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4100 cadillac durability

Started by cranney, January 30, 2017, 07:37:52 AM

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cranney

My 1986 fwd fleetwood just passed 300,000 miles. I have owned it since Oct. 2000. It had 130,000 miles, when I bought it. Look forward to many more additional miles.

D.Smith

That is super!   

76eldo

That's great!
I may recommission my 85 Eldo someday.  I bought it in 1990 and it got pretty beat up from parking it outside for many years but I have a lot of NOS parts for it and it's been inside for the last few years.

That car never had the typical 4100 issues but it's been sitting for a long time now.

Maybe there's a new life in store for it someday.

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

35-709

 ;D  Interesting that something like that is so noteworthy that it is posted for everyone's amazement.
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

Dan LeBlanc

Quote from: 35-709 on January 30, 2017, 09:12:46 AM
;D  Interesting that something like that is so noteworthy that it is posted for everyone's amazement.

Geoff - that's because you usually don't have 4100 and durability in the same sentence!

That is indeed newsworthy!!! 8)
Dan LeBlanc
1977 Lincoln Continental Town Car

Scot Minesinger

Charles, that is great!  Imagine if a 472 powered Cadillac enjoyed the care, driving habits, and etc. that this 4100 received, might last one million plus miles easy.
Fairfax Station, VA  22039 (Washington DC Sub)
1970 Cadillac DeVille Convertible
1970 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1970 four door Convertible w/Cadillac Warranty

76eldo

Come on guys, 300,000 miles on ANY car is pretty impressive.

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

Barry M Wheeler #2189

I had the same car and it didn't last that long. But it was a very enjoyable car to drive. Congrats on your milestone. Mine was white with blue leather.
Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville

jdemerson

Charles,

Congratulations! That IS an impressive achievement.

Can you tell us what maintenance/repair has ever been done to the engine? 

Do you have advice to share about anything you have done to maximize the lifetime of this car and engine?

John
John Emerson
Middlebury, Vermont
CLC member #26790
1952 Series 6219X
http://bit.ly/21AGnvn

Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621

Many moons ago customer stopped in with a 1984 Fleetwood Brougham he purchased new which had a bit over 400,000 miles. He looked at me quizzically when I asked which engine he was on. "Only one", was the answer, adding that "Cadillac engines run forever...", evidently unaware that the HT4100 he was driving was the glaring exception to what had [formerly] been the rule.

Needless to say he was shocked when I gave him all the gory details, nevertheless it's a fact that engines can last many times the mileage normally expected when most of the mileage accumulation is from highway driving, which of course had been the case with this particular owner - even with a 4100 (with a bit of luck).  ;)
A Cadillac Motorcar is a Possession for which there is no Acceptable Substitute

TJ Hopland

Check the door sticker,  had to be a Wednesday car.

Johnny Cash

"A Wednesday Car"

The assembly line is runnin' slow on Monday
They've been livin' it up and layin' up Saturday and Sunday
On Tuesday they're about to come around
But they still feel bad and they're kinda down
And mad cause they've got four more day before the weekend rolls around
On Wednesday they're feelin' fine again
And they're workin' like a dog and diggin' in
Tryin' to do everything they should puttin' 'em cars together good
And I got me a car that was made on Wednesday on Wednesday
If you're gonna boy yourself a new car
You just better hope you're lucky enough to get one made on Wednesday

On Thursday the weekend is in sight
And they're in a hurry and they don't do nothing right
Friday is the worst day of the week that's the day they make lemons dogs and freaks
If your car was made on Friday friend you'll soon be in the creek
Cause it's payday and the loafin' has begun
Lord them Friday cars just hope you don't get one
Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday
Are all bad days and the only try day is Wednesday
And my car was made on Wednesday on Wednesday
If your car wasn't made on Wednesday I'd advise you not to even leave home any. 
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

cranney

I have had no internal engine work done on the Fleetwoods 4100. I have had electrical connectors and engine management solenoids go bad. The oil is religiously changed every 3000 miles. Amazingly, the car does not leak any fluids. The radiator gets drained every other year and refilled with bars leak added. I have probably replaced most of the attached accessories at least once! The vacuum system is monitored regularly, as It took me a few years to discover, it is the weak link in the engine management system! The car is mainly driven back and forth to town daily (10 miles each way) during the summer. It spends the winter in Florida, shuffling my daughter and I around the state (17th trip). I do almost all the work on it myself, I travel with tools and a few extra parts, that come in handy. The air conditioning compressor and related plumbing were removed years ago, by me. Everything else is in workable order. Nice thing about Florida is being to find sensors and solenoids for next to nothing in salvage yards!

76eldo

Very cool.  I maintain my own cars mechanically too.

Seems like the AC in Florida might be a good thing to have back.  You can do a 134A conversion since you would have to start fresh with some of the components.

There is an HT4100 forum online.  If you email me at rachlin@comcast.net I can send you a link.  Maybe you are already on it?

Despite the bad reputation of the HT4100, I have had some good ones.

You have a great one!

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

Scot Minesinger

Brian,

Every car I owned as a daily driver did not require replacement because of the engine.  Really have not had very many daily drivers because they lasted.  Only 4 daily drivers (all cast iron V-8's).  The transmission was starting to go on my 1978 Olds 88, sold it at 163k miles, the 1985 Chevy Caprice was 10 years old and 300k miles and paint was fading, looked unprofessional and sold it, my 1995 Cadillac RWD Fleetwood had 254k miles and within a year had to replace a radiator fan and a fuel pump, so thought it was time (although cosmetically it was almost perfect in and out), and now my Dodge Charger with Hemi has 106k miles and I will give that to my daughter this year.  In all cases just changed the oil frequently and maintained them.  Driving also a 2007 CVPI concurrently with Dodge and that is not broken in yet with 86k miles which I will keep.  Never suffered an engine failure (knock on wood).  300k miles on a single engine seems to me to be expected.  It is all the other stuff, rust, accidents, transmissions and etc. that generally encourage a sale.  The best car I ever owned was the 1995 Cadillac RWD Fleetwood. 

Conversely to my examples, the 4.1 powered Cadillac were replaced more for engine failures, and these few examples were on the good side of the bell curve.  I think well maintained cast iron V-8 engines routinely last past 300k miles provided the car it powers can make it 300k miles.
Fairfax Station, VA  22039 (Washington DC Sub)
1970 Cadillac DeVille Convertible
1970 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1970 four door Convertible w/Cadillac Warranty

cadillacmike68

Quote from: Dan LeBlanc on January 30, 2017, 09:33:41 AM
Geoff - that's because you usually don't have 4100 and durability in the same sentence!

That is indeed newsworthy!!! 8)

Usually not even the same book!
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike