BostonETC97 Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 Hello! I'm curious if anybody knows of a source for the exhaust tip(s) on a '97 ETC. Mine left side outer tip got very bent and torn up in a bizarre series of events, and is looking quite sad! I tried to see how they are attached, but couldn't get a good look since it was dark out. I'm hoping for an easy swap-out. Secondly, I've developed a dull rubbery "clunk" coming from what feels to be both the left and right front suspension, mostly noticable on rough roads. I replaced the tie rod ends, but stopped there. At 105k, I'm thinking it's time to take a good look at the front-end and see what is out of spec. Do the CV joints/wheel bearings/stablilzer bar links and bushings have a known finite life? Is there a good way to tell if they're ready to be replaced other than using visual inspection (since they all 'appear' ok)? The car still rides quite well, with no obvious problems other than the dull clunks over bumpy surfaces. As always, thanks for the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 Once you pass 100K miles your front struts are living on borrowed time. With my '95 Eldorado, at 110K miles, I began to enjoy "the clunk." My auto tech removed the cup from the top of the strut and placed the palm of my hand on the strut shaft while he pumped the front bumper up and down. There was absolutely no question where the clunk was coming from! New struts solved that problem. YMMV. Regards, Warren There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonETC97 Posted March 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 My fear was that it'd be the struts! I'll try your tech's method today, and see if I feel it. What I find odd about my clunk is that if I have a friend bounce the car while it's parked, there's no clunk on the interior. It seems to be most noticeable on an uneven (Not really potholes, just raised/sunk pavement that flexes the suspension) surface around 25-40mph. The shocks are slightly more 'bouncy' than I recall from the past, but still work well enough to be comfortable, and don't bottom out or give a scary ride. I figure when the time comes, I'll probably swap over to the passive system. As much as I love the car, and have kept it clean, it's beginning to show its age. I just can't justify spending the cars wholesale value on 4 shocks! As my mileage begins to creep up, I've been thinking about getting a newer daily driver, and retiring the Eldo to 'garage queen' or 'occasional' status. I guess I may be in strut-denial. I guess it won't hurt to swap out some cheap(er) links/bushings first! And if I start feeling generous, MAYBE I'll order some OEM struts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 The exhaust tips on a 1997 ETC come with the mufflers. I had a poor kid wipe out my left exhaust system while severely scratching my bumper cover about a year and a half ago and I did that dance. The Y pipe had held and bent the exhaust pipe into the right muffler too, so I basically needed both mufflers and a set of tips. GM was out of stock on the left muffler with tips at the time, so I couldn't replace my left tips that way. A search of eBay scrap yards showed no 1997 tips either. To top it off, Borla was out of stock nationally on the general replacement turbo mufflers that most people, including some dealer options, use on Cadillacs; someone I asked by email offered me some "equivalent" Borlas that turned out to be ProXS series, and when they came I could see two inches of daylight through them. Meineke found some 1994 STS mufflers in a salvage yard and used those tips. I recommend finding a set of tips in a salvage yard; exhaust tips from any Northstar Cadillac will look good on a 1997 ETC, particularly 1993-1999 Seville or Eldorado. Aftermarket tips tend to be made for the performance truck market these days and look a bit out-of-place on a Cadillac IMHO but you may be able to find something that you like. Whoever puts on your system, make sure that they use welding for stainless steel. Ordinary soft iron welds will rust, even on a stainless steel system like OEM Cadillac exhaust systems, so even a 100,000,000 muffler like a Borla will fall off when the welds rust through. Most muffler shops have a welding system for stainless steel, but ask -- most of the aftermarket in exhaust systems these days is for trucks and most trucks don't use stainless steel exhaust systems, and some muffler shops don't use stainless steel welding rods. I ended up with the ProXS mufflers and kept them. It took a few weeks to get comfortable with them, but a few admiring looks in the parking lot when I start the car, an overhead comment or two "Now, THAT's a CADILLAC!!" and seeing a 10-ton truck flinch as I nailed it in second gear at 50 MPH to get around him in time to make an exit, and there's no way I will change those mufflers. Most people will be more comfortable with the regular Borlas, which have an S-turn in them and a much more muted tone. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 I figure when the time comes, I'll probably swap over to the passive system . . . . If it comes to it, don't worry too much. I put passives on the front of my '95 Eldorado and never looked back. Unless you're an accomplished slalom driver you'll likely not notice much difference. Regards, Warren There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonETC97 Posted March 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 I brought the car into the shop today, and was told that the exhaust tips will come with new mufflers. I suppose it's like buying a new lamp and shade, when all you really need is a bulb. I guess we'll see what happens! As far as the active suspension goes, I could never really tell the difference from soft to firm. The ONLY time I could tell the system stiffened the struts was when I'd get off a smooth highway and onto a rough side street. The car would be very firm, and not take bumps well. Within a few moments, it'd be riding much softer and 'cadillac-like.' During 90% of the time, I could never really feel a difference. As long as the passive system isn't overly mushy, I'm sure I'll be happy with it. I tend to enjoy a firm, yet smooth ride. (Firm and smooth, like a mattress!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fivepointohman Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 I figure when the time comes, I'll probably swap over to the passive system . . . . If it comes to it, don't worry too much. I put passives on the front of my '95 Eldorado and never looked back. Unless you're an accomplished slalom driver you'll likely not notice much difference. Regards, Warren Question on the passives, how did you bypass the air ride changing to a gas charged shock? Wouldnt that affect the rest of the system ( meaning rear ) or that an entirely different pump and lines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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