My New Project: 1956 Cadillac Sedan Deville Resurrection Thread

[chstitans42]

Congrats!  Sounds like you are low on transmission fluid.  My '65 made sounds and didn't shift well when I finally got it on the road last spring, as it was low a quart.  All was OK after that   Chuck

Does being low one quart really make all that difference?

[Chuck Swanson]

Mine did.  I should say that the quart just brought it to show on dipstick and a quick test up and down my 1/4 mile long driveway confirmed shifted much better, so I may be 2 quarts+ low...Had no more trans fluid on shelf when putting in storage before the snow here in NY    Car was sitting for a couple years, so I may have a slow leak-pan gasket.

[chstitans42]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa3o9IDKjQ0

[chstitans42]

Having issues getting the intake manifold to seal. Already tried new gaskets and rtv and still leaks on the #1,3, and 4 cylinders. I spray carb cleaner on the bottom edge of the intake and the rpm goes up every time. Any tips or trick to help out?

[James Landi]

Perhaps the intake manifold is distorted... I recall decades ago a mechanic double gasketing an intake... Tranny whine sounds like the pump might be cavitating for lack of oil.  Are you certain you have enough oil in there??

[carguyblack]

Hey Ben,
I have a couple of these cars and listening to your videos, perhaps what you are hearing is not your transmission at all but rather the power steering pump or gear. Even though your steering appears perfect, that pump or steering gear may make that sort of sound. As I have replaced several of the steering gears on my cars, when filling them back up after the install, your noises sound very familiar to me. Check your power steering fluid level and even run the car with the lid off and observe if the fluid circulation is frothy. Just something else to consider as your trans appears to shift fine and hopefully a less costly fix!
Chuck

[savemy67]

Hello Ben,

When blocks are decked and or heads are resurfaced, the relationship between the intake manifold and cylinder head mounting surfaces is slightly altered.  Most of the time this is not a problem as the intake manifold gasket accommodates the change.  In some cases, depending on how much material was removed in the decking and resurfacing operations, the manifold gasket will not be able to compensate.  James' post on the double gasket is one way the problem might be solved.  Keep in mind that even with multiple gaskets, the manifold may still distort when the bolts are torqued.  The best way to resolve this issue (if it is the issue) is to machine the mating surface of the intake manifold.  A really competent machine shop is needed for this operation.

Did you have your block decked and your heads resurfaced?  Do you know how much material was removed from each?  The double gasket solution is relatively inexpensive, so I would try that first.  Be sure to follow the correct bolt tightening sequence for the manifold, but you may want to to experiment with torque settings less than the full value specified, and maybe differnt values on differnt bolts.  Check for vacuum leaks with carb cleaner as you go.  Do you have a vacuum gauge that you can connect to help monitor your progress?  Another option is to try another manifold.  Hang in there.

Christopher Winter

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

An old timer I spoke with said it sounds like either the pump or bands are shot.

Best you can do is change the screen, get a rabbit's foot keychain and hope for the best.   

Might live for a while but chances are you're looking at a trans rebuild sooner or later...

[chstitans42]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OBZmF6Mlu0

[chstitans42]

Also another question, the these heads supposed to have studs in them that stick up into the intake (like my passenger side head) or supposed to have bolts that go into them (like my driver's side head)?

[chstitans42]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCmbdYSH_tc

[savemy67]

Hello Ben,

Rock Auto lists a Fel Pro intake manifold gasket set for the 365 engine, for about $11,  See here: https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?ck[ID]=0&ck[idlist]=0&ck[viewcurrency]=USD&ck[PHP_SESSION_ID]=b7dp4tgehbn85s3lp4vtqe8gb7

You could also buy gasket material (NAPA, Advance) in sheets as an inexpensive way to experiment with multiple gasket thicknesses.  Measure the gaskets and material thickness with a micrometer so you know what effect your experiments have.

Of course all this work assumes that you are fairly confident that you have a vacuum leak at the manifold (as demonstrated by an increase in RPMs when carb cleaner is sprayed at the joint between the manifold and the cylinder head).  Good luck.

Christopher Winter

[chstitans42]

On problem with those $11 gaskets is they are made of super thin sheet metal. These are the ones I started out with in the beginning of the first intake video

[chstitans42]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG49Yldu3do

[J. Gomez]

Ben,

Welcome back stranger…! 

Well you are not seeing a gremlin on your starting test..! You have to remember the solenoid once is energized it will do two things one it will crank the starter and two it will also place a +12V to the coil.

So what you are seeing on your test is normal, the solenoid is placing the +12V on the yellow wire at the coil, which is directly tied to the + side of the coil. There is no need to insert the key on the ignition switch for the test unless you want to use the remote switch to start the engine when the ignition key is place on the “on” position.

Good luck..!

[Rob Troxel]

Thanks Ben,

Hope this can be fixed w/o pulling the engine.  We appreciate your video series which comes off in a very informative professional way.

[Glen]

So you have spark, the question now is it timed right?  If it is then it is a fuel problem.  To test if it is a fuel problem spray a little starting fluid in the intake.  If it fires up for a couple of seconds it is fuel. 

[James Landi]

Ben -- there is NOTHING WRONG with your ignition switch or wiring.  As was explained above, when the starter motor cranks, the crank mode delivers 12 volts directly to the coil. By using the remote button, you are causing the coil to fire.  Regarding your taking all of the parts off of the motor "...so I can see something," that is not a good idea.  Your best bet is to get the engine going again.... then use the method you used last time to see if the two gaskets approached fixed your issue.   If it did, then you're good to go  James

[chstitans42]

Alright guys, a small update on the caddy. So I have decided that I am tired of NOT driving this car. I have spent the last few months or so fighting the intake vacuum leak, and trying to get these dual carbs to work correctly. Even with dual thick intake gaskets I still have a vacuum leak when I spray carb cleaner on the bottom of the intake. Cylinder one is 100% dead. I have decided to take off the 2x4 carbs, intake and air cleaner, and go with something more modern and simple. The main issue is that the 2x4 carb setup is very temper mental; it has no traditional idle screw, but has an idle air screw, and then two fuel mixture screws. You set the idle by adjusting these three screws on both carbs. I’m sure that some of you will say I shouldn’t go this route, because the car will no longer be original. I’m at the point not I’d rather have it set up like this and drive it, then wait around till someone can come over that knows how to tune them.
Anyways, with that being said, I am in need of a few parts:
•   Single carburetor intake for a 1956 Cadillac 365 motor, preferably not cracked or warped.
•   Linkages and rods for that same carb setup.
•   Single Carb Cadillac correct air cleaner.

For the carb itself, I am planning on running a rebuilt Edelbrock or Carter AFB carb on that intake, or possibly my friend’s Carter WCFB. The only hang up that I can see along the way is getting the carbs to also run the transmission TV rod that comes off that linkage. Any helps or tips would be appreciated.

[chstitans42]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BWDwFoQH-g