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1989 Cadillac Fleetwood that I can't wait to fix!


BrandonB

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Hi everyone,

the deal is I've had a beautiful Lac sittin in my backyard for about 3 years now and I can't take it any longer and finally am getting the money I needed to get it back on the road.

What happened was I drove it from Michigan to Florida and on the way back it started acting up, it wouldn't go past 50! the heat wouldn't work and the antifreeze just kept leaking out. a week lator the engine belt broke off and then it started smoking. I took it to a local shop and shut it off, and when I came back to get the car a week or so lator they told me"the engines done".

The Cadillac is a 1989 Fleetwood V-8 Front Wheel Drive 4.5 L.

I've been researching how to go about replacing the engine or rebuilding it, remanufacturing it.

I live in Michigan so I wrote a email to a shop, Austin Jordan, and they wrote me back just now saying they will remanufactor my engine, install it, with new plugs, wires, radiator, water pump, 3yr warranty. for $3500

My question is, is this price fair?

Thanks for reading and if you can help I really appreciate it.

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Thanks for helping....

Well what i think happened is the head gasket blew and probley messed things up on the inside maybe like warping the aluminum parts from it getting to hot?? if that can even happen easily...i really don't know much YET about cars but I doin alot to learn. this summer is going to be on learning to maintain repairing and installing things in cars for me.

right now im trying to learn what i can about the cost!

i had an offer from a shop here in michigan for my cadillac to have the engine remanufactured and installed with 3 year warranty for $3500

Is it worth it?

I'm thinking I'd much rather go for a grand less... I wouldnt mind so much if it was $2500

I could find a cheap used engine online or from junkyard locator for only in the hundreds range...like between practically free all the way up to the thousands. but that would be used engine.

i really need anyhelp if anyone knows where i can get a engine or a rebuild/remanufactor on my engine let me know, i Live in michigan and really appreciate all the help. thanks

Brandon

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Where is the antifreeze leaking? That will be a key to finding out what is wrong with the engine. 4.5s and 4.9s are not known for head gasket issues so I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that was the cause of the problem.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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before it got "destroyed" they told me to get a new water pump so i went out and got that. i droped the car off running and shut it off, it only smoked for less than a min. after a week of having it there i came back and for somereason the car wouldnt even start anymore and it sounded TERRIBLE tryin to turn over.

i guess im not telling you any info to help or understand, but im guessing the coolant wasnt going thru the system and the engine got hot enough to destroy stuff inside.

I don't mean to sound like a idiot its just i don't know about cars and engines YET. im learning

what could have possibley happened from what im tellin so far?

and can a engine get destroyed enough to where it cant be remanufactured or rebuit and i have to get another engine instead?

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1989?

I could not justify $3500 for a 19 year old car. For $3500 you would be able to find a running '94 to '95 Seville or STS.

Just my view..

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well its because the body is in PERFECT condition...i bought it from a lady that only drove it to grocery store...the thing SHINES...and its not a regular 89...i dont know yet if theres a name for it....but it has white vinyl top on blue and has all digital features inside,....I've yet to see another one....all the 89s i see are regular plain 89 cadillac look...this one is detailed! so the way i look at it is as a car to fix like in the magazines and show it off. I couldn't get anything but really positive comments on it from everyone, they just never seen a lac like it, and it even gets too much attention sometimes.

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heres my solution for it as of this week......i really want to take care of this soon:)

to not go with the expensive 3500......

and to find a remanufactured engine in the price range of 1500......because i see alot of them for around that price online on the engine sites. and people tell me thats about what it cost..between 900-1700, for a remanufactured:)

THEN simply have it installed by someone that knows how, and from what i've been told.....for engine swaps the price for labor is usualy around 300-800.

so im looking at 1500 plus id say 400 in labor GUESSING to pay for this, which is under or around 2000-2400:):)

My question is......if I get a GREAT engine and get a great install.......what else should i worry about inside the car, like how the trans works with the new engine and the components like wires and everything that affects the whole system working......just getting a new engine and everything is the main problem but what other things under the hood do i have to deal with that affect performance if anything when installing new engine? THANKS for all of this, it helps alot.

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The current KBB value for a perfect, running, low mileage 1989 Fleetwood is $1900.

It's not even worth putting a $1500 engine in..sorry..

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You seem to have your mind made up on replacing the engine but some simple tests could ascertain the integrity of the existing engine. It is very possible the existing engine could be repaired inexpensively. A compression test will verify the integrity of the rings and valves. A cooling system pressure test will reveal the source of the coolant leak.

Have you checked the onboard diagnostics for codes? Maybe there is a code stored that will point to the performance problem.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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KHE, thanks thats the kinda info i appreciate, to recommend doing things like that, compression test and diagnostics codes:)

Thanks for sharing knowledge on all of this.....

I'm learning everyday something new on all of this.

I will find out all I can about the engine and whats wrong with it and get back here in the next few days with all the info on whats the deal under the hood.:) thanks alot everyone

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Is this a 60 series Fleetwood? If it is, it is indeed a fairly rare car.

As KHE mentioned, by all means do some basic tests before condemning the engine. Many people are quick to assume they have a headgasket leak when it is just an intake manifold leak.

You could also go the used engine route. These engine are generally very long lasting so even an engine with around 100k miles should give plenty of service. I see these engines at the junkyard in my area for under $200. At this price, it is hardly worth it to rebuild your engine.

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Is this a 60 series Fleetwood? If it is, it is indeed a fairly rare car.

As KHE mentioned, by all means do some basic tests before condemning the engine. Many people are quick to assume they have a headgasket leak when it is just an intake manifold leak.

You could also go the used engine route. These engine are generally very long lasting so even an engine with around 100k miles should give plenty of service. I see these engines at the junkyard in my area for under $200. At this price, it is hardly worth it to rebuild your engine.

Actually no its not...its not convertable! i figured they had lacs the same year that were cuz i could have swore even seen em before and this is the first picture ive seen that proves it....alot of people always THINK mine is covertable cuz of the white vinyl top i have and i laugh about how they would even think it is.....

thanks for all the help, im taking the lac to someone to look at it to see whats up with the engine this week coming up.

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