Well, I took alot of peoples advice and bought the 58 Cadillac. She was in much worse shape when I saw her in person than I thought. The original asking price was $1000 and I paid $500. When I realized it was way beyond my scope to restore, I put her up for sale. I ended up getting $1250 plus $450 to deliver so I think I did pretty good! I also decided to sell my 1956 Plymouth Suburban Station Wagon. I liked it alot but just didn't have that "connection" to it. The buyer actually inquired about it 4 years ago when it was for sale from the person I bought it from so I am glad it went to someone who has waited a long time for it. Ok, for the question: I am looking at a 1955 Buick Special 2 door to purchase. The current owner says it needs a timing chain. I asked if this chain had broken while the car was being driven and he said that it was just installed wrong and more fell off than broke. The engine has been rebuilt and it (supposedly) fires up and can be moved but not driven. The asking price is $3000. Does anybody know how hard it is to replace this chain and, if you think 3k is fair based on the repairs needed? Thanks so much! Kirsten
that is a good price for the car if the rest of the car is nice. buy a good 322 and make a real hot rod out of it. And maybe the engine in the car is really good and the guy is just not communicating well with you. Investigate further.
Motors will not start with out timing chains. He is either full of shit or trying to fill you full of shit. Back away from that deal my 2 cents
Maybe I misunderstood. He did say he was able to move it over a few parking spaces. He said the chain was not broken but improperly installed by the previous owner. Would the car run if the chain was in wrong? He also said he could see the marks where they attempted to line everything up to be timed but the timing was obviously not right. Maybe I assumed the chain was off altogether...
Sometimes "the timing chain is off" could mean off a tooth or more..not off the sprocket. This would allow the engine to start..run very poorly though. The risk is that the timing could be off enough for valves to hit pistons..which is big problems. You need someone who knows engines to look..or you could be in for a rebuild or replace..and if that is not in your plan or budget..Buick will sit..
It may "run", but not well (probably barely at all), and you won't be able to check compression or anything like that. Timing chain by itself would not be a big deal to fix... pull it apart, line it up put the chain on and put it back together. Once chain is on and aligned, you may then want to check compression just to make sure that you don't have a bigger problem before you get it all back together.
If the timing marks were not lined up correctly it may run but bad. If he could see the marks why didn't he just fix it then....maybe I'm missing something on the nailhead....
Check to see if those motors have clearance between open valve and pistons... I don't know, but I'm sure someone here does. If it does have clearance, then broken or slipped timing chain does not necessarily mean disaster.
Thanks for all of the good questions and advice. I'll ask alot of these questions before going to see the car as it is a 2 hour drive. I'll also call a local shop to see what they think.
A 1955 Buick Special DID NOT come with a 322, rather it came with a 264. If the seller is really telling you it has the original 322 in it, then he is either full of BS or is mis-informed. Investigate further. I doubt the engine is a zero-tolerance system, so having the timing chain off a tooth or two should not ruin it.
If they put the timing chain in wrong, what else did they put in wrong? Pay a real mechanic to look closely at it, it might not be the timing chain at all, might be something much simpler.
I called and got some clarification. The chain is there just not on right. The reason the owner says he doesn't fix it is that you have to take a bunch of other stuff out to get to it and he lives in an apartment complex and they won't let him tear his car apart and work on it where it is parked. He is also moving and needs it gone. He offered to check the compression on all cylinders and call me tomorrow.... Does this sound a bit better? I realize I'm still going on his word but I feel a bit better. I just want an idea of what it will take from the get-go to be driving. Thanks for the replies.
I still think that if the guy could do an easy fix of reinstalling the timing chain he would. It would be much easier to sell if it ran ok. If it ran good you would not be asking all these questions...you would be buying it right? I dont know...I guess I have heard too many "runs great, just needs....".
If the timing chain is not on at correct alignment, compression will not check accurately. The other question to ask him is how he knows that timing chain is "off" or misaligned. you can't see it unless you take it apart. The only other way that I know of would be to pull the valves covers and turn motor to TDC while watch rocker arms. It would be so close, that you would have to be really good to tell.... don't think I could do it.
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