Diesel Cadillac

[MD500E]

I just got an old 1980 diesel Cadillac. It had been sitting about 4 years after it quit running. Turns out it had a full tank of gasoline in it. With some fresh diesel it is up and running. Does anybody have any info on turning up the injector pump. I am looking for lots of black smoke, not more power. We are kicking around the idea of entering it in a crash up derby and thought it would look cool to have clouds of black smoke pouring out of it as it charges into another car! Thanks

 

[Cummins Thunder]

It has one of them 350 gasser to diesel conversions huh??



CJ

 

[keimmmo]

It HAS to be an old 350 diesel! Not many of them still run... they were not known for durability! I would forget trying to turn up the pump. The bottom end is so leak that they were known for blowing the bottom end all over the road even stock. Turn it up, and it WILL blow!



I realize durability is not one of your concerns. However, I used to run demo derbies. If it runs good, LEAVE IT ALONE!!! That could be a pretty awesome derby car if you prep it right!



Steve Keim

 

[lil red cummins]

my dad had one of these back in 1980 in a chevy wagon.

there is basically nothing i ever found that will pick up power on that engine. all i was able to do was increase timing. there is about a 5-10 degree adjustment. it probably helped a little



jim

 

[MD500E]

The only reason this one is still running is that the previous owner was 75+ and it it had the motor replaced at least once! I read somewhere that gm made hundreds of thousands of diesels between 79-85 and it is almost unheard of to see one still running. I see old diesel mercedes on the road every day.

 

[DavidBurt]

It wasn't just the bottom end of those things either, you could easily blow a head gasket once a month. There just isn't enough bolts to keep that head down. My wife's grandpa had one of those 350 diesels in a buick something, front wheel drive too. I changed the head gaskets for him once and he said that was the second motor in it and it only had 20,000 miles on it!!!!

Dave

 

[keimmmo]

Yes, they also had MAJOR problems with the head gaskets! I have been through that drill as well.



As I remember, the front end of the Caddies are a little weak in front of the front wheels. REALLY watch your front end!!! I have found that you need to save your car in the beginning if you are going to be competative. Toward the first of the race, just make contact with other cars to stay legal. If you get a good shot at a front end of another competator, NAIL him! When you get down to just a few cars running, pull out the stops and beat on the competation.



Usually, about half of the field will go out fairly quickly due to a lack of preparation on the cars or stupid driving errors. No point wasting the car beating on them. After the "junk" is out of the race, work on putting out the good cars.



Steve Keim

 

[guava]

I had one of those engines in a 1980 Olds Delta 88. Liked the car but eventually threw a rod out the bottom while backing out of a parking stall. Never had a problem with the head gasket like others have mentioned.



Did gel up the fuel filter real bad one time and it seemed like it was a real pain to get to and change it out.

 

[ThompsonS]

Could make a good derby car since it would seem that alot of derby cars get knocked out by the engine not running, due to ign/electrical probs or carb probs from the jolts.



since diesels that are not working hard under a load dont have too much heat, loosing the rad & coolant may not be a prob either.





the local dirt track near me has a "cruiser class"



the accelerator has to be moved to the passenger side and operated by the passenger.



lots o laughs to watch this race on a dirt track where you usually steer with the throttle anyway.



I just got a free 92 Chebby pickup with the 6. 2, been sitting 3 years, I put in new batteries and new fuel and fired right up, it smokes alot and gets 12 mpg.



These GM vehicles are the biggest reason that most drivers dont like smokey smelly low powered diesels.



This truck would be perfect for getting

"enemy combatants" to spill the beans, you could park this rig in the sun, strap them in, let it idle and the fumes and vibaration would have them talking in no time.



At idle, this 6. 2 viberates with a low frequency resonance that actually seems to vibe the fluid in you inner ear, making you very dis-oriented, cant stand to sit in the drive thru line.

Id trade this thing for a good ol 350 gasser in a flash.

 

[rrausch]

My Cousin Mickey still has a running 1980 Diesel Oldsmobile. I have driven it many times. She is an ex-cop and keeps a 38 snub in the center console! :-laf I think the only reason that Olds is still running is probably the car knows she would pump some rounds into it if it ever stranded her.

 

[troll3193]

My Cousin Mickey still has a running 1980 Diesel Oldsmobile. I have driven it many times. She is an ex-cop and keeps a 38 snub in the center console! :-laf I think the only reason that Olds is still running is probably the car knows she would pump some rounds into it if it ever stranded her.

My uncle used to work for a trucking line and had several of thes cars in his job. He was a safety inspector and drove hundreds of thousand of miles in them. Not sure how many he had.



I remember driving one of them in Tampa FL one day. He had a police type radar machine in it. You could turn it on, see all the brake lights come on, then turn it off, then everyone would speed up. Turn it back on and brake lights again. Cheap entertainment, but fun anyway. .



That was 20 years ago. He just died Sunday. Kinda neat to think back about it. .



Bryan

 

[Rescue Ram]

... That was 20 years ago. He just died Sunday. Kinda neat to think back about it...



Bryan

Sorry for your loss. Seems to be a lot of that going on here lately.