rjhat Posted February 12, 2004 Report Share Posted February 12, 2004 Noticed the past couple of days that when I start the caddy, the car tries to move foward for just a second. Anyone seen this before? Is this a definite sign that the tranny is going? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 When you start the car, it rocks a bit or actually lurches forward? Codes??? Leaks??? Sounds??? Do you use your parking brake? How's the car parked, incline or level? (I'm not sure that the car rocking a bit is a sign that something is wrong. I think that's just the engine revving up a bit and making the car rock a little. After all, it is a large, powerful engine. If it's actually lurching forward, that might be a problem but I'll let the experts answer on that one.) If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjhat Posted February 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Actually, the car pulls foward a little, like the tranny didn't disengage all the way. And to correct my post, I also noticed this when putting the car into park at an atm machine, so I dont think that its limited to just starting the car. When it goes foward, it only moves a few inches, until park catches. I know that it is not just rolling foward, since my regular parking space is facing up hill. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 In older cars of other makes, I would say that the bands might need adjustment but since I'm not sure about Cadillac transmissions and how they are designed it might just be something else that needs adjustment. What about the trans fluid level? Is it correct? If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 From the archives (read from the bottom to here): It's just the nature of the beast....no way to get it to stop unless you keep your foot on the brake. I suspect that it has been doing it all along and you just became aware of it.....4T80E transmissions will rock the car slightly on the first start.Maybe you could try changing the trans fluid....perhaps as the fluid is aging it is changing friction properties slightly and that in combination with the colder temps is accenting the rock when it starts. Drop the lower pan, drain, and refill with fresh trans fluid. I don't know that this will help but it is about the only thing I could think of to try. Or, just remember to put the brake on when you start the engine...it is a good habit to develop anyway. ***---REPLIED TO MESSAGE BELOW---*** Bill, About 1-2 inches is about right regarding the movement that I am experiencing. Is there anything simple that can be done to make it stop? In 3 years this is the first time that this has happened and now it seems to be doing it fairly regularly on cold start-ups. As long as there is no harm being done I don't think its a big deal but it would be kind of nice if I could get it to go back to the way it was before the rolling started to happen. ***---REPLIED TO MESSAGE BELOW---*** David, the rocking against the park pawl when you start a 4T80E transmission is perfectly normal. It is just the clutch packs breaking loose. It gets worse in cold weather as the fluid is a little more viscous at startup. There is no harm to the transmission. If you are parking in close proximity to some structure, starting with your foot on the service brake should alleviate the rocking. If the car is parked on a level surface it can only move about 2 inches either way as the powertrain rocks in the engine mounts and the parking pawl in the trans stops the rolling. Applying the parking brake would also help/stop this. If the brake is not releasing fully it may need to be lubricated and/or adjusted. Applying the parking brake fully is generally enough to force to cause the pedal to pop back far enough to turn off the warning lamp. Maybe the brake is not being applied forcefully enough and/or the warning lite switch contact simply needs adjustment so as to not be so "hair trigger". ***---REPLIED TO MESSAGE BELOW---*** I have noticed that for the past couple of weeks when my engine is cold and I first crank it up in the morning, my car rolls forward a few inches almost as if I have it in gear. Its not a sharp jolt but definately a noticable forward lurch. I have bumped some items that were in front of my car in the garage because the movement forward was just that pronounced. I don't know if its just a coincidence but it seems that this movement started after the weather started dropping down to near freezing. Also, I have checked for DTC's but there are none indicated. My transmission seems to be smooth as silk and does not exhibit any shifting abnormalities. Has anyone experienced this before and if so have you ever found out what causes it? Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjhat Posted February 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 The fluid seems to be okay. I do like to punch it once in a while (sounds and feels soooo good!) and i hope this isn't killing the tranny. Never really heard of any problems with cad. trannys. I just hope that the first one i hear of isnt my own! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Mine has rocked like that on the garage floor since new; cold start or hot start. Not to worry. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 The fluid seems to be okay. I do like to punch it once in a while (sounds and feels soooo good!) and i hope this isn't killing the tranny. Never really heard of any problems with cad. trannys. I just hope that the first one i hear of isnt my own! Caddy transmissions do develop problems (like all cars do) and some of them were chronic enough to cause notices to be issued to dealerships as well as recalls. The federal government keeps records of complaints about car problems so I'm sure you can do a search and find out if such problems exist for your particular model. Transmissions are mechanical, so like anything mechanical, it will wear out and eventually need adjustments or repairs. It's not a race car, don't treat it like one and it should last a loooooooooong time. If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob D Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 It's not a race car, don't treat it like one and it should last a loooooooooong time. Huh,... that's interesting...I treat ALL my cars like "racecars", and they have all lasted a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time... '93 STS.. opened, dropped, wide...fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjhat Posted February 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 I noticed that one of the replies stated that the problem was noted more in colder weather. Maybe thats why i am just noticing it. The temp has dropped lately, last week to the 20's. thats when the problem was noticed. Also, the post by Bruce indicated that someone had this same issue along with the parking brake not disengaging far enough to extinguish the brake light. Curiously enough, both of these are also happening to me at the same time! Anyway, I will have the fluid changed preventively (NOT FLUSHED!!) and will monitor the issue to see if it changes. Just for info, does anyone know the replacement cost of this tranny? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Huh,... that's interesting...I treat ALL my cars like "racecars", and they have all lasted a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time... Yeah baby! Especially that Northstar. It LOVES to rev!!! Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob D Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Yeah baby! Especially that Northstar. It LOVES to rev!!! You know Jason, it still gives me a 'warm fuzzie' every time I see that tach needle in my STS climb up to redline and shift over and over. That Northstar engine winds up so darn quickly, it ranks right up there with other world class multi-ohc cars I've driven. '93 STS.. opened, dropped, wide...fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 It's not a race car, don't treat it like one and it should last a loooooooooong time. Huh,... that's interesting...I treat ALL my cars like "racecars", and they have all lasted a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time... What's your definition of loooooooooooooooong? 20 years like my "83 Chevy Celebrity with over 193,000 miles (and still going strong)??? <_> If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob D Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 [What's your definition of loooooooooooooooong? 20 years like my "83 Chevy Celebrity with over 193,000 miles (and still going strong)??? Well, you've got me there, Marika. Nope, no 'Celebrities' with 180k+ miles in my collection over the years. Just some old American iron from the fifties and sixties , with a few 'old' foriegn jobs thrown in... '93 STS.. opened, dropped, wide...fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 [What's your definition of loooooooooooooooong? 20 years like my "83 Chevy Celebrity with over 193,000 miles (and still going strong)??? <_>Well, you've got me there, Marika. Nope, no 'Celebrities' with 180k+ miles in my collection over the years. Just some old American iron from the fifties and sixties , with a few 'old' foriegn jobs thrown in... Those oldies from the 50's and 60's were built to last. How about the dreadful 70's? Got anything that still runs from that era? If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob D Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 How about the dreadful 70's? Got anything that still runs from that era? No,not right now. Actually 1970 was one of the best years for many (especially muscle) cars. '71 ,and '72 were good years too, but smog and DOT regualtions (big bumpers, etc) started to roll things down hill starting in 1971. By 1973 the classics were mostly big rubber-bumpered, smog hogs... '93 STS.. opened, dropped, wide...fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
up2ng Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Grand champion 1984 Olds Delta 88, 307 Y (is in why ?) 389,000 miles before the crossmember hit the floor over a pothole ! 1988 & 1989 Olds 98 both died just after hitting 260,000 miles from computer/ignition problems (the 3.8/3800 motor is the MOST reliable engine I've ever seen.....Shhhh don't want my 4.9 to hear that) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Grand champion1984 Olds Delta 88, 307 Y (is in why ?) 389,000 miles before the crossmember hit the floor over a pothole ! That Olds 307 motor will run you forever. You won't ever kill that thing. That engine design was introduced in 1964 as the new 330 cui. V8 engine. The big block Olds 400 was introduced in '65 I think, and the big 455 in '68. Olds continued to refine their small block engine program, with the Olds 350 (NOT Chubby 350), the Olds 403 in 77-79 and the Olds 307 starting in 1980. There was also a very small Olds 260, in both gas and diesel in the late 1970s too. The the basic design is exactly the same as it was in '64. In fact, you could go find you a 1964 330 engine, bolt it straight into your '84 B-body and it'd run like the wind...but be far from emissions compliant! Sorry...I got off topic, but I really love my Oldsmobile V8 engines. An interesting note...the "regular" 307 in the 1980s had a VIN code of Y, just like the "regular" Northstars do. Starting in 1983, with the Hurst/Olds, GM put a hotter cam in the engine, which bumped the horsepower from 140 to 180. That one received a VIN code of 9, just like the "hotter" Northstar. Coinkeedink? Naw...I just think Cadillac wanted to take a page out of Oldsmobile's book. Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike98c Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 I had a Maverick Grabber 302 (71, the one with the thin Mustang bumpers and twin snorkel hood and no primitive air pump blah blah to rob power) up until a couple years ago. The repairs were constant although cheap. The last straw was when the drivers seat broke as I accelerated hard on lexington ave. against a camaro and the drivers seat where the back connects snapped off leaving me staring at the ceiling of the car and trying to stop while steering and having no view out the car! This is the same car that jumped out of parkwhile it was idling and I was opening the trunk and proceeded to run around in circles in the parking lot the front bumper just catching the edge and dinging the bumper of another car that was trying to escape the runaway Maverick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan Olsson Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 It's not a race car, don't treat it like one and it should last a loooooooooong time. Huh,... that's interesting...I treat ALL my cars like "racecars", and they have all lasted a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time... I´ll just have to agree with that. I´ve driven all my cars quite hard, but I doesn´t seem to have any significance whatsoever, and that I believe is mostly thanks to the great oils these days and better casting techniques for engines etc... A car is to be driven, why not enjoy it while it still lasts My first car was a Volvo 343...It was a love/hate relation really, that one is still running..a -81 with 190000 miles on it now, still going strong despite of my lead foot causing the tach to reach red zone at every acceleration On the contrary I believe that a car driven by elderly people can cause problems...like carbon build ups etc...just a thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 On the contrary I believe that a car driven by elderly people can cause problems...like carbon build ups etc...just a thought Apparently, that's a problem with Northstar engines. They're high-revving DOHC engines. Driving them to the store and back isn't the best way to ensure longegevity. Driving it like you stole it everytime you get in pretty much guarantees you an engine that'll be happy and well lubricated for many many years! Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjhat Posted February 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Hey adcock, if thats true, my grandchildren will be driving my car when thier grandparents!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 I see a difference between driving a car, enjoying it and using it's features and punching the engine and transmission and redlining a car...etc. I see no scientific evidence presented to prove that punching the engine, redlining it or blasting away at the transmission is good for the car. On the contrary, it's pretty much a known fact that if nothing else, it wastes the valuable resource of gasoline and oil. just my two cents.... If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 I see no scientific evidence presented to prove that punching the engine, redlining it or blasting away at the transmission is good for the car. On the contrary, it's pretty much a known fact that if nothing else, it wastes the valuable resource of gasoline and oil. With the Northstar, that's indeed the case. The rings are low-friction rings and can stick if you baby the car around, causing lots of oil consumption. Carbon gets built-up in the combustion chambers if you don't drive it hard enough or fast enough and can cause detonation, piston slap, etc. The carbon issue isn't unique to the Northstar though -- that's the case with every engine. That's why the EGR passages on typical engines (like those in the 4.9L) can plug over time...carbon is just a natural byproduct in the exhaust stream. Keep that thing revved up and spinning fast enough some of the time will help alleviate that. This isn't to say that you have to treat the accelerator as an on-off switch...either closed or full open...but driving the car hard certainly isn't going to hurt the engine, and he helps deter some of the potential problems mentioned above. Remember that the throttle is just that -- a throttle -- which holds back airflow to the engine. Engines are rated unthrottled (or WOT), at their full potential. Whenever the throttle is anywhere BUT wide open, you're holding the engine back from it's potential. You're not "pushing" the car like it would seem; you're simply not letting the engine pump air to its full potential. Incidentally, the Northstar system has a transmission protection feature that ever so slightly reduces the torque on the transmission during a WOT upshift (usually at redline). The engine's torque output is slightly reduced (via spark timing reduction I think) to ease the "load" on the transmission during the shift. You can't feel it in the driver's seat, but the transmission knows it, and the transmission appreciates it! Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjtjwdad Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Marika Posted on Feb 13 2004, 06:58 AM How about the dreadful 70's? Got anything that still runs from that era? I have a 1970 Trans Am that still runs strong. As stated, for all manufactures 1970 was the last "good" year of the muscle cars. In 1971 GM started lowering compression ratios. Ford and Chrysler followed suit in 1972. In 1973 & 1974 Pontiac put out a damned nice engine in the 455 SD. After that there wasn't much until 1982 when ford shoved a hotter 302 in the Mustang and called it a GT. I remember in 1983 Buick had a Regal with a V6 turbo (T-Type I beleive it was called) that had some spunk to it. Been pretty much a uphill climb since then if you ask me and getting better every year. Jim White Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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