KHE Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 The hotel has wireless internet access so here is a progress update on the trip. My family and I left Michigan at 7:20 this morning and arrived at our destination at 7:35 PM. That included two gas stops and a rest stop - the total drive time was 11:25 - Mapquest said 13 hours - 72 MPH average which is not bad considering Ohio has a 65 MPH speed limit. Virgina also had a 65 MPH limit and radar detectors were illegal according to the sign as we crossed the state line. I took my old CB radio and an antenna with a magnetic mount - the truckers know where EVERY cop is - it was hilarious! Tomorrow morning, it's off to pick up the tow dolly and then to pick up the car. I won't be setting any speed records on the way back though... Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Fenwick Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Hay, thats great! What is the reason that you don't drive the STS back? Be safe and enjoy. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epricedright Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Hi Kevin, I just read the post about your new car. Sounds exciting! Can't wait to hear the details. Take your time and please be careful going home!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Terrific Kevin Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stsjoe Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 I'll keep an eye out for you Kevin Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Getterrrrr Done ! Awsome timing. Once the STS is up and running you"ll do much better Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazglenn3 Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Hay, thats great! What is the reason that you don't drive the STS back? Be safe and enjoy. Ed The car he is picking up has blown head gaskets. Charles Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 There is a guy on cadillacforums that just GAVE one away with blown head gaskets. I think he was in Alabama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazglenn3 Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 I thought he was just venting when he posted that thread! Charles Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 Nah. The guy who he gave it to posted after picking it up. Can't find the thread or I would have posted the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazglenn3 Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 I just read it, Larry. What a deal! Sounds like the car is in good shape besides the motor issue. Charles Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted tcb Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 Here's the link for the free 96 STS. http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadil...l?highlight=sts I like the guy who clearly stated "I'll take it", and then was bypassed for the giveaway. He's pissed. 1989 FWD Fleetwood, Silver 1995 STS Crimson Pearl on Black leather 1997 STS Diamond White 1999 STS Crimson Pearl 2001 STS Silver 2003 STS, Crimson Pearl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epricedright Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 That's funny! He was in PA, maybe that's why he wasn't taken seriously...poor guy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 It has been an interesting day so far...I went to pick up the tow dolly and the tires were low on air - the U-Haul store did not have an air compressor The dolly was also missing the safety chain that connects the vehicle being towed to the dolly. The U-Haul guy didn't have another chain so he called another store. The guy at the second store was sort of a PITA at first...telling me that I didn't need two safety chains for the dolly to the vehicle being towed. I told him, "I know that I only need one chain but there are NONE on this dolly." After that he lost most of the attitude. He had a small compressor and I aired up the tires to max inflation pressure. All of that cost an hour but the seller didn't mind. I started it up and loaded it up on the dolly - no doubt in my mind - the front head gasket is shot. It was leaking coolant and had an exhaust noise in that area. It didn't take long to secure the car to the dolly and we were Northbound on I-77 (travelling at a lower speed than yesterday but it was still a riot tracking the cops with CB...). It towed well between 70 and 75 MPH except through the mountains of West Virginia and Virginia - it was 55-65 in that area. We made it as far as Canton, Ohio for the night and it should only be a 5-1/2 hour drive home from there. The car is in decent shape - it does need to be polished and waxed and there are some small scratches on the trunk - nothing that can't be fixed. Remember, I am a picky SOB - my '93 Fleetwood and '96 SLS are flawless.... The seller said the head gaskets were replaced three months ago by a local Cadillac dealer in North Carolina. He decided to dump the car when the front gasket blew. He gave me the dealer information and I plan to call them after I get home to obtain additional information. I speculate the following scenarios: 1) the dealer did not timesert the block when the gaskets were replaced the first time or 2) only the bad holes were timeserted and the new leak is due to one of the non-timeserted threds letting loose. I doubt the dealer used heilicoils as they wouldn't hold long enough to reassemble the engine. I also doubt that a Timesert pulled out. I'll know more once I pull the engine and disassemble it. If anyone rents a tow dolly, remember that they cannot be backed up when loaded as the carrier pads swivel slightly to help cornering. If you attempt to back up, it is like backing a Radio Flyer wagon. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 I didn't see this until now. 75 towing a car, you have HUGE stones Kevin, WOW! One good thing is that Caddy did the work, at least you know that it wasn't some slam bang mechanic that could have screwed it up badly. Its amazing to me that a Caddy dealer wouldn't do that job right however.... what a shame. This is a situation that should be brought to a regional reps attention, this is a bad reflection on their service that they can't repair the cars properly. There should be only ONE proper repair job done, even if they have to eat some of the cost.. Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert383 Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 It has been an interesting day so far...I went to pick up the tow dolly and the tires were low on air - the U-Haul store did not have an air compressor The dolly was also missing the safety chain that connects the vehicle being towed to the dolly. The U-Haul guy didn't have another chain so he called another store. The guy at the second store was sort of a PITA at first...telling me that I didn't need two safety chains for the dolly to the vehicle being towed. I told him, "I know that I only need one chain but there are NONE on this dolly." After that he lost most of the attitude. He had a small compressor and I aired up the tires to max inflation pressure. All of that cost an hour but the seller didn't mind. I started it up and loaded it up on the dolly - no doubt in my mind - the front head gasket is shot. It was leaking coolant and had an exhaust noise in that area. It didn't take long to secure the car to the dolly and we were Northbound on I-77 (travelling at a lower speed than yesterday but it was still a riot tracking the cops with CB...). It towed well between 70 and 75 MPH except through the mountains of West Virginia and Virginia - it was 55-65 in that area. We made it as far as Canton, Ohio for the night and it should only be a 5-1/2 hour drive home from there. The car is in decent shape - it does need to be polished and waxed and there are some small scratches on the trunk - nothing that can't be fixed. Remember, I am a picky SOB - my '93 Fleetwood and '96 SLS are flawless.... The seller said the head gaskets were replaced three months ago by a local Cadillac dealer in North Carolina. He decided to dump the car when the front gasket blew. He gave me the dealer information and I plan to call them after I get home to obtain additional information. I speculate the following scenarios: 1) the dealer did not timesert the block when the gaskets were replaced the first time or 2) only the bad holes were timeserted and the new leak is due to one of the non-timeserted threds letting loose. I doubt the dealer used heilicoils as they wouldn't hold long enough to reassemble the engine. I also doubt that a Timesert pulled out. I'll know more once I pull the engine and disassemble it. If anyone rents a tow dolly, remember that they cannot be backed up when loaded as the carrier pads swivel slightly to help cornering. If you attempt to back up, it is like backing a Radio Flyer wagon. Can relate to the tow dolly back up issue. Some may laugh and have that "I can back up anything" thought, LOL. Humbling for even the most seasoned haulers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 I didn't see this until now. 75 towing a car, you have HUGE stones Kevin, WOW! One good thing is that Caddy did the work, at least you know that it wasn't some slam bang mechanic that could have screwed it up badly. Its amazing to me that a Caddy dealer wouldn't do that job right however.... what a shame. This is a situation that should be brought to a regional reps attention, this is a bad reflection on their service that they can't repair the cars properly. There should be only ONE proper repair job done, even if they have to eat some of the cost.. I was running 70 MPH most of the way back and only getting to 75 if I needed to get around a truck without irritating the drivers behind me. 70 was a safe speed - the dolly didn't fishtail at that speed and the Trailblazer handled it just fine. It may not have been a shade tree mechanic doing the work but he may have been following orders. I'll know more once I remove the front head. If the timerserts aren't there, then I know why the gasket blew after the first repair. I'm not a gambler but if I were, I would bet that the dealer did not timesert the block... I got home around 5:00 this afternoon. Tomorrow, I am foing to finish the spark plug/air adapter so I can determine exactly what cylinder is leaking. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satexas1994caddy Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 KHE Im I"m thinking about purchasing a 1994 Cadillac concours and also want to use a tow dolly but uhual said I need a full trailer. How did you get around that and when you used the tow dolly did you have to put the car in neutral or anything like that when towing? MP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 You can't use a tow dolly for the Concours as it is 76.6" wide and the tow dolly is 80" between the fenders. You need at least 3" of clearance between the fender and the car. The reason for that is that the tow dolly swivels slightly to aid in cornering. The STS was 74" wide which barely met the criteria. The weight of the car also plays into the equation. U-haul severly under-rates the capacity of their dollies - they are built like a bridge overpass... The limiting factor is the tires - they are rated for 2040 lbs each. You need to also incluse the 650 lbs. dolly weight into the equation. I was not happy with the lack of preventive maintenance on the U-Haul dolly I rented... It was missing a safety chain for the vehicle being towed to the dolly. The tires were under inflated and one of them had a cut in the sidewall. Also, the plastic fender was damaged on one side and the parking light did not work... I asked the guy at the U-Haul store when was the last time that the dolly bearings were greased and he didn't know but told me that they do their best to keep up with the maintenance. Translation: He didn't have a clue.....All of that cost me an hour of screwing around to make it road worthy which was disappointing. If I were picking up another Seville, I'd probably use a tow dolly. If it were a Deville, I'd rent the car hauling trailer (or borrow one). U-Haul also has this ridiculous requirement that the tow vehicle must weigh at least 750 lbs. more than the vehicle being towed - regardless of the towing capacity of the tow vehicle. The trial lawyers are probably the reason for that...... Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 I'm glad to hear its all going well. I hope to see pictures.Lots of emm !!! What do you mean to timesert the block ? I've seen where the spark plugs are done. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 Timesert is a beefier thread replacement for the headbolts. http://www.timesert.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 Ahhh ! I love this website I'm always learning !!! thanx larry ! Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 I'll post some pictures when I get a chance to reduce the file size.... I washed all the road dirt off the car and polished it up when I got home from NC. My wife steam cleaned the carpets and floor mats and the car really looks sharp all cleaned up. I pressure tested all 8 cylinders - it appears both head gaskets are leaking - the front gasket slightly but the rear was really leaking - #5 produced gurgling in the surge tank and #7 made the surge tank erupt like a geyser... I've been busy assessing the engine. The oil had coolant in it and looked like coffee with cream...I drained the remaining coolant this evening and then drained the crankcase and changed the oil filter to get as much of that crap out. I bought 5 quarts of Rotella and a pint of GM EOS on the way home from work. I'm going to fill the crankcase with 5 qts. of oil and one pint of EOS and run the engine for a few minutes to get fresh oil on the bearings and to wash out the coolant from the internals of the engine. The seller had the gaskets replaced last year and the repair only lasted 5 weeks....Obviously something was not done properly. I spoke with the service manager at the dealership in North Carolina and he told me they Timesert all head bolt holes when a Northstar head is removed. I asked him to fax me a copy of the repair order - he said he would but I'll probably need to remind him. This weekend, I am going to pull the cam covers and check the head bolts to see if I can loosen them and retorque them. If they are able to be torqued down, I will have validated that the Timeserts are holding. I still will need to replace both head gaskets and bolts but at least it will give me a lot of additional information. I have a very trustworthy mentor for this project. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 Sounds great ! I'm glad to hear it cleaned up well and looks nice Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acklac7 Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 The seller had the gaskets replaced last year and the repair only lasted 5 weeks....Obviously something was not done properly. I spoke with the service manager at the dealership in North Carolina and he told me they Timesert all head bolt holes when a Northstar head is removed. I asked him to fax me a copy of the repair order - he said he would but I'll probably need to remind him. Correct me if im wrong...But aren't almost all repairs by Cadillac dealerships subject to a 1-year/10,000 mile Warranty? (or are warranty periods up to the dealership to decide???)...Did the guy say anything about trying to get Cadillac to fix the problem????...Maybe the seller was so fed-up with the dealership that he just wanted to get rid of the car?... If I spent $3000 on a headgasket job only to have them fail 5 weeks later I would be all kinda PO'd!! A.J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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