1971 Buick Skylark 350 Takes forever to start

[Jackhammer0312]

Stratomist Blue is Code 26

Cascade Blue is Code 24

Nocturne Blue is Code 29

Twilight Turquoise is Code 39

Below is a 1971 Cowl Tag. Next to PNT is 11 A. That is Artic White with a White vinyl roof or convertible top.

https://image.ibb.co/n50bXT/Trim_Tag_My_71_GS.jpg

Found out it's Cascade Blue, thank you!

 

[LARRY70GS]

Found out it's Cascade Blue, thank you!

 

[Brian Atom]

I have made sure to keep the lines away from the engine, so that shouldn't be a problem. Fuel pressure is a good 5.5psi, and the engine and throttle seem to do hood once the engine actually starts. Before that though, pumping the throttle doesn't pump fuel into the engine which I still find strange... Maybe it is the floats then? I don't have much knowledge on carbs at all, but still much more than I did a month ago. Should I go ahead and get a rebuild kit for it or start with replacing the floats?

The floats failing or what often happens is they are rubbing on the side of the bowl. With the Holley carb you probably won’t need a rebuild kit just buy the float if it’s bad. If you are careful the gasket should be fine unless it’s really old. Once you open the top you will easily see what’s wrong. If the float isn’t floating it’s the float. The inlet valve could be stuck and either need replacement or it’s jammed. The Holley is the easiest carb to work on and as I recall you can adjust the float with an external adjuster. Set the float to spec and close it up and you should be good.

 

[MelsRegal]

The floats failing or what often happens is they are rubbing on the side of the bowl. With the Holley carb you probably won’t need a rebuild kit just buy the float if it’s bad. If you are careful the gasket should be fine unless it’s really old. Once you open the top you will easily see what’s wrong. If the float isn’t floating it’s the float. The inlet valve could be stuck and either need replacement or it’s jammed. The Holley is the easiest carb to work on and as I recall you can adjust the float with an external adjuster. Set the float to spec and close it up and you should be good.

Read post 53, carburetor was replaced

 

[Brian Atom]

No idea if anyone will see this since it's been a couple months (hope you all had a nice Christmas and New Year!!), BUT it was 10000% the carburetor! Got a new-to-me one off of Ebay from a guy that restores carbs and once i installed it I checked if it squirted fuel and it DID unlike my old one. After that she starts up instantly everytime and feels 467% better to drive and sounds SO much better too and a few weeks back I dropped the tank and put a new sending unit in and now I can actually see how much is in the tank and not have to pray I guesstimated right on my way home from work. In the process of sanding her down now to get it repainted as close to the original color as I can (Stratomist or Cascade Blue idk can't tell 100%). Thanks everyone for trying to help a guy out who's never had a classic before and barely as to what I'm doing. So far though I love working on this car, SO much easier to work on compared to my 91 S10 or motorcycle (they have beep-boops and ECUs and whatnot).

Now I just need to get the new inner pair of headlights working (they don't turn on when i turn the headlights on) and buy a grille and I'll be set for the exterior portion of this epic machine.

Hey I responded to your earlier post on the last page. Glad you got the problem solved! I see talk about distributor replacement here. A little trick I learned to set the number 1 cylinder on top dead center in no time I learned from my mechanic “Hillbilly Dave” years ago is take the plug out and wad up a piece of paper bigger than the hole. Jam it up in there. Slowly crank the engine a click at a time until you hear a pop! You are there and drop your distributor in and tweak it from there by the preferred method. Lite em up!

 

[Jackhammer0312]

Hey I responded to your earlier post on the last page. Glad you got the problem solved! I see talk about distributor replacement here. A little trick I learned to set the number 1 cylinder on top dead center in no time I learned from my mechanic “Hillbilly Dave” years ago is take the plug out and wad up a piece of paper bigger than the hole. Jam it up in there. Slowly crank the engine a click at a time until you hear a pop! You are there and drop your distributor in and tweak it from there by the preferred method. Lite em up!

Never thought of that, been putting off timing for awhile but I think I'll tackle it tomorrow. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Jackhammer0312]

Does anyone know what this part is called? I recently acquired a remote mirror, but I'm missing the D ring thing that goes on the back of the bezel and holds the adjuster and the piece I circled along with the screw in knob. If anyone knows where to find just those things that would help a ton!

 

[MelsRegal]

Does anyone know what this part is called? I recently acquired a remote mirror, but I'm missing the D ring thing that goes on the back of the bezel and holds the adjuster and the piece I circled along with the screw in knob. If anyone knows where to find just those things that would help a ton!

This?

1971-74 REMOTE MIRROR KNOB RETAINER

1971-74 REMOTE MIRROR KNOB RETAINER

www.amesperf.com

 

[Jackhammer0312]

This?

1971-74 REMOTE MIRROR KNOB RETAINER

1971-74 REMOTE MIRROR KNOB RETAINER

www.amesperf.com

Sweet, there's the D ring thing! Have any idea what the part is that I circled in red is called in my last post? It's the thing that slides over the part that the adjuster knob screws into.

 

[MelsRegal]

Sweet, there's the D ring thing! Have any idea what the part is that I circled in red is called in my last post? It's the thing that slides over the part that the adjuster knob screws into.

Isn't the adjustment knob permanently part of the 3 cable retainer?

 

[Jackhammer0312]

Isn't the adjustment knob permanently part of the 3 cable retainer?

So sorry if I'm confusing you, I have no idea what these parts are called! It's this thing with 3 "legs" that go over the mechanism itself.

 

[MelsRegal]

So sorry if I'm confusing you, I have no idea what these parts are called! It's this thing with 3 "legs" that go over the mechanism itself.

If that piece secures the knob into the retainer it's not supposed to come off and is not sold as a separate part

 

[Jackhammer0312]

If that piece secures the knob into the retainer it's not supposed to come off and is not sold as a separate part

Well that's some great news. Looks like I'm in for some customization then. What about the screw in adjuster knob? Can I just buy any 71 GM mirror adjuster knob and screw it in?

 

[MelsRegal]

Well that's some great news. Looks like I'm in for some customization then. What about the screw in adjuster knob? Can I just buy any 71 GM mirror adjuster knob and screw it in?

Same site I gave you above, Ames. I plugged in 71 GTO.

 

[Jackhammer0312]

Same site I gave you above, Ames. I plugged in 71 GTO.

Ah alright, thanks a bunch and sorry if I confused you!

 

[Jackhammer0312]

Tragic thing happened tonight, was testing the brakes after putting in a new master cylinder and new front drums and wheel cylinders and then all of a sudden my left wheel comes off and so does the drum. I find out that all the lug nuts are gone, but the stud threads are completely fine, literally looks just as it was. I have no idea if I forgot to tighten them or what, but now my left fender is caved and bent in to the point of me having no means of saving it it seems.

If anyone knows where to find a cheap but intact fender for a 71 Skylark 350 please let me know because all I can find are ones for the GS that are in the thousands of bucks to which I do not have. I do know I need a new drum, dust shield, and maybe lower control arm.

If there's anything else I should look for when going over it I would love to know.

 

[Jackhammer0312]

Tragic thing happened tonight, was testing the brakes after putting in a new master cylinder and new front drums and wheel cylinders and then all of a sudden my left wheel comes off and so does the drum. I find out that all the lug nuts are gone, but the stud threads are completely fine, literally looks just as it was. I have no idea if I forgot to tighten them or what, but now my left fender is caved and bent in to the point of me having no means of saving it it seems.

If anyone knows where to find a cheap but intact fender for a 71 Skylark 350 please let me know because all I can find are ones for the GS that are in the thousands of bucks to which I do not have. I do know I need a new drum, dust shield, and maybe lower control arm.

If there's anything else I should look for when going over it I would love to know.

Also what is this? Found it near the car after everything happened.

 

[LARRY70GS]

Any 70-72 fender will work. Your fender looks like it can be fixed. These are in CT, but I am sure there are guys on v8buick that have some.

70 71 72 Buick Skylark GS Front Fenders--Real GM

70 71 72 Buick Skylark GS Front Fender pair--original GM. Minor rust issues repaired with metal welded plate--finished with skim coat of body filler--...

v8buick.com

The GS Nationals are May 14-17th in Bowling Green Kentucky. There will be lots of fenders there in the swap meet.

The Buick GS Nationals - Beech Bend Park

The 44th Buick GS Nationals May 14th – 17th, 2025! Click HERE for more info!

beechbend.com

 

[Jackhammer0312]

Any 70-72 fender will work. Your fender looks like it can be fixed. These are in CT, but I am sure there are guys on v8buick that have some.

70 71 72 Buick Skylark GS Front Fenders--Real GM

70 71 72 Buick Skylark GS Front Fender pair--original GM. Minor rust issues repaired with metal welded plate--finished with skim coat of body filler--...

v8buick.com

The GS Nationals are May 14-17th in Bowling Green Kentucky. There will be lots of fenders there in the swap meet.

The Buick GS Nationals - Beech Bend Park

The 44th Buick GS Nationals May 14th – 17th, 2025! Click HERE for more info!

beechbend.com

Thanks, I think the GS Nationals will be my best bet since I'm a little under 5hrs from there and almost 15 hours from CT. Also the photo does not do the fender justice as the bottom right below the door is significantly caved in and the upper part near the windshield is bent to a sharp point. Can only open the driver door a few inches now.

 

[LARRY70GS]

Thanks, I think the GS Nationals will be my best bet since I'm a little under 5hrs from there and almost 15 hours from CT. Also the photo does not do the fender justice as the bottom right below the door is significantly caved in and the upper part near the windshield is bent to a sharp point. Can only open the driver door a few inches now.

Yes, the NATS will be your best bet. There will be many fenders there, in different conditions. If I were you, I'd sign up at v8buick.com. Then post in Parts Wanted. Many guys sell parts at, and deliver to the NATS.