What am I in for...

[paden]

Just curious what you guys believe i am in for. I am looking at buying a 94 Eldorado with a cracked transmission case. The car starts, the body is straight, appears as though it has never been wrecked, electrical seems fine, interior in good condition/to great condition. The hood/top/trunk look like crud as the paint is almost completely faded.

110,000 miles on the car. No recent service history as it is at a charity (I want to buy it to support the charity as well), and they didn't get any info on any recent major repair/replacements.

I want to get a car to drive about 8 miles a day in my commute, with the possibility of driving more when I meet clients. The vehicle will probably never be driven over 100 miles round trip.

I guess, what I am wondering, as you cannot predict, what are some obvious things to expect... One big question I have is, what in the world would a person do, or not do to a car that would cause the case to crack! That seems like an abused vehicle to me.

i.e. Struts, fuel delivery issues, starter, engine overhaul, stff like that. I don't mind the car being in the shop for a while, as I bike/bus to work right now anyhow. I will, however, be having client meetings starting in march, and the boss doesn't want me showing up on my bike for some reason.

I can do minor things on my own, but am limited in what I can do.

[Ranger]

Transmission case cracks are rare. You are at least in for a new trans. As to how it got cracked is anyones guess. I suppose where the crack is might lend a little to speculation, but in the end, that is all it will be.

[Cadillac Jim]

Driving the car over obstacles such as curbs, parking lot concrete dividers, or unprotected railroad tracks and high-centering the engine is the kind of thing that will crack a transmission case. I would begin with a used transmission from a good auto recycler such as Cadillac Auto Recycling. A transmission change is a big job and you will want to find a mechanic to do it for you, and find out how much it will cost. In the event that the used transmission isn't good, at least you will have one for rebuilding or exchange; I doubt that anyone would take the one with the tracked case as a core. But, the 4T80E is pretty much bulletproof, and the solenoids are just about all that they ever need, so a used one from a reputable recycler is a good risk. Mine has 130,000++ miles on it and all I have ever done is change the fluid every 30,000 miles or so -- and I have a lead foot.

The first thing to determine is the status of the coolant. Have the coolant checked by a good radiator shop for remaining anti-corrosion resistance and protection to -34 F or better (50-50 mix or better). If it fails the anti-corrosion test then you are likely looking at a head gasket job with Timesert inserts for the head bolt wells within the next two years. If it fails the protection temperature test then it is probably using coolant. If the coolant checks good, then a test drive is in order. If it overheats, it may need a head gasket job with Timeserts now. This is a really big job for a DIY and not recommended with the engine in the car, so I would walk away if it looks like it needs a head gasket job. Paying for this one makes the car a bad deal even if you get it free.

When you first start the car, run the OBD I codes and write them down. Here's how:

<a href="http://www.caddyinfo.com/readingcodes.html" target="_blank">http://www.caddyinfo.com/readingcodes.html</a>

Then, clear the codes (the page on reading codes will also tell you how to clear them), shut off the engine, and walk away for 5 minutes. Then, go back and take the car for a test drive. The test drive should include something like a freeway on-ramp or two and at least 5 minutes cruising at a constant speed of 45 mph or faster. Also, if possible, take it out on the freeway and accelerate like you are passing a truck on a two-lane road, and watch for a temperature spike within the next couple of minutes; that symptom is a ringer for early head gasket problems. When you get back, run the codes again and write them down before you shut off the engine.

A lot of the OBD I codes are on this page:

<a href="http://www.caddyinfo.com/stscodes.html" target="_blank">http://www.caddyinfo.com/stscodes.html</a>

A more comprehensive reference that takes longer to read is

<a href="http://myweb.accessus.net/~090/cadidiag.html" target="_blank">http://myweb.accessus.net/~090/cadidiag.html</a>

but it takes a bit of poking around to find what you need. I have all the OBD I and OBD II codes that I can find in an Excel file and will send you the OBD I page if you need it, or want to print it out. If you need it, send me a PM on this board.

A really good idea is to have a mechanic check the car over, or to have a service that checks used cars for individual buyers look over the car for you, in addition to running the codes and doing the test drive. This isn't looking a gift horse in the mouth, because with the paint and body in the shape that you describe, this 14-year-old car is worth very little money, and with a cracked transmission case it is worth just about nothing. If it has problems that need to be fixed in the next 90 days, you need to know what they are and how much they cost before you make any decisions. Clearly you don't need a money pit.

If it all checks out, the first thing I would do when I got it home would be to flush the radiator and change the coolant, change the transmission fluid, change the oil and filter, and fix anything that the OBD I codes and the mechanic brought to my attention, such as brake pads, air cleaner element, etc.

[PAUL T]

A Cadillac as a fixer-upper is not a good idea unless you intend to do a lot of the work yourself. This forum is a good source for advice but having things fixed by a dealer or even another mechanic can get expensive very fast. At 110,000 I would start looking into replacing the spark plugs and plug wires. If you do not have any oil leaks on a 94 then that is another good sign. Check the codes to see if there are any stored. That is a good place to start. If there are no codes then drive it around then recheck to see if any start showing up. Then start with all the fluids as mentioned above. I do not know, but a cracked case could be fixed temporarily with JB Weld I would think. Someone else might chime in and confirm that. Good Luck.

[Bill K]

Give the charity $1,000 and buy a good running car somewhere else. You'll be money ahead & the charity will be happy.

[paden]

Thanks for the warnings...

I found a 99 Eldorado, runs great, interior awesome, paint is great, 92k miles. I used to have a Mustang Cobra 5.0l, stroked to 347, 10psi Vortec blower... For some reason, I feel like I am buying an old mans Mustang. That may be an insult to some out here, but it is intended to be light humor. I realize there is no comparison on product finish/quality, I am speaking more to the emotional/impractical purchase of a 300hp two door.

[BodybyFisher]

Thanks for the warnings...

I found a 99 Eldorado, runs great, interior awesome, paint is great, 92k miles. I used to have a Mustang Cobra 5.0l, stroked to 347, 10psi Vortec blower... For some reason, I feel like I am buying an old mans Mustang. That may be an insult to some out here, but it is intended to be light humor. I realize there is no comparison on product finish/quality, I am speaking more to the emotional/impractical purchase of a 300hp two door.

Think of it as a luxury Mustang

[Patrick7997]

A 300 HP 2-Door is a beautiful thing..... and it really reaches the ultimate expression when it has Cadillac Luxury throughout....

[Cadillac Jim]

Then, ther are the possibilities. Look at this video from Mark_99STS of his car:

http://caddyinfo.ipbhost.com/index.php?sho...65&hl=Turbo

[paden]

Oh my, 12.5 /114 in a caddy