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Super stoked for this one! Just picked up this 93 tonight. One owner Michigan car! Not a spec of rust accept for around the windshield trim! Undercarriage looks virtually new! Has been sitting since 19, so some gremlins to work through! New top, but not a documented time of replacement. Has the usual oil leaks etc, and a horn / headlamp issue. But I am looking forward to getting acquainted with it! I think it’ll be a good pairing for my 95 as well.

My 93 STE and 96 Cutlass sedan don't have the big rubber springs...but DO have sway bars. But...my 91 International has BOTH. Is that what you're referring too? Here's the STE. And then the International.

Very interesting, you have both a rear sway bar and the auxiliary springs. I always thought it was one or the other. Very nice find!

Wanted to update this topic. The lubricate spray appears to have solved the issue and is holding up the conditions it is being exposed to. Thanks to all who have helped!

Should be 2 or 3 bolts on the seat bottom facing the rear of the front seats. Remove the bottom seat cushion and then you will see the bolts that hold the back seat cushion on.

Actually its been holding up great. I've got over 20k miles on the swap now over 2 years. Nothing major, a couple ripped cv boots which may be because they were junkyard sourced. I highly recommend adding a HTOB spacer. ZZP sells them for around $50. Sits behind the HTOB and moves it closer to the clutch by 1/4" for earlier engagement and longer life. Aside from engineering the trans mount, the hardest part is getting the clutch pedal mounted and situated. The pedal arm needs to be cut & welded into proper position as well. As far as the mount, the low-profile mount I fabbed up works great. Only modification I made was adding rubber bushings under the nuts at the bottom to further insulate the mount from the frame. On an aluminum subframe, it might have to be done a bit different. Might be able to drill two holes and bolt it in the same way, but I haven't been hands-on with an 04+ subframe so I can't say for sure. I'm not a fan of the modified 4T65E bracket method that requires tubular control arms as the mount sits outside the frame. An extra $650 that could be spent elsewhere. There really are half a dozen ways you could fab up a mount but I can say for sure the one I made does the job. 3/16 steel plate holds up well so far. I have also just finished taking the time to document the changes to the tune that are highly recommended for a manual swap: Idle speeds in-gear changed to match P/N as its going to be wired to be in D at all times now. ( I actually added a toggle switch to change between forcing it in D or P, since P is needed for a crank relearn procedure if you need it) DTC codes changed And finally zeroing out all the auto trans stuff:

That's impressive for a MI car. It must have not have been driven in the winter.

I've never seen those not on a Buick/Oldsmobile. I assume it was a way to get a softer ride for the "luxury" brand cars

Interesting. I think it's an early W body thing and dependent on whether it's a sedan, coupe, or convertible, (Cutlass line of course). I think the newer cars maybe starting in 94 on...again, depending on body style, they just got a combination of those items. 55trucker would know I bet.

Yes, those figure 8 shaped springs cushioning the lateral links. My `94 3100 CS only has these aux. springs while my `95 LQ1 Vert and TGP only have a rear sway bar. I thought it was one or the other and the two parts were not installed together. They must help "soften" the handling in the back in a way to give a smoother feel, at least thats the impression I feel when driving the `94 CS and TGP.

Locks cycling just means part of the receiver is okay. Doesn't necessarily mean it's receiving a signal correctly. I've had bad ones do that too. Although it's definitely easier to rule it in or out with multiple fobs.

Unfortunately, they are indeed Xmas tree type. I used a standard trim panel puller to remove them. I was able to reuse mine after pulling, but it's possible they lost some strength after pulling.

If it's a coupe, it's where @Black92GS showed a few posts up. If a sedan, on the back deck as @jiggity76 shows. Regal coupes had a much smaller rear deck due to the more vertical backglass. Top is sedan, bottom is coupe.

No problem. Pay attention when ordering a replacement though, as there seems to be different part numbers based on whether the car has column or console shift, and whether it has steering wheel controls. The key fob not working is highly likely to be bad solder joints in the keyless entry module. There is a write up on here about repairing them. Extremely common issue!

That would be the turn signal switch. Not terribly hard to replace, but you do need to pull the airbag, the steering wheel, the clock spring and the lock plate to get to it. Sounds like the Brake shift interlock is acting up. What I can't recall is whether the turn signal switch issue that causes the left/right brake lights to not illuminate correctly also causes issues with the shift interlock not releasing like it should. I'll let someone else chime in regarding that.

anyone on here that owns a cutlass with aftermarket wheels could you post a picture under this post of your ride, with wheel fitment specs. thanks to all i’m trying to figure out what type of wheels i want to put on and i was also wondering if a set of 18x8.5 +30 wheels would be too wide for the front or if the offset helps tuck enough

Thank you! I am part of the 5th generation group! But will have to take a look at adding the other one. It should make for a fun project for now!

For me...and for a 1991 W body car, it wasn't that bad really. I was expecting a lot of work but surprisingly easy.

Nice color, very clean looking. if you’re looking for parts there is a group called 5th generation cutlass supreme , also another group called LQ1 3.4 twin duel cam V6. Good luck with your new cutlass

Negative......... all of the early design housing of the V5 will have a pair of *mechanical* internal switches inserted into the back housing, they are held in place by a pair of inside C-clips, they work in conjunction with the swash plate to regulate the pressure differentials between the discharge side pressure & the suction side pressure. They have nothing to do with *electrical* switches and are completely self contained. Later models of the V5 (circa 1999) have a completely redesign back housing which has done away with those 2 *mechanical switches*, improvements in the compressor internal design eliminated them altogether.

The pressure switch is a necessary device to prevent the compressor engaging when there is not enough refrigerant in the system.

I should also add that the coolant fans engagement is speed dependent, when the a/c is on the pcm will disengage the fans as the vehicle speed increases to the point when they no longer need to be.

Indeed it is........ both the primary & secondary fans will engage. The low pressure sensor engages the entire system when the system is above approx 40lbs, the compressor does NOT cycle, once engaged it runs 100% of the time the a/c is turned on (depending on the volume of system charge).

Yep, I've also read it's not reversible, which is pretty annoying to have to clean it with alcohol all the time. It's been out of the sun for the last 5-years, but the damage is already done. Also gets pretty hot in the garage and I'm sure that doesn't help. Only permanent-ish solution I could really think of is to have it wrapped in color-matched leather. Might look nice if professionally done. Only thing is if leather needs to be glued down, it wouldn't stick for long if the vinyl underneath keeps sweating. Maybe it would need to have the vinyl stripped off, then built up and sculpted with some other material to the right shape so that part can be leather-wrapped. Sounds like very high cost. Other parts of the car would need attention before I go to that extent to fix it though.

The #50 torx tip is needed to stop the piston shaft from rotating in the shock housing while undoing & tightening up the the retaining nut. As I stated earlier some aftermarket shocks no longer make use of a torx design for the socket interface at the top end of the piston shaft. Spinning the piston shaft with an impact gun is not desirable. Doing so with the outgoing shock is alright but no so with the new shock.

I don't remember having any shift interlock issues when my turn signal switch was bad...but I don't usually put it into gear less than a few seconds after startup and that was about 7 years ago.

I've never been able to SEE the bad solder joints, and I think the glossy conformal coating would probably hide them if there were some. I've always just cleaned off the coating and resoldered the joints anyway. That's always worked. I think most people who have done it had the same experience.

Thanks that diagram helps. Got my neighbor to help. Putting these photos up for anyone else that finds this thread. Two red clips at the top of door, one white xmas tree clip, and a clip on the inside of the car that requires you pull the panel forward to release.

Yeah, I hate those one time use clips. I don't have the factory service manual, only parts catalogs, but there appear to be no fasteners for that part other than one staple (#3) towards the bottom. Not sure if that staple has to come out. It looks like the same annoying clip setup my Cutlass Supreme has along the top edge. If I recall the metal clip parts have sharp barbs and dig into the plastic, so some wear to the plastic happens every time you pull it. If the plastic tabs don't break off, they usually go back on and fit well enough, but it's not something you want to have to pull often. Looks like something near the top of the quarter glass and I'd guess that's an xmas tree type clip.

That's interesting. My bad...I thought they were all in the same location. My Cutlass coupe is also in the back shelf area. The rear glass is allowing more space for it I'm sure than a Regal coupe.

The receivers are mounted up in the back glass shelf area. The upper rear seatback needs to come out...which means the shelf also needs to come out. Then, to get the shelf out, you have to pull the rear quarter glass interior plastics that go around the glass. GM layered these pieces. Here's my 93 Grand Prix STE sedan. It won't be identical, but it will be the same process and in the same location. That black box up against the rear glass...that's the receiver.

It's actually a very easy install. I did it on my '91 Cutlass Supreme coupe on my lunch hour from work. If you're going with an aftermarket head unit, be sure to spring the extra few dollars for the wiring harness adapter, which allows a plug-and-play connection between the new radio and the car, without cutting any wires. You can easily do the installation in under an hour. When I was married, it made a fun afternoon project with my then-stepdaughter to replace the dead radio in her mom's Jeep Grand Cherokee. I taught her how to use a soldering iron as part of the process, and she had a great sense of accomplishment when we turned it on and put in her favorite CD to test it out.

Like the title says, I am a new member now, but I was a fairly regular member here around 15-20 years ago. My screen name at that time was Regal_GS_1989. I originally owned an 89 Regal GS coupe, a 92 Cutlass International Coupe, and finally a 2000 Regal Sedan. Life got busy, I stopped posting regularly, and the 2000 was sold off about 10 years ago for something newer and more family friendly. Time has marched on, and I am now in a position where I have the time and resources to be able to own a “weekend” vehicle. As luck, or possibly fate would have it, this beauty quite literally fell into my lap at the perfect moment… A 92 Regal GS Coupe. Black, Grey leather interior, low milage, One owner, garage kept its entire life, ordered new with every option box checked off…save for the sunroof. It’s truly worthy of the term survivor, and it’s exactly how I would have ordered one myself back in the day. Gotta say…it feels sort of strange to be back here posting again about a 1st gen coupe…but I can get used to that I am also surprised at how many screen names I still recognize as well!

It’s been just a little over a year now since I got the Regal…so what better way to celebrate that than with some more recent pictures. Nothing much visually has changed except for the refinished wheels and new tires…which was a fairly large, yet subtle change on its own. My intent is to keep the car as stock as possible, and to keep it up to snuff mechanically to be used as a reliable, fair weather cruiser. And to shake things up…. This is the final picture I ever took of my 89 GS before it was parked for good in summer of 2008.

Here's the link to the timing belt change I did on 11 January, 2020.

My nephew and took her out last night and he's working on making content for the interwebz. A few of the better pics he took at the same place I took the convertible years ago. Unfortunately the P side rear caliper seized up and cooked the nearby rubber parts. That and most of the rear suspension is crispy from being up in Jersey so shes parked for now while the parts roll in.

When measuring across from clip to clip... All 3 on the coupe are 55" on the money, On the Vert they are all 54 1/2, this will also make the carpet lay funny unless trimmed.

https://www.w-body.com/topic/29805-94-rear-brake-upgrade/ https://www.w-body.com/topic/29805-94-rear-brake-upgrade/#comment-464804

yeah I like both of those. I can’t help but think of the early 2000s Cadillacs that had LEDs for the rear taillights and brake lights that were more…crystallized? Only way I can think of to describe it. I really liked how those looked. Not the best picture I could find but I really liked the way these looked.

Personally I'd rather look for as many needed bottles of AC DELCO ATF Type III (H) which one can still purchase today, it IS GM's designated fluid for all older transmissions that used Dexron II or Dexron III (H).

The lack of cross braces is a series 1 3800 thing. I have yet to see a 1st gen Regal with a series 1 3800 have them. Regals with the 3.1 and 3100s had them, as did the 96s with the series 2 3800. No clue as to why it’s that way though.

Am I the only one who thinks this is way more trouble than it's worth? I know that the first-gen rear calipers have a bad reputation, but it's not deserved in my (admittedly limited) experience. I know that on my '92 and '93 Luminas, the rear calipers haven't given me excessive trouble--at least, not more than any other calipers, and less than typical aluminum-bodied calipers. I have had them apart for cleaning and inspection; and even replaced them with "rebuilt" calipers in desperation, trying to fix a "hard pedal, poor braking power" situation a long time ago. The poor braking was due to failing vacuum power boosters on both vehicles, not the calipers/rotors/pads in front or in back.

There ARE strut cartridges that when replaced, need some oil-bath. Apparently, the W-body ones don't. OR the service manual is wrong. Can you get access to a later-model-year manual?

What do you think of this? I don’t know why the shop manual doesn’t say this. I’ve watched a video on YouTube where a guy doing one of these said to keep some oil in there because you have to coat the new cartridge 1/2. So he removed some and said if he had to put some back in you would do it with the suction. The guy mentioned the oil cools down the heat of the strut cartridge so it don’t overheat. Was he right ? I don’t know why the manual didn’t mention this. Don’t want it to overheat the cartridge. But that’s what I hear people done before over the years. Watch 5:40 to 7:35

The OEM strut has loose oil inside. You'd remove ALL of it to the best of your ability. The replacement cartridge is a different design, that doesn't need oil inside the housing. Remove the oil, drop the new cartridge into the housing, put it together just like the manual says.

You're welcome.

Please take 55trucker's advice seriously. I will be doing the timing chain on both of my W's. Not nearly as many miles as yours but chains do stretch and it all begins with the chain. My 91 LQ1 International coupe is not running. The dealer is saying it's due to the chain being off. I've retimed everything already thru the belt but since the chain is off, it doesn't matter, mine still won't run after the fact.

At THAT many miles I do not suggest cutting corners on the process of servicing the timing belt. If you skip the process of releasing the camshaft cogs then you cannot properly retime the cams to crankshaft because of the now stretched timing chain. At 240,000 miles I'd be servicing the timing chain as well, but that's not easy to do.

Need to be able to read the sensors. Need either something like a OTC 2000 with the 92 or 93 GM cartridge or visit Moates.net for an 'ALDU1 and CABL1' plus the TunerPro RT software.