Which Engine Is Worse???

[Rick Biarritz]

Looking at an 81 Eldo Biarritz on E-Bay (check her out -- she's GORGEOUS!!!).  Equipped with the 4-6-8 engine.  Is that better or worse than the dreaded 4100?  Have I just kicked a hornet's nest?  Hmmm. 

[Otto Skorzeny]

Are you thinking of getting another one?

If proper parts can't be found to make the 4-6-8 feature work properly, it can be disabled to run the engine as a conventional V8 without all the fuss and worry of an HT4100.  So I 'd have to say it's better. It certainly can't be worse.

[Rick Biarritz]

Are you thinking of getting another one?

If proper parts can't be found to make the 4-6-8 feature work properly, it can be disabled to run the engine as a conventional V8 without all the fuss and worry of an HT4100.  So I 'd have to say it's better. It certainly can't be worse.

I'm toying with the idea of ditching Eldo Number 1 and getting another one, if I get this big promotion that's in the works.  I like to think that I never treat myself unless I have a REALLY good reason. 

[Otto Skorzeny]

Not to give you too much grief but doesn't the real reason boil down to one word?   HT4100

[Rick Biarritz]

Not to give you too much grief but doesn't the real reason boil down to one word?   HT4100

Not quite.  Thus far, the engine has given me no trouble.  It boils down to this...  if I paint the one I have and address the other little things, I'll have X amount of dollars into it.  I can spend X on another car that's (as far as I can tell) ready to go, AND has 50K miles as opposed to 90K miles. 

[Otto Skorzeny]

I was just teasing you Rick. You've done a lot of work on the car you currently have. It seems like it's in pretty good shape overall. It does boil down to how much you're wiling to do and spend with either car or any other car for that mater. 

If the HT4100 takes a dump the day after you get it back from the paint shop what would you do? Could you bring yourself to junk the whole car? Would you spend more money to have the engine replaced?

These questions aren't limited to the HT4100 equipped cars by any means but they are questions that are more likely to come up with these cars. If you really like the car you have now, go for it. If any Eldorado with that body style makes you happy and you're starting with two cars of  equal condition, I'd choose the 8-6-4 to dump money in.

[Rick Biarritz]

Yeah, these are the questions one must ask oneself.  I look at that sweetie on E-Bay, and I love it.  But...  I could get it home and maybe the tranny goes, and then it turns out the one I have is the best bet.  If I get my promotion, I'll probably keep the one I have, but you never know.  You should check that car out, by the way.  He got it painted at the dealership and tells me it was $5,500. 

[Otto Skorzeny]

That is beautiful even though I've never been a big fan of red.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Absolutely-stunning-and-very-mint-1981-Biarritz_W0QQitemZ150423698285QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item2305f37b6d

Of course you could buy the other one for $300!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CADILLAC-ELDORADO-1981_W0QQitemZ170458296580QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item27b01b3104

[76eldo]

I would take the 368 engine over the HT4100.

I did this a few years ago and spent big bucks on a 1980 Eldorado convertible (Hess and Eisenhardt) conversion.

The HT4100 has the OD trans, better fuel economy, but as Otto said, the engine can go in an instant.

The 81's do have the V-8-6-4, but that can be disabled if not working properly.

We are both fans of the 79-85 body style Eldorados.  It's really a shame that Cadillac used this engine in such a nice car from 82 to 85.

Good luck,

Brian

[Otto Skorzeny]

After thinking about this a little more and looking at the ebay car, I think you should sell your current car and buy the ebay car.

Even if, as you said, the transmission fails, that's something that could be taken car of locally and relatively cheaply. You would be hard pressed to find a local shop that would be even be willing to take on a rebuild of an HT4100. If you did, I wouldn't be so sure that they would be able to do it correctly with all of the improvements GM incorporated in the later engines and rebuilds.

You're going to be in the hole financially with any collector car you own. You might as well start with the best example that requires the least amount of work right now and is likely to require the least amount of work in the future. The paint job you're contemplating for your existing car will cost a minimum of $5000.

I think the ebay car is the car to buy and keep. Sell the one you have.

[TJ Hopland]

The 368 8-6-4 is the same as the 472-500-425 on the outside so there are all sorts of options for swaps if you were thinking along those lines.   Inside its a all cast iron pushrod motor (with a couple solenoids added to the rocker arms) that is fairly overbuilt for its actual power.    The 8-6-4 part can be disabled by removing one wire from the transmission if its not working or bothers you.  There are other ways but they can lead to problems.   The special valve covers were known to be leaky when they were new.  You could remove the special rockers and install standard ones if you could find them. The rockers on a 368 were stud mounted like a chevy, not the T pedestal of its larger relatives.  Not sure if they were the same as other GM's my guess would be they would match something.  Other than those bits the only other thing I have read is being a very early TBI some of the sensors were one year only and hard to find.  I have been told that many places list them but when it comes time to buy they either dont have them or send the wrong part. 

[Otto Skorzeny]

Wow TJ, that must be one of those "free range" 368s!

[TJ Hopland]

Yes its a 'green' engine. 

Its not mine, its just a pic I had found when I was working with a guy that modded the system to work on a 500 that he put in a Fiero.