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help...i need answers for my 63' w/ 350 chevy engine

Started by Lindsay, December 15, 2008, 04:11:41 PM

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Lindsay

currently, i have a leak in both hoses to my manifolds.  the throttle bracket was put on incorrectly(need to get a new one).  My tranny fluid looks like there is copper or something in it.  My car is shifting awful an doesnt want to get into gear(hence my tranny fluid).  My belt for my steering column is worn down and seems that it needs fabrication work to keep it on correctly.  I need an honest mechanic in southern california, who want charge me and an harm and a leg and will do it with t.l.c. The parts shouldn't cost a lot but I need some good labor. She is my everyday driver and I don't want to keep hurting her, lol.  Help me.  Any insight or advice will be greatly appreicated.   ???

The Tassie Devil(le)

G'day Lindsay,

The "Copper" colouring in the transmission fluid and poior changing gear would indicate that the transmission requires a total rebuild.   At least the Filter could be blocked, but when you pull the pan to do this, you might be in for a bit of a surprise with what you might find.

What Hoses  are you talking about to the Manifolds?   Intake or exhausts?   Shouldn't be any to the Exhaust Manifolds.

The Power Steering Belt problem sounds like an alignment problem to me.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Lindsay

Bruce,
That sounds bad.  But at least I know better.  How much do you think it will cost (labor included) for tranny rebuild.  I believe the leaks are the intake hoses.  It is mis-firing as well.

Otto Skorzeny

What type of tranny? I'll assume turbo 350 or turbo 400. I don't know what the rates are out in  SoCal but in Atlanta you're looking at $1200 - $1800 depending on the shop. Start calling around. You might also  check prices for installation if you supply your own tranny.

Have it checked out first, though. It might not need a total rebuild. Unfortunately, with trannys, you sometimes don'tknow what's wrong till the whole things out on the bench and taken apart. At that point it's hard to get a second opinion.
fward

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

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

TJ Hopland

Could you shoot some pictures under the hood so we can get an idea if this was a total hack job or just an aging resto mod?

What are the hoses leaking? The both hoses to the manifold makes me wonder if maybe this is an emissions engine?  Perhaps A.I.R. tubes?  Any idea what vintage the engine is?  350 Chev covers many many years and variants especially when its in a car that never had it as an option.

Copper the trans is not a good thing.  The inner layers of some of the clutch packs and bands are that color.  Being a chev motor there are a lot of options for the transmission but for any of them it dont sound good.  Best you can hope for as far as parts cost is a 350 or maybe 400.  The rest can get pretty spendy.

The chev drivetrain could be a good thing to some mechanics because most guys have worked on them before and parts are easy and cheap to get.  If it was all done poorly a lot of guys may shy away just because they dont know what they are getting into. Have you looked into the 'hot rod' or 'street rod' scene in your area?   Most of those people run chev motors in cars that never had them to start with so they are at least used to such things and may be able to point you in the right direction to find someone to work on it for you.  Maybe find a local event that is open to the public and start chatting with people there as a start.
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

Otto Skorzeny

You may have more success with your trouble at the modified Chapter. Practically everybody there has Chevy power. They could probably help you with somebody in your town, too.

http://www.modifiedcadillac.org/
fward

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

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

"Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364

Cadillac Kid-Greg Surfas
Director Modified Chapter CLC
CLC #15364
66 Coupe deVille (now gone to the UK)
72 Eldo Cpe  (now cruising the sands in Quatar)
73 Coupe deVille
75 Coupe deElegance
76 Coupe deVille
79 Coupe de ville with "Paris" (pick up) option and 472 motor
514 inch motor now in '73-

TJ Hopland

I dont spend a lot of time on that board but I thought there were a lot of 472/500's there right in with some Northstars and modified original motors.   Good thought though for a place to look for possible leads.
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

35-709

As an MCLC member I would have to say that most of the Cadillacs owned by other members are NOT Chevy powered, although there are a few.  Chevy into Cadillac is an oft seen swap but not so much amongst the MCLC members.  Most there appreciate the value and uniqueness of keeping the cars all Cadillac even if the engine is modified and/or from a different year Cadillac.
:)
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

Ohio57-62Sedan

I resemble that comment..... MCLC..
here is a poll from the MCLC... hmmm no chevy's WOW!!!!
Question: What's driving your Cadillac (or LaSalle)? Cadillac w/factory installed Chev or Olds engine  4 (21.1%)
Cadillac w/non-factory Chevy engine  0 (0%)
Original stock Cad/LaS engine as equipped from factory  10 (52.6%)
Correct Cad/Las engine but modified for performance, safety or reliability  4 (21.1%)
Different year Cad/LaS engine such as 472 in a pre-war Cad/LaS  1 (5.3%)
Non-Cad (Furd, Studebaker or other) powered by Cad/LaS engine  0 (0%)
Remove Vote

Total Voters: 16


Carfreak

Quote from: ottoskorzeny on December 15, 2008, 09:08:01 PM

You may have more success with your trouble at the modified Chapter.


Yes you might have more success with the Modified Chapter; they will persevere on a problem until it is diagnosed and resolved.  Lots of good techies there and we have quite a bit of fun while doing it too.  :D

Quote from: ottoskorzeny on December 15, 2008, 09:08:01 PM

Practically everybody there has Chevy power.


Forrest you are very wrong, virtually NOBODY in the MCLC has a Chevy powered Cadillac unless it came that way from the factory.   :-\  Did you read the SS article a few months ago explaining what we are about?  As Geoff indicated, the vast majority of members and registered guests pride themselves on being Cadillac powered.  Many of us are driving cars that are no more modified than your Bismarck with air shocks on the rear, newer speakers and a stereo installed in the glove box. 

It never ceases to amaze me how many of the 'purists' are actually driving 'modified' cars.  ;)  They only change over the a/c system, install a Genernator or convert to 12v, add Pertronics, upgrade their pre-war Hydramatic to a post-war unit, add an extra ground to the starter or run dual 6-volt batteries inline, install an electric fuel pump, run on radial tires, add hardened valve seats, halogen headlights, retrofit a flathead tank engine, etc etc.  Sounds like a modified car to me!

SMP 5125
Enjoy life - it has an expiration date.

Otto Skorzeny

fward

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

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

Chris Conklin

Where in So Cal are you? If you're near Burbank I have a trustworthy mechanic for you... modified or not.
Chris Conklin

Stampie

CF forgot to mention that a couple of us do own Chevy powered Suburbans although it was suggested to me that I would be better off putting a 500 in mine.

Stampie
If... the machine of government... is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law.  ~Henry David Thoreau, On the Duty of Civil Disobediance, 1849

If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.  ~Louis D. Brandeis

Walter Youshock

1982 optional V6 (Credit Option) was built by Buick. 

The only Cadillac engine in the early '80's was the (shiver...) 4100...

Wasn't the '77 425 a collaborative effort between Cadillac and Olds?
CLC #11959 (Life)
1957 Coupe deVille
1991 Brougham

Ohio57-62Sedan

don't forget the 468..  :o  I'm not sure on the whole old's caddy thing..

TJ Hopland

I assume you meant the 368.  It was used in some of the 80's along with the EFI olds. It was the 8-6-4 that was standard in 81.   It was a downsized (bore and stroke) 425 77-79.  The 425 was the 472 stroke with a smaller bore.  The 472 was 68-74.   The 500 was a 472 with a longer stroke 70-76.   

The 70's sevilles used olds motors and the 79 eldo. Then there was the diesels from 78-85. I dont think olds had anything in particular to do with the cad motors.  Since they were both GM Im sure its was possible maybe even likely that they shared some designers.  Until the 80's that was always a gm thing that each division still had their own motors. 
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

Ohio57-62Sedan


lindsay

Ok... I'd like to say thank you to all the people who helped me in search for some answers/clues into what the probably may be.  But I'm a little disenchanted that some of you wasted my time and yours being offended.  I never modified this car, it was purchased this way.  I'm not rich,, but in time I am hoping to put in the original 390 because I do very much appreciate the authenticity of a classic.  Im not sure how you could get upset or assume I don't care for original parts.  So, please just give me advice, suggestions, or leads, but no need to waste time putting your nose in the air with what you think is right.  I will take all the great advice from the positive members and fix this problem.

Also, I believe it a 350 turbo and I am now bein informed it came from a 85 corvette. And I would like to inquire what A.I.R tubes are? (per TJ Hopland)... And I will do my best to get some pics under hood uploading by this evening.  Thank you very much.

Stampie

I'm sorry Lindsay if you took some of our comments wrong.  The Modified Chapter is accepting of all Cadillacs modified or not and in whatever way you want it to be modified.  The reaction you saw was because there was a lot of CLC members against the Modifieds and one of their FUD tactics was the 350 in every Cadillac argument.  You actually have a lot in common with the President of our chapter.  He bought a 60 that had a big block Chevy installed.  He ended up converting it back to the orginal style engine.  Please feel free to visit us at www.modfiedcadillac.com/forum/ , just be prepared for us getting a little off topic while we try to help you to the best of our ability.

Stampie

PS:  Just in case you have given up on us I'm going to email you directly with the above post.  I hope you don't mind.
If... the machine of government... is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law.  ~Henry David Thoreau, On the Duty of Civil Disobediance, 1849

If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.  ~Louis D. Brandeis