Los Angeles Mechanics - 67 First Caddy

[79 Eldorado]

Ryan,
You need to figure out why it over heated. Once it cooled down did you verify there is coolant? If it happened at 65mph it seems either you lost coolant, the thermostat stuck closed or the radiator is so plugged there just not much active surface area.

The "waah, waah, waah" reads like a very slow waah......waah......waah. If the battery is charge and all connections are good I think I might pull all of the spark plugs. I wonder if there's a chance you blew a head gasket and there's coolant in the combustion chambers.

Let me guess...Cadillac thought, even in 67, a temperature gauge was too much information for a Cadillac owner. That's one thing I don't like about my '79. I've had too many issues over the years with cars which I noticed seeing strange readings from the temp gauge before it actually developed into a real problem. Anyway I started to ask if you noticed something on the temp gauge.

A couple of stupid questions:
How did you realize it over heated? In 67 there was no overflow so radiators do seek their own "full" level which often does not appear full.
How do you know the battery is fully charged? I've had at least one battery, stored with an Optima charger, which appeared to read the proper voltage and 100% but give a slow waah waah immediately upon installing. When I placed it back on the charger it read 25%. That battery would appear to charge to 100% again but, once "charged", it lacked the CCA to turn over a matchbox size engine. Considering what happened I would check everything thoroughly to avoid more damage but you may want to try another battery once you verify everything else is normal.

Any chance the starter got a coolant bath? I had a starter fail once where finally one of the wires burned through in the windings but before it completely failed it acted like a bad battery. I was convinced it was. The shop I went to was good enough to take the starter apart and found the problem.

Scott

[67caddyLA]

Thank you so much for the reply!

Once cooled down, no coolant. Had to fill the radiator back up . Definitely lost coolant.

I initially thought battery was not charged. Fully jumped it with a brand new Toyota Tacoma - no start. Still just making the "waaa waaa" starting noise.
Then I took the battery and charged it fully overnight. Same result. No start.

Battery is 7 months old.

I did not pull the spark plugs. I am getting on a flight for Nashville GOOD GUYS show, so I will have to to pull the plugs on Monday when I am back home.

The temp gauge was moving, when I realized hey its overheating, literally I started taking the exit, and smoke everywhere.

Very possible everything took a coolant bath, though all the coolant looks on right fender only. Rest of motor looks ok (visually) - no huge coolant bath.

Ryan,
You need to figure out why it over heated. Once it cooled down did you verify there is coolant? If it happened at 65mph it seems either you lost coolant, the thermostat stuck closed or the radiator is so plugged there just not much active surface area.

The "waah, waah, waah" reads like a very slow waah......waah......waah. If the battery is charge and all connections are good I think I might pull all of the spark plugs. I wonder if there's a chance you blew a head gasket and there's coolant in the combustion chambers.

Let me guess...Cadillac thought, even in 67, a temperature gauge was too much information for a Cadillac owner. That's one thing I don't like about my '79. I've had too many issues over the years with cars which I noticed seeing strange readings from the temp gauge before it actually developed into a real problem. Anyway I started to ask if you noticed something on the temp gauge.

A couple of stupid questions:
How did you realize it over heated? In 67 there was no overflow so radiators do seek their own "full" level which often does not appear full.
How do you know the battery is fully charged? I've had at least one battery, stored with an Optima charger, which appeared to read the proper voltage and 100% but give a slow waah waah immediately upon installing. When I placed it back on the charger it read 25%. That battery would appear to charge to 100% again but, once "charged", it lacked the CCA to turn over a matchbox size engine. Considering what happened I would check everything thoroughly to avoid more damage but you may want to try another battery once you verify everything else is normal.

Any chance the starter got a coolant bath? I had a starter fail once where finally one of the wires burned through in the windings but before it completely failed it acted like a bad battery. I was convinced it was. The shop I went to was good enough to take the starter apart and found the problem.

Scott

[bcroe]

You may have just have blown a coolant hose.  After
some bad experiences, I replace these every 4 years,
cause I HATE FAILURES.  Bruce Roe

[67caddyLA]

You may have just have blown a coolant hose.  After
some bad experiences, I replace these every 4 years,
cause I HATE FAILURES.  Bruce Roe

That would be the ideal scenario!

but with radiator full - would a coolant hose being blown stop it from starting?

[bcroe]

You will have to figure it out.  Those points ignitions
were easy to wet down and not run, another thing I
did not like about them.  Bruce Roe

[67caddyLA]

overheat diagnosis

THANKS everybody! Trying to diagnosis this.

Without plugs in there, crank - it now spews coolant out bunch of cylinders.

[wheikkila]

Sorry to here that news. It will need to go to a shop for repair. Interesting that it would blow head gaskets on both sides. I truly hope it is not a serious problem with the engine.
                            Thanks wayne 

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

That IS BAD news.

Bruce.

[79 Eldorado]

overheat diagnosis

THANKS everybody! Trying to diagnosis this.

Without plugs in there, crank - it now spews coolant out bunch of cylinders.

Ryan,
It could be head gaskets but as Wayne wrote it seems strange it would blow both head gaskets. I once bought a used engine for parts where the owner stored it with less than ideal coolant and the water froze and cracked the block in multiple places; freeze plugs didn't save it. That's a worst case scenario but you need to have it checked out thoroughly and carefully. Do not just assume it's the head gaskets. Worse than doing head gaskets is paying to do them on an engine with a cracked block.

It's bad news but if the car is in very good condition and you decide to keep it, I would, you will end-up with a new engine and built exactly as you prefer. I found the following site with the specifics to application for their remanufactured engines:
https://remanufactured.com/Cadillac_Engines.htm

Sorry to hear the news.

Scott

[67caddyLA]

Hi guys

Will update shortly more details

What water pump you guys recommend?

[67caddyLA]

Update

I pulled the Cylinder heads off and I found the left side Head-gasket blown but couldn't find anything with the right side Head-gasket I found right side push Rods bent and lifter's collapsed

I'm going to send the heads to machine shop so they can check the heads further

water got between piston rings and cylinders and piston rings washed away all the lubricant and The Cylinder block on some Cylinders is scored .

debating if i should just clean it and live with some blow by or do a full pistons and rings?


Engine looks like it was rebuilt before- but sat for 8 years

Oh well car is keeper. Deciding what to do once I hear from head shop

i have photos not sure how to post

[Snibbor]

Ryan,

I recentlt gotten a '67 as well and had a coolant issue right off the bat. I found that the AC (if running) can cause overheating if running for extended periods. So when you get it back running monitor that aspect. Sorry to hear.

[67caddyLA]

Ryan,

I recentlt gotten a '67 as well and had a coolant issue right off the bat. I found that the AC (if running) can cause overheating if running for extended periods. So when you get it back running monitor that aspect. Sorry to hear.

exa Exactly what happened to me. Car ran perfectly fine. It's only when I turned on the AC it overheated which led to all these issues now.

[67caddyLA]

sigh no dreams last .... couldnt find anybody want to work on 67
hard to find parts

motor caput

[79 Eldorado]

A lot of shops would likely rather work on newer things where there is no question regarding parts. It seems you could take it to your local NAPA and they would send it out for rebuild. You would just need to remove/install. That shouldn't be anything too scary for most shops. I would at least ask NAPA. Some of the other parts stores also use Jasper. Jasper is very good but it seems near impossible to find any details regarding engines they do and their pricing.

Scott

[67caddyLA]

A lot of shops would likely rather work on newer things where there is no question regarding parts. It seems you could take it to your local NAPA and they would send it out for rebuild. You would just need to remove/install. That shouldn't be anything too scary for most shops. I would at least ask NAPA. Some of the other parts stores also use Jasper. Jasper is very good but it seems near impossible to find any details regarding engines they do and their pricing.

Scott

Yeah seems like parts for 67 not easy to find

[67caddyLA]

here it is now

does this forum now allow image uploads anymore?

[67caddyLA]

The two local mechanics that were recommended here

1) told me throw away motor put LS into it.

2) said 4 months wait to see him.


One of the things I am thinking is - car overheated = motor died.  After the rebuild - do I need to recore the radiator and work on that part of cooling?

[67caddyLA]

Pics of rebuild...

[67caddyLA]

continues...