Questioni have a 1983 cadillac eldorado with ht4100 v8 250hp motor.
car had been running fine. one day the problem started.
car will turn over but not start unless i spray starting fluid into fuel injected carb. if i continue to do this car seem to try to run fine. i have replace fuel pump, fuel filter, cap, rotor, plugs, map sensor, tps sensor, air and temp sensors, air filter, rebult the fuel injectors..lastly i ran a code test.
codes came up code 27 & 35. i replace the tps sensor and have not ran another test after that. codes were for tps and barometric sensors. next step is to change that out. but it seems like i am not getting enough fuel..i recentley went to junk yard and got a used carb with tps and idle speed sensor (was cheap). car ran smoother but still same problem remained..i replaced the tps after this. i just dont think the barometric sensor is the problem... can it be the ECM computer?? any thoughts or experience with these troubled cars would be most appreciated...i have dropped alot of money in this car. have been trying to fix it for my dad.. he loves this car.
thanks Raul
AnswerHello,
NEVER,NEVER,NEVER use starting fluid on this aluminum engine!!! You can literrally blow a cylinder head off. Starting fluid is not meant for gas engines (especially aluminum gas engines). Starting fluid is meant only for a non-gasoline engine, and these idiots put it right up from in the parts store for anyone to buy!
Your fuel injected carb is known as TBI (Throttle Body Injection). Sounds like you are doing lots of guess work and wasting money.
This car has a very primitive computer system. GM first started using computers in the last half of 1980.
They are difficult to diagnose and your experience with this baby is working on them new. I love the cars, but the computer diagnostics back then sucked! One bad sensor may set off more codes indicating other sensors-a cascading effect, even though they were not bad at all!
OK, when you are testing this next time, use a spray bottle with gasoline. Don't use starter fluid.
I am wondering if you have a bad ECM (Behind passenger kick panel). Don't like guess work, but you have changed everything in the fuel system and the injectors and TBI are controlled by ECM (Which to make you feel even worse could have been the cause for your codes as well.)
Make sure you don't have a massive vacuum leak too. Power brake vac hose could be broken-check it as well, not that I think that is your problem, but check it anyway.
See if you can get the ECM out of that car you got the TBI for $25. Easy to change--10 min at most.
I have owned over 20 Caddys and my favorites were the Eldo/Seville 1981-1985, but 81 4-6-8- 368 CI was much better engine where a much better engine when you disconnected the one wire so it ran on 8 all the time. The power was tremendous compare to the 4.1, however sucked lots of gas compared to 4.1. You could over heat the 368 cast iron and have no problems, but from 82 forward, people thought they could run the 4.1 with the hot light on (by then it was too late (because the aluminum engine literally meltsand self destructs. 4.1 either came with a wrist pin knock or didn't. Never hurt it, but was annoying. Good engine though, but got a bad rap for those issues mentioned.
My 83 Maroon with a red/white interior and common lacquer checkering (crazing) to the paint, I had to let go for $500 with 70K original, with many other toys for my move from WI to TX. It sucked, but was not going to make two trips. I did however trailer down my Jet black 50K mile Allante convert with the 4.1. One of the best cars I ever owned! Fast, handled great and never a problem. It just would not pull my pontoon or I would still have it.
I was also single at the time--Chick magnet!
I will help you get this car running.
My other 83' Eldo Biaritz I had the paint stripped. Repainted it jet black and I will tell you, that the shine on it was so deep and beautiful. When everyone was doing gold, I went silver trues-Vogues and with all the stainless including the high top grille, that car caught all the looks. Loaded with the SS biaritz top, moon roof, digital dash, 50K original, Black padded top. I found I was afraid to drive it anywhere. Ex fixed that though--In stead of driving her brand new Firebird convertible one night and I was out of town, she knew she was not allowed to touch that. She could drive hers, the Trans Am or the Vette, but never the Eldo. She took it out with her girl friend, partied and smashed my Eldo up!!!
I don't know what I wanted to do more-cry or kill her! That was the last Caddy I ever restored.
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