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My new Eldorado!!!!

Started by Rick Biarritz, May 05, 2009, 07:54:50 AM

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Rick Biarritz

I got my new '83 Eldorado Biarritz!!!, so now I really need answers to my bumper questions, that went unanswered a few days ago.   :( 

Here goes...
'83 Eldorado with the plastic bumper parts.  I've been told many times that this is a quick and cheap fix.  Three questions...
1.  Best place to get the parts?
2.  Are they truly affordable?
3.  Is it an easy fix that I can do?  Undo some bolts, take off the bumper, slap 'em in? 

Thanks, guys.
Rick

Wynn Moore

No concerns about the engine?

Tod- NTCLC

Congratulations - Beautiful Cars

You can replace the bumper fillers yourself - it isn't a huge job.  Basically, you will remove the existing fillers, and bolt the new ones in place.  You can loosen the bumper to give you a little working room, but I have never had to completely remove mine.  Open the trunk and you start getting an idea  as to how these are attached - you will also have some connections to the quarter panel that are accessed from under the car.  As far as recommendations on getting the fillers, you will get lots of opinions.  If you are trying to stay 100% original, and try to replace the fillers with NOS, you are going to have a hard time locating the pieces, and chances are they are going to be in degraded condition.  There are a few places that are reproducing these in fiberglass and/or ABS, and I have always had good luck using these.  Check on E-Bay for a jumping off point - I have had equally good luck with a number of vendors, so cannot suggest one over the other.  All will require a little bit of filing or cutting to make a nice fit.  These will be shipped in primer coat, and you will want to paint to match prior to installation.

Good luck - getting these replaced makes a tremendous impact on the look of the car.

Rick Biarritz

Thank you kindly for these tips.  As I am brand new to the Cadillac market, can you give me the names of a few of these vendors? 

Thanks.

Rick Biarritz

Speaking of the engine...  What was it about "pellets" that the guy who sold it to me was talking about?  Never heard of 'em, and he was less than an articulate fellow.

Rick Biarritz

Oh, gonna need a headliner, too.  Any tips on where to get?  I will, of course, go online, and go to E-bay, but if you can save me some time with a few names, that would be great.  Thanks.

76eldo

#6
Rick,

Has the engine been replaced, or worked on, or updated?

Did you look at the coolant and the oil very carefully?

A while back I wrote an article on bumper fillers for the web, and the Potomac region of the CLC.

Check it out:

www.sheffieldgarage.com/fillers.htm

You now have entered the realm of HT4100 ownership, and you need to follow very specific cooling system and oil change procedures.

Go to http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/HT4100exchange/, and check out the site, and start reading. 

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

Rick Biarritz

Thanks for the tip.  I've heard that the 4100 is problematic, and I'll be very careful with it. 

Rusty Shepherd CLC 6397

Quote from: Rick Biarritz on May 05, 2009, 12:13:59 PM
I've heard that the 4100 is problematic, and I'll be very careful with it. 
Yeah, Rick, problematic is probably a good (and somewhat euphemistic) one-word description for the HT4100 and being very careful is essential.  Here are some ways to do that:  3,000 mile oil changes with synthetic oil, annual coolant system flush and refill using aluminum-friendly antifreeze/coolant, distilled water and GM Engine Coolant Supplement (the pills), premium gasoline, trying to avoid the possibility of overheating (thermostat, water pump, belts, hoses), and, in the event of overheating (and it may still be too late at this point), turning the engine off immediately and coasting to the side of the road with your fingers crossed. In fact, when traffic conditions permit, keeping the fingers of at least one hand crossed is probably a good thing to do even when the engine isn't overheating.

Rick Biarritz

I can see that I am going to have a LOT of questions.  Hope I don't pester you all with them too much.  I am a car NOVICE by the way.  Before June of 2006 I had never so much as changed the oil in a car.  Since then, I've been deep into the restoration of a 69 Dodge Polara and have been learning a lot, but am still very much a novice. 

jeff1956

i purchased a 60k mile 83 cdv delegance and then spent 1500. on preventative maintenance. took it out for a spin and it ran like a sewing machine.....for 35 miles...then she blew.  now shes in my shop awaiting an engine rebuild.

76eldo

Buy the coolant supplement either from a GM dealer, or an auto parts store.  They sell it under the Barr's Leak brand, and there are 6 pellets.

Here is what I have done for YEARS with no problems...

1.  Drain the radiator after running the car for a few minutes, bringing it up to operating temp, making sure the thermostat has opened.

2.  Fill with water from your garden hose, let it warm up, and drain again.

3.  Now you should have almost clear water in the system.

4.  Turn on the heater on the highest temp so that the flushing will also include the heater core. Run until you only see clear water running out.

5.  Let the car run, rad cap off, hose water trickling in and also leave the radiator petcock open.

6.  Turn off the car, and the hose and let the rest of the water drain out.

The whole idea here is to GENTLY drain out the old nasty coolant.  NEVER powerflush or reverse flush.  If you have a flush adapter in one of the heater hoses, fine, use it, but keep the hose pressure low.  If you have  a weak area on the headgasket, you will blow it right out by powerflushing or reverse flushing.

Take all 6 pellets, and crush them up into powder and small fragments.  Take about 1/3 and put it in the radiator.

Now, add 1 gallon of premium antifreeze, and another 1/3 of the pellets.

Add a 2nd gallon of water and the rest of the pellet powder.  If more coolant is required to fill it up, use 50/50 antifreeze/water mix.

After doing this, keep the car running, heat on hi at highest temp and drive the car moderately for about 20 minutes.

This is the most effective way of getting rid of the old coolant, making sure you have a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water, and the pellets.

It's not a guaranteed cure, but it's your best shot at doing it right.

I already know there are some that will say only use 2 pellets, use distilled water, but I am telling you what has worked for me for over 20 years with these cars.

Do this ANNUALLY.  Change the thermostat every other year.  It's easy on an Eldo.  Make sure your belts and hoses are in excellent shape.  If you blow a hose or throw a belt, you will probably overheat the engine, which is the worst thing you can do to a 4100.

Change the oil every 3000 miles or less, use 10/30 in the winter, and 10/40 in the summer.  Use a good grade of regular oil, and a premium oil filter.  Add STP if you like, but keeping the oil clean, and the cooling system in top shape will save this engine.  If the radiator looks all crusty and plugged up inside, get a new one.  The same caustic chemicals that may clean the radiator may also "clean" something of your engine that has been plugging up a void somewhere.

When the car is hot, you may hear a "hot knock" at idle.  Keep the oil clean and full, and try to ignore that sound, 'cause you can't fix it unless you rebuild the engine.
When it is hot, it may ping going up hills or under a load.  Pinging sounds like a bunch of marbles rolling around under the valve covers.
If it does that, you need to change the base timing by using the procedure in the shop manual.

Keep in mind, you may do everything correctly and still have a problem, but I have seen these engines run for many miles, way over 100K, so enjoy your car, but be smart about how much money you put into the car.  If the engine goes, it's about a $4000 cost to replace it.  With a blown motor, the nicest Eldo or Seville turns into a $400.00 parts car real quick.

These are all just my opinions, but based on owning about 8 of these cars since about 1988.

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

Rusty Shepherd CLC 6397

#12
Quote from: jeff1956 on May 05, 2009, 07:03:35 PM
i purchased a 60k mile 83 cdv delegance and then spent 1500. on preventative maintenance. took it out for a spin and it ran like a sewing machine.....for 35 miles...then she blew.  now shes in my shop awaiting an engine rebuild.
That's really tough luck, Jeff, even for an HT4100 owner.  I'd like to hear how the new owner of the '85 Fleetwood Brougham that had something like 125 miles on it and was sold several months (or maybe a year) ago on ebay and linked to this board did with his purchase.  If the engine failed a few miles down the road, that would lend credence to the theory that time is as much a factor in HT4100 durability as mileage due to block porosity and gasket leakage.  I would really have liked to have bought that car as it's one of my favorite body styles and was in a color I like, but even though it was virtually new car, I wouldn't have touched it because of the engine. 

Otto Skorzeny

Quote from: Rick Biarritz on May 05, 2009, 12:13:59 PM
Thanks for the tip.  I've heard that the 4100 is problematic, and I'll be very careful with it. 

"Problematic". That's funny.
fward

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for YOURSELF

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

Otto Skorzeny

Quote from: Rick Biarritz on May 05, 2009, 04:44:19 PM
Since then, I've been deep into the restoration of a 69 Dodge Polara and have been learning a lot, but am still very much a novice. 

Great! You have a reliable car.

If the restoration isn't finished yet, hurry up. You're going to need it!
fward

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for YOURSELF

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

jeff1956

LOL otto!  I intended to use my 83 CDV as a daily driver as well....before she blew 35 miles later.  After that whole issue, I got a bad taste in my mouth for the car, so I went out and purchased a new 2004 chevy impala.  I was not looking for a car payment, but as fate had it a car payment is what i got!  I also bought a 2000 Catera used with 54K on the odo, beautiful white, with cashmere interior..looked brand new! I didn't keep that car over 8 months...very problematic, plus I guess I didn't need two daily drivers... 

Jeff

Rick Biarritz

Speaking of running the heater...  I purchase the car in NY city and drove it home to VA with no problems at all, but...  It was raining the whole way and I could never get the heat to come on.  I'd put on the defrost, crank it up to 80, 85, or even 90 degrees, and it still kept blowing ice cold air -- the ac works just fine, obviously.  What's up with that? 

Rick Biarritz

What kind of tool do you use to file and/or cut these body fillers?
Thanks

76eldo

I used a drill, and files.

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

Guidematic


You know, this sort of bothers me.

Every time anyone makes a post about any HT4100 equipped car, no matter the post, there are always the fear mongers that have to replay about the reliability issues of the engine. That no doubt scares the bejeebers out of the poor guy with the car.

Don't you suppose that there is maybe a more diplomatic way of making all aware of the special concerns and maintenance requirements of these engines? Y'all make it sound as if total and catastrophic failure is imminent with anyone that has one of these cars.

Many of these cars, particularly the earlier ones, have already had engine replacements, and the later ones have had a number of fixes already in place. But that does not, nor will ever make up for poor maintenance. On this or any engine. Granted, there are still some around that may have problems and we should be aware of them.

And I know I am leaving myself open for some lengthy diatribes about my remarks, but again I can make good on all my claims, as many here know I can. But I will choose not to.

If any of you want to know the full scoop on this engine, just go to the HT4100 Exchange and read up.

Mike
1970 Fleetwood Brougham 68169
1985 Eldorado Coupe 6EL57
1988 Eldorado Biarritz 6EL57
1990 Brougham d'Elegance 6DW69
1994 Fleetwood Brougham 6DW69