Bought a 61 Buick Skylark 2 door!

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Ha, seeing the generator in the pic, reminded me that often times the system has to be polarized sometimes to make them generate. I hadn't thought about that in years.

Well dang .even w the new ones ?

Alternators don't but all generators (to my knowledge) do but it's easy as pie, just one of those old school things. It seems like under certain conditions it is more likely to be necessary.

I just realized you may have been asking about a new replacement generator. If you install a fresh new or reman, it will probably come with instructions to polarize it. Again it's easy. You have much bigger fish to fry right now.

Thinking back, polarizing is most commonly necessary if the generator has been disassembled or out of service many years, consequently losing its residual magnetism (polarity, matching battery polarity).

Freaked me out the first time I learned it, that may have been one of the first technical things I learned about cars.

Forget what I was working on, old guy neighbor came over and told me that, I was probably 15 years old. I thought he was messing with me, then he just reached over and did it. Great, I thought, you just fried this new generator. Might have been a '63 Galaxie.

At that point I realized I was going to need some books, and I read every one I could get my hands on.

There are two processes, one for "A" systems and one for "B" systems. Without looking, seems like most GM vehicles are type "A"

Ok ok ...Cool .Thanks. learned something new.

Ok ok ...Cool .Thanks. learned something new.

Cool ...Thanks

I just looked that up I never heard of the Vaseline trick so I appreciate that I do use engine assembly Lube on everything though when I put them together

Not totally sure about the 215, but the 231 Buick had same kind of external oil pump in the timing cover, and the Vaseline was procedure on that one.

You're going to need to peek inside that oil pump anyway.

Promise to get my manual out today, even if it harelips the Governor.

Ha! never heard the governor analogy!
Like you, I've always thought the Vaseline petroleum jelly, unlike oils, didn't drain away and forced the pump to work so hard it could suck a golf ball through a garden hose for a couple of minutes, insuring a quick prime before it dissipated.

Haha, it's from the movie, Casino. County commisioner is giving Deniro hell about something, says they're going to send all the mobsters home if it harelips the Governor.

I've only done the vaseline on the 231 V6, Chevy V8 seems ok without it.

Well dang lol.... you wouldn't believe the trouble I went through to get that oil pump apart to get that distributor out to get the Pistons out and to get the cam and lifters out oh my good Google boogly thank the Lord Jesus Christ it is all part now about to upload some pictures [link to imgur.com (secure)]

Last Edited by bro tim on 12/04/2022 06:45 PM

I reckon that would do it and look at the se pictures of the distributor I got so mad at it I finally just cut it in half and then I had to beat and beat and beat and fuss and beat some more [link to imgur.com (secure)]

The camshaft has a good bit of wear some of the lobes has a lot more wear than others the distributor I got so frustrated with it I just cut it in half I plan on buying a distributor with points in case of an EMP and a distributor with electronic

Did the distributor break? Looking at the stubby piece with the gear on it.

Those pistons are extra long!

I didn't say anything about what you were talking about Robert De Niro because he said he would like to punch president Trump which makes me would like to punch him for saying it

Nah I got mad and cut it in half and then beat it out and it took a while even at that LOL

Now that you mentioned those Pistons do look like an Overkill for such a short stroke not even 3 in hey if you know where I can find the high compression Pistons I would appreciate it

I'll start looking around for pistons.

We must've been posting at the same time a while ago.

Yeah, not a Deniro fan myself, for the same reason.

Already found one set of high comp. pistons, at $425, but I'm going to look some more.
[link to www.bopparts.com (secure)]

One bit of good news, Buick used the same cylinder head for low and high compression engines. Olds used a smaller combustion chamber for high comp. engines. Olds head will not work on a Buick, but Buick will work on the Olds.

Here's a page you might like:
[link to www.teambuick.com (secure)]

Lots of info there, including using a 300 Buick crank.

On the link above, they say that a '74 Buick 350 distributor will bolt in, just need to trim one intake bolt, or use a Torx bolt from a Buick V6.

There's a complete kit on ebay, 4bbl pistons, bearings, rings, gaskets, timing set, oil pump kit ... $760.

Not sure about posting the link here, but I'm keeping the page open.

Wow thanks a lot for that information. You've been very helpful I appreciate a lot