1976 Sedan Deville Questions

[Tyler Atkinson]

I recently purchased a 1976 Cadillac Sedan Deville (in great shape, I'll post pictures in a little while) that I have a few concerns about.

The first thing is that the option plate with all the codes (found a website to figure out how to decrypt it) and even though it has a vinyl top, there is no code to say it was installed at the factory, not to mention the material doesn't look quite right, and the inside roof cloth is white instead of red like the seats. I have full reason to believe it has a sun roof because it has the switch on the rear defrost and power antenna plate and it is hooked up with what looks like the original wires. First, I want to make sure that the car isn't supposed to have a different color top inside (I don't want to destroy the value), and if it does have a sun roof, how would I go about fixing it?

The second thing is that the power locks don't work, is it a motor that I need to replace, a fuse? I'm at a loss because I can't find where a fuse might need to be replaced.

Third, the air conditioner works, but it doesn't go to the vents at all, and it blew a brand new fuse that I installed within 12 hours. Can anyone tell me what could possibly cause that to happen because that just worries me.

Fourth thing is the power seats don't work. Is there a fuse for them that could blow, or do I just need to replace the motors?

Thanks for your time everyone, I'll get some pictures up as soon as I can.

Tyler

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Tyler,
Question #3. Which Fuse?
Greg

[Tyler Atkinson]

It's a cruise control/air conditioner fuse, 25 amp like it recomends on the fuse box.
I'll post a link to a website for the pictures, some of them are too large.

[Tyler Atkinson]

http://s830.photobucket.com/albums/zz223/EuroWolf/1976%20Cadillac%20Sedan%20Deville/
That's the album with the photos, it needs some work, but it looks pretty good as is.

[Davidinhartford]

For starters, that seat fabric isn't correct.    Your bodyplate shows a trim code of 712.  That is Firethorn red leather.

The next number on that line is 11. Which is the exterior color, Cotillion White.    The number after that is the vinyl top color, but I can't see the number in that photo.

as for the headliner color?   Typically it would match the seat color.  But you could also special order it in a lighter color too.  

That is a factory style power sunroof switch.  It seems unlikely however that someone recovered the top over a power suroof and then put in a replacement headliner.   More likely the original power antenna or rear defroster switch went bad and they bought a replacement one from a junkyard that had all three switches on it.

It looks like a pretty well optioned car.  I can see:
Twilight Sentinel,
Guidematic highbeam dimming,
Cruise control,
Tilt and telescopic steering wheel,
Power trunk release with power pull down,
Remote right outside mirror,
Wire wheelcovers,
Vinyl top,
Controlled cycle wipers.
Dual comfort divided front seat.
Leather seating areas (originally)

[Tim Groves (Cadillac Tim)]

Tyler

Concerning the power locks and power seats.  Check the fusible link at the starter.  If you look under the driver front seat you will see a big orange and black wire going to the power seat motor assembly.  See if there is voltage there at all times.  If no voltage, check the fusible link.  I believe the power seats and power locks share the same circuit.

As far as the A/C is concerned, check the blower relay mounted on the evaporator case in the engine compartment.  You also may have a bad circuit board on the dash control (where the temperature wheel is).  Is the A/C blowing cold like it should?  Can you control the temperature from cold to hot?  If not, you may have a programmer problem.  Tim

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Tyler,
Getting back to the AC question.  The very first thing I so on this era car when the AC system isn't functional is check the vacuum connections, lines and circuiting.  There are seemingly miles of vacuum lines, each with a very definite purpose in the system's operation.  Often in an attempt to "fix" a problem, the vacuum lines are either disconnected, plugged or re arranged. More often the connections have come off or the hoses are cracked and leaking.  This is the reason the factory service manual is so helpful in diagnosis and repairs. There is an electrical circuit diagram, a vacuum circuit diagram, and at least two diagnosis matrix's which I have always found to be dead on as far as pin pointing the problems.
IF the fan works on the "Defrost" setting you know the motor is good.  If the compressor runs on any setting other than "off" or "economy", there is a good chance that that electrical circuit is intact. You haven't yet responded as to the actual fuse that blew out after 12 hours.
A question that might seem strange is "does the automatic brake release work?".  The vacuum line leading to the ATC controller(s) is "teed" into this line and at that juncture is a very common point of disconnection for vacuum lines.  Check it.  It is under the dash just to the left of the steering column near the firewall.
Let us know what you have found.\
Greg

[Tyler Atkinson]

Thanks for the help guys, and I'd like to mention that all the settings for the A/C worked like they should, the air came out cold, the blower fan functioned at the different speeds for the different settings, so I figure I have a power overload somewhere. I looked at the fuse plate and the fuse was only a 15 amp (I installed a 15, but thought it was a 25).

David: the second number is 11T which I thought ment that it was a pained top, not vinyl but I can't remember now. I'll be pulling the white fabric out of the interior (I would prefer to have it match the seat color), so I'll post if I see a sunroof or not. The sunroof switch is hooked up as well, that's the only reason I think that it has the possibility of having one.

Greg: As to the actual fuse, do you mean the brand? When you posted it at first I thought you ment the amp rating.

Tim: Thanks for the info, I'll go check that ASAP, I really want those little features working.

Thanks for all the help guys.

Tyler

[Tyler Atkinson]

The headliner (thanks for the term David) is possibly original, and there is no sun roof that I could see (I still want to make it red). Also, there are a few options I forgot to take pictures of. I'll upload them tomorrow, but they are:
Lighted Passenger Vanity Mirror
Electronic Trunk Lock
6 Way Passenger Power Seat

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Tyler,
It seems you have solved the problem. Congrats.  It always is a good thing to check for the simple things first.  The question regarding the fuse was which fuse.  There is a fuse protecting the compressor via the superheat switch which would have "blown" if the system was short of refrigerant. Then there is the one you found and (I assume) corrected the amperage rating which powers the AC/Fan circuit.
Happy Motoring
Greg

[Tyler Atkinson]

Cool, thanks for all the info.

[jagbuxx #12944]

My 2 cents, the vinyl top grain does not appear correct for a '76. the '76's except for Sevilles had "Elk grain" which was a smooth less grainy appearing vinyl. The grain on the photo looks like '75 and earlier. Plus, the back window chrome surrounds would be painted top color with is thin chrome bead. Non vinyl top cars have the solid chrome appearance that looks like on your car. On the trim tag it would list the paint code as "11" and next to it "11U" to denote painted top. It does have the correct center seam but it could have been dealer fitted.
my '76 is listed as 94 94U as it is a non vinyl top coupe.
Good luck!
F Burns

[Tyler Atkinson]

Thanks for the info Burns, I did think that the material used wasn't quite right from the start. Thanks for helping me solve my doubts about that.
EDIT: I'd like to add that I took a really close up picture of it, so it may have a lot more detail than you would notice in person.

And to Greg: I finally figured out the A/C problem, so I hope that you see this. I had purchased a cheap little thing from Auto Zone a few months ago and decided to use it to check the charge in the A/C system. It was about 68 degrees out, and in my Automotive GST (General Service Technician) class, I learned it should be about ambient tempreture when it has not run for about 5 minutes (equalization of pressure in the lines, etc...). It should have read 70 PSI. It only read 10. I'm pretty sure there is a switch built in that automatically shorts the fuse in a case like this.

I would like to mention (because I have a horrible habit of not saying every detail no matter how important) that the air conditioner worked for 12 hours AFTER I replaced the fuse, then it just blew and I removed it. I haven't put a new one in since because it's only for the cruise control and A/C, so I'm in no rush to get it working right now, but I was concerned that there might have been an overcharge in refrigerant or that the power running to it was too great.

All this info has been extremely helpful, and hopfully by the middle of next week I will have a vintage 1976 Cadillac shop repair manual that I recently obtained off eBay to help with all the other little things.

Tyler Atkinson

P.S. The power trunk lock and power door locks seem to like to work every now and again at random. I'm pretty sure a loose wire, or a bad one is to blame, but do they run off similar power lines?