1988 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser

HI everyone,

I just picked up a 1988 olds custom cruiser, with only 43,000 miles on it. and i have a few questions.

Here is the CL ad if you want pics, http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/4054762685.html

It needs a tune up, any recommended parts for the plugs/wire/cap&rotor/oil

does it have a carburetor? i couldn't tell, i thought nearly all cars had Fuel injection by this point.

Anything i should check for wear and tear?

passenger side rear wheel well and a bit of the rocker has rotted, you can see it in the last pic, the trim hanging down appears to be as far as it extends. any estimates on what it will cost to fix? how about to patch?

A/C does not work, no sounds, clutch not spinning, there's a unplugged wire hanging right by it. anyone know where it plugs in?

Can i go to synthetic oil, how much does it take?

Headliners sagging, which I have learned to be pretty standard for these cars. What does it usually cost to fix?

there's a exhaust leak at something called the doughnut or the "O" on the exhaust, what is it, and any guesses on how much to fix.

also anyone have a place where i can get a set of matching hubcaps cheap, i have 2 wires, one flat/dog bowl and one missing.

i got it for 1150, so i have about a grand to fix whatever, what do you recommended i do first.

Thanks,
Revere91

 

Revere91 , from what you can see in the pics it sounds like a bargain from Downunder

 

Thank you

 

I had an '89 Olds Custom Cruiser, and other than the gutless Olds 307 engine, I loved the car. The dash design is classy looking and these ride smooth and are tough in general.

Let me see what I can answer here:

It needs a tune up, any recommended parts for the plugs/wire/cap&rotor/oil
- Cap, rotor, plug wires and PCV valve, just get some good quality from a local parts store, nothing fancy needed, but I would use Delco spark plugs in the Olds 307.

does it have a carburetor? i couldn't tell, i thought nearly all cars had Fuel injection by this point.
- Yes it has an electronic Quadrajet 4brl carburetor. Push the gas pedal to the floor once to set the choke on cold start. Pretty reliable carb, and cheap to rebuild if needed.

Anything i should check for wear and tear?
- Car has a LOT of vaccum hoses under the hood, and over time these dry out and can cause idle issues, poor gas mileage, and rough running. I bought a bulk of hose and spent a full Saturday replacing all mine when I first bought it.

passenger side rear wheel well and a bit of the rocker has rotted, you can see it in the last pic, the trim hanging down appears to be as far as it extends. any estimates on what it will cost to fix? how about to patch?
- Sorry no help here. No salt on the roads...God Bless Texas.

A/C does not work, no sounds, clutch not spinning, there's a unplugged wire hanging right by it. anyone know where it plugs in?
- The plug is a 2-prong and sits between the clutch and the compressor. It most likely is unplugged because the compressor is locked up. Use a towel and try to turn the compressor by hand before plugging that in, or you may lose a belt.

Can i go to synthetic oil, how much does it take?
Car holds 5-quarts, and I would not go synthetic at this age. I ran Castrol GTX high mileage (I know you car is not high-mileage, but it IS old) and had great results

Headliners sagging, which I have learned to be pretty standard for these cars. What does it usually cost to fix?
- Common issue. In the pics it looks like your headliner is missing...hopefully the seller gives you the foam backer board. Down here replacing mine cost $200, but it was nearly $400 to have it done on my friend's car in New Jersey because the labor is so much more expensive up there.

there's a exhaust leak at something called the doughnut or the "O" on the exhaust, what is it, and any guesses on how much to fix.
- Also common. Does it go away when the car warms up? The O-ring is where the exhaust pipe mounts to the exhaust manifold on the engine. Common leak point on Olds motors. If the bolts are not all rusted you may be able to just tighten it up from under the car with a long extension, 2-bolts. If it is rusty, you may need to go see an exhaust shop or a mechanic.

also anyone have a place where i can get a set of matching hubcaps cheap, i have 2 wires, one flat/dog bowl and one missing.
- Ebay or Craigslist

i got it for 1150, so i have about a grand to fix whatever, what do you recommended i do first.
- Do the tune-up. Also check the radiator and cooling system. With such low miles, that car did a lot of sitting, and you may have rust in the cooling system. A good flush would be smart. Get it mechanically sorted and then work on cosmetics.

Good Luck! I sure miss my old one!

 

Welcome! Looks like you got a good deal. I'd concentrate on the mechanical stuff first, like the exhaust leak and tune-up. Depending on how important A/C is to you, that might be the next thing to tackle. With Fall/Winter coming up, you could wait until Spring on that one. Make sure your tires are in good shape. If it's been sitting a while, the tires could have dry rot. If you see any cracking in the rubber, you might wanna consider replacing them.

 

Welcome to the club Revere91, and that's a great buy for what you paid! Mine is a '90, with all four of the wire covers. It HAD the aluminum ones that 81x11 had on his car. I guess mine stayed in Cincinnati, where my car came from! Try your local junkyards for wheel covers, and depending on whether you want wire or original flat full covers, should be easy matches. I want a set of the standard covers, I did that with all my other cars with the wheels. I hope you enjoy yours!

 

I know you didn't ask for opinions, but just wanted to voice mine. I think the wire wheel covers would look much better with the woodgrain. Also, if you end up needing tires, you could look on Craigslist for a set of used mag wheels (original, like 81x11, or aftermarket) with good tires.

 

Edit....

Re the headliner... You say it's sagging, looks like there is not one there to begin with?

If you don't have those roof panels, a headliner will co$t you a heck of a lot more. Just finding the panels themselves will be hard.


..............................

 

Thanks for all the replies guys!!

The back headliner board is missing, but the one over the passenger compartment is still there. are they easy to find at junkyards?

The exhaust leak is loud!!!, and it didn't go away the whole time i drove it. but the guy said its underneath, not near the headers. Also the Servece engine soon light is on, guy said its from the exhaust leak, apparently he had the guy who did the inspection run into the computer to read the codes, it was beeping and stuff aparently. is there a way to check the codes by myself if it doesn't go away with the leak?

 

Also here a better picture of the rot, goes to that fallen trim piece, and then the wheel well lip.

 

Weird place to rot. Most rot behind the rear wheels, not in front. Wonder if they ran over something/bottomed out and then the rust took hold there.

As for your headliner backer board, they can still be found in the salvage yards, at least down here.

As for the exhaust, it's a single exhaust system and should not cost too much to replace. You only have one 02 sensor on that car, and they are not expensive. I bet that's what is tripping the Check Engine light.

 

You can go to most auto parts stores like Autozone or OReillys and they will read the codes for you free. Just be aware that there is a lengthy diagnostic tree to follow to verify the problem. The codes usually indicate a circuit problem, not just a defective part.........so for example if you get an O2 sensor code, it could be that you have fouled plugs or a vacuum leak, or other problems upstream.

Diagnosing trouble codes is not for the inexperienced.

 

I thought they only read OBDII codes?

 

And you would probably be wrong. The only component downstream from the O2 sensor which would affect it is a clogged converter, unless there is another exhaust restriction somewhere, ie pipe smashed shut or bad baffles in the muffler.

 

Maybe, I have my own equipment so I've never used them. You can also use a jumper wire at the diagnostic connector and the Check engine light will flash the codes. I don't remember which two terminals need to be jumpered and would have to look it up. They used to have a little tool which accomplished this which they gave away for free at most places.