New Guy Has Dumb Questions!

[Canadian86GN]

Hey guys, sorry for the long winded "question post"! Please help a new guy if you can!
Have a couple questions for you guys with experience as I'm new to the Turbo Buick world! I plan on redoing paint and body over the winter, so will be pulling the drivetrain, BUT, I want to ensure the car is running properly and everything is working in tip-top shape before disassembly so I can reassemble the car confidently come spring. If there's an engine issue hiding, I would like to know if a rebuild is necessary prior.

1) So, how would you guys go about this, get a Scanmaster G and do some testing to make sure all parameters are right?
2) Are there any other things that I should be checking and testing prior to disassembly?
3) Are there any components that are recommended to be changed off the get-go other than planned usual stuff (fuel/brake lines, new injectors, plugs, trans lines/cooler, brakes, etc.)
4) I have a faulty factory tach, reading max rpm at all times, from what I've read, the usual resolve is to have it sent to Casper (I think) to have it repaired, is this correct?
5) I hear a "hollow popping" from the exhaust upon cold start until warm, any ideas?
6) the previous owner said the car had a "Turbo-max" installed, it's a small box with an electric plug in with a vacuum line coming out of it and it looks like it should have been connected to the elbow on the turbo, but it is unhooked, any ideas?
7) he also gave me a couple chips and said it had I believe 32 or 38# injectors? 8) the brakes are "clicking" and you can feel a pulsating on the brake pedal when depressed, is this the PM brakes going out completely or is it serviceable? Any and all help is appreciated guys! Thank you!

 

[dank GN]

Okay yes first item u need to buy before any upgrades would be a scanmaster . Then all I can say bud is read up . Here is a butt load of information .
http://www.vortexbuicks-etc.com/

 

[hensleyt]

Do you plan to leave the car mostly stock ?
Or burn the rear tires of every 3 months? (At your local drag strip)
If it starts and runs ok today and has good compression and excitable leak-down numbers I’d call the engine good to go if racing is not in it’s future .

 

[RED LS1]

Do you plan to leave the car mostly stock ?
Or burn the rear tires of every 3 months? (At your local drag strip)
If it starts and runs ok today and has good compression and excitable leak-down numbers I’d call the engine good to go if racing is not in it’s future .

^ This is what I was thinking. I'd also add that with popping in the exhaust check plug wires, plugs and every single vacuum line for a leak somewhere.

 

[Darkstar72]

As for your braking concerns you can get a seal kit from Kirban for the Powermaster and would also need to replace the pressure switch and accumulator ball. Seal kit is like $40, pressure switch $130, new acc ball $200. So you could take a stab at fixing the PM system for about $400 or you can spend about $35 master cylinder for a non-turbo 86/87 regal, $80 for a dual diaphragm vacuum booster, $45 TTA vac block, $5 in vac brake hose, and the only part a bit harder to locate is a vacuum brake pedal from any G body from like 1985 and up (I paid $40 for mine) - total cost to switch to vacuum if not buying a vendors kit would be about $200.

Option 3 would be to buy a complete rebuilt Powermaster assy that would come with a Lifetime warranty....$850 (last I think I saw, don't hold me to that).

Option 4 - hydroboost. About the same cost of getting a rebuilt Powermaster assy and need to route the additional hoses from the power steering pump back to the booster assy.

There are lots of opinions on braking and you can just decide what fits your design for the car, i.e. cruiser, factory correct show car, street/strip car, etc. Either way you go I would not drive it any longer with the brake pedal pulsating as that is placing additional stress on your pump motor and if that motor goes out you will lose 90% of your braking ability.