. Use the
noise to find it if you want to know where it is.


---Are these cars good for fixing up?

What they're really good for is driving them and getting your money's
worth. They're pretty un-stylish, so they'll never be all that popular to
spend tons of money on. They were kind of expensive in their day, but I
don't think they'll ever be really cool collectors items.

Thanks for helping to solve the mystery of the un-removable hub caps. The
cover on the hubcap came off, and that's where the funny little wrench-like
tool is used --- to unscrew the nut in the center. If I get a flat, now I
can put the spare tire on myself.

You're right, I didn't say what size the engine was, because i'm not sure
myself. The previous owner said it's a V8 (and obviously I can see it's a
V8, but I don't know what size, I don't think it's the really large V8).
I took a few snaps of the engine and put them in this folder in my webspace:

http://members.shaw.ca/cyberhun/car/

If you click on this link, your browser should give you a listing of 3 jpg
pictures, each of which you can click to see the engine from the front and
from either side --- can you tell what size V8 it is? I suppose the first
step in figuring out how to tune it up would be to identify the exact
engine-type.

I got one of the car's owner's manuals, but the manual that describes the
maintainance schedule in depth, I don't have. It hasn't needed any engine
oil (no leaks at all), and the tranny fluid level has remained rock steady,
the coolant level is also unmoving, and the power steering fluid reservoir
is also tight as a drum and never seems to need refilling. The air filter
is brand new. Am I missing anything? Is there a website where it tells you
in depth, how to do maintainance on this type of car/engine? I have access
to lots of tools, I'm not afraid to get dirty, and I've got time on my
hands.

Thanks again for helping me figure out the mystery of the un-removable
hubcaps.


"« Paul »" <"=?x-user-defined?Q?=AB?= Paul
=?x-user-defined?Q?=BB?="@houston.rr.com> wrote

cyberhun wrote:

I bought an 86 pontiac bonneville, and I have a bunch of questions about
maintaining it --- is this the right forum, or is this for more
up-to-date
pontiacs? If this isn't the best forum for these questions, could you
suggest an alternative?

Yes. This is the place. This is an open newgroup, not exactly what I
would call
f forum. You can post about fixing your car here.

I've had my bonneville for almost five months now, driving it a few tens
of
kilometers every other day or 2, and all it needs is gas (LOTS of
gas) ---
it doesn't leak any fluids, at all, and almost everything including
air-conditioning works perfectly. I love the way it handles --- my
friend
says it, 'handles like an aircraft carrier'.


In case this is the right forum, I'll just go ahead and ask:

--- How on earth do you get the wire wheel covers off? I tried
everythiung
I could think of and I don't want to force anything, but if I have a flat
right now, as it is, I can't change it because I can't get the wire wheel
covers off. I have the jack and the spare tire and the lug wrench, but
nothing for removing these darn covers.

Does the wheelcover have a center cap that can be pried off? Try it.
Perhaps
there is a bracket bolted to the lug nuts that the hubcap is fastened to.
If not,
then just keep prying around the edge of the cover. There could be lots
of teeth.

---It was tuned up by the seller just prior to the sale, and over the
last
five months it has slowly become 'un-tuned' and although it still runs
just
fine (for a 20 yr old engine) it's now starting to make kind of
diesel-ish
sounds and has lost some power --- how realistic is the idea of tuning up
the engine by myself? I've got mechanical aptitude but I've just never
worked on autos before. My friend has a garage full of tools he's
offerred
to let me use --- can you tune up this kind of engine (the smaller V8)
with
everyday type tools or do you need something really expensive or unusual?

You did not say what the engine is. Probably a Chevy 305. I could tune
it up.
My ex-wife would not be able to.

---Sometimes the left turn indicator lights don't flash, the left-turn
indicator light just stays on continuously as long as the turn-indicator
lever is in the "turning left" position. I noticed there are wires in
the
trunk that have been screwed with and there's some kind of connector or
something black-taped onto the wires. How big a deal is this likely to
be
to fix myself? I've got a decent multi-meter. Where is the circuit that
turns the power off and on to flash the turn indicator light? Is it
in/near
the steering column or is it integrated into the light itself somehow?

Not enough current running through the flasher to heat the strip.

---Sometimes, when it rains, the drivers side window stops working untill
the car dries out and then it starts working again.

Could be loose dirty electrical connections, bad switch, or dirty gummed
up
regulator and tracks. You or your appointed proxy will have to find out
which.

---Are these cars good for fixing up? This one is in amazingly good
shape.
The interior is unbeleivably new-looking and there is only one small ding
on
the bumper. Almost zero rust. This is clearly a wet coast car (no salt
damage from salt sprayed on icy roads east of the rockies).

I can't answer that. It is a subjective question.
If you like it then fix it.

Your car has a 305 V8.

Good Luck

harryface
05 Park Avenue 42,654
91 Bonneville 307.087

cyberhun wrote:

You're right, I didn't say what size the engine was, because i'm not sure
myself. The previous owner said it's a V8 (and obviously I can see it's a
V8, but I don't know what size, I don't think it's the really large V8).
I took a few snaps of the engine and put them in this folder in my webspace:

http://members.shaw.ca/cyberhun/car/

It is a 305.
And thanks for the pics. Most of us here like looking at car and engine pics.

Thanks for the response --- is this what they call a 'small block' V8 or
'large-block' V8?


"Harry Face" <Harryface9105 (AT) webtv (DOT) net> wrote

Your car has a 305 V8.

Good Luck

harryface
05 Park Avenue 42,654
91 Bonneville 307.087

Thanks for the response --- is this what they call a 'small block' V8 or
'large-block' V8?

"« Paul »" <"=?x-user-defined?Q?=AB?= Paul
=?x-user-defined?Q?=BB?="@houston.rr.com> wrote

cyberhun wrote:

You're right, I didn't say what size the engine was, because i'm not sure
myself. The previous owner said it's a V8 (and obviously I can see it's
a
V8, but I don't know what size, I don't think it's the really large V8).
I took a few snaps of the engine and put them in this folder in my
webspace:

http://members.shaw.ca/cyberhun/car/

It is a 305.
And thanks for the pics. Most of us here like looking at car and engine
pics.

cyberhun wrote:

Thanks for the response --- is this what they call a 'small block' V8 or
'large-block' V8?

Yes. A 305 is a small block