1988 Cadillac Brougham

[Josh B]

I had a big 4 door 1970 Olds 98 with a 455 in the mid-late 80s and I couldn't stay out of trouble in that thing. Every time I'd turn around was getting speeding tickets

 

[scotts90ranger]

With small blocks it's cam bearings that go first unless something else just happens, but yeah, the SBC isn't known for their high oil pressure at idle

 

[Blmpkn]

Decided to mess with this, super half-assed, since I had some time to kill today.


Connected the battery back up and it didn't want to start. Sprayed it to life.. feathered the throttle for a few minutes until it would idle.. and moved the Bronco out of the way so I could take it on a (responsibly) sketchy drive down the road.

As soon as I put it in gear, stalled.

Sprayed it alive again, kept on the gas a bit, threw er in D and spun my way outta the dirt driveway lol.

Died again once I stopped at the end of my road... more spray... back to the house.

Kept making "laps" like that for a half hour or so... and it no longer stalls in gear while stopped and it's running quite a bit smoother.

Dumped the rest of the bottle of MMO in the crankcase and the gas tank.. stuff kinda smells like old dip spit doesn't it?


Taking a poo break right now while she cools off... gonna go see If it'll start on its own in a minute.

 

[RobbieD]

Dumped the rest of the bottle of MMO in the crankcase and the gas tank.. stuff kinda smells like old dip spit doesn't it?


Taking a poo break right now while she cools off

Just a whiff of MMO can really loosen things up. Good stuff.

 

[Blmpkn]

Finally got around to hooking up a real oil pressure guage, and the results were not what I was expecting lol.. they do make me happy though.

Cold idle

& after running long enough to smoke a butt and wash my hands.

Then one of the heater core hoses sprung a leak


Big thing is.. now that I know it makes good pressure Im willing to either clean or get a rebuilt carb for it and continue with the tinkering! Hoping at this point that I can just make it a decent low-buck winter beater and save the Bronco from all the abuse winter thrusts upon vehicles.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I say you graft a camper on it... and just learn to live tiny.

Think of all the fun you'll have!

 

[Blmpkn]

I say you graft a camper on it... and just learn to live tiny.

Think of all the fun you'll have!

I won't rule it out.. yet.


The amount of oil pressure has eased my mind over the health of the motor.. so I decided to splurge (take the easy way out) and buy it a reman Edelbrock 1406.

The factory carb is computer controlled and the engine is absolutely covered with spaghetti relating to said carbputer.. we're gonna just get rid of all that crap. The whole stupid smog pump air injection setup is gonna go.. gonna ditch the a/c.. gonna ditch the cruise control which probably didn't work anyways.. alternator and PS pump will be all thats left. Will need to install a vacuum advance distributor.. no biggie.

All the factory bits will be boxed up for possible future use.

 

[bilbo]

I know you already said it, but save all the stuff you take off. After messing with AC a little bit on one of my other trucks and learning it’s not rocket appliances I am really kicking myself for tossing all the bracketry and whatnot for my Ranger’s AC when I moved. For a few hundred dollars I am fairly confident I could have restored its function.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I know you already said it, but save all the stuff you take off. After messing with AC a little bit on one of my other trucks and learning it’s not rocket appliances I am really kicking myself for tossing all the bracketry and whatnot for my Ranger’s AC when I moved. For a few hundred dollars I am fairly confident I could have restored its function.

I added cruise and A/C to my truck, granted the thing is a hodge podge but it was a lot of work rounding up all the bits to make both work.

Really I wouldn't be in a huge hurry to delete either off of a rig I am going to drive much.

 

[Blmpkn]

I added cruise and A/C to my truck, grated the thing is a hodge podge but it was a lot of work rounding up all the bits to make both work.

Really I wouldn't be in a huge hurry to delete either off of a rig I am going to drive much.

I love the fact that you added cruise and AC to your truck.. it being motor swapped made it super impressive imo.

I'm only on highways long enough where I use cruise like.. twice a year lol.. and if I'm just gonna run this as a winter beater than I can do without the a/c too I'm alright with ditching them. Like I said.. I'll be toting up the parts for preservation at the very least.

 

[Blmpkn]

Old cars are EASY to work on, they said..


There's SO MUCH ROOM in the engine bay, they said..


I swear. There's more hoses and wires draped over this damn motor than a 6cyl ecoboost -__- idk how a guy could even change the plugs without removing all sorts of crap lol.


Started the de-spaghettification.. even though it's WAY too hot.. got a good bit done.

A/C compressor and most of the rest of the system is gone.. most of the smog crap is out of there.. not much left of the cruise system.. aahhhh progress.

Hopefully I can find the time & energy to get the rest of the crap ripped out before the new carb comes in. I'll order a vacuum advance distributor on Friday.

 

[Blmpkn]

Ah.. forgot.. sun drunk..

Things of note: I don't think there's a single rubber line in the engine bay that's not dry rotted and cracked all to hell lol... this is partly why I made the decision to ditch the computer carb setup & emissions nonsense. I still have to replace every single hose of course... buuut this way it'll only be like 10 feet of hose... and not 110 feet of hose in 4 different diameters lol. I really don't think 110 feet is an exaggeration either I'll pile all the old hose up and measure it when I'm finished.

Also.. I don't believe the accelerator pump functions.. pumping on the gas when its off to prime it doesn't squirt any gas into the motor. That would probably explain the wicked stumble as soon as throttle is applied.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

That would probably explain the wicked stumble as soon as throttle is applied.

No, that's just GM.

 

[sgtsandman]

View attachment 94690

Old cars are EASY to work on, they said..


There's SO MUCH ROOM in the engine bay, they said..


I swear. There's more hoses and wires draped over this damn motor than a 6cyl ecoboost -__- idk how a guy could even change the plugs without removing all sorts of crap lol.


Started the de-spaghettification.. even though it's WAY too hot.. got a good bit done.

A/C compressor and most of the rest of the system is gone.. most of the smog crap is out of there.. not much left of the cruise system.. aahhhh progress.

Hopefully I can find the time & energy to get the rest of the crap ripped out before the new carb comes in. I'll order a vacuum advance distributor on Friday.

Welcome to the wonderfull world of 1980s emission and vacuum control! Little hoses EVERYWHERE!

 

[Blmpkn]

No, that's just GM.

Hey now.. blame Rochester lol.

Welcome to the wonderfull world of 1980s emission and vacuum control! Little hoses EVERYWHERE!

I never knew so many hoses could fit under one hood lol