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More follies with the 1968 DeVille Convertible

Started by cadillacmike68, July 29, 2019, 08:43:43 PM

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cadillacmike68

In the 21+ years that I've been a member and having owned my (our) Arctic Blue 1968 DeVille Convertible, I have encountered many surprises, shocks, and amusements, including not a few of my own doing. But this one threw me for a loop.

In late 2017 I recently had the engine overhauled (2nd time, first time was spring of 2005 and I put in a link as to why the 2nd overhaul was needed). Anyway, after finally getting the shop to repair the broken speedo connector at the dash and re-ground my headlights, etc. (it's all in that thread that I'll link to when I find it). I used it every few weeks.

It stopped consuming excessive oil - thanks to new better quality valve guide seals and the car runs pretty smoothly. Still gets hot in stopped traffic though, but that's another story.

Recently, the compressor stopped engaging. Highwayman68 noticed this with me at a club outing a couple months ago. And the cruise control connection from the power unit lost its "connection", i.e. the bolts loosened up and they are somewhere on I-75.

And for the past several months where was a rattle or sound like an exhaust leak coming from what I thought was the right side. Mark (highwayman) thought it was coming from the compressor and it did sound loudest near the front.

And Col Klink's brother, Maj Klunk is residing up in my front end somewhere.

So I bought a Four Seasons A6 and had it installed. And had the shop look at the front end and the "exhaust" noise. When they installed the new compressor - after having to adjust the clutch clearance, they called me and told me it still was not engaging and the engine was running very rough. They also said that the noise sounded like an exhaust leak, but that it was not from the gasket. They said it coming from the side and might be a crack. Then they said it looked like a freeze plug. They also said the lower control arm bushings were worn as were the lower shock bushings.

I told them and they agreed that it was running quite smoothly when I brought it in and to check the connections on the 2 wire harness to the compressor. I told then I would drive over, because you never know what's going to happen.

By the time I got there they figured out the compressor not engaging and the rough running issue. The minus side of the harness connects to a clamp on the coil and it had worked loose. Turns out that is also a ground for the dist so tightening that up cleared up both the compressor and rough running. I saw the worn control arm bushing (left side is worse and that's the side the klunk is coming from) and the shock bushings. The lower control arms are old, probably 19-21 years in the car. They are also welded in place because they  were shifting - mist have been an early run of poor build quality Moog parts that I read here about a year ago. Anyway I bought new bushings, both ACDelco and Moog, which look identical, and new OE ride Monroe shocks to be installed this week. Oh yeah, they finally found out why the rear air shocks were leaking down. A poorly fitted connection to one of the shocks which they corrected. Now it stays where I level it to.

They also showed me a bent brace which connects the front of the frame to the bottom of the radiator core support. It's about 6-8 inches long by 1-2 inches wide and the lower part of the core must have been pushed in sometime in the past because it is definitely bent and it bent UP which means it's right under the crank pulleys and is so close that I have to jack up the engine by the oil pan to change the belts !?!?! That needs some frame shop work - this week.

Now on to the exhaust "leak"

I was thinking: "freeze plug" there are no freeze plugs in the head, especially on the sides, there are only the spark plug holes and fittings to the exhaust manifold.

As some of you may recall, I eliminated the useless and fugly AIR pump and its related tubing, hoses, etc. and have been running a 1970 setup with just 3 belts. This necessitated plugging the exhaust port holes on the Front of the heads that ran to the AIR pump. And guess what we used - yep freeze plugs. But those are at the front.

Well when I got there, turns out that their "side" is really the front of the head and that freeze plug had a hole burnt right through it.

So, after 3 trips to NAPA O'Reilly's and the local Cadillac dealer I finally had the correct size plugs. They replaced the burnt out one and I have a few for when the driver's side eventually does the same thing.  Mike at the Cadillac dealer said he hasn't sold a freeze plug in over 10 years, but they had the size I needed.

That is close to the compressor and could easily have been mistaken, but I'm thinking my old A6 is still good so I'm holding onto it in the box the new one came in.

It also happens to be right behind my expensive PowerMaster 150 Amp chrome alternator which liked someone dumped muddy rust water all over it. I wonder how long that will take to polish out??

Here are some pics showing detailing the fun:

Once Maj Klunk is gone, the core brace repaired or replaced and my engine oil cooler is in I can work on beautification projects like the seats.


Oh yeah,  I installed an XM sat radio tuner in the Kenwood unit that I bought a couple years ago. It plugs right in to the Kenwood which is "XM Ready" and I got it activated for about $6 per month for a year.

The original AM radio is still in the car and it's re-cored speakers both work, but it's only AM. The Kenwood is in an under dash mount under the ashtray - perfect size, and I have 2 amps and a subwoofer in the trunk!  \m/

Here is the thread about the 2017 oveerhaul and its causes:

http://forums.cadillaclasalleclub.org/index.php?topic=145138.msg361826#msg361826





Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike

cadillacmike68

And yes the twilight sentinel thinking it was night all the time was because the sensor was not connected. It was down in the the innards of the dash area. That's good now too.
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike

chrisntam

Wow!  It'll be a new car!!!

I just love finding stuff wrong and getting it fixed.  Be sure you mark it off the list!

8)
1970 Deville Convertible 
Dallas, Texas

cadillacmike68

Chris,

Fix one thing and another one goes out of whack.  Both my power servos are bad - most likely clogged or warped rotary vacuum posts. I jumped the relay to keep the fan on, otherwise I'd roast with the top up.

I bought two New in Box rotary valve sets, now to set them in and test. That way I can repair the warped ones when I get a "a round tuit"
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike

DeVille68

nice! There is always something! I have a full list of stuff I still need to do and fix on mine! :-D
1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible (silver pine green)

Cape Cod Fleetwood

Quote from: cadillacmike68 on July 31, 2019, 01:18:41 PM
Chris,

Fix one thing and another one goes out of whack.  Both my power servos are bad - most likely clogged or warped rotary vacuum posts. I jumped the relay to keep the fan on, otherwise I'd roast with the top up.

I bought two New in Box rotary valve sets, now to set them in and test. That way I can repair the warped ones when I get a "a round tuit"

Mike, my dear friend who's Cadillac pen I use everyday... its well established you hate Facebook.
HOWEVER, there is a page called "The 1965-1970 Cadillac Collective", John Abend owns the page and he's
a freakin' genius at repairs and having/finding parts for these cars. Just FYI.

\m/
Laurie
There are 2 kinds of cars in the world, Cadillac and everything else....

The Present -1970 Fleetwood Brougham

The Past -
1996 Deville Concours
1987 Sedan De Ville "Commonwealth Edition"
1981 Coupe De Ville (8-6-4)
1976 Sedan De Ville
1975 Sedan De Ville

The Daily Driver and work slave -
2008 GMC Acadia SLT *options/all

Scot Minesinger

Once you get these cars dialed in and dependable, it is really nice.  Last month I threw my 19 year old daughter the keys to my 1970 DVC and asked her to get it inspected for me.  I did not have to explain anything.  It has to be driven about 40 miles round trip to take it to a place that will inspect it the way I want.  Yes it passed, good thing next day was the 609 mile (one way, 1,218 miles round trip) trip to GN 2019 in KY.

Mike, for future, I always give the compressor clutch battery voltage and frame ground if clutch does not engage on compressor.  Then if it does, check ground first and go from there.  You can sand the rotary valves in the power servo to get warp out of them, I do that occasionally.

Enjoy your Caddillac!
Fairfax Station, VA  22039 (Washington DC Sub)
1970 Cadillac DeVille Convertible
1970 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1970 four door Convertible w/Cadillac Warranty

cadillacmike68

Suspension work is all done, Oil cooler is installed, messed up my radiator splash guard, I'll just take that off. Nice & tight up front. Had to replace one tire, got a decent deal at the local tire kingdom. The bent core brace that was in the way of me changing the fan belts was straightened as well. Got my XM radio module installed and now I can listen to Yacht Rock Radio , the Groove, etc and Fox Business.

Started another thread on the Climate Control. Found the small fitting broken off on the firewall vacuum manifold.  :(
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike

cadillacmike68

Update on this.

The power servos were NOT bad. It was that broken fitting on the firewall mounted vacuum manifold - that little plastic job under the power servo. I super glued it back together - never had good luck with gluing something like this before, but it has been fine. I also got a couple replacement manifolds. I always dreaded the day that thing would break, but now not so much.

Further, the Vent Switch, attached to the bottom on the dash control unit is not connecting to shunt voltage to the compressor. It works "sometimes" Not good enough, but it is very hard to get off of the control unit. I wired a toggle to allow me to switch on the compressor of the switch won't behave.
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike