QuestionHI
My name is Nathan Harris and I live in Fairbanks Alaska. I currently bought a 1962 Cadillac sedan in November of 07. The car is ion good shape form what I can tell. From what i am told this car had a engine rebuild was driven for 2000 mile and then sat in a parking lot for about 2 - 2 1/2 years until I came around. It took some work to get it running but 2 hour later I drove it out and and it sits in my gradge at home. Now I have a two part Question. My first its why every time I start this car up I MUST use starting fluid to get it running every time. although if it has ben running for a good 15 -30min if I shut it off i can normal crank it back up no problem yet if it sits then I have to resort back to starting fluid which I normal use WD 40. I had herd its better for your engine. I have also changed the oil sparkeplugs and wires since I have had this car. Second Question, each time i try to fire up the engine the batter appears to die exceedingly fast. Normally on my fully charged brand new batter it tacks about 4 10 second cranks to nearly kill the batter. Now after the start wont turn over the engine normal about the 4th time i can trun on all my lights which happen to work yet the starter still wont turn over even with a batter charger connected. The only thing I can do is let it sit or about 15 - 20 min and then it has some juice to turn it over but I still normally have about 4 cranks. Any thing you could tell me would be greatly appresheat.
AnswerHi Nathan:
I had to read your e-mail twice. I wanted to understand if you had reconditioned the Caddy before you put in back in use. Just starting a 62 Caddy after sitting for 2 1/2 years, can be harmful to the engine and other key components of the vehicle. When a car is going to be out of commission for that long, one or two things should happen... Either it should have been prep for storage or Reconditioned for use.
It sounds like it was not prep for storage, so the question is, did you recondition it for use? That means everything that have Liquid in it should be dumped and replaced. Oil, Transmission, Gas Tank, Brakes, Power Steering, Radiator, etc. Especially in your neck of the woods. Also a special high octane gas additive should be used in Fairbanks, Alaska.
My first suggestion (if you have not already done so) is to dump and clean the gas tank. That could be your immediate problem. But I would certainly flush all the fluid lines and change all the fluids.
Also, you could have some bad/worn parts, but first change all the filters as well. Air Filter, Oil Filter, Fuel Filter and Transmission filter. This is the cheapest way to find the problem. Once you have done these things (which should be done anyway), she how she drives. Many problems maybe solved with this process.
Remember, she is a 62 Caddy, and unless you have maintenance records, you Just have to listen to her while you drive, so she can tell you what's wrong with her. She have the best engine and transmission ever built, so you are ahead of the game there. Don't know why the engine was rebuilt unless it was mistreated.
Hope this helps.
