Cadillac Owners Forum banner

Help - 1993 Eldorado needs new engine

8K views 71 replies 14 participants last post by  93 L-Dawg 
#1 ·
I bought my Lac once it started, picked it up 6months later. Lost my job in the new year of 12. Bought a battery and it wouldn't start again.
I need a engine. Vin 9 touring coupe 93,
I'm in Austin Tx, I found a 99 STS with the same Vin, what would I need to do in order to make that Engine work in my car? What years can I get this engine from then?

Austin does not know much about this car but when I say Cadillac,it's No were not working on that car. I'm org from MI,
So I know about these cars and the prev owners didn't take care of the engine.
Head gasket problem and they drove it with Water in it. Found out once I drained the fluids out of it.

200 for the engine if that 99 Seville STS will work.
Please Help me out, I'm tired of calling my old state for help!!!!
 
#38 ·
2nd my valve cover won't come off, do I need to take the Pulley off of it?
The water pump drive pulley is TIGHTLY pressed onto the left bank intake cam extension. You need special puller/installer to work with it.

You desperately need a GM service manual. There's just too much in the way of special procedures to do this job blind.

Your two question/answer posts on heads/gaskets/studs from another thread have been moved to this one.
 
#32 ·
Different issue, I have it jacked up and it's not high enough to clear the engine once I drop it unto the dolly. What can I do or use in order to raise my car up more???? I don't want to pay a shop to drop the motor and ALL I have is the bolts and bam it drops out.:)

I'm ready to dig in to my block and see how bad the heads are and stuff.

I found a Guy here in Austin that would do my Stud kit for 300 once I'm able to order it.

His Caddy is still running fine to this day.
 
#33 ·
I've been looking around in this Head Gasket forum trying to figure out which way should I go with this car. I just learned that I could do a time insets??? Instead of doing the stud kit?

Can any one Mc somebody help me out. This is going to be my first Head Gasket job. I know it's time consuming but some help would be good for me right now, I would ask my dad for help but he's dead :(. I know that I haft to buy a Head Gasket kit for it and both orileys and Auto zone and Napa haft to order the kit.

Should I do a Block test on my engine before I do anything to it?? I don't know the history of this car sense it was suppose to have a tranny Issue and it does not have one.
Ty guys for the help
 
#34 ·
stoveguyy said:
What does your shop do to OHC heads? Pull cams? Inspect cam follower surfaces for wear? Measure cam lobes for wear? Remove valve springs to check guide wear and measure valve stems for wear?
I know that you said a Dolly. Been siting here looking at my car and I feel as if its prob better that I take the engine out from the Top? I still need to remove the steering and I don't know how to locate it so I won't mess it up like other people have. Feed back please?
 
#36 ·
Removing the engine from the top is generally considered more difficult by those who have done it.

If you need to lift the car higher to get the drivetrain out, rent an engine puller and lift it by the radiator support. There is a picture of that operation somewhere in the archives.
 
#37 ·
Uh, jacked up? How u doing this? U should use a cherry picker. U lower the subframe onto the Dolly's. Than u lift the car with the cherry picker. U are not lifting motor/trans/subframe. But once u start this u see the legs of the cherry picker are now under the subframe. So there is an interference issue. I ran into this when I used cherry picker to hold motor so I could drop subframe to pull trans. Picker legs were in the way of jacks I used to lower subframe. I should have got a motor support bracket. Only $60 at harbor. But u need to lift car. Different issue.
 
#39 ·
Submariner409 said:
The water pump drive pulley is TIGHTLY pressed onto the left bank intake cam extension. You need special puller/installer to work with it.

You desperately need a GM service manual. There's just too much in the way of special procedures to do this job blind.

Your two question/answer posts on heads/gaskets/studs from another thread have been moved to this one.
Ty sub, I thought I was crazy or something,
Well I have chiltions book. So far I've gotten good with it.
I just noticed with the stands under it, it's not high enough to drop it out of the car.

I've pretty much have taken every thing off of it.

Heads are concerned, I found water in the oil and that's a head Gasket job.

I herd that I could do the time insets instead.
I wanna do it right the first time.

I feel like a sucker at times, I started it up even tho it barley started. I was ok with that.

6 months later it wouldn't turn over at all.
Here I am now just trying to get it back to normal.
 
#40 ·
Before someone else says it --- The Chilton is far, far too generic for your car., Find a real GM/Helm service manual. eBay or www.helminc.com. Megabucks now, or consider subscribing the car to www.alldatadiy.com. A multiple year subscription is less than a tank of gas and you get a LOT more than just the GM manuals.

Most engine drops out the bottom see the entire front of the car lifted with a 3 ton engine cherrypicker, using the radiator crossbrace. Drop the entire cradle/powertrain onto a pallet jack and roll it out. Lower the front onto jackstands for the duration.
 
#41 ·
Submariner409 said:
Before someone else says it --- The Chilton is far, far too generic for your car., Find a real GM/Helm service manual. eBay or www.helminc.com. Megabucks now, or consider subscribing the car to www.alldatadiy.com. A multiple year subscription is less than a tank of gas and you get a LOT more than just the GM manuals.

Most engine drops out the bottom see the entire front of the car lifted with a 3 ton engine cherrypicker, using the radiator crossbrace. Drop the entire cradle/powertrain onto a pallet jack and roll it out. Lower the front onto jackstands for the duration.
Lmao Sub,Ty man, where can I get a pallet jack at? I was gonna buy a dolly and I'm try to rent a cherry picker, some one else said to use a tranny jack??? I'm gonna look it up.
 
#43 ·
stoveguyy said:
U can jack up car, lower subframe and than pull trans. That works for driveway trans job. But not so much for motor drop. Not sure of your motor lowering plan

Drop the hole power assem from the bottom. I've found a cherry picker on yesterday. Success Guys!!! I went to harbor fright and they have those wheel dollies, Going to drop the power assem unto that.

Am I missing something else????
 
#44 ·
I did mine in my driveway as well. It sucked but got it done. To get the car up I maxed out the jack, set 6 ton jackstands under it (weights not an issue, just taller) and put the jack on top of a block and did it again. If you do this be extremely careful as you jack it up because the jack won't move with the car as it goes up. Set it back on the stands if the block starts to tip or anything and reposition. When lowereing the cradle I placed my motorcycle jack on the rear end as a caster and my 3 ton jack on the front. When I was installing I put the wheels back so I can push on them. Wish I would have tried this for removal as well. Sometimes you have to work with what you got and think like a farmer!
 
#45 ·
Up Date, I've gotten the GM repair manual for my car. I can't seem to find the page were it talks about removing the power assembly and the cradle???

Transmission any one know if the 93 L-Dawg has the t80 tranny or is it the t60e? Ty guys.

Happy my car was made in my MI plant :) yay I have a piece of MI History!!!
 
#48 ·
As for the starter, yes, only two bolts, and it should fall out. Since you said the engine's 'locked up', maybe the starter's drive is binding on the flywheel. Still, it should just wiggle out.
Tranny is a 4T80.
Removal of the cradle is not (I don't think) in the shop manual, but should be common sense what has to be disconnected.
 
#49 ·
Harry Yarnell said:
As for the starter, yes, only two bolts, and it should fall out. Since you said the engine's 'locked up', maybe the starter's drive is binding on the flywheel. Still, it should just wiggle out.
Tranny is a 4T80.
Removal of the cradle is not (I don't think) in the shop manual, but should be common sense what has to be disconnected.
Ty Harry, it's the org Starter, lol but I'll get it out, may tap on it cause it didn't wiggle out at all.

Reason I asked because I couldn't find the transmission listed in the book. Yea the cradle is common sense. I'm just glad that I have it ready to come out :)

I just waiting for my boy to get his hands on that cherry picker. I want to take it to the machine shop and see if they can get her back to running :) I am replacing the oil pump and stuff. If your gonna do it then do it right!!! I plan on keeping my car. Unless I get married and have a kid again!!!! Not gonna happen.
I'm a Caddy Man!
 
#51 ·
Head bolts will only be useful if youre using Normserts..the bolt holes themselves need to be drilled and retapped for either studs or serts nothing else, this isnt a small task by any means..
 
#52 ·
vincentm said:
Head bolts will only be useful if youre using Normserts..the bolt holes themselves need to be drilled and retapped for either studs or serts nothing else, this isnt a small task by any means..

Buy the head gasket kit right? Then the head bolts studs? I have a guy that will do it. Shoot I'm not able to do that.

Sense I lost my job, I do nothing right now to my car. Engine is still in the car, minus I've taken it apart drop the cradle and I haven't located a engine hoist yet.
 
#53 · (Edited)
I see that you're in the middle of repairing you Eldorado.....

I see that you're dropping the cradle........

A word of advice.

If working WITHOUT a lift......don't even think of dropping a cradle.

Between raising the car high enough for the engine/trans to clear AND that's high enough for you to slide it out with a dolly or pallet jack. Removing brake hoses, disconnecting the ebcm, disconnecting the steering rack, locking the steering wheel in position so you don't ruin the clock spring, possibly removing the sub frame with the struts still attached, disconnecting the harness that runs over the transmission, (wait till you have to put it back....), then loosening the exhaust system, removal of the rear flex pipe, coolant hoses/ pipes and the best part the wiring harness from inside the car on the passenger side comes through the firewall.

Yes, the cradle drop sounds nice because it's the FACTORY way because at the FACTORY/DEALERSHIP they usually have lifts and the necessary dollies and such to deal with this sort of thing AND the dealership/factory is going to do this multiple times because THEY have to service the vehicle. How many times are you planning to service head gaskets? Are you going to buy a pallet jack for one time use? 6 ton jack stands and everything associated for "occasional" use?

OR........ raise the vehicle high enough to loosen the torque converter bolts, remove the brackets holding the trans to the engine, the front motor mount, and everything else associated to the removal of just the engine. Remove the engine and work on the engine.

After you drop that sub frame, you STILL have to now breakdown the motor?!


I can't even imagine putting the cradle back in without a lift to lower it a little at a time to make sure you don't damage anything. Heaven forbid you cut or pinch a wire, can you say electrical nightmare?

If the struts came out with the cradle, I hope you have at least one buddy hanging around to help you guide them back into the body.

I've removed these engines BOTH ways practically by myself.

Dropping the sub frame will be an option when there is no other option.

Since you have yourself lined up for the cradle drop, you have a bit of work cut out for you either way.

If you're going through all of this, I hope you are planning to use studs.

I wish you the best of luck and hope you return your car to the road soon.
 
#54 · (Edited by Moderator)
You are so right!!! Sense I couldn't locate a rental shop for the engine host yet. The engine is sitting in the car. All I've done is taken off all the wires going to the engine and all the horses. Coil pack has been taken off as well. Left and right motor mounts are off.

Sense I can't get my hands on any lift. I'm kinda stuck.

It would make better sense to me if I could pull the motor from the top wouldn't it?

Your help would be very grateful.
I spoke with a guy here in Austin and he said that it would be better if I just rebuilt mines instead of buying one from a junk yard.


Only junk yards that have the right motor are way out side of Austin,Tx and the shipping is 3 to 400 extra on top of what I'm paying for the engine and I can't inspect it until I get it.

To many risk.
Ty for your help
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top