Projects My New Project: 1956 Cadillac Sedan Deville Resurrection Thread

Love these cars. Hopefully this works out. Hopefully you post
photos instead of videos. The interwebs have completely wiped out any attention span I may have had. It's hard for me to watch a 2.5 minute video even when I love the topic.

Any way, I'll keep up with this build.

 

What bad news? Keep in mind that the testing is done with NO oil circulation throughout the engine, the oil will help reduce the leakage at the rings while it's running. Your findings indicate the engine will "use" some oil - nothing a can of restore used each oil change wont help reduce. see the attached link: http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...=google&utm_campaign=gpla&utm_content=7080204 I personally have and continue to use this stuff and it does indeed work as described for an engine with poor ring seal.

Your findings are typical for an old American engine - nothing to worry about for a driver/ cruiser. Be thankfull that the valves are sealing and the problem isn't in the heads. Replace all 16 valve springs as a measure of safety,your broken/damaged valve retainers, keepers and pushrods. put the engine back together, do an oil change, add the restore and start driving the caddy!

Once the above repairs have been done the miss will clear up and the caddy should run just fine - it will probably burn some oil (should be unnoticeable i.e - it wont leave a smoke screen every where you dive) but can be driven while you decide your next move. Just be sure to check the engines oil level once in while and add any as needed. Your findings could have been MUCH worse.

 

Agreed. There's a lot of high mileage engines which run OK that would have similar CLT results. There's plenty you can do with the engine in the car to get it running better. Run a compression test as well. Maybe borrow or rent a borescope camera to get a look inside the cylinders. Get the rockers and shafts off and clean them and make sure everything is oiling properly. Find out if you need oil flow thru the shafts and pushrods.

If you can get it running on all eight, some fresh oil with a detergent additive and a bit of driving may help free up any stuck rings or lifters.

 

I am hesitant to believe the fix in a can stuff, but I think it is worth a try. For the cost of new springs, a few new retainers and pushrods, plus some gaskets, it will far out shadow a rebuild.

 

Would you guys also recommend getting a higher weight oil? I have 10W-40 in it now, what should I put in?

 

If it carries good oil pressure 10w30 or 10w40 should be fine for now, maybe try to find something with a little zinc in it.

The "overhaul in a can" stuff isn't going to grind your valves or hone the cylinder walls for you, but a good detergent additive can help free things up. It just takes some time running at operating temperature to really work well. Keep an eye on your oil pressure, but the engine didn't look terribly gunked up from what I could see under the valve covers.

Did you do the CLT on a hot or cold engine? Best done hot, but make sure to release or remove the radiator cap while testing. Throw an old blanket or fender cover over the top of the radiator while testing. If you have a head gasket problem 90psi can empty the cooling system pretty fast. Might also save the heater core and coolant hoses.

 

I did not do the test with the engine hot, because the bent push rods and broken valve spring retainers. I won't run the engine again until these things are fixed. The last thing I want to do is drop a valve. I have ordered everything in going to need other than the valve spring retainers, anyone have sme I can buy from them?

 

Hi, Bruce here. Your caddy sounds like my 56 buick special station wagon .I have added some marvel mist. oil and need to start driving her a bit to see what happens .I still need 4 tires to get her on the road The ones on her are 20 years old. Its kinda hard when you are on disability .Might have to get 2 tires each month .I just want to get some miles on her before the snow flys here and hopefully the motor will smooth out. Good luck on the caddy! Bruce.

 

Thanks Bruce! I sure hope things go well with this old boat. I knew it would be a challenge when I bought it and it sure is, but I'm learning alot along the way!

 

Is this the right tool I need to replace the springs and keepers?
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...ap?ck=Search_N0717_-1_2498&pt=N0717&ppt=C0374

 

I've never used that type before... mine looks like a big c clamp.

 

You mean this one?
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...ap?ck=Search_N0717_-1_2498&pt=N0717&ppt=C0374
So how do you replace the springs and keepers without the valves falling into the cylinder? I just have never done this job before but am willing to give it a try.

 

I've heard of people creating a jig to air up each cylinder from the spark plug hole to prevent the valves from falling down.

 

You can shove a bunch of rope into the cylinder, (smaller dia. than the spark plug hole) or they make an air chuck that screws into the spark plug holes to pressurize the valves closed.

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-19700-O...7224&sr=8-10&keywords=valve+spring+compressor

Not sure if the thread size on this hose will work on your Cad, but if it doesn't I'm sure one is out there that does.

 

Mine's a little more complicated, but yes, a similar design. If you go on amazon you can read customer reviews of most of these tools before you buy.

 

what about using my cylinder leak down tester on a lower psi setting? Do you think that would create enough pressure to keep the valves in place?

 

Yeah, it should.

 

There's some simple lever style compressors out there that work well on engines with shaft mounted rockers. Take the shaft assemblies off the head, remove the rockers and bolt just the shafts back in place. The end of the compressor lever has a hook that goes under the shaft then you pull back on the lever to compress the spring. But you might need a second pair of hands to hold the lever and stuff the retainers and locks back into place.

I think in this case I'd run the piston to TDC and stuff rope or clothesline in thru the spark plug hole. If you need to step away for awhile you don't have to worry about leaving an air compressor running.

 

Ill try to with the Leak Down Tester and see how that works. I have found all the parts that I need other than those dang spring retainers. I have not located any used yet, but we will see what tomorrow brings.

 

If you can get the dimensions of your old spring retainers maybe some place like this can supply them...

http://schneidercams.com/chromolyspringretainers.aspx

 

That might be an option. I am crossing my fingers that the local engine builder around where I live has a few or can get them for me.

 

New tank went in yesterday:

 

Where'd you find a tank?

 

Bought a used one from a member of a cadillac forum. It had some surface rust but inside it looked good. I decided to paint up the outside of the tank and also the braces with some undercoating so they looked nice and lasted longer than the original one. Now I am on the hunt for some fuel hose and trying the clean out the tube that runs from the tail light to the tank!

 

I am having trouble with getting the valve spring retainers off the valve springs. I finally got the spring compressor tool, and it works very well. The only problem is that once I get it compressed, that valve starts to move up and down and the end wont pop out of the keepers/retainer. I really do not want to pull the heads. I have heard of putting rope inside the cylinder to give the valve something to push against. I am hoping to get a few pointers from you guys.
Thanks!

 

If you havent tried allready ,try the rope trick and on each individual cylinder roll the piston to the top of the bore ,then try compressing the springs.
If no go or new mouth holding angle doesnt work ,then unfortunately the heads may have to come off.
Hope it happens with the first part and you can drive it for a spell.
Best of luck .
Oh and i like the new acquisition btw.

 

the keepers are wedged tight in the retainer, you need to hit the retainer with a hammer to knock it loose from the keepers.

this is done with heads on or off, they don't just pop loose when you compress the spring, you can try hitting the retainer before you compress the spring or you will need a more positive way to keep the valve from moving...

 

Spray some solvent around the retainers, locks and valve stems. Find a deep-well socket a bit smaller than the O.D. of the retainers but larger than the valve stem and locks. Turn the socket "business side" down (drive side up) and center it over the spring and retainer. Give the drive end of the socket a couple of quick blows with a hammer and this will usually free up the locks and reatainer. You don't have to wail on it, just kind of bounce the hammer off the socket a few times.

This works really well if you have the cylinder aired up to hold the valves closed. When the retainers are still stuck and you use the hammer on the socket you'll hear the valve momentarily pop off it's seat and hear air escaping into the intake or exhaust manifold. When the retainers free up the valve will stay closed and no air will escape around it, though the spring and retainer will move freely around the closed valve stem.

 

Do this!

 

I do this before I use the valve spring compressor? I tried airing up the cylinder and it is not enough to keep the valves shut. I also got one piston to the top of the cylinder, threw in some rope and even though the valve was hitting the top of the piston, the keepers still did not want to let the valve go. Ill spend more time on it tomorrow but in the mean time, if I decide to pull the heads and intake, other than new head and intake gaskets, is there anything else I will need to buy if I go that route? Do I have to buy new bolts to hold on the heads?