January 25, 2020 - We had a great time at Cadillac of Lake Lanier today! Donuts and coffee, several cars in the air, and lots of members. Thanks to Marty Pecora, Service Manager - Amy, Sales Guru - Marvin, and Ace Mechanic - Lawrence.
February 9, 2019: Bringing back to life a 1953 Series Cadillac Convertible!
Member David Trees has been trying to get us to visit his and Eija’s ’53 convertible for about two years. They travel a lot, and it’s always hard to find a day to get our mechanically inclined troops together. The Trees are moving soon to Italy, pursuing their dreams for retirement while continuing to consult for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They want to take their cars with them, don’t ask about the Cadillac on the byways of southern Italy… But the ’53 has not been running in over three years, and they will need its cooperation to get it onto the boat. When David announced they would have Subway sandwiches we decided Now was the time! David has worked on his ’68 GTO for decades, but was new to the older Cadillac he had inherited from his uncle, who had owned it since ’62! Enter the Cadillac wrenches.
We arrived about 10:00 AM and found David had been busy. He had cleaned up the garage and gotten started on readying the car. Forrest Ward, Jay Friedman, and Mark Nichols had already advised that he:
We drizzled some oil down the plug holes using a neat funnel Mark had picked up at a Walmart (caps on both ends!). Then we jacked up the car from the side to get jack stands underneath. Forrest is the only one spry enough to crawl under that low-slung beast. It took a while to drain that old, cold oil. When we opened up the distributor (“dizzy”) we found the rotor was broken; the plastic tip holding the brass striker was missing. Jay drove off with Forrest and David in the Toyota (to a cacophony of razzing sounds) heading to the NAPA store for a new rotor and plug wires. Meanwhile, Mark and Doug did the heavy lifting by gapping the new spark plugs… Ahem. A lot of just talking and reminiscing happens during these times, and that makes the entire venture more valuable. “I remember when…”
When the guys got back with the rotor we got the battery back in (those cables need replaced someday). Also, NAPA did not have the plug wires, so we kept the old ones for now. Forrest climbed onto the fender and found the plastic bits and cleared the missing brass fitting from the bottom of the dizzy. Three guys fiddled with the distributor cap and routed the plug wires into the proper firing order - per the manual. A favorite phrase: “Read the Manual!” It took a while, but we funneled 5 quarts of 10w40 into the block and put another one into the oil filter cannister. It was still just onto the “fill” line, but good enough for the start-up. It’ll need another quart or so after David changes this oil when it’s been driven a while.
David cranked it with the wires off to move some oil into the cylinders, then we tried it with wires in place. The cranking filled the fuel filter bowl, so gas was moving around – the fuel pump was working. No way to know how old that gas was, but David was certain his uncle would not have stored the car with three-quarters of a tank of ethanol. Good for Uncle Ben! The carb was a little dirty, the accelerator pump was crispy, and there was evidence of some fuel leaks around the top gasket - not bad, but enough to suggest the top plate gasket is dried out. Forrest tested the mounting bolts, and they were tight, indicating the base gasket might not be too compressed.
Carbs are something it seemed that we all knew a little about, having been down the Rochester four-lane road a few times. The accelerator pump was non-functional. We didn't get a spritz of fuel on pumping it. I didn't notice a great deal of wear on the throttle bushings, like they'll get when the carb is really beat up. So, maybe with just a thorough cleaning, a new accelerator pump and new top gaskets David might get away without a professional rebuild. Kits are around $50.
A spritz of fresh gas and the car started on first crank! No pounding on the throttle! She settled into a nice, smooth rhythm. So well balanced. No clicks, knocks, taps or rattles. It seems that those 80,000 miles are original! There was a huge cloud of smoke, and at first it came from under the passenger seat – an exhaust leak. Then the garage filled with smoke out the tailpipes, and we cleared out. Eventually the smoke settled down and Jay put my new (old) Sun timing light on the running 331. Right on the mark! As Jay backed it out of the garage I was running video, and asked David how the proud papa felt. I got a thumbs up and a huge smile! (Check those brakes first, and put it in drive before you back it out, just to make sure it will go back in!) Idling outside the garage, the exhaust began to look like mostly steam, burning off condensation that had been sitting in the exhaust system for years. There was still some smoke, not bad, and probably attributable to the rich idle, bad gas, or a history of sitting still. Nothing to do with that except to DRIVE IT! After checking the brakes and steering…
We called it day after about five hours. The rejuvenation is not complete; there’s a decent list of things yet to do. Job One was to run a clean tank of gas or two through it on the road. Lots of leaks will seal up when the gaskets get heated up and the fluids get reabsorbed. A carb rebuild is the next thing we would do if it's still putting out soot. I've had great results at Daytona Parts in FL and at Carburetor Specialists in Alpharetta. Roughly $400 at either place. Those Daytona guys are amazing. I boogered up the linkage when I reinstalled the Rochester on my Eldo and called them. They figured out where a link was caught up without a photo in about one minute. Apparently lots of guys hang up that link on installation
Forrest has had good luck with Dayton Parts as well: “They rebuilt the Bismarck's carburetor 15 or more years ago and I have never adjusted it since then because it runs so well. Tim and Ron Hewett at Daytona have since rebuilt the Carter 2 bbl on my mom's Galaxie 500, her Holly 4 bbl on her 460cid F-150, the Q-jet on my Toronado, and the Edelbrock on my F-100. In all cases the work was perfect, the carbs come back pre-adjusted so that they can be bolted into place and started immediately. They have a test engine with adapters for every carburetor made on which they tune the carbs before shipping them out. All gaskets and rubber are ethanol compliant.”
Here’s the list of other things Forrest jotted down for this car:
Member David Trees has been trying to get us to visit his and Eija’s ’53 convertible for about two years. They travel a lot, and it’s always hard to find a day to get our mechanically inclined troops together. The Trees are moving soon to Italy, pursuing their dreams for retirement while continuing to consult for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They want to take their cars with them, don’t ask about the Cadillac on the byways of southern Italy… But the ’53 has not been running in over three years, and they will need its cooperation to get it onto the boat. When David announced they would have Subway sandwiches we decided Now was the time! David has worked on his ’68 GTO for decades, but was new to the older Cadillac he had inherited from his uncle, who had owned it since ’62! Enter the Cadillac wrenches.
We arrived about 10:00 AM and found David had been busy. He had cleaned up the garage and gotten started on readying the car. Forrest Ward, Jay Friedman, and Mark Nichols had already advised that he:
- Open up the shop manual and lay out the needed tools, including a floor jack and stands, lights, an oil drain pan, and hand tools. A suction pump was needed to empty the oil cannister. (Doug and Forrest also brought timing lights, dwell meters and tachs.)
- Buy 7 quarts of oil and a filter. He bought Pennzoil 10w40 and the Wix 51100 filter that is common for the Fifties Caddies (used by the 331s in David’s engine as well as Jay’s ’49, and in the 365s in Forrest’s ’56 and the ‘58s owned by Mark and Doug). The 51100 is not as big in diameter as the original, but it has worked in Jay’s, Forrest’s and my cars for years. Alternative filters for the oil cannister (too early for the screw-on filters) were the AC S-6 and AC P115 or the Fram C-21. Forrest doesn’t think much of the Fram. David bought three Wix 51100’s.
- Find a new battery. Forrest provided a location for the long, tall, 12-volt battery that’s shared by the ’53 and ’56 (although the mounting location is much easier on the ’53). David found one in stock at Batteries Plus for under $100 with Forrest’s online coupon. Evidently this is used nowadays for tractors. David had the old one out when we got there.
- Pull the plugs and find replacements. Seven of the eight looked pretty good, but #8 (right rear) was pretty carboned up. This might have been because of the old, stiff plug wires, and as it turned out the carb was running pretty rich. David found a new set of Champions.
- Drip some oil down the open plug sockets to allow some oil to lubricate those dry cylinders.
We drizzled some oil down the plug holes using a neat funnel Mark had picked up at a Walmart (caps on both ends!). Then we jacked up the car from the side to get jack stands underneath. Forrest is the only one spry enough to crawl under that low-slung beast. It took a while to drain that old, cold oil. When we opened up the distributor (“dizzy”) we found the rotor was broken; the plastic tip holding the brass striker was missing. Jay drove off with Forrest and David in the Toyota (to a cacophony of razzing sounds) heading to the NAPA store for a new rotor and plug wires. Meanwhile, Mark and Doug did the heavy lifting by gapping the new spark plugs… Ahem. A lot of just talking and reminiscing happens during these times, and that makes the entire venture more valuable. “I remember when…”
When the guys got back with the rotor we got the battery back in (those cables need replaced someday). Also, NAPA did not have the plug wires, so we kept the old ones for now. Forrest climbed onto the fender and found the plastic bits and cleared the missing brass fitting from the bottom of the dizzy. Three guys fiddled with the distributor cap and routed the plug wires into the proper firing order - per the manual. A favorite phrase: “Read the Manual!” It took a while, but we funneled 5 quarts of 10w40 into the block and put another one into the oil filter cannister. It was still just onto the “fill” line, but good enough for the start-up. It’ll need another quart or so after David changes this oil when it’s been driven a while.
David cranked it with the wires off to move some oil into the cylinders, then we tried it with wires in place. The cranking filled the fuel filter bowl, so gas was moving around – the fuel pump was working. No way to know how old that gas was, but David was certain his uncle would not have stored the car with three-quarters of a tank of ethanol. Good for Uncle Ben! The carb was a little dirty, the accelerator pump was crispy, and there was evidence of some fuel leaks around the top gasket - not bad, but enough to suggest the top plate gasket is dried out. Forrest tested the mounting bolts, and they were tight, indicating the base gasket might not be too compressed.
Carbs are something it seemed that we all knew a little about, having been down the Rochester four-lane road a few times. The accelerator pump was non-functional. We didn't get a spritz of fuel on pumping it. I didn't notice a great deal of wear on the throttle bushings, like they'll get when the carb is really beat up. So, maybe with just a thorough cleaning, a new accelerator pump and new top gaskets David might get away without a professional rebuild. Kits are around $50.
A spritz of fresh gas and the car started on first crank! No pounding on the throttle! She settled into a nice, smooth rhythm. So well balanced. No clicks, knocks, taps or rattles. It seems that those 80,000 miles are original! There was a huge cloud of smoke, and at first it came from under the passenger seat – an exhaust leak. Then the garage filled with smoke out the tailpipes, and we cleared out. Eventually the smoke settled down and Jay put my new (old) Sun timing light on the running 331. Right on the mark! As Jay backed it out of the garage I was running video, and asked David how the proud papa felt. I got a thumbs up and a huge smile! (Check those brakes first, and put it in drive before you back it out, just to make sure it will go back in!) Idling outside the garage, the exhaust began to look like mostly steam, burning off condensation that had been sitting in the exhaust system for years. There was still some smoke, not bad, and probably attributable to the rich idle, bad gas, or a history of sitting still. Nothing to do with that except to DRIVE IT! After checking the brakes and steering…
We called it day after about five hours. The rejuvenation is not complete; there’s a decent list of things yet to do. Job One was to run a clean tank of gas or two through it on the road. Lots of leaks will seal up when the gaskets get heated up and the fluids get reabsorbed. A carb rebuild is the next thing we would do if it's still putting out soot. I've had great results at Daytona Parts in FL and at Carburetor Specialists in Alpharetta. Roughly $400 at either place. Those Daytona guys are amazing. I boogered up the linkage when I reinstalled the Rochester on my Eldo and called them. They figured out where a link was caught up without a photo in about one minute. Apparently lots of guys hang up that link on installation
Forrest has had good luck with Dayton Parts as well: “They rebuilt the Bismarck's carburetor 15 or more years ago and I have never adjusted it since then because it runs so well. Tim and Ron Hewett at Daytona have since rebuilt the Carter 2 bbl on my mom's Galaxie 500, her Holly 4 bbl on her 460cid F-150, the Q-jet on my Toronado, and the Edelbrock on my F-100. In all cases the work was perfect, the carbs come back pre-adjusted so that they can be bolted into place and started immediately. They have a test engine with adapters for every carburetor made on which they tune the carbs before shipping them out. All gaskets and rubber are ethanol compliant.”
Here’s the list of other things Forrest jotted down for this car:
- New battery cables. Both positive and negative cable are pretty rough, with poor connectors and corrosion under the insulation.
- New dizzy cap.
- New plug wires.
- Put a couple hundred miles on the engine and change the oil and filter again, let the engine get hot, not just idling time.
- Check the transmission fluid level and color when everything's heated up - if it's cherry pink, leave it alone.
- Grease the steering and suspension fittings - about 22 of them.
- Grease the drive shaft U joints.
- Check rear end fluid level.
- I would flush the cooling system because it's unknown how long the stuff has been in there. Use green ethylene glycol.
- Have the brake system flushed if the fluid is dark yellow or brown. Edwards Tire in Woodstock on Highway 5 will do it for $30. Takes them about 20 minutes with an electric pump. I've had them do all my vehicles and my mom's. They are careful and honest.
- Some of the exhaust leaks might take care of themselves with use but go over the whole length and have them addressed.
That was a lot of fun, guys! I love it when a group can pull that off for a member. That's quite a service, and one lots of new members would see as a great reason to join... David told me again yesterday how much he and Eija appreciated the help. I told him that he didn’t get an ounce more joy out of that day than the rest of us did. You’re helping a fellow Cadillacer, you’re spending some quality time with your buds, you’re learning something new, and you’re not out spending your money on crap you don’t need. Oh, and we got a free lunch. Winners all the way around!
Now that was a perfect Saturday CLINIC. Stay tuned for the next one…
— Doug
Now that was a perfect Saturday CLINIC. Stay tuned for the next one…
— Doug
Saturday, January 20, 2018 Cadillac Clinic
For the first time in months Peach State CLC found an open weekend for another in the line of popular Cadillac Clinics. On Saturday, January 20th, about a dozen of us gathered at Cadillac of Lake Lanier in Gainesville. Member Marty Pecora, who owns CLL, had arranged for Lawrence, his ace mechanic, and Amy, his service manager, to welcome us. They had a couple dozen donuts and coffee, and later they served sandwiches ordered from their local diner with chips and tea… a PARTAY! Henry Dabrowsky arrived about the same time as Larry Wilson and I. Lawrence strode over, and Henry was able to pick his brain about the computer code his ’01 Eldorado Touring Coupe was giving him. Henry tried to make an appointment for the fix, but the service area was full this day. Maybe another day…
We got to work right away, lifting Donald Smalley’s ’77 Fleetwood for an inspection of its suspension and exhaust systems. Folks I have to tell you, this car is perfect! It looks like it just pulled off the showroom floor, and I don’t say that lightly. After all these clinics, I can say that we have NEVER found a car without SOMETHING to go on its service To-Do list. But, Donald, we think you are GOOD TO GO!
Next up was Bob Knell’s ’85 Fleetwood. He was thinking about suspension and steering issues – wandering and squeaking and going “bump!” Lawrence was able to pinpoint several places in the suspension that are in need of new bushings and hard parts, such as A-arms, maybe ball joints and a drag link. Bob told me he was happy to have had this experience, as he had a long list of things to work on a little at a time.
About this time we got a call from Tom and Lee, who were stuck out on Hwy 369 in Lee’s ’57, Geraldine. They ran out of GAS! While a good neighbor ran Lee to a gas station Tom sat and watched the traffic at the new bridge going up outside Gainesville. This gave us time to just take a peek under Mark Nichols’ 1937 Packard. It’s a HUGE car! Never seen it looking better, either, Mark. Thanks for bringing it!
I guess Lee and Tom rolled in about 12:30, and we pulled Geraldine right in. Lawrence and Tom found a loose battery terminal, and that was what was causing some stuttering on starting. Under the car, we found almost exactly what we found when I had the Turk up on the lift last time: LEAKS! Oil pan gasket, valve cover gaskets, rear main seal, and maybe some transmission leaks as well. At least it wasn’t power steering fluid, too (like mine)! Lee isn’t losing tons of oil, but it’s starting to look like it’s time to do the rear main seal – not a minor job – and while he’s at it, replacing the other gaskets will make sense. I was paying rapt attention, because these are EXACTLY the same issues on the Turk. Maybe Lee’s right when he notices his ’57 sedan and my ’58 sedan are a pair: At least so far as their oil and fluids. Time to get those gaskets replaced!
Others in attendance: Dan Moody, Jay Friedman, and Guy Van Ort (who provided me with some good references for our club’s Recommended Mechanics listing).
THANKS to Marty Pecora and Lawrence, Amy and the staff at Cadillac of Lake Lanier. Good show! See you again in a few months, we hope!
We got to work right away, lifting Donald Smalley’s ’77 Fleetwood for an inspection of its suspension and exhaust systems. Folks I have to tell you, this car is perfect! It looks like it just pulled off the showroom floor, and I don’t say that lightly. After all these clinics, I can say that we have NEVER found a car without SOMETHING to go on its service To-Do list. But, Donald, we think you are GOOD TO GO!
Next up was Bob Knell’s ’85 Fleetwood. He was thinking about suspension and steering issues – wandering and squeaking and going “bump!” Lawrence was able to pinpoint several places in the suspension that are in need of new bushings and hard parts, such as A-arms, maybe ball joints and a drag link. Bob told me he was happy to have had this experience, as he had a long list of things to work on a little at a time.
About this time we got a call from Tom and Lee, who were stuck out on Hwy 369 in Lee’s ’57, Geraldine. They ran out of GAS! While a good neighbor ran Lee to a gas station Tom sat and watched the traffic at the new bridge going up outside Gainesville. This gave us time to just take a peek under Mark Nichols’ 1937 Packard. It’s a HUGE car! Never seen it looking better, either, Mark. Thanks for bringing it!
I guess Lee and Tom rolled in about 12:30, and we pulled Geraldine right in. Lawrence and Tom found a loose battery terminal, and that was what was causing some stuttering on starting. Under the car, we found almost exactly what we found when I had the Turk up on the lift last time: LEAKS! Oil pan gasket, valve cover gaskets, rear main seal, and maybe some transmission leaks as well. At least it wasn’t power steering fluid, too (like mine)! Lee isn’t losing tons of oil, but it’s starting to look like it’s time to do the rear main seal – not a minor job – and while he’s at it, replacing the other gaskets will make sense. I was paying rapt attention, because these are EXACTLY the same issues on the Turk. Maybe Lee’s right when he notices his ’57 sedan and my ’58 sedan are a pair: At least so far as their oil and fluids. Time to get those gaskets replaced!
Others in attendance: Dan Moody, Jay Friedman, and Guy Van Ort (who provided me with some good references for our club’s Recommended Mechanics listing).
THANKS to Marty Pecora and Lawrence, Amy and the staff at Cadillac of Lake Lanier. Good show! See you again in a few months, we hope!
November 19, 2016 Cadillac Clinic
It’s an eclectic bunch of hobbyists who congregate at Peach State club events. There are those who wouldn’t miss an ocean cruise on a bet; there are even a few who prefer evening wear on the city, or crazy sweaters for a holiday party. Many more would say their priority is to shine up the Caddie and parade it in front of those guys who yearned for a piece of GM history – then settled for a Tri-Five Chevy instead of holding out for “Motordom’s Masterpiece.” Dozens, we know firsthand, would prefer to get in the car and JUST DRIVE…
But it’s a small number apparently who actually LIKE to get under a Cadillac (not even their own) and get a little dirty. Comparing displacements and firing orders, telling stories about idle settings, lube fittings, and oil viscosities, reading the date codes on the sidewalls and build codes off a cowl tag – now that is some arcane territory. But, showing off one’s toolset or his busted knuckles? Some might call that Hooliganism. But, well, that is pure Heroism in my book.
Our Cadillac Clinics were designed expressly for hanging out with your friends, telling stories (lies), learning something you need to learn, and admiring the pride-and-joy classics “from down where the sun don’t shine.” And that is just what we did once again on Saturday, November 19, 2016 at Cadillac of Lake Lanier. Marty Pecora, Peach State CLC member and our Cadillac dealer-partner, invited us to come join him and his main mechanic, Lawrence, for an afternoon of fun in Gainesville. That is an hour’s drive for most folks, but the mileage checks off the “let’s drive” priority. Showing off the Cadillac steel? - Check! Holiday wear? – That will have to wait until next month… TODAY was for the cars!
We started with Jay Friedman’s ROAD WARRIOR, the ’49 Club Coupe that has made it to nearly every national event there is... on its own tires all the way, in each direction. Jay takes care of most of his own wrenching, but the offer to get under it on a good lift indoors was tantalizing. Jay had noticed some squeaks and (gasp!) rattles lately. Jay and Lawrence went around under that car pounding on every conceivable joint with rubber mallets. I guess they either found the noisemakers or verified there were none, because soon Jay was backing it down the ramp. By the way, that car looks majestic up in the air like that! And just as clean underneath as up top!
Next, Guy Van Ort drove his ’88 Seville up onto the lift. An admiring Marty Pecora was beaming – we love that color combination, too, Marty. Guy and Lawrence worked a while, trying to locate the source of a “door ajar” light on the dash. I think that one will have to wait for more evidence. But they did get under the car and searched for some coolant leaks. They traced the fuel lines. I believe Guy has a list of things to monitor and maybe a part or two to replace (i.e., that fuel line was rubbing against the frame rail under the rear door).
Carlos Izaguirre lifted his ’84 Eldorado convertible next. He was looking for coolant issues, and maybe other stuff under the hood. Not sure how that turned out. (I missed his car, as Marty called me to the conference room to show me pictures of a car he’d thought about buying at SEMA last month – a resto-rod ’48 Cadillac mounted on a 2016 CTS-V chassis, making over 600 horses. Gosh, that was nice.)
I got back to the shop just in time to get the Turk up in the air, too. I have to say, there’s something about the viewing angle – seeing it from down below is like seeing it for the first time – that makes lifting a car worth the effort right there. We could have backed it down and I would have been satisfied… But, in fact, we found several things well worth my trip. I had recently had a high pressure power steering hose burst, and although I had replaced it, there was red ATF all over the lower surfaces, dripping down on the concrete floor. Turk was marking its territory… That dripping was masking what is probably a leaky rear main seal that I’ve been monitoring for a few years now. It’s finally getting bad enough to do the major work to replace it – I might be losing a quart of motor oil every 4-5 months, or 900-1000 miles. (It’s hard to say when you drive 2500 miles a year and change the oil at least annually.) We also found a wet backing plate on the driver’s side rear wheel. Since the differential oil was down ¾” it was probably a rear axle seal going bad, but that was enough evidence to put another task on my to do list: Pulling that wheel and drum to inspect the brake cylinder. Tom recalled a catastrophic failure he had had in his ’61 on our way to a driving tour and mentioned the pivot/knuckle that holds the differential in place… it blew out on his car, but we couldn’t find a grease fitting for this on my car. I guess it’ll just have to break one day…
Marty supplied the donuts and coffee, and the weather was FINE. I think Lawrence loves these old cars enough to look forward to us coming back. And we will, guys, we will!
PS. I have been on contact with the fellows in Potomac region of the CLC. They want to organize a Cadillac Clinic up there, and have been asking a lot of questions about how we do ours. One day we might have to roll up there and see what they are up to!
Members in attendance, Cadillac Clinic, Saturday, November 19, 2016:
· Mark Nichols, ’75 Fleetwood
· Zack Nichols
· Zack’s buddy, who is restoring a ’67 VW Beetle
· Jay Friedman
· Tom Di Nucci
· Carlos Izaguirre, ’84 Eldorado convertible
· Guy Van Ort, ’88 Seville
· Doug Bailey, ’58 sedan
· Marty Pecora, CLL host
· Lawrence, CLL mechanic
But it’s a small number apparently who actually LIKE to get under a Cadillac (not even their own) and get a little dirty. Comparing displacements and firing orders, telling stories about idle settings, lube fittings, and oil viscosities, reading the date codes on the sidewalls and build codes off a cowl tag – now that is some arcane territory. But, showing off one’s toolset or his busted knuckles? Some might call that Hooliganism. But, well, that is pure Heroism in my book.
Our Cadillac Clinics were designed expressly for hanging out with your friends, telling stories (lies), learning something you need to learn, and admiring the pride-and-joy classics “from down where the sun don’t shine.” And that is just what we did once again on Saturday, November 19, 2016 at Cadillac of Lake Lanier. Marty Pecora, Peach State CLC member and our Cadillac dealer-partner, invited us to come join him and his main mechanic, Lawrence, for an afternoon of fun in Gainesville. That is an hour’s drive for most folks, but the mileage checks off the “let’s drive” priority. Showing off the Cadillac steel? - Check! Holiday wear? – That will have to wait until next month… TODAY was for the cars!
We started with Jay Friedman’s ROAD WARRIOR, the ’49 Club Coupe that has made it to nearly every national event there is... on its own tires all the way, in each direction. Jay takes care of most of his own wrenching, but the offer to get under it on a good lift indoors was tantalizing. Jay had noticed some squeaks and (gasp!) rattles lately. Jay and Lawrence went around under that car pounding on every conceivable joint with rubber mallets. I guess they either found the noisemakers or verified there were none, because soon Jay was backing it down the ramp. By the way, that car looks majestic up in the air like that! And just as clean underneath as up top!
Next, Guy Van Ort drove his ’88 Seville up onto the lift. An admiring Marty Pecora was beaming – we love that color combination, too, Marty. Guy and Lawrence worked a while, trying to locate the source of a “door ajar” light on the dash. I think that one will have to wait for more evidence. But they did get under the car and searched for some coolant leaks. They traced the fuel lines. I believe Guy has a list of things to monitor and maybe a part or two to replace (i.e., that fuel line was rubbing against the frame rail under the rear door).
Carlos Izaguirre lifted his ’84 Eldorado convertible next. He was looking for coolant issues, and maybe other stuff under the hood. Not sure how that turned out. (I missed his car, as Marty called me to the conference room to show me pictures of a car he’d thought about buying at SEMA last month – a resto-rod ’48 Cadillac mounted on a 2016 CTS-V chassis, making over 600 horses. Gosh, that was nice.)
I got back to the shop just in time to get the Turk up in the air, too. I have to say, there’s something about the viewing angle – seeing it from down below is like seeing it for the first time – that makes lifting a car worth the effort right there. We could have backed it down and I would have been satisfied… But, in fact, we found several things well worth my trip. I had recently had a high pressure power steering hose burst, and although I had replaced it, there was red ATF all over the lower surfaces, dripping down on the concrete floor. Turk was marking its territory… That dripping was masking what is probably a leaky rear main seal that I’ve been monitoring for a few years now. It’s finally getting bad enough to do the major work to replace it – I might be losing a quart of motor oil every 4-5 months, or 900-1000 miles. (It’s hard to say when you drive 2500 miles a year and change the oil at least annually.) We also found a wet backing plate on the driver’s side rear wheel. Since the differential oil was down ¾” it was probably a rear axle seal going bad, but that was enough evidence to put another task on my to do list: Pulling that wheel and drum to inspect the brake cylinder. Tom recalled a catastrophic failure he had had in his ’61 on our way to a driving tour and mentioned the pivot/knuckle that holds the differential in place… it blew out on his car, but we couldn’t find a grease fitting for this on my car. I guess it’ll just have to break one day…
Marty supplied the donuts and coffee, and the weather was FINE. I think Lawrence loves these old cars enough to look forward to us coming back. And we will, guys, we will!
PS. I have been on contact with the fellows in Potomac region of the CLC. They want to organize a Cadillac Clinic up there, and have been asking a lot of questions about how we do ours. One day we might have to roll up there and see what they are up to!
Members in attendance, Cadillac Clinic, Saturday, November 19, 2016:
· Mark Nichols, ’75 Fleetwood
· Zack Nichols
· Zack’s buddy, who is restoring a ’67 VW Beetle
· Jay Friedman
· Tom Di Nucci
· Carlos Izaguirre, ’84 Eldorado convertible
· Guy Van Ort, ’88 Seville
· Doug Bailey, ’58 sedan
· Marty Pecora, CLL host
· Lawrence, CLL mechanic