1982 Cadillac Eldorado Diesel Start & Run

You know,how hard is it to push a button on the dash to fire up your cold diesel car?Are we really so stupid that we cant manage that?And the 5,7 Oldsmobile Diesel that breaks after 50k miles "because it's derived from a gas engine"??The engine in my '82 Datsun Bluebird diesel is also that,and I guarantee you, it won't break if you try.100 years ago horsepower was something completely else and the light could go out with the wind.I ask you all,what is really going on here?

Arve Rooney

It should be a DX, but I haven't actually peeked at the side of the block where it's supposed to be stamped. It does have the lower voltage plugs, as I can hear the glow relay cycling on & off. Seems like a dumb system, as the Toyotas use 7-volt plugs, and have two separate relays. One "superglow" relay comes on and puts 12 volts for about 4 seconds, then that relay opens and the other one closes, sending the power through a ballast resistor, giving about 3.5 volts to the glow plugs.

Charles

And don't mix up glow plugs for older and newer type,did it once and burned out new plugs worth over a 1000 nkr.The newer type has a fast-glow system with 6 volt plugs,and if you use them on the older system that require 12 volt plugs they will fry.If you use 6 volt plugs you must also have new type glow delay controller on the engine block.

Had a custom cruiser diesel once in which I rebuilt the engine,learned quite a bit about it then.The main problem is the head bolts that are too weak,replaced them with caterpillar bolts and fel-pro gaskets especially made for this engine.Then the camshaft which tends to wear out since it's splash lubricated,soot deposits in the tray underneathand and acts as a grinding agent.On the 350 DX this is solved by using roller lifters.The DX engine is said to be much better by the way.

I live in france a good portion of the year. I own a peugeot that has a 4cyl. diesel. I never have any problem...ever. The car is a 2000 "Partner", a kind of front wheel drive "delivery-van" style vehicle; Why do American diesels clatter so much? Mine barely makes sounds at all except for 5 minutes in under freezing weather;

oh ok cool. I got another question for you, sense you seem to know a lot about deisels, if you don't mind. What's different' about deisels that they don't need sparkplugs and wires.

Thanks for the compliment! The "wait" light comes on to tell you that the glow plugs aren't up to temperature yet. Once the plugs come up to temperature, the light goes out and it's hot enough in the cylinders for the engine to fire without having to run the starter for a long time.

what a beauty, I don't know much about deisel's or cadillacs... so can someone explain to me why you had to wait for that light to go off before you could turn it on?

You sure you don't want to sell that thing?

whoa whoa you've got a 5.7 diesel and a thunderbolt 1000? sweet!

it wasn't all the engines fault back in the 70's and early 80s Diesel fuel well sucked dirty pore quality and water doesn't compress well and the older conversion engines A total of 10 bolts per head were used This design did not provide adequate clamping force under the severe conditions these engines were subjected to. Overheating or excessive cylinder pressure can breach the seal of the head gasket and in severe cases break the bolts.

i'm not a fan of the olds diesels but i know a diesel will run and continue to run if well maintained and it has been taken care of. i also love anything rare. i have been looking all over youtube for a gm diesel powered car!

May aunt purchased an 1982 Coupe deVille with one of those noise makers in it. The engine blew up soon after she bought it so she replaced the diesel with a gasoline v8 and it's still running today, but the fenders still say diesel. LOL!! Strangers come up to her all the time and say that's the quietest diesel they've ever heard.

Ahhhhh, I love the clatter! Brings back memories. I owned a 1983 & 1984 Delta 88 with the diesel. The 83 blew the head gasket and we replaced it with a 307 gas and sold it. The 84 was still running strong with almost 200k when I sold it back in 1992. It went another 10 years and 3 owners after me. I found that adding 1 qt of Dextron II to the fuel at each fillup kept the engine running smooth.

Nice Cadillac Eldorado, although GM ended the Olds Diesel in 1983.

Nice 350 diesel, Charles!

I just purchased a 1982 Oldsmobile Diesel wagon (Custom Cruiser) and had the same basic concern. With each fill-up, I will be sure to add the proper amount of fuel system additive to prevent any premature wear of the injector pump. Fortunately, the previous owner of my Olds already replaced the troublesome plastic governor ring inside the pump, so it should be good for a while. As for the head gaskets, head bolts, and oil pump shaft,I plan to do a "preventive replacement" sometime in the future.

In Spain you never see such a nice car like those...Once I saw an old dodge, it was really cool. Are too expenive that kind of cars (chevrolet, cadillac, buick, lincoln...) more than the new cars of today?

Love it! Thanks for posting! I always like watching videos of classic Caddy's on in my free time.

I was 21 in 1981 and worked for the biggest Chev-Olds-Cady dealer in Montreal. They sold lots a them, and lots came back, usually with broken cranks. I always wondered why. I liked and still have several Corvairs, so I like the orphans too... Ug

Very nice. I'm going to be getting a few diesel cars soon. I already have one 350D in an '81 GMC pickup (doesn't run yet)

nice old car youve got there, thanks for showing us it.

That injector pump likely will not enjoy today's Ultra Low Sulfur diesel fuel though.

Why don't you want to drive it? It might be rare, but it would be a shame to just let it sit.

Thank you! It doesn't have a turbo, but I have heard that some people add one. I won't, since I don't plan to drive this car.