New Riviera Owner with Questions

Just got my supercharged 1995 Riviera and have a few questions.

I put gas in it this morning. Filled it up till the handle clicked off. I drove about a half mile to work and now there seems to be a small leak coming from somewhere near the top of the tank near the filler neck.

Also, oil seems to be dripping from the support at the front of the car, right under where the brake lines run, but from the top, I can't tell where it's leaking from.

I'm at work right now, so I haven't had a chance to really look into it.

Any ideas?

crazyjackcsa wrote:

Just got my supercharged 1995 Riviera and have a few questions.

I put gas in it this morning. Filled it up till the handle clicked off. I drove about a half mile to work and now there seems to be a small leak coming from somewhere near the top of the tank near the filler neck.

Also, oil seems to be dripping from the support at the front of the car, right under where the brake lines run, but from the top, I can't tell where it's leaking from.

I'm at work right now, so I haven't had a chance to really look into it.

Any ideas?

You will have to pull the access panel in the trunk and look at the top of the tank. Use a shop vacuum cleaner or compressed air (wear a dust mask) to blow the accumulated debris away. On a Riv your age/locatino it's no surprise that you'd have to replace the filler tube, I did on mine (finger lakes area NY state) and there's a number of posts on this site about the general idea of filler tube replacement.

As for the oil drip, sounds like it might be the lower intake manifold gasket *however* the right thing to do is to get some Simple Green or Gunk or other degreaser and a stiff long handle brush (toilet brush should work OK) and clean off the engine per the cleaner's directions. Then look again in a couple days, you'll easily spot the leak.

Albertj

I recommend everything that Albert has said to try and find your gas and oil leaks.

One other option you have with the oil leak(s) is to buy a Leak Detecting Dye Kit from the auto parts store and add the dye to your engine oil and follow the instructions.
The Kit should come with yellow glasses and a UV light to allow you to see the florescent dye and ultimately where the leak is coming from.
Check all the way around and under the engine as you may have more than one leak.

Thanks for the info, I'll take a look at it tonight.

But if the LIM was leaking, shouldn't I be able to see it from the top, looking down?

There isn't any coolant in the oil, or oil in the coolant, so that seems fine.

It looks like one hell of a job, that's for sure.

First of all,welcome. The guys on here are very knowledgeable and know these cars inside and out. I have gotten quite an education here in just a couple of months.

Secondly, safety first. To make sure it is not a leaky brake line, hold your foot firmly on the brake pedal for about a minute to make sure it doesn't fade. I wouldn't want you to assume it wasn't a brake line and loose your brakes as you were driving. Just for peace of mind.

Also, tranny cooler lines run up near the radiator support. This is a very common leak up here in the rust belt. Good luck and hope you get these issues straightened out.

bigdave wrote:

Secondly, safety first. To make sure it is not a leaky brake line, hold your foot firmly on the brake pedal for about a minute to make sure it doesn't fade. I wouldn't want you to assume it wasn't a brake line and loose your brakes as you were driving. Just for peace of mind.

Also, tranny cooler lines run up near the radiator support. This is a very common leak up here in the rust belt. Good luck and hope you get these issues straightened out.

Dave's brake comment will also help you tell if your master cylinder has an internal leak; they are moreso time consuming than expensive to replace due to commonality across GM hard parts.

Albertj

Thanks for all the info, I think I'm goig to spend a lot of time on the board.
I spent the night under the car, it looks like the previous did a brake line to get it to pass a safety check and spilled a ton of fluid.

But I do have a ton more probems. Turns out I hve a very bad stumble up over 2500 rpm, The car runs like a dream below that, but hitchs, bucks and snorts above it. I dodn't notice on the test drive, as that was all in city driving, and I drive pretty calmly.

If it was my 1971 Riviera, I'd do plugs wires cap and rotor because that's exactly what it feels like, but this is my first time with a car with a supercharger (or coil pack for that matter) and was wondering what else it could be?

How do supercharger prolems manifest themselves on the road?

Our superchargers are pretty bulletproof, and don't really give any problems. The only supercharger-related thing that could really ever happen is the coupler start rumbling, leaking a little SC oil, or the boost bypass solenoid not working resulting in half the boost. But really, nothing you would feel short of a little less power.

For your stumble, do plugs and wires. Especially if you've never done them on the car before. I think you will find that it sorts it right out. The coil packs rarely go.

Karma wrote:

Our superchargers are pretty bulletproof, and don't really give any problems. The only supercharger-related thing that could really ever happen is the coupler start rumbling, leaking a little SC oil, or the boost bypass solenoid not working resulting in half the boost. But really, nothing you would feel short of a little less power.

For your stumble, do plugs and wires. Especially if you've never done them on the car before. I think you will find that it sorts it right out. The coil packs rarely go.

And if I recall the board member's experience right, the cheapest way to go to fix it right is to get the OE replacement wires (Delco) from a discounter like monsterpartsonline.com or rockauto.com. The longest lasting *Good* wires, I think, are Magnecor (I use these, www.magnecor.com). The Magnecor folks (it's a very small operation) are a bit much at thimes (they were on this board for a while trying o push 10mm wires or some such) but in spite of what many would cal unbridled rude arrogance their standard wires are quite good. Get their standard 7mm or 8mm set and run them into the factory looms. People have expressed satisfaction with Taylor wires as well, I strongly prefer the Magnecors (I have had them on for over 100,000 miles) but see no reason to get into a shouting match. Other wires (Bosch or Autolite for instance) will work but the high-energy coil pack (the OE pack is a piece of work) will do them in sooner than they will kill off your replacement OE set - and judging by appearances they will never pop or fry out the Magnecors.

Albertj

Well I did plugs and wires, air filter and oil change, I've topped up the oil in the SC, and it went a long way to perk things up, but it still doesn't seem perfect. In normal everyday driving, you don't notice it. In fact, things seem perfect up to about 3500 RPM.

Past that and it still stumbles. I would almost describe it as a transmission slip kind of feeling, or a surging, but it's hard to explain.

From here I'm still thinking clean the injectors, fuel filter, and then pump if need be.

Any other ideas?

Also, does the SC run all the time? Or just when needed?

the transmission slip feeling in higher RPMs is how I'd describe the way these cars run without the SC belt in place, I had to do it for a while when it broke on the road. does the car smell when you drive it?

can you check the bypass valve to ensure it's in good working order?

crazyjackcsa wrote:

Also, does the SC run all the time? Or just when needed?

it's mechanical, so it always spins and spools, the bypass valve opens when the added density is not needed, and closes when it is. if yours was stuck open it would give at least one of the symptoms you are describing. mine failed at 78000 miles.

Smells? Smells like a car. Nothing out of the ordinary that I've ever really noticed. I don't think it's a slipping transmission, just describing the feeling.

How do you check the bypass valve?

I can't tell you that. I looked at mine and it was visually broken. there's a hose or two there as well that are worth checking.

crazyjackcsa wrote:

Smells? Smells like a car. Nothing out of the ordinary that I've ever really noticed. I don't think it's a slipping transmission, just describing the feeling.

How do you check the bypass valve?

You need a Vacuum Pump and an Ohm-meter.

Well that's dandy. I have neither. I could just get a new one and swap it out, unless they are massively expensive.

it's a bit of cash, and in all fairness I'm probably the least technical person on the board, so don't swap it on my word alone.

Yeah, the BCS is a bit pricey to buy and test. Also, it's considered an electrical part, so you can't return it.

Great, now I'm confused. Are we talking about the Boost Bypass Valve or the Booster Control Solenoid?

You're confused about the same part? It's called a Boost Control Solenoid, which is also a Boost Bypass Valve.......

that's what I was trying to clear up, if we were using two names for one item.
Thanks.

Wait a minute Scott, correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the boost bypass valve was the black vacuum pot with the diaphram inside and the boost control solenoid was the electrical conecctor? Am I wrong on this. If not they are definitely 2 different parts. Had to replace the bcs on my 95 and while hard to find they are only about $50-$60. Thought it was the vavle itself that was expensive and also hard to find.

Derek wrote:

Wait a minute Scott, correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the boost bypass valve was the black vacuum pot with the diaphragm inside and the boost control solenoid has the electrical connector?

You are correct, sir!

(And to make things worse, GM has a horrible habit of misnaming parts - I think the spare BCS I bought
for my '97 was considered an "Evap Valve"... )

On my 95 the bcs, the evap purge, and the tcc solenoids all show code 1640 when they fail so its possible they gave you the wrong part that looks similar because I doubt that they use the same solenoid for all three. GM also has a habit of renaming parts because according to Nigelf, another member with a 95 that had the code 1640 BCS failure, the BCS is now sold under the name 'wastegate control solenoid' and I found it under the name 'supercharger valve kit'. WTF GM?! Btw crazyjackusa is your ses light on? When the BCS failed on my car I 'felt' something was going on about a week or 2 before it failed completely and tripped the light. I didn't have all the same drivability issues you are having tho. It felt very peppy in the low rpm range but only lackluster in the mid and high range with no shuddering or bucking.

GM shows it as one part #. Supercharger Actuator Kit P/N 12480246. 1 part, not 2. If you can separate the two, I'm not aware of this....

Scott I can't search by part numbers so I can't see what that is and I don't know how to post pics or links or I could make this easier. I kept the reciept when I had to replace the Boost Control Solenoid on my 95 (crazyjackusa is also a 95) and it says 'valve kit' part #12353309 T25 3342, can you look that up? Its looks like a little electrical connector with a tiny foam filter and hose connection on it, that hose leads directly to the Boost Bypass Valve (I think, I'm doing this by memory)which is black and about the size of a childs fist and sorta looks like two pots stuck together at the lip. The two parts are roughly 6-12 inches apart. I was told by the dealer that the BCS is no longer available but found it under a completely different name, while I've read else where on the board that the BBV is available but ridiculously expensive.