New guy here, 88 Buick Electra Estate Wagon

Some good info here, guys. Good stuff. I always took the 307 out in favor of other engines but there is nothing wrong with the 307 unless you want a real tire burner. There are even things you can do to the 307 for more performance that make it a quicker engine though. I wouldn't recommend a big build up on one but they are a solid engine and a good runner. I recommend that you get ALL the shop manuals, did. If you are going to keep the car stock they are a valuable source of info. By the way...I'm not an advocate of a bunch of after market stuff. Like K&N air filters etc. If you have a tuned engine with the parts GM designed you will do fine without spending your money on unnecessary parts. Good luck and keep us posted. I really, really love the 88 Electra wagon.

 

LOL....well...I didn't see post # 13.....so much for stock.

 

yeah Fox i'm not goin for tire burning, i'm more of a cruiser then a racer. i'd rather do 35 then 55, lol. I got this car mainly because i'm having my first kid in october and my last car was a 95 Grand Prix that only had the front seats and behind them was a wall of 8 12in Subwoofers with a lil over 4000 watts RMS powering them. so basically i'm going from my bachleor ride to a family car (from Dude to Dad).

I know when i bought this car this past Monday my grandpa came and looked at it and it put a huge smile on 78 year old face cause he himself had one but he had his when they first came out.

Oh and if anyone is looking for some hubcaps i will have 3 that all in pretty decent shape other then one is missing the center Buick decal but other then that there all complete and in decent shape. figured there has to be someone out there looking for them.

 

The one I had, did, was absolutely pristine. I mean, like it just came out of the showroom. Built it up with a 455, beefed tranny & rear end and it looked perfectly stock except for the intake and carb. Damn I miss that car.

 

K i will have pics to post for you guys when i get off work at 5. The "old guy" of the shop told me i don't need to run the air intake hose to the Air Filter since mine is riddled with holes. so i'm goin to try takin that hose off later and see how it runs. I know when i come to a stop it idles real low and almost dies sometimes. probably just needs the carb adjusted perhaps?

 

Ah, so that's what you mean by this hose:

You better replace that hose with a new one, the engine likes cold air in the summer.

Read this section at the Performance Olds 307 website:

Cold Air Induction

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so then i wanna replace that air intake hose then? if i don't it will just make it run hotter? like i stated before this is my first car with a carb so it's a new learning experience for me.

 

Think of your engine like a big air pump.
Hot air has more volume compared to colder air, so you will get more cold air/petrol mixture into your cilinders.
This will lead to a better combustion, lower mileage and a cleaner running engine.

If you don't run this hose, the engine will suck in hot air from under the bonnet, instead of colder air from outside the engine compartment.

.

 

that's what i was thinking myself when he told me to just take it off. i was like " so where is it gettin cold air from then?" so i think i found a hose i can use layin around out in the parts shed here at work.

 

Or try a kitchen appliances store where they sell those cooker hoods.
Find a flexible aluminium duct hose that's the same size as the hose in your car.

 

see that is one awesome thing bout these older carb cars. You can use things that you couldn't use on a newer car to fix it.

 

Only the LeSabre Estate Wagon and Electra Estate Wagon were still using a caburettor engine for model year 1988, all other Buick models came with fuel injection.

 

hmmmm..... perhaps when i get my tax check this next time i'll invest in a new engine. I'd put a FI engine in but then i'd have to put in computers and all that nonsense. but i think my step dad has a 4 barrel holley carb i can have that i'm goin to put on it.

 

On your engine the carburettor works together with the car's computer.
This computer is also working together with the ignition.

So if you put an aftermarket Holley on it, you als have to change the ignition for an older type HEI ignition and disconnect the ECM.

But the transmission is using an ECM controlled lock-up function, so you will have to put an aftermarket switch on the dashboard.
And before you know you are spending loads of money.......

Maybe it's better to keep the engine original if you only want to use the wagon to cruise around in.
But I strongly suggest that you study that website I showed you, and also that you should buy the original Buick Chassis Manual for 1988

.

 

PS:

Do you want me to scan and post the option list (with prices) for the model year 1988 LeSabre/Electra models ?
(Includes Estate Wagon options)