Wow you aint kidding. Got the new bulb in. I ended up taking out the radiator top cover, the complete air filter housing, and also I took out the coolant reservoir. Some of these screws were very loose so at least I made sure everything was tight and secure on reassembly. I thought about trying to replace the passenger headlight while I was in there too, but a 5 second look made me glad I only had a driver side light out. Decided to burn that bridge when I have to. Thanks again for the tips!!
Can you just unscrew the assemblies and slide them out? That might make it easier, although it could mess up the alignment (you can put some marks on where it's bolted to try to keep it in the same spot).
Anyone that's looking for headlights, Advanced Auto Parts has Sylvania headlights at buy one, get the second half off. This applies to Silver Stars, Cool Blues, and some others. I bought two XtraVisions because one burned out on my wife's car. Previously it had some Wagners that claimed to be 20% brighter but weren't. The Sylvania was noticably brighter (although not worlds brighter) than the Wagner, and had a whiter light. Plus, Sylvania has a $10 rebate when you buy two Silver Stars (in addition to the Advanced Auto Parts sale). I thought about getting them, but just really couldn't justify them (the XtraVisions are like half the price and have a $6 mail-in rebate).
I know Taylor uses Silver Stars and liked them, so if you have been thinking about upgrading your lighting, now might be a cheap time to do it.
I just replaced one of the Silver Stars two weeks ago, I would have gotten a spare. The silverstar is definitely my favorite bulb (better contrast at night), followed by the Sylvania extras and the Philips plus bulbs which seem suspiciously similar to me.
I had it done at Tustin Pontiac-Buick-GMC. I've gotten to know one of the techs real well; he started off at Beach Olds so he has worked on Auroras before. Aftermarket warranty took care of it (after $50 deduct.) Otherwise, bill would have been; Part 261.08 (they knocked $23 off list price for warranty Co.), 9.55 for brake fluid, 155.89 for labor, and 20.97 for tax. Total was $397.49 after my $50 deduct.. PS. gmpartsdirect.com has the MC for $142. +shipping.
according to the gm parts direct website at least, the engine in a 98 olds aurora is a l47 4.0liter v6 and to think I never knew! Which are the two fake cylinders and plugs?
(Shameless plug, since he's been so helpful -- Darling's Tire and Auto, Manchester, NH)
Anyway, the product he uses is produced by a company called Petro Chemical. The name is just "Transmission Conditioner". It isn't available for purchase by individuals, but you might find a local mechanic or distributor listed on their website.
Anyway, the biggest "feature" of the product in my mechanic's view is that it's a "de-carbonizer". Since about 2/3 of the tranny fluid is trapped in the torque converter, you can only "change" a few quarts, so this product helps restore the remaining fluid to near new condition.
He also said that the "off the shelf" brands at auto parts stores can be very good, and are often specifically targeted for various uses like de-carbonizing, reducing clutch plate slippage, etc.
I hope that helps. If anyone has a contact who is a distributor for the Petro product -- and will buy for us -- speak up, there are probably several people here who would be interested in buying some.
Not to take anything away from the product you suggested, but I just wanted to clarify how much is left after a drain. A dry transmission (drained torque convertor and everything) will take 15 quarts of fluid. Removing the pan and drain plug inside the pan will remove 11 of those quarts. A complete overhaul (but not draining the TC) will remove 12.6 quarts. So it is substantially less than 2/3 of the fluid that stays in the torque convertor. It is actually less than 1/6th (although slightly less than 1/3 remains throughout the tranny if you do a simple drain and filter change).
Robert, are you sure? (no disrespect intended, you sound as though you may have done a tranny service yourself.)
I questioned my mechanic about that capacity twice, once when he did the work a couple of months ago and also just this afternoon when I asked about the additive. Both times he said "about 5 quarts."
My transmission service (which started this thread) was fluid, gasket and filter. He said that he only had to replace 5 quarts. (and only charged me for 5.) Which is why he says he uses the above product. The manual does specify the total capacity to be 15 quarts, but didn't note anything about how much is "changed."
Since I haven't done the work myself, I can't be positive, but this guy has been working on my cars for many years and he's never steered me wrong. Anyone else have information on this? Now you've got me wondering......
I have a noise coming from the rear of car, I'm assuming the compressor for rear suspension. Just wondering if this is common. It seems to run for longer periods of time than it used to. Also, the steering wheel is just a little loose. You can feel it by grasping it on both sides and rocking it. Not to bad, but it is loose. Thanks, David
I dont know about the compressor running longer. I once had my load level lock in the fully up position so that it looked like I had jacked up the rear end. However, when this happened to me, the pump did not cpme on at all.
Steering - I had the sterring wheel loosen up on my 1986 Olds Cutless. My mechanic told me that I caused this to happen by pulling-on/pushing-off on the wheel when exiting the car. Do you do this when getting out of the Aurora?
I have noticed that it is best not to: 1) Pull on the steering wheel when getting out of the car; 2) Rest your hand on the shifter because the sweat from your hand will wear the leather on the handle; 3) Quickly open the trunk on a classic in the rain cause the water will go into the trunk itself. Best to open it slowly and give the water time to run off into the channel around the trunk (Is this true on the Y2K's also?); 4) Crack the windows in the rain for the reasons stated above for the trunk; 5) Park a classic head-in in a parking space to keep from damaging the front air deflector.
Just a few tips. I dont think I missed anything. Did I??
I haven't as of yet done a fluid change on my tranny. My car just turned 14000, so it would be a bit early. However, those are the numbers from the service manual. I also know that when you pull the pan off, some of the fluid will come out. But then there is a drain plug there that should be pulled. A whole bunch more fluid will then drain out. The torque convertor would have to be enormous to hold 10 quarts of fluid. I really think you should be able to drain out close to the 11 quarts specified by the manual (but I could be wrong). Maybe you'll want to ask your mechanic what exactly he does when he changes the fluid?
The 4T80 Transaxle has a dry capacity of 15 quarts.A complete overhaul not including the torque converter would require 12.6 quarts. Just normal servicing ( removing the pan and side cover drain plug) 8 quarts.So as you can see almost 50% of the fluid remains in the tranny. These numbers were taken directly from a 96 Aurora service manual.
I have the same problem with that noise on my '95, my mechanic told me that I can live with it, but it's annoying me, please keep me posted with any updates.
What about Trans Fluid Flushes? I have had that done the last few times I've had transmissions serviced. It's certainly more expensive but I was under the impression it would replace all of the fluid.
Huh. I wonder if there were some changes made to the 4T80-E between 1996 and now (I'm sure there probably were incrememntal changes made a few times, though). My manual states 11 quarts for removing the pan and plug. I wonder why 4.6 quarts won't drain out of the tranny body on the older ones.
Larryfl, flushes do tend to get out all the fluid. But they require machinery and oftentimes they require solvents and such than can be harmful to tranny internals. It all depends on what the shop uses, but I just don't tend to trust other people to have my best interests at heart. I think I'm going to change the fluid and filter every 30,000 as I've always done instead of the 50,000-100,000 mile interval recommended. That way I won't feel so bad about some fluid being left behind. Of course, you could always change the fluid twice at the recommended interval. That should cut in half the average amount of fluid that is left over. I think Aurora5000 posted a while back about using the transmission's own pump to get out all the fluid by disconnecting the line to the trans cooler. As long as you made sure clean fluid returned so as not to starve the pump, this would probably work great. You'd probably need an assistant to turn the car on and off for you, though.
I don't think I push or pull on the steering wheel getting in or out, but can't say I don't do that either. How hard is it to tighten the steering wheel?
I, too have the loose wheel. I remember this being brought up before. It's a plastic pivot pin or something, right? Someone took care of it. My question would be how? Was a special tool needed?
Yes this did come up before and you are right about the plastic piece. This was the situation on my Cutlass and according to my mechanic, I caused it by pulling/pushing on the wheel. Hence my warning.
How do you remove the inner door panels to access the speakers in the rear and front doors, and the foot-well speakers? I tried to pry them out, but I didn't want to break anything.
Also, when I bought my car, the sub was missing. Could this cause some of the speakers not to work and some to buzz and some to work fine? Or do the non-working speakers need replaced?
Also some wires are hanging from the amp but I assume those are for the sub. Correct?
I dont remember the details to remove the panel but I have done it twice. I do know that you do NOT have to pry/force anything up. I think you just have to remove a few screws and then lift up the panel and it comes right off. If nobody else posts, I will go down and look at the door again to remember how I did it. WARNING! There are a lot of wires connected to the door panel. WARNING! The door speakers are a pain to get to. After looking at all the wires on that door panel I decided that I would never let some "installer" put new speakers into the car when/if I upgrade the stereo.
I replaced my front speakers with polk audio (componet set). There are some screws along the bottom edge of the door frame, remove them and pry the trim piece off of the inside door lever pocket and if I recall, the door panel will lift straight up off of a couple of tabs. Then unscrew the door map pockets from the back side, remove and the speakers are revealed.
Please don't compare an Aurora to a Civic. A Civic is an upolstered roller skate anyway. It is unfortunate that you have had some bad luck with your Aurora. You did mention you bought it used and maybe the reason the previous owner sold it was because some problems needed fixing and you got stuck with them all. You mentioned that some items are hard to repair, well it is not because it is just an Aurora ,the northstar engine which also powers Cadillacs has many new design features with a lot of equipment under the intake manifold such as the EGR and starter motor.The drive belt can be replaced in 10 minutes by the way.I think the Aurora is a very well engineered automobile with the powertrain ahead of all the compitition in it's class. So if you happen to crack the oil pan , don't blame the engineer because the engine has to be lifted...blame the driver for driving over that rock.
Tongue is in cheek but could not resist. Happy New Year
Stevegs1 -- Replacing the turn signal flasher is very simple. I'd be willing to bet it's in the same location as in my '95, which is under the driver's side dash. There is a panel located above your knees when you're sitting in the driver's seat. There are several screws which hold that on, you almost have to lie on your back with your head near the pedals to see everything. Once you have that panel removed, there are two round silver flasher relays that you'll find. One is for the 4-way flasher, and the other is for the turn signals. It's been a long time since i changed mine, so i can't say for sure which one is which. You should be able to tell which one the 4-way flasher is just by turning them on and listening to which one is working, then just change the other relay. It's really a simple job after that, just unplug the relay and plug the other one in. I don't think the part costs more than 2 dollars. good luck
P.S. civicnitro -- sorry to hear about your bad experience but don't come onto this board bashing Auroras. I have seen way too many civics and i see why so many put nitro on them just to be able to keep up with a GOOD DOMESTIC CAR.
ok my post was there for a couple of minutes hmmm. Between the euro size screw hole spacing for the speakers and the vapor barrier and the alignment of the door panel and the wires... well you get the idea, I'd MUCH rather do it myself.
y dont u mention about value of aurora??? y are they so low? ex: brand new aurora.....vs.....brand new maxima i ll choose maxima. which one u ll buy ? think bout moneywise,performance and quality...
What do you think would happen to the value of Acuras if Honda decided to discontinue the line?
And besides, who cares what the value is? The dropping value just makes it more affordable... I bought my Aurora with 50,000 miles on it. The car originally sold for close to $40K. Know what I paid? $9000. Yep, nine grand. A lot less than a brand new, stripped down, bottom-of-the-line Civic. (or anything else.) And I got a lot more car. [And guess which one will win the drag race? ]
BTW: Don't try to lecture me (or most of the others on this board) about Import vs Domestic. I currently own a 2003 Nissan Pathfinder, my Aurora and a Ford F-150. I've owned a bunch of imports and domestics in my time -- probably a sum total of about 20 cars over 20 years of driving. The 2 worst cars had an example of each as did the 2 best. Every car maker has built gems as well as crap.
Well Civicnitro.see what happens when you try and compare a Maxima and a Civic to an AURORA. I have a suggestion...............what year is your Aurora and are you interested in selling it.If your not you should be. I would imagine everytime you are behind the wheel you are full of road rage because you hate your well egineered, domestic ,well styled ,inovative and powerful Aurora. If you were planning on making a profit on your purchase you got some bad financial advice.....Oh yes that applies to most automobiles with maybe the exception of a Vett.......which by the way is a domestic auto. So trade it in before you lose your mind as well as your shirt.
aurora is ok. i put 2 straight mufflers inline with custome made 3 inch pipe and high flow cats. sounds cool. but no aftermarket parts availble for this car . i only got k&n filter and custome made ram air from homedepot and low resistant spark plug wires which dont help to increase hp...thats all u can get...this sucks maybe u can put NOS ... needs header to increase hp.but no space available and no parts... stock header will absorb lots of hp or torque...who design this engine, hate it!
This topic's focus is for Aurora owners to discuss the various problems and solutions they have experienced. It is intended to be helpful and supportive. If your only purpose is to bash and trash the vehicle, I suggest you find somewhere else (preferably outside of the Town Hall) to do so.
We purchased a 2002 aurora in october, and the car shakes. We have had the car at the dealership several times for this. They have balanced tires twice, put new tires on last week, an still shakes. We droped the car off again this morn,an they are going to replace tires one more time. We love the car,but when you spend 35,000 for a new car it should almost drive itself.(it has 3000 miles on it)
Has anyone else had the intermediate shaft replaced on their '01 Aurora 4.0 and afterwards found that the bumpy/notchy feeling in the steering when turning to the right or left was reduced but still there?
gabower, does your car shake at all speeds, or just certain ones?
Has the dealer performed a road-force balance on the tires? This can tell you if the tires or the rims are out-of-round. The Classic Auroras are especially sensitive to vibration at certain speeds, and a road-force balance is required...
Was this car new or used (I'm guessing the latter with that many miles on it)? Has it been in an accident/does it have a salvage title?
garwar, the "ISS problem" afflicts a large number of later-model GM cars, including the '98 and up Intrigue, the '99 and up Impala, and the '01 and up Aurora.
The original repair solution was to replace the ISS. Now, there's a TSB (technical service bulletin) out about lubricating the ISS. If yours was replaced, it's possible that your replacement is in need of lubrication. This seems like it will be a recurring issue for those cars - covered as long as the car is under warranty, but probably a maintenance item afterward (under $100 for the kit and the labor).
All of your suggestions have been done by the dealership. It was brand new when we bought it. Only 80 miles on it. It now had 3,000 miles on it. Seems to vibrate/shake at speeds of 45 mph and up.
Hammen2 has some good suggestions. If they did check the tires and rims with a force balance (actually the "force" part of this procedure has nothing to do with balance) and it checked out OK, then I wonder why they are replacing tires - after all, they checked out OK - right? Something doesn't make sense or I'm missing something (not uncommon). I doubt my dealer even has one of these things. They are rather new. I'd be tempted to have somebody else force balance it just to double check. My faith in dealerships is fair at best.
A Discount Tire store near my work has this equipment and will do it for a reasonable price. Get there before they open.
I have a suggestion on the force balance based on my own experience with the vibration problem. This may help unless it's really bad. My experience is this: When you have a force balance, the "acceptable" upward force caused by a high spot is 15 lbs for passenger cars I think. My opinion is that this is a one size fits all number. As Hammen2 pointed out, these cars do seem to be REALLY sensitive to vibrations. So, when the force balance is run (I've seen them do this) the machine will tell you exactly where to mount the tire for the best ride and it will tell you what the least upward force will be in that position. I think it's difficult to get under 5 lbs. or so. Now, if they spin it and it comes up 13, 14, or 15, or maybe some higher number that meets their "OK" standard, they WON'T remount the tire to it's best position on the rim.
Because the Aurora may be sensitive, it's best to just have them break them all down and put them to the best location no matter how they test out. I did this after one force balance (corrected 2 that were out of spec) and noticed an improvement on the second force balance when they took the other 2 wheels to the optimal position.
Sometimes I feel an ever so slight vibration around 70, but it is extremely slight and not always present (may even be the road sometimes). Once a problem like this shows up, I swear I'm 100X more aware and sensitive to it myself as I'm always looking for it.
I also have an old 77 Chevy Monte Carlo with a bad vibration at 65. I've already been told it's not the wheels or tires, but is in the drive train somewhere - maybe the drive shaft. It's RWD though.
If they don't have the special equipment to do a road force balance (not just a balance), they can't help you.
Call Oldsmobile and open up a case on this. Hopefully they will pay to have the road force balance done at an outside tire shop (assuming they don't have the equipment, which most dealers don't).
Document everything. Check the lemon laws for your state. For example, I know where I live, if the same repair is done 3 or 4 times within the first year, it's a lemon and the manufacturer has to buy it back.
It might be worth taking to another dealer before you go that far, just FYI. I would definitely be calling Oldsmobile and making some noise about this.
Comments
Maytag
Anyone that's looking for headlights, Advanced Auto Parts has Sylvania headlights at buy one, get the second half off. This applies to Silver Stars, Cool Blues, and some others. I bought two XtraVisions because one burned out on my wife's car. Previously it had some Wagners that claimed to be 20% brighter but weren't. The Sylvania was noticably brighter (although not worlds brighter) than the Wagner, and had a whiter light. Plus, Sylvania has a $10 rebate when you buy two Silver Stars (in addition to the Advanced Auto Parts sale). I thought about getting them, but just really couldn't justify them (the XtraVisions are like half the price and have a $6 mail-in rebate).
I know Taylor uses Silver Stars and liked them, so if you have been thinking about upgrading your lighting, now might be a cheap time to do it.
PS. gmpartsdirect.com has the MC for $142. +shipping.
TIA,
Jay
Vicente
(take your pick or add your own theory)
I just talked to my Mechanic.
(Shameless plug, since he's been so helpful -- Darling's Tire and Auto, Manchester, NH)
Anyway, the product he uses is produced by a company called Petro Chemical. The name is just "Transmission Conditioner". It isn't available for purchase by individuals, but you might find a local mechanic or distributor listed on their website.Anyway, the biggest "feature" of the product in my mechanic's view is that it's a "de-carbonizer". Since about 2/3 of the tranny fluid is trapped in the torque converter, you can only "change" a few quarts, so this product helps restore the remaining fluid to near new condition.
He also said that the "off the shelf" brands at auto parts stores can be very good, and are often specifically targeted for various uses like de-carbonizing, reducing clutch plate slippage, etc.
I hope that helps. If anyone has a contact who is a distributor for the Petro product -- and will buy for us -- speak up, there are probably several people here who would be interested in buying some.
Jim
I questioned my mechanic about that capacity twice, once when he did the work a couple of months ago and also just this afternoon when I asked about the additive. Both times he said "about 5 quarts."
My transmission service (which started this thread) was fluid, gasket and filter. He said that he only had to replace 5 quarts. (and only charged me for 5.) Which is why he says he uses the above product. The manual does specify the total capacity to be 15 quarts, but didn't note anything about how much is "changed."
Since I haven't done the work myself, I can't be positive, but this guy has been working on my cars for many years and he's never steered me wrong.
Anyone else have information on this? Now you've got me wondering......
Steering - I had the sterring wheel loosen up on my 1986 Olds Cutless. My mechanic told me that I caused this to happen by pulling-on/pushing-off on the wheel when exiting the car. Do you do this when getting out of the Aurora?
1) Pull on the steering wheel when getting out of the car;
2) Rest your hand on the shifter because the sweat from your hand will wear the leather on the handle;
3) Quickly open the trunk on a classic in the rain cause the water will go into the trunk itself. Best to open it slowly and give the water time to run off into the channel around the trunk (Is this true on the Y2K's also?);
4) Crack the windows in the rain for the reasons stated above for the trunk;
5) Park a classic head-in in a parking space to keep from damaging the front air deflector.
Just a few tips. I dont think I missed anything. Did I??
These numbers were taken directly from a 96 Aurora service manual.
I have the same problem with that noise on my '95, my mechanic told me that I can live with it, but it's annoying me, please keep me posted with any updates.
Thanks
Larryfl, flushes do tend to get out all the fluid. But they require machinery and oftentimes they require solvents and such than can be harmful to tranny internals. It all depends on what the shop uses, but I just don't tend to trust other people to have my best interests at heart. I think I'm going to change the fluid and filter every 30,000 as I've always done instead of the 50,000-100,000 mile interval recommended. That way I won't feel so bad about some fluid being left behind. Of course, you could always change the fluid twice at the recommended interval. That should cut in half the average amount of fluid that is left over. I think Aurora5000 posted a while back about using the transmission's own pump to get out all the fluid by disconnecting the line to the trans cooler. As long as you made sure clean fluid returned so as not to starve the pump, this would probably work great. You'd probably need an assistant to turn the car on and off for you, though.
I dont remember the fix however.
Also, when I bought my car, the sub was missing. Could this cause some of the speakers not to work and some to buzz and some to work fine? Or do the non-working speakers need replaced?
Also some wires are hanging from the amp but I assume those are for the sub. Correct?
Henri
Thanks,
Steve
Tongue is in cheek but could not resist.
Happy New Year
Replacing the turn signal flasher is very simple. I'd be willing to bet it's in the same location as in my '95, which is under the driver's side dash. There is a panel located above your knees when you're sitting in the driver's seat. There are several screws which hold that on, you almost have to lie on your back with your head near the pedals to see everything. Once you have that panel removed, there are two round silver flasher relays that you'll find. One is for the 4-way flasher, and the other is for the turn signals. It's been a long time since i changed mine, so i can't say for sure which one is which. You should be able to tell which one the 4-way flasher is just by turning them on and listening to which one is working, then just change the other relay. It's really a simple job after that, just unplug the relay and plug the other one in. I don't think the part costs more than 2 dollars.
good luck
P.S.
civicnitro --
sorry to hear about your bad experience but don't come onto this board bashing Auroras. I have seen way too many civics and i see why so many put nitro on them just to be able to keep up with a
GOOD DOMESTIC CAR.
y are they so low? ex:
brand new aurora.....vs.....brand new maxima
i ll choose maxima.
which one u ll buy ?
think bout moneywise,performance and quality...
And besides, who cares what the value is? The dropping value just makes it more affordable... I bought my Aurora with 50,000 miles on it. The car originally sold for close to $40K. Know what I paid? $9000. Yep, nine grand. A lot less than a brand new, stripped down, bottom-of-the-line Civic. (or anything else.)
And I got a lot more car. [And guess which one will win the drag race?
BTW: Don't try to lecture me (or most of the others on this board) about Import vs Domestic. I currently own a 2003 Nissan Pathfinder, my Aurora and a Ford F-150. I've owned a bunch of imports and domestics in my time -- probably a sum total of about 20 cars over 20 years of driving. The 2 worst cars had an example of each as did the 2 best. Every car maker has built gems as well as crap.
If you were planning on making a profit on your purchase you got some bad financial advice.....Oh yes that applies to most automobiles with maybe the exception of a Vett.......which by the way is a domestic auto. So trade it in before you lose your mind as well as your shirt.
i put 2 straight mufflers inline with custome made 3 inch pipe and high flow cats.
sounds cool.
but no aftermarket parts availble for this car .
i only got k&n filter and custome made ram air from homedepot and low resistant spark plug wires which dont help to increase hp...thats all u can get...this sucks
maybe u can put NOS ...
needs header to increase hp.but no space available and no parts...
stock header will absorb lots of hp or torque...who design this engine, hate it!
KarenS/Host
Thanks Karen
We love the car,but when you spend 35,000 for a new car it should almost drive itself.(it has 3000 miles on it)
Has the dealer performed a road-force balance on the tires? This can tell you if the tires or the rims are out-of-round. The Classic Auroras are especially sensitive to vibration at certain speeds, and a road-force balance is required...
Was this car new or used (I'm guessing the latter with that many miles on it)? Has it been in an accident/does it have a salvage title?
Just some things to check out,
--Robert
The original repair solution was to replace the ISS. Now, there's a TSB (technical service bulletin) out about lubricating the ISS. If yours was replaced, it's possible that your replacement is in need of lubrication. This seems like it will be a recurring issue for those cars - covered as long as the car is under warranty, but probably a maintenance item afterward (under $100 for the kit and the labor).
Hope this helps,
--Robert
dealership. It was brand new when we bought it.
Only 80 miles on it. It now had 3,000 miles on
it. Seems to vibrate/shake at speeds of 45 mph
and up.
A Discount Tire store near my work has this equipment and will do it for a reasonable price. Get there before they open.
I have a suggestion on the force balance based on my own experience with the vibration problem. This may help unless it's really bad. My experience is this: When you have a force balance, the "acceptable" upward force caused by a high spot is 15 lbs for passenger cars I think. My opinion is that this is a one size fits all number. As Hammen2 pointed out, these cars do seem to be REALLY sensitive to vibrations. So, when the force balance is run (I've seen them do this) the machine will tell you exactly where to mount the tire for the best ride and it will tell you what the least upward force will be in that position. I think it's difficult to get under 5 lbs. or so. Now, if they spin it and it comes up 13, 14, or 15, or maybe some higher number that meets their "OK" standard, they WON'T remount the tire to it's best position on the rim.
Because the Aurora may be sensitive, it's best to just have them break them all down and put them to the best location no matter how they test out. I did this after one force balance (corrected 2 that were out of spec) and noticed an improvement on the second force balance when they took the other 2 wheels to the optimal position.
Sometimes I feel an ever so slight vibration around 70, but it is extremely slight and not always present (may even be the road sometimes). Once a problem like this shows up, I swear I'm 100X more aware and sensitive to it myself as I'm always looking for it.
I also have an old 77 Chevy Monte Carlo with a bad vibration at 65. I've already been told it's not the wheels or tires, but is in the drive train somewhere - maybe the drive shaft. It's RWD though.
Call Oldsmobile and open up a case on this. Hopefully they will pay to have the road force balance done at an outside tire shop (assuming they don't have the equipment, which most dealers don't).
Document everything. Check the lemon laws for your state. For example, I know where I live, if the same repair is done 3 or 4 times within the first year, it's a lemon and the manufacturer has to buy it back.
It might be worth taking to another dealer before you go that far, just FYI. I would definitely be calling Oldsmobile and making some noise about this.
Hope this helps,
--Robert