1949 Cadillac Restoration project

Started by southdiver1, July 23, 2007, 05:06:39 AM

The Pirate

Quote from: southdiver1 on October 16, 2007, 05:59:52 PM
Well, a bit of good news,
I brought my battery back to autozone. Dead as Elvis.
They give me a striaght up exchange at no charge.


I don't post in here much, but I'm keeping abreast of things.  Be sure to post when you get it running.  It's going to be an exciting moment for sure.

And, have fun with it!  That's the reason you're doing it, after all.
1989 Audi 80 quattro, 2001 Mazda Protege ES

Secretary of the "I Survived the Volvo S80 thread" Club

Quote from: omicron on July 10, 2007, 10:58:12 PM
After you wake up with the sun at 6am on someone's floor, coughing up cigarette butts and tasting like warm beer, you may well change your opinion on this matter.

southdiver1

Well, I got a lot of work done this weekend.
We got the fuel pump to work and we discoverd shtat the coil works but the plugs are not sparking.
it is either a bad distrubitor cap, bad points, or a bad condensor.
I am gonna replace the points and condensor first as they are the cheapest.
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

southdiver1

Just a quick update... I sold a sunvisor which was in the backseat of the Caddy so, I am adding that $100.00 to my total.

Money To Spend   $5,000.00    
      
Oil Filter   $14.05    Cheap filter for initial change
Oil Filter   $31.00    good filter for royal purple
Oil Catch   $9.83    Need to drain the oil at home
Seafoam   $15.22    Hopefully this will flush everything out
Bungee cords   $6.99    Gotta hold down the tarp
Oil pan gasket   $17.93    Gotta scrape the pan.. Yummy
13/16 deap socket   $4.25    That is for the sparkplugs.. BIG
11/16 deap socket   $4.25    Needed for the crankshaft
Marvles Mystery Oil   $3.70    Hopefully a 1 week piston soak will work
Brake Cleaner   $6.46    Evaporates quick and cut grease
Battery   $63.30    Money well wasted so far?
Car Cover   $12.95    WalMart Special and keeps the wife happy
PB Blaster   $6.58    Soak the pistons another week.
Shop Manual CD   $52.00    Now I actually KNOW what I am doing
Generator Belt     $8.99    
PB Blaster      $4.19    
Cheap Oil   $1.79    Good for soaking bolts in
Degreaser    $2.09    
1/3 Clamp   $2.49    Heater Hose clamps
1/3 Clamp   $2.49    
1/2 Clamp   $2.49    Rad hose clamp set
1/2 Clamp   $2.49    
Upper Rad Hose   $14.09    
Lower rad hose   $15.99    
4 ft heater hose   $0.00    They forgot to charge me?
Starter rebuild   $122.18    so far, it is the prettiest part of the car.
Gasket maker   $7.99    Big sheet and I get to make gaskets myself
Water pump sealer   $2.49    Gasket sealer for the water pump
(SOLD) Sunvisor       ($100.00)   Sun visor in my back seat but, didn't fit my car.
      
      
Money Left   $4,661.73    
Money Spent   $338.27    
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

FoMoJo

Quote from: southdiver1 on October 21, 2007, 01:42:04 PM
Well, I got a lot of work done this weekend.
We got the fuel pump to work and we discoverd shtat the coil works but the plugs are not sparking.
it is either a bad distrubitor cap, bad points, or a bad condensor.
I am gonna replace the points and condensor first as they are the cheapest.
I'm glad to hear that there's progress.
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

southdiver1

Just a bit more shopping. I will put the ignition partson this Saturday and hopefully fire that puppy up.

Oil Filter   $14.05    Cheap filter for initial change
Oil Filter   $31.00    good filter for royal purple
Oil Catch   $9.83    Need to drain the oil at home
Seafoam   $15.22    Hopefully this will flush everything out
Bungee cords   $6.99    Gotta hold down the tarp
Oil pan gasket   $17.93    Gotta scrape the pan.. Yummy
13/16 deap socket   $4.25    That is for the sparkplugs.. BIG
11/16 deap socket   $4.25    Needed for the crankshaft
Marvles Mystery Oil   $3.70    Hopefully a 1 week piston soak will work
Brake Cleaner   $6.46    Evaporates quick and cut grease
Battery   $63.30    Money well wasted so far?
Car Cover   $12.95    WalMart Special and keeps the wife happy
PB Blaster   $6.58    Soak the pistons another week.
Shop Manual CD   $52.00    Now I actually KNOW what I am doing
Generator Belt     $8.99    
PB Blaster      $4.19    
Cheap Oil   $1.79    Good for soaking bolts in
Degreaser    $2.09    
1/3 Clamp   $2.49    Heater Hose clamps
1/3 Clamp   $2.49    
1/2 Clamp   $2.49    Rad hose clamp set
1/2 Clamp   $2.49    
Upper Rad Hose   $14.09    
Lower rad hose   $15.99    
4 ft heater hose   $0.00    They forgot to charge me?
Starter rebuild   $122.18    so far, it is the prettiest part of the car.
Gasket maker   $7.99    Big sheet and I get to make gaskets myself
Water pump sealer   $2.49    Gasket sealer for the water pump
(SOLD) Sunvisor   ($100.00)   Sun visor in my back seat but, didn't fit my car.
Rotor   $12.99    
Condensor   $8.99    
Distubutor Cap   $14.99    
Points           $5.99    
      
Money Spent   $381.23    
Money Left   $4,618.77    
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

Secret Chimp

What do you expect to work on after the engine gets going?


Quote from: BENZ BOY15 on January 02, 2014, 02:40:13 PM
That's a great local brewery that we have. Do I drink their beer? No.

southdiver1

Quote from: Secret Chimp on October 31, 2007, 07:41:36 PM
What do you expect to work on after the engine gets going?
Well, I still have to get the brakes working and I will take a look at the master cylander this weekend to see whats up.
Also, as soon as the engine actually fires, I fully expect it to blow a hole in the exhaust system so, it will be
1: Brakes
2: Exhaust
3: (if needed) transmission.
Once all of those are in order, I will start on the body work. The interior is in good shape so I am gonna leave that one alone.
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

FoMoJo

"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

southdiver1

Quote from: FoMoJo on November 12, 2007, 11:04:02 AM
Did you get it running yet?

Nope..
Replaced
Dist cap
Rotor
Points
Condensor

Still no spark at all. With the key on, I can get the points to spark so I know that the dist is in good shape. I can't tell if the points are sparking or not when the engine is turning. I will have to do it at night but, the points are opening and closing.
Also, I ordered a new coil and plug/coil wires.
I am gonna feel like a real ass if it was a bad coil wire this whole time....
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

etypeJohn

Quote from: southdiver1 on November 12, 2007, 11:20:50 AM
Nope..
Replaced
Dist cap
Rotor
Points
Condensor

Still no spark at all. With the key on, I can get the points to spark so I know that the dist is in good shape. I can't tell if the points are sparking or not when the engine is turning. I will have to do it at night but, the points are opening and closing.
Also, I ordered a new coil and plug/coil wires.
I am gonna feel like a real ass if it was a bad coil wire this whole time....

Just start checking to make sure youare getting the proper voltages to the coil.  At least you have apparently narrowed it down to the coil and/or plug wires.

Is it getting gas?  Gotta' have three things to run; fuel, spark and compression.

Also, once you get spark be sure to check the timing.  Did you clean up the distributor?  Mechanical advance free and working? Does this think have vacuum advance as well? 

southdiver1

Quote from: etypeJohn on November 13, 2007, 08:11:36 AM
Just start checking to make sure youare getting the proper voltages to the coil.  At least you have apparently narrowed it down to the coil and/or plug wires.

Is it getting gas?  Gotta' have three things to run; fuel, spark and compression.

Also, once you get spark be sure to check the timing.  Did you clean up the distributor?  Mechanical advance free and working? Does this think have vacuum advance as well? 
Well, I didn't check the timing as it was running when it was parked. Because if that, I have no reason to think that the timing became retarded.
I did clean out the dist when I had the rotor and the points out but, I simply used a rag. It didn't look that bad.
It is getting pleanty of fuel. I can the the pump pumping in the glass and the plugs are getting wet. I have the air cleaner off so air is not a problem either.
It does have a vacuum advance on it but to be honest, I have not the slighest idea how this works.
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

FoMoJo

Quote from: southdiver1 on November 14, 2007, 08:28:13 AM
Well, I didn't check the timing as it was running when it was parked. Because if that, I have no reason to think that the timing became retarded.
I did clean out the dist when I had the rotor and the points out but, I simply used a rag. It didn't look that bad.
It is getting pleanty of fuel. I can the the pump pumping in the glass and the plugs are getting wet. I have the air cleaner off so air is not a problem either.
It does have a vacuum advance on it but to be honest, I have not the slighest idea how this works.
I wouldn't imagine the vacuum advance would prevent it from starting. However, once you get it going, you can, likely, tell if it's working okay when you rev up the engine and it sounds okay. 
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

southdiver1

Quote from: FoMoJo on November 14, 2007, 08:43:30 AM
I wouldn't imagine the vacuum advance would prevent it from starting. However, once you get it going, you can, likely, tell if it's working okay when you rev up the engine and it sounds okay. 
Revving the engine would be a treat.
Hell, just getting a cough would be a welcome sound at this point.
Once I get it to idle, even a rough idle, I will be able (should be able) to make adjustments from there.
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

etypeJohn

Quote from: southdiver1 on November 14, 2007, 08:54:26 AM
Revving the engine would be a treat.
Hell, just getting a cough would be a welcome sound at this point.
Once I get it to idle, even a rough idle, I will be able (should be able) to make adjustments from there.

You might want to buy a spray can (or two) of starter fluid.  If you have someone crank the ending while you spray the stuff down the carb and it fires then you know youhave a fuel problem. If it doesn't fire you probably have a spark problem

http://www.sprayproducts.com/starting-fluid.php

Any auto parts store is going to have some brand of the stuff.


I'm really looking forward to a post where you state "Its alive!!!"

southdiver1

The problem is that the plugs are not sparking.
I actually held one in my fingers as a friend turned the car over. Nothing.
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

CJ

Have you replaced the wires and plugs?

southdiver1

Quote from: CJ on November 14, 2007, 05:07:13 PM
Have you replaced the wires and plugs?
No I have not.
The wires appear to be in good condition. I am not feeling any breaks and a visual is not showing any kind of rot or cracks.
I did replace one plug with a brand new one I had laying around and it still gets no spark.
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

Secret Chimp

Quote from: southdiver1 on November 14, 2007, 09:08:54 AM
The problem is that the plugs are not sparking.
I actually held one in my fingers as a friend turned the car over. Nothing.


Dumb question, but you did hold the spark plug against the block so it could ground out (and therefore spark), right?


Quote from: BENZ BOY15 on January 02, 2014, 02:40:13 PM
That's a great local brewery that we have. Do I drink their beer? No.

etypeJohn

Quote from: Secret Chimp on November 15, 2007, 08:20:58 AM

Dumb question, but you did hold the spark plug against the block so it could ground out (and therefore spark), right?

Good question.  I do know that holding on to a plug wire and touching the car will get your attention.  (ask me how I know)


I think you are just going to have to start checking each portion of the wiring.

Is the coil getting the voltage it should. 

if Yes, then is the coil good?  (coils are cheap, replace it)

If the coil is good are the coil and plug leads good?  (This is something that is difficult to tell by sight.  I'd replace them all, you will want to do that anyway, even if it ran.  30-40 year old plug wires are most likely junk.

Replace all the spark plugs.  You are going to do this anyway so do it now. 

southdiver1

Quote from: etypeJohn on November 15, 2007, 08:47:15 AM
Good question.  I do know that holding on to a plug wire and touching the car will get your attention.  (ask me how I know)


I think you are just going to have to start checking each portion of the wiring.

Is the coil getting the voltage it should. 

if Yes, then is the coil good?  (coils are cheap, replace it)

If the coil is good are the coil and plug leads good?  (This is something that is difficult to tell by sight.  I'd replace them all, you will want to do that anyway, even if it ran.  30-40 year old plug wires are most likely junk.

Replace all the spark plugs.  You are going to do this anyway so do it now. 
Well, I did hold the plug to the block but saw and heard nothing.
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

southdiver1

OK.. I have replaced:
coil
dist cap
rotor
points (and I think I adjusted them correctly)
Condensor.

I am getting spark to the plugs. I am getting fuel to the plugs.

The car turns over strong. It starts to cough and spit and sometimes a little flame will backfire out of the carb.
She STILL won't start.
Suggestions?
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

FoMoJo

Quote from: southdiver1 on November 19, 2007, 06:53:18 AM
OK.. I have replaced:
coil
dist cap
rotor
points (and I think I adjusted them correctly)
Condensor.

I am getting spark to the plugs. I am getting fuel to the plugs.

The car turns over strong. It starts to cough and spit and sometimes a little flame will backfire out of the carb.
She STILL won't start.
Suggestions?
Could be the plugs are just getting too wet.

Spark to the plugs is certainly a good sign.  However, to be sure you're spark is strong enough, it wouldn't hurt to put in new plugs as well as wires...the wire might be bleeding a lot of current.  I wouldn't imagine the timing would be out of wack so, if new plugs and wires don't get it going, maybe a carburettor rebuild would be the next consideration.

Good luck!
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

Morris Minor

#142
Quote from: southdiver1 on November 19, 2007, 06:53:18 AM
Suggestions?
Check the timing
Check the plug leads are hooked up in the correct order.
I'd replace the plug leads if you haven't already

I don't knoiw the specifics of your car, but a quick Google search revealed this:
http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/491.cfm
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

southdiver1

Money To Spend   $5,000.00    
      
Oil Filter   $14.05    Cheap filter for initial change
Oil Filter   $31.00    good filter for royal purple
Oil Catch   $9.83    Need to drain the oil at home
Seafoam   $15.22    Hopefully this will flush everything out
Bungee cords   $6.99    Gotta hold down the tarp
Oil pan gasket   $17.93    Gotta scrape the pan.. Yummy
13/16 deap socket   $4.25    That is for the sparkplugs.. BIG
11/16 deap socket   $4.25    Needed for the crankshaft
Marvles Mystery Oil   $3.70    Hopefully a 1 week piston soak will work
Brake Cleaner   $6.46    Evaporates quick and cut grease
Battery   $63.30    Money well wasted so far?
Car Cover   $12.95    WalMart Special and keeps the wife happy
PB Blaster   $6.58    Soak the pistons another week.
Shop Manual CD   $52.00    Now I actually KNOW what I am doing
Generator Belt     $8.99    
PB Blaster      $4.19    
Cheap Oil   $1.79    Good for soaking bolts in
Degreaser    $2.09    
1/3 Clamp   $2.49    Heater Hose clamps
1/3 Clamp   $2.49    
1/2 Clamp   $2.49    Rad hose clamp set
1/2 Clamp   $2.49    
Upper Rad Hose   $14.09    
Lower rad hose   $15.99    
4 ft heater hose   $0.00    They forgot to charge me?
Starter rebuild   $122.18    so far, it is the prettiest part of the car.
Gasket maker   $7.99    Big sheet and I get to make gaskets myself
Water pump sealer   $2.49    Gasket sealer for the water pump
(SOLD) Sunvisor   ($120.00)   Sun visor in my back seat but, didn't fit my car.
Rotor   $12.99    
Condensor   $8.99    
Distubutor Cap   $14.99    
Points   $5.99    
Coil   $12.95    
Feeler gauge   $6.50    To adjust the points
      
Money Spent   $380.68    
Money Left   $4,619.32    


Also, I am planning on using Laquer paint and a roller to paint the car in order to stay with my "how cheap can I get" theme.
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

southdiver1

OK...
Four days straight of screwing with this 331 and I am finished.
My mind is made up. I am going with a 472 swap.
The hood will come off within the next few weeks and the 331 will get yanked.
While it is out, I will acid wash the engine bay and spray it black with LOTS of clearcoat.  Basically, I will clean up as much as I can while I have the opportunity.
Also, the hood will get baking soda blasted.
The underside will get the heat paint treatment and the outside will get primer/sealer.
I have wasted too much time on this 331.
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

Big Dog

Quote from: southdiver1 on November 26, 2007, 08:18:18 AM
OK...
Four days straight of screwing with this 331 and I am finished.
My mind is made up. I am going with a 472 swap.
The hood will come off within the next few weeks and the 331 will get yanked.
While it is out, I will acid wash the engine bay and spray it black with LOTS of clearcoat.  Basically, I will clean up as much as I can while I have the opportunity.
Also, the hood will get baking soda blasted.
The underside will get the heat paint treatment and the outside will get primer/sealer.
I have wasted too much time on this 331.

Before you do that if you haven't done so already, check the compression.  This is to verify you have no stuck valves.  While you are at it check and see if all 8 plugs are firing.  If they are not firing replace the plug wires and plugs.  The backfiring and wanting to start sounds a lot like timing.  You can check the timing with out the engine running.  Have someone turning the engine over with the ignition while you check the timing.

All of that should take a couple of hours at the most.

Soup DeVille

Also remember that caddilacs have a different timing pattern than other engines, and 331s may be different still.
Maybe we need to start off small. I mean, they don't let you fuck the glumpers at Glumpees without a level 4 FuckPass, do they?

1975 Honda CB750, 1986 Rebel Rascal (sailing dinghy), 2015 Mini Cooper, 2020 Winnebago 31H (E450), 2021 Toyota 4Runner, 2022 Lincoln Aviator

southdiver1

Well, I was able to score a book on this car.
According to the book, my wires were all screwed up however, I was pretty frustrated at the time so it is possible that I screwed it up more.
According to what I found online, my pistons are as follows:

7 8
5 6
3 4
1 2
Firing Order: 18436572 (front to rear: Right bank 2-4-6-8, left bank 1-3-5-7)
So I took this to mean that, if standing at the front of the car, piston # 2 is at the front right.
Also, the book showed me the firing order of the cap so I ran the wires according to the book.
(sigh)
I came into this world kicking, screaming, pissed off, and covered in someone elses blood.
If I do it right, I will leave this world in the same condition.

Morris Minor

That's right, & agrees with the specs as detailed in the link in my previous post. If the thing was coughing, farting & spitting flames, it's a good sign that the plug leads were mixed up.

Keep whittling away!
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

etypejohn