Perry615

I just recently bought a !984 Cutlass Calais. The guy didn't know too much about the car expect for the appearance.There are a few problems I was hoping someone could help me with.
First off, he said it was a 307, i looked up the block number and it matched up to a 307. But on top of the intake it says "performance 350 olds" it says that on the thing that holds the carb. is it a 350 or 307?

Second. When i start the car i get a screeching sound. I was told it was the alternator belt and then i was told i dont have an alternator belt on there at all? BUt something is up with the alternator because it kept running my battery dead, when i took it to autozone they said the battery was bad. but it would start and run for like five minutes, then when i turn it off it wouldnt start again. could the prolem with the alternator belt be causing this?

Third. He told me the car needed brake booster. when i try to i have to press really hard. the car has a positive traction rear end on it though. is there any way i can find out what mind of brake booster to get to go with this rear end. And is that rear end safe for street driving? some say it is some say it isnt.

I also have a high idle in park, when i have it in drive with my foot on the gas it lowers alot. is there anyway to ilde it down? i heard that the lack of brake booster could be the problem.

Any Help Would be appreciated

droptopron

Congrats and welcome to the world of older cars.

• If the block says its a 307 its a 307. A 350 and an older 307 tak ethe same intake. You prob have an Edelbrock intake on it.
• Posi is fine for the strteet and has nothing to do with the break booster. Any auto parts store or Rock Auto can get you a replacemenmt booster.
• High idle - easy adjustment of a flat head screw in the front of the linkage where the throttle cable attaches to the carb but it sounds like you might have a vacuum leak. i'd recomend getting the car to a good mechanic for a thorough tuning

1970cs

The screech is it when you crank the engine or afterwards? If the sound is when you crank, it could be a shim issue with the starter!

Brake booster circled.

Pat

Perry615

the screeching is after the car is already running, if i give it gas for long enough the sound will go away.

Perry615

@ droptopron it is edlebrock.. is there any professional test i can do to see the quality of this engine? and do i need to just restrain from starting the car until i get the belt, since its killing my batterys? because like i said ill run it for like 5 minutes then when i try to start it again it just keeps winding but when never start up. then eventually i turn the key and get a wird sound from under the hood and it wont even try to crank.

So i can go in an autozone and ask for the factory brake booster and it will work?

Perry615

@ 1970 cs Could you please circle the Alternator Belt for me? in a 307 olds thanks!

droptopron

In the pic the alternator is the thing to the left of the radiator hose with the belt going to it.

To check the health of the engine you can have a mechanic check the oil pressure if you don't have a gauge and do a compression test.

1970cs

Here you go,sorry for 231 pic!
Also check all belt tensions! or just drop the belts one by one to determine if that or something else is the issue. FYI don't run for very long with belts off the engine.

jaunty75

The alternator is the thing with the blades on it. And yes, getting the belt off could be a pain because, depending on its position on the pulley, you might have to remove other belts first. You might even have to remove the fan shroud to get it around the fan. But, hey, in for a penny, in for a pound.

The fact that you can't lift the hood of a car and point out the alternator or the brake booster tells us that you are a newbie not just to this site but to cars, period. That's OK. No better way to learn than to tackle a few small jobs and get the feeling of satisfaction that comes with successfully completing them. It won't be long before you'll be rebuilding an engine.

Perry615

Here are a few pics of my engine, check it out and tell me what y'all think

Perry615

Another

droptopron

Its def an Olds engine. Looks to be as good a start as any.

MDchanic

It looks like you've got an alternator belt, which would make sense, because where would the screech come from if there were no belt?

Are you sure that the brake booster is connected to the manifold?
Anyone who would sell you a car with an alternator belt that was so loose it was useless could have done anything to the car, including disconnecting the booster without even knowing what he was doing.

Do you know anyone who has actually opened the hood of a car and looked underneath?
We can help you along here, but if you really have NO experience, it's going to be a rough road for everyone involved.
If this were a VW beetle, there's a book I could recommend that would answer all of your questions, but it ain't, and I know of no similar book for American cars.

- Eric

Perry615

I know a little bit about cars, this is actually my second cutlass, the first had a 307 but I had a mechanic put in a 350. I'm just not to familiar with getting under and doing it myself.

But I found the car sitting, so the guy hasn't messed with it in awhile and from my conversations with him he doesn't know much about mechanics.

I just know when I press the brakes I have to do it really hard. I don't know if it's connected or if I even have one at all.

The interior and the body of the car is perfect, so even the motor I no good I feel like I got a deal for what I paid

Perry615

And like I said earlier, if I give it has, the screeching stops eventually

MDchanic

Yes, you have a booster. It's in your pictures.
It is not clear whether it is hooked up, though.

The screeching stops eventually because two things happen:

1. the belt heats up (read: "almost melts") from the friction of slipping and screeching, and becomes stickier, and
2. the alternator has spun enough to charge the battery slightly, thus reducing the amount of resistance it presents to being turned by the belt

I would recommend tightening the belt and checking to see whether the booster is connected.

I would also recommend getting a copy of the Chassis Service Manual for your car, leaving it beside a place where you sit, and picking it up and reading some of it every time you get a chance.
If you do that, you will gain some background understanding which will make it much easier for us to help you fix your car.

- Eric

Perry615

I'm going to get a new belt put on and see if that stops the sound and my battery from getting killed. Is there any possibility I will need a new alternator? Or is it just the belt?

MDchanic

Here is where it starts to get difficult.

Nobody here has any idea whether your alternator is any good.
The belt could be slipping because the alternator bearings are seized.
The belt could be worn out and stretched.
The belt could be fine, but poorly adjusted.
There could be a problem with the belt, and a completely separate problem with the alternator.
There could be other problems as well, such as damaged, corroded, or disconnected wires.

Without some meaningful participation from both ends, the internet help relationship ceases to function.

- Eric

1970cs

Vac line for booster in color.

X2 on what Eric has said! Do you have any friends or relatives that are mechanicaly inclined to help us all out.

Redog

It's a 307. I see the "5A" heads in that one pic. The Performer 350 is an Edelbrock intake, not the engine itself. That intake fit engines including the 307, upto 1984.

The screech, belt's probably too tight or the wrong size. Shouldn't be more than 1 inch of deflection. Crack uot the straight edge and wooden ruler. That's what I do

Brakes, probably need to change that booster. Don't know if the high idle would effect the poor booster though. And the brakes have nothing to do with the posi rear