For those who have been watching this build be so slow over the past couple of years, I am sorry. This car is a memorial for me and has been hard to look at sometimes. Depression as a whole is a horrible thing to live with and this car has been the unintended victim of it. I've appreciated all of the support and hopefully it will finally become the car I have been planning for the last 5 years.

Project Phases:
Phase I - Welcome to the Madness (In Progress)
Phase II - Welcome to Hell (Slightly grouped with Phase I)
Phase III - Welcome to the Dream

Starting Point - When Original post was made.


To Do List: Updated 6/8/16 (Using as reminder)
Remove Interior - In Progress
Drop Fuel Tank (Replace Pump) - Complete
New Struts/Springs/Sway Bars (Sensatrac Sport - Moog CC/ F41 Sways) - In Progress
Move Battery to Trunk - On Hold
Install Inverter in Trunk
Rear Ball Joints - On Hold
Drop Exhaust - Complete
Fixing Leaks (Oil Pan, possible valve covers) - Will do to new drivetrain!
Rust Repair (Rear Inner Fenders, Under Hood) - In Progress
Rehab Fuel System (Nylon Lines, New Tank) - In Progress
Rebuild Brake System (New Lines, Calipers, Brake Components)
Electrical Updates (2/0 Remote Battery Cable, Driving Lights, Relay Harnesses... - On hold for moment
Ugh... So much project creep

How it sits at the moment:

_________________
1990 Oldsmobile 88 Royale: The Phoenix
Mods: F41 Swap, Delco II Swap, Full Debadge, Series II (L36) Swap, More to come.
2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab W/T: The War Horse
Mods: Tonneau, Partial Debadge, K2xx Alloy Rims, AFM Hardware Delete, TSP Cam, BBP tune.
1999 Pontiac Bonneville SE: The Organ Donor
1990 Buick Lesabre Custom: Cancer Victim

Subscribed

_________________
Boost addict


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'99 Montana - top swap 3800
'04 Sierra 2500HD - LLY Duramax

Current project:
Something cool, trust me.

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

Gone to greener pastures:
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

I shall follow this as well!

_________________

-Austin-
1988 LE, Intercooled L67 loading......

2000 SSEi R.I.P. Dead now :( INTENSE FWI, polished LIM, P&P supercharger, custom radiator, standalone trans cooler, trans-go shift kit (donating to the 88)

2002 2500HD Silverado with the 8.1 Vortec and Alison tranny. Likes to eat GT Mustangs and lots of tires, and all while stock!

From what I can see, the car looks to be in good condition. This should be an interesting thread to watch as things progress. - BC

_________________
In Memory of Brad - 1/21/1977 .. 10/23/2013 ...... Aaron - 1977 .. 2017 .....
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport ..... 1992 Bonneville SSE 1SB 170 HP L27 4T60E retired/sold to MattStrike ..... 2005 Bonneville SE 1SC 205 HP L36 4T65E - retired/salvage yard ..... PBCF user 2321

Good luck! Always good to see older cars getting good treatment.

I need to get moving on my LeSabre rebuild.

_________________
- Greg | -- Project Prasinos -- |

1995 LeSabre Custom: 312K Miles | Custom K&N CAI | Edelbrock SDT Muffler | Camaro Tips | 180 T-stat | LED Interior
& Exterior | 20% Tint | PA Grill & Portholes | Limited Trim | GTP Rims | Ported LIM | Plus Many More Mods | Restoration Thread
2001 Bonneville SSEi: 225K Miles | Instense FWI | Intense MPS (3.4") | 180 T-stat | ZZP Plog | Ported Rear Manifold |
ZZP 3" Downpipe | Magnaflow Cat | Retrofitted HIDs | GenV M90 | GXP Brake Upgrade | 35% Tint | Plus Many More Mods |
2005 Bonneville GXP: 101K Miles | Custom FWI
2009 G8 GT: 89K Miles | 35% Tint | Roto-Fab CAI | SOLO Mach Exhaust | BMR Tunnel Brace | BMR Sub Frames | BMR STB |
Kooks Headers | QTP Electric Cutouts | BMR Sway Bars | Elite Engineering Catch Can | Innovative Dual Wideband Kit
1984 Caprice Classic Wagon: 86K Miles | Restoration Project

I do appreciate the support here on the forum, and while I didn't manage to get as much as i had hoped done today, I figured that a few more pictures of the car as it sits would be in order. The downside to the work today was that more rust holes were found and the car didn't allow me to take many parts off.

First up.. where the battery tray used to be.



Under the air filter.





Behind the washer fluid bottle



Then stuff under the car. Who knew that older cars needed two whole sets of fuel and brake lines.

_________________
1990 Oldsmobile 88 Royale: The Phoenix
Mods: F41 Swap, Delco II Swap, Full Debadge, Series II (L36) Swap, More to come.
2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab W/T: The War Horse
Mods: Tonneau, Partial Debadge, K2xx Alloy Rims, AFM Hardware Delete, TSP Cam, BBP tune.
1999 Pontiac Bonneville SE: The Organ Donor
1990 Buick Lesabre Custom: Cancer Victim

If you're re-doing the fuel lines tank to engine, may I suggest nylon? That's what I'm doing to my '89. You can get everything you need from Dorman (brand). With the fuel lines the way the are, you might have to get a new sending unit (the set of lines that come out of the tank). Nylon will also not rust in the future.

If you don't want the NiCu lines for brake lines under the car, spray paint and truck bed-liner spray the new steel brake lines. It will keep them from rusting out anytime soon.

Otherwise at least the underbody on the car looks very clean!

_________________
Boost addict


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'99 Montana - top swap 3800
'04 Sierra 2500HD - LLY Duramax

Current project:
Something cool, trust me.

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

Gone to greener pastures:
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

I do thank you for the suggestion MattStrike, but I have one question regarding the swap to nylon. How would the fuel lines be connected on the engine side? I had looked into this in the past, but the only way I could think of was putting a union on the line before it goes into the engine compartment. If you have any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.

Also while I am thinking about it, I was wondering if someone had or could take a picture of the rear fuel/brake line retainer bracket under the back door on a 86-91? Mine disintegrated while I was taking it apart earlier today. This would also be very much helpful and appreciated.

Then besides the few body issues, I will admit that the car is in pretty good shape for its age. The past owner did try to keep it up, but his mechanic did some of the work that I am trying to repair now.

_________________
1990 Oldsmobile 88 Royale: The Phoenix
Mods: F41 Swap, Delco II Swap, Full Debadge, Series II (L36) Swap, More to come.
2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab W/T: The War Horse
Mods: Tonneau, Partial Debadge, K2xx Alloy Rims, AFM Hardware Delete, TSP Cam, BBP tune.
1999 Pontiac Bonneville SE: The Organ Donor
1990 Buick Lesabre Custom: Cancer Victim

Nylon is relatively straightforward. I got everything but the unions from a junkyard including both 5/16 and 3/8 nylon and steel quick disconnects for each end.

You'd need a tubing cutter to be able to cut the steel lines, a box cutter to cut the nylon, boiling water to bend the nylon, and some wrenches for the brass compression unions. Check out McMaster Carr if you don't like to use brass compression unions, 5/16 and 3/8 are the sizes you will need.

Starting at the engine, there is a steel line at each end of the fuel rail, the 3/8 line is the feed and the 5/16 the return. You'd cut them right at the throttle body immediatly before the bend down towards the exhaust. The open lines would be pointing directly toward the fender. On the end of these you use a compression fitting to splice on a short section of line that has a 'Quick connect' fitting. It looks like this (Dorman has a blister pack with two of them, 800-159, has everything you'd need):


Then on the end of that newly installed fitting you have the nylon piece that connects to it. You want a piece that has a length of tube pre-installed:


Next you need a push to connect fitting, Dorman again # 800-191 ; 800-193. This allows you to connect two pieces of nylon line together, with no hassle, and no restriction to flow. The ends of the nylon tube need to be cut straight though. Keep the nylon away from the exhuast, it should route with an easy curve down along the path the brake lines follow, nothing like it did with the steel line before.

Then the long length of tube back to the tank, secured to the body/frame every so often, there are other methods if the OEM plasting mounts are totally messed up. The fitting at the tank is the same as the fitting at the engine. Put the union on the straight section of line that is right before the turn down. For the Fuel filter, all you need is a push to connect and the appropriate nylon end. You can put it anywhere you want, as long as you secure it to the body/frame. The '93 H-body filter uses the quick-connects so is perfect for this.

Parts needed, all of which can be sourced new:
5/16" line (25 ft, you will use about 14 ft depending on how you route the lines) ($25)
3/8" line (25 ft, same usage as above) ($25)
5/16 push to connect (x2) ($8 for 2)
3/8 push to connect (x4) ($16 for 4)
'93 LeSabre fuel filter ($5)
5/16 compression union (x2) ($5 or so)
3/8 compression union (x2) ($5 or so)
5/16 steel quick connect end (x2)
3/8 steel quick connect end (x2) ($20 800-159)
5/16 nylon quick connect end (x2) ($20 each)
3/8 steel quick connect end (x2) ($20 each)

Being thrifty puts the repair under $30 depending on local pricing and if you have a u-pull yard with everything you need. I'd budget $100 though. The stuff marked in blue can come from a junkyard, they are mostly at the connection to the fuel tank area on the passenger side of the '92+ H-body cars, the Dorman 'kits' are way overpriced IMO. Steel vs. Nylon are about the same cost for the tubing. If cost is a big factor, you can take the entire sending unit with fuel pump, nylon lines, etc. from the '92-'95 H-body ('96+ have a different fuel level sensor) and only need to buy the fuel filter, push to connect and compression unions new.

_________________
Boost addict


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'99 Montana - top swap 3800
'04 Sierra 2500HD - LLY Duramax

Current project:
Something cool, trust me.

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

Gone to greener pastures:
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

Thank you for the info, it was just what I needed. Now it looks like I have a few more things to add to my JY shopping list for this project.

Another question since I am only really acquainted with cars like mine, is the mounting for the fuel lines on the newer cars a mirror of the lines on the older cars?

_________________
1990 Oldsmobile 88 Royale: The Phoenix
Mods: F41 Swap, Delco II Swap, Full Debadge, Series II (L36) Swap, More to come.
2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab W/T: The War Horse
Mods: Tonneau, Partial Debadge, K2xx Alloy Rims, AFM Hardware Delete, TSP Cam, BBP tune.
1999 Pontiac Bonneville SE: The Organ Donor
1990 Buick Lesabre Custom: Cancer Victim

I don't know that they are mirrored but the newer mounts should be able to be made to fit without too much trouble. If you go the JY route make sure to grab extra sets of fittings just in case.

_________________
Boost addict


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'99 Montana - top swap 3800
'04 Sierra 2500HD - LLY Duramax

Current project:
Something cool, trust me.

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

Gone to greener pastures:
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

Yeah, the underside looks nice and clean!

I just did some patchwork on the fuel lines on my 98 Olds using steel line and compression fittings on the main line, and nylon hose on the returns, but they didn't look that bad either other then the area around the rear wheel well. I sprayed the lines down with black oil after i was all done...

My rear brake lines were GONE though.

And the way those hoods open on those is SO COOL.

_________________


1999 Oldsmobile 88 Base....it has power windows and locks! Second rescue, might flip...Click HERE for project thread.

1998 Oldsmobile 88 LS w/ FE1 Float Suspension, Leather and Power Everything - Totaled (Rolled!) out during Winter of 2015 by Sister Click HERE for project thread.

2002.5 Blazer - Stock Stuffing 30s, SLP ZR1 Replicas, Dynomax Catback, TONS of other mods. Click HERE for project thread. - DD

Since I will admit that mother nature thwarted my plans to get stuff done on the car today, I figured that I would share this picture of one of the currently more cringe worthy parts of the car as it is currently. The prior mechanic had zip tied the newer fuel lines to this but as it started to fail the lines dropped and bad things occurred. One of those bad things that occurred was the rubbing of the fuel line and rear brake line that gave me quite a scare leaving a tire store.

Anyone want some 24 year old fuel line?

_________________
1990 Oldsmobile 88 Royale: The Phoenix
Mods: F41 Swap, Delco II Swap, Full Debadge, Series II (L36) Swap, More to come.
2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab W/T: The War Horse
Mods: Tonneau, Partial Debadge, K2xx Alloy Rims, AFM Hardware Delete, TSP Cam, BBP tune.
1999 Pontiac Bonneville SE: The Organ Donor
1990 Buick Lesabre Custom: Cancer Victim

That looks tasty...

_________________


1999 Oldsmobile 88 Base....it has power windows and locks! Second rescue, might flip...Click HERE for project thread.

1998 Oldsmobile 88 LS w/ FE1 Float Suspension, Leather and Power Everything - Totaled (Rolled!) out during Winter of 2015 by Sister Click HERE for project thread.

2002.5 Blazer - Stock Stuffing 30s, SLP ZR1 Replicas, Dynomax Catback, TONS of other mods. Click HERE for project thread. - DD

MattStrike - To answer my own question, the lines on the newer cars are mirrored. I looked under my buddy's 99, and the fuel lines on the passenger side are a mirror of the brake lines on the driver side.

_________________
1990 Oldsmobile 88 Royale: The Phoenix
Mods: F41 Swap, Delco II Swap, Full Debadge, Series II (L36) Swap, More to come.
2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab W/T: The War Horse
Mods: Tonneau, Partial Debadge, K2xx Alloy Rims, AFM Hardware Delete, TSP Cam, BBP tune.
1999 Pontiac Bonneville SE: The Organ Donor
1990 Buick Lesabre Custom: Cancer Victim

Well, due to things out of my control I have been kinda not feeling up to doing much on the tank. But finally I did get a JY run in and until I can get some real progress done on the car, I figure I will leave these pics here to show that I am still going but much slower... *dang* allergies....

My JY haul, but you might notice I did throw one of the stock parts in to give a basic idea of the changes that lie ahead.


Then the accumulation that has been taking over part of a room for the past year, more parts have been added since this was taken....(fuel lines, inverter, etc...)


Hopefully tomorrow should bring an actual progress update...

_________________
1990 Oldsmobile 88 Royale: The Phoenix
Mods: F41 Swap, Delco II Swap, Full Debadge, Series II (L36) Swap, More to come.
2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab W/T: The War Horse
Mods: Tonneau, Partial Debadge, K2xx Alloy Rims, AFM Hardware Delete, TSP Cam, BBP tune.
1999 Pontiac Bonneville SE: The Organ Donor
1990 Buick Lesabre Custom: Cancer Victim

I will ask a question for those who have had to deal with removing the down pipe, did everyone have access to air tools. If not, how did people get the bolts undone. I managed to get one bolt loosened up but the other one started to spin... just par for the course.

_________________
1990 Oldsmobile 88 Royale: The Phoenix
Mods: F41 Swap, Delco II Swap, Full Debadge, Series II (L36) Swap, More to come.
2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab W/T: The War Horse
Mods: Tonneau, Partial Debadge, K2xx Alloy Rims, AFM Hardware Delete, TSP Cam, BBP tune.
1999 Pontiac Bonneville SE: The Organ Donor
1990 Buick Lesabre Custom: Cancer Victim

You should keep this as a souvenir to remind you of where you came from, where you are and where you are going on this project. Hang it on the wall. It will be a great conversation piece. - BC

_________________
In Memory of Brad - 1/21/1977 .. 10/23/2013 ...... Aaron - 1977 .. 2017 .....
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport ..... 1992 Bonneville SSE 1SB 170 HP L27 4T60E retired/sold to MattStrike ..... 2005 Bonneville SE 1SC 205 HP L36 4T65E - retired/salvage yard ..... PBCF user 2321

If the nut is what's spinning, you'll have to use a pair of channel locks or something to hold it while you spin the bolt.
If the bolt head is rounded off, you might have to either drill out the bolt or cut it.

PB blaster and a torch makes exhaust work easier. I don't believe air tools would've helped much here.

_________________


2009 Chevy Silverado 2500HD crew cab, 6.0, Z71. The project mover.
2002 Regal GS: 3.4 pulley, E85, and quicker than my old 99
1982 Pontiac Grand Prix L67, T56, GT45, T56, Holley EFI; It's pretty quick Mod list here

1oldman - Thank you for the idea. Considering what the car means to me and how interesting the journey has been so far, I agree that it would be a good reminder.

bs009 - Now that I look at them, I believe they are the studs on the rear exhaust manifold.... I was hoping I wasn't going to have to cut them off. So far the one that is actually coming off is the one on the right. I think the stud was spinning on the left side.



While I was under the car working on those studs, these caught my eye... I thought the 2nd set of lines had been terminated at the subframe. I guess not

_________________
1990 Oldsmobile 88 Royale: The Phoenix
Mods: F41 Swap, Delco II Swap, Full Debadge, Series II (L36) Swap, More to come.
2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab W/T: The War Horse
Mods: Tonneau, Partial Debadge, K2xx Alloy Rims, AFM Hardware Delete, TSP Cam, BBP tune.
1999 Pontiac Bonneville SE: The Organ Donor
1990 Buick Lesabre Custom: Cancer Victim