Big problem on my Hydramatic (Eldorado 73)

[pablocadi]

It´s been one of the sadest days in my life. I think I will have to rebuild my automatic transmission, or buy a rebuilt one...someone knows any Hydramatic specialist to get in touch with?

Thks and brgds in advance

[Loveldos]

On my '71 Eldorado Convertible with 50,000 original miles, I began to experience excessive transmission fluid leakage. My lower pan had been dented by something in the road, through the years. The new ones are available, as these are still made for the GMC Motor Homes. I had my transmission completely rebuilt at a local transmission shop (Pennsylvania) using the new pan assembly. It does not leak anything now, and the performance has been greatly improved, with shifts barely perceptible. I'm sorry this saddens you so much! Other than cost, it was a nice improvement to the mechanics of my car. Good luck!

P.S.--You might try the Message Board at the Cadillac-LaSalle Club for a recommendation. Here is a link: http://www.cadillaclasalleclub.org/

[pablocadi]

Many thanks Loveldos for your info. I´ve found a couple of shops specialized in automatic transmissions in Madrid Spain. This gives me some hope about the future of my Eldo...
You´re right, I have to think on it as an improvement on the car´s condition -investment- instead of a cost...

I will check the Lasalle pages for more info.

;-)

[johnny kannapo]

You mention no symtoms or defects????? these are very robust transmissions and simple & easily repaired by todays standards. problems could be minor but you don't mention any problem. whats up with it????

[pablocadi]

Well I will try to make it as short as possible:

a week ago after driving the eldo on a winding and mountain road, I saw a white smoke in the engine compartment. Opened the hood, and some plastic parts were in fire. It was plenty of transmission oil spilled around it. It seems that it was spilled from the purge valve at the transmission at a very high temperature. I also saw a lot of transmission oil on the road.

Actually I was in this road because I was going to a friend´s garage to replace the transmission oil. At his garage we drained the oil from the tranmission, opened the oil pan, changed the gasket, refilled the transmission, made a 10 minutes driving test, and I went back home (1 hr driving on the uphills and downhills).
Some white smoke again, stopped once, drove carefully, and I finally parked the car at his place. No oil leakege traces by this time. Next day I did a short driving test; 10 minutes barely, more white smoke, oil leakage on the street and a very ugly noise from the transmission, a sound like metallic parts moving inside the transmission...I park the eldo and looked down it...the ground was plenty of tranmission oil, it was leaking from the pan...that´s the end.

Before all this happened I had some previous syntoms that pointed at a dameged transmission: the car jerked when I shifted to R gear, there was also a rumble on the tranmission previous to the disaster: that´s why I was to change the transmission oil. When checking the dipstick, the fluid was black and dirty. After the fire there was also metal-like particles in the fluid at the dipstick.

...this is it! This week I hope I will bring the car to an specialist who will restore the transmission and will be like driving a new eldo!!!

thks for your interest guys! I hope that this would help to prevent this situation to anyone who experiences similar syntoms in his car...

let you know more after the restoration ;-)