hmmm Cadillac Seville Diesel - Page 5 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Lexxani · #61 03-21-2008, 07:55 AM

For $700 I'd pick it up. I had a suburabn with the 6.2 litre detroit diesel for a while and loved it. It was the model GM put in their diesel trucks after the 5.7 diesel was realized to be worthless. If its got a good engine go for it, too bad its an '80 'lack, they went to hell after '74. . imho. . .

Dee8go · #62 03-21-2008, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

The first Caddy that I have seen that I kind of wanted to buy was the 2008 CTSV. As far as I am concerned lets just crush everything they made from 1970-2008 and forget about it.

I'm with you on the CTSV, Hat. That is a nice car indeed! I never much liked the older ones, except for some of the Sevilles, but I wouldn't neccessarily crush them either.

Dee8go · #63 03-21-2008, 08:56 AM

Sorry, I know I got off the subject . . . Hattie distracted me.

Moorewr · #64 03-21-2008, 09:11 AM

I owned 2 Olds Toranados with diesel engines 79 & 81, drove both over 50K, the 79 had a leaking injector pump about 51K just out of warranty. I got good service from both, the 79 was purchased by a friend who put over 100K on the engine. I got around 32 mpg from both. No major engine problems with either.

Ron

KCM · #65 03-21-2008, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesst

Does anyone here have much experience with the old GM diesels?

I'm looking at buying an 84 Cadillac Seville diesel (with NO leaks

) that needs a new oil pump (about an $80 part). Body and interior are in beautiful condition.

So what do you guys think? Is it worth the $700? Or should I try to talk him down? I was thinking just getting a non-leaky running GM V8 diesel might be worth almost that much...

thoughts, comments, etc?

When you say it needs a new oil pump, that would concern me. Worked on an Olds with the 5.7L diesel that lost oil pressure. Turned out that it was not the oil pump, but the vacuum pump. There is a vacuum pump that goes where the distributor is located on the gas models. The vacuum pump is gear driven, which in turn drives a shaft that drives the oil pump. The flats of the shaft strip off in the vacuum pump and and the oil pump won't turn. I later heard that this was a common problem. If the engine was shut down and not run with low or no oil pressure, you can probably get by with a new vacuum pump and shaft (easy fix), which is what worked on the Olds. But if it was ran too long, then the crankshaft bearings may be ruined, which happened to another guy I know with I belive the 5.7L in a pickup. So you are definitely taking a chance.

As for the engine itself, I drove the Olds a little and was impressed by the power it had for that day in age (back in the '80's). Of course I was used to driving 60's vintage Mercedes 4-cylinders, so anything was an improvement.

Toblin · #66 03-21-2008, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by Dee8go

Quote:

Those GM diesels were just converted gas engines, weren't they?

GM thought they could get away with using an over sized aluminum head on a conventional gas block. It was a disaster of course. But I thought they had recalled them all and replaced the engines with gassers.

But there's always that 5% that don't get the word.

junqueyardjim · #67 03-21-2008, 12:54 PM

I bought an 80 Olds with re-designed engine new. It had the roller cam and that was great advantage on those engines. It had quite good performance in the cutlass Sedan body. I would think zero to 60 time was better then on the turbo 617, though I think the Benz is a little heavier. We got 100,000 plus miles on that car with really no problems, and excellent fuel mileage. Again, I think fuel economy was better then on the 617 turbo. At the time fuel was so cheap, nobody worried too much about mileage. Then in 83 I bought an 83 Cadillac couple, which was a low mileage "Factory" demo. We did not get good service out of that car. Head gasket problems at about 50,000, then the starter, then the transmission, then head gasket again and I got out of it at about 90,000. Again, it was great on the highway, mileage was incredible and performance was not bad, I think much like my 85 300D, although it did not have much top end. I think it was pretty much run out at 90. These engines were converted gas engines about like the 617 is a converted gas engine. And remember, all Benz diesels were not all that great either. Look at the 220 diesels of the late 60's and early 70's. A lot of people thought they were pure junk.

vstech · #68 03-21-2008, 01:27 PM

Oh yes, I completely forgot about the oil pump part of your equation. how does the owner know it needs an oil pump?
ebay has plenty of the vacuum pumps for sale cheap!
run from the car, if it is not running and the owner says all it needs is an oil pump to make it work... if so, why did he not just put in the pump?
if it's running well, do as said above, inspect the vacuum pump and verify that is'nt the problem, if it is, simple simple, just put in a new pump!
decisions decisions...
I have a line on a nice 85 jetta diesel that just needs a motor mount...

Dee8go · #69 03-21-2008, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toblin

Originally Posted by Dee8go

GM thought they could get away with using an over sized aluminum head on a conventional gas block. It was a disaster of course. But I thought they had recalled them all and replaced the engines with gassers.

But there's always that 5% that don't get the word.

You raised an interesting point (for me, at least). Are diesels typically iron blocks? I never gave this any thought before.

junqueyardjim · #70 03-21-2008, 01:50 PM

All 5.7 GM Diesels had steel heads and probably had steel pistons also. It was a heavy engine, no aluminum as I recall.

vstech · #71 03-21-2008, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toblin

GM thought they could get away with using an over sized aluminum head on a conventional gas block. It was a disaster of course. But I thought they had recalled them all and replaced the engines with gassers.

But there's always that 5% that don't get the word.

um, maybe you are thinking about the #14 aluminum head on the 603 Mercedes engine?

or perhaps the VW diesel with the aluminum head...

even the 6.5 detroit engine was all iron. none of the GM diesels had aluminum heads... as a matter of fact none of the gasser v8's had aluminum heads until the corvette L98 motor... except for the ZL1 of course... all aluminum....

oldiesel · #72 03-21-2008, 08:21 PM

There was at one time a website "Olds-diesel.com or some similar name by a guy who loved them, i have no idea if it still exists. Don

#73 03-21-2008, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toblin

GM thought they could get away with using an over sized aluminum head on a conventional gas block. It was a disaster of course. But I thought they had recalled them all and replaced the engines with gassers.

Good story, too bad its not true.

DIESEL126 · #74 03-21-2008, 09:34 PM

Run away as fast as you can!!!!!

gatorblue92 · #75 03-21-2008, 09:40 PM

i have always thought it would be cool to own one of those