Help me fix my 1949 Cadillac - Antique Automobile Club of America Discussion Forums

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#451983 - 09/28/07 04:13 PM Re: Help me fix my 1949 Cadillac [Re: manncad]
Ron Green Ron Green Member Registered: 05/24/00 Posts: 1831 Loc: Camp Hill, PA. USA	Maybe your coil is ok even though it seems to be running hot to the touch? I am unsure about 49 Cadillac coils however the coil in my Amphicar you can't even touch and I have tried several both old and new. At our national convention (64 cars) this was a major discussion so we felt a fair amount of coils after run in and they were all extremely hot to the touch. Seems this is just how it is with these cars. Have a good weekend. _________________________ Ron Green AACA Member #337715 AACA Gettysburg Region (board member) President Amphicar Club (IAOC)
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#452109 - 09/29/07 02:48 AM Re: Help me fix my 1949 Cadillac [Re: Ron Green]
manncad manncad Member Registered: 08/14/07 Posts: 21 Loc: Cognac France	very interesting Ron. I called the guy who owned that car for 30 years ( my best friend now ) and he told me last night that the coil always been hot on the touch....so maybe there's nothing to do then. And about the oil bath air filter, he said soaking it in gasoline would do nothing, better soaking it in lacquer finner and then burn it...which I'll try to do this morning, whithout burning myself hopefully.... Emmanuel
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#452345 - 09/30/07 11:01 AM Re: Help me fix my 1949 Cadillac [Re: manncad]
GP Gleason GP Gleason Member Registered: 02/08/06 Posts: 146 Loc: Boise, Idaho	I wouldn't burn the air cleaner mesh. Some of those old oil bath air cleaners have a mass of jute to soak up oil to assist in the cleaning effort. It is usually packed into the top of the unit and is not easily seen. I was a mechanic for 45 years and always cleaned those air filters with cleaning solvent and a nylon bristle brush, blew out with compressed air and then air dried. Be sure to check your ignition timing and also see if the exhaust system has a "heat riser" baffle. If so, and it is stuck partially closed, it could cause all your problems. It appears to me that you have carburetor issues. If you could come across with an old (blue color) "MOTORS MANUAL" covering 1949 models there is a "troubleshooting" section in it which will help you narrow down your problem. There will be a series of diagnosis(es) for your exact problem. Good luck! _________________________ GP Those who do not know history are DOOMED to repeat it!
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#452377 - 09/30/07 01:12 PM Re: Help me fix my 1949 Cadillac [Re: GP Gleason]
manncad manncad Member Registered: 08/14/07 Posts: 21 Loc: Cognac France	Thanks Gaugeguy, you are right, I won't burn it as it is not made of steel mesh but more like a plastic mesh. The laquer thinner did take some of the durt off as it came out brown and durty liquid. I'm not sure what is a heat raiser baffle, but the exhaust system has been talked about in the this forum, and I don't know how to deal with it. The mechanic either. I do have the 1949 Cadillac shop manual and read many times section 10, Engine fuel and Exhaust section, but it didn't help. Anyway, my friend keeps telling the problem come from the metering rods inside the carburator, so he'll try to find me a new or rebuilt Carter Carburator as he comes visit in one month. Actually, if anybody here knows where I can find one....for cheap of course...I'll take it.
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#458523 - 10/24/07 07:50 PM Re: Help me fix my 1949 Cadillac [Re: manncad]
rocketraider rocketraider Long Time Member Registered: 12/05/01 Posts: 3115 Loc: the Last Capital of Dixie	Last night we were talking cars and someone brought up a 1963 Chevy pickup that had much the same symptoms as manncad's car. Turns out the pickup had been changed over to V8 from six cylinder, by a Ford mechanic. After several years of trying to diagnose the problem and toting a spare coil everywhere the truck went, someone finally realised the coil wasn't properly grounded, as the Ford mechanic wired the coil Ford style instead of GM. This might be something to look at. _________________________ Glenn Williamson Rocketraider member AACA and all major Olds clubs "That's a strange concept, Son" said my father as he sampled the day's run of silvery-clear moonshine for taste and quality. "Good 'shine, that. Your grandpap would be proud that the gift has passed on to another generation. But yes, it's real strange that some folks feel like a varmint has more right to illegally inhabit and destroy your property than you have to prevent it from doing it." "Come to think of it, that's why your Uncle Reade sold off all them rental houses he had. It was costing him more to fix what the varmints tore up than he was making off 'em. And the govamint wouldn't let him evict them."
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#460384 - 11/01/07 07:40 AM Re: Help me fix my 1949 Cadillac [Re: rocketraider]
manncad manncad Member Registered: 08/14/07 Posts: 21 Loc: Cognac France	Well, I just looked at it and there is no ground at all. So what should I do to have that coil grounded ? I never told you but I changed the entire wiring system myself 6 years ago, the car was running fine but I know Im not a electrical mechanic and I probably forgot several grounds wires. I know you will all think I'm stupid and should have done it better. I took each wire out, one after another and changed them by new ones. One more news. I was in California last week for the funeral of my best friend Michael, the actual guy who owned that Cadillac for 30 years and who was supposed to come to visit in France and fix the problem. During that time, I went to pick up an old 1949 Cadillac carburator. I'm back in France now and this morning, I put the metering rods of the old carb to the one I have on the car. It didn't change anything. So, my goal is now to fix this cadillac for Michael, and drive it in his memory. If the ground is the problem, which could be, It will be the biggest laugh of all and luckly for me, Michael won't be here to laugh at me and tizz me, telling me i'm a loser. Thanks agin for your help and waiting to an answer about this ground thing. Emmanuel
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#460466 - 11/01/07 02:41 PM Re: Help me fix my 1949 Cadillac [Re: manncad]
pfloro pfloro Member Registered: 05/19/04 Posts: 57 Loc: Tucson, AZ	Hello Manncad: The secondary (high voltage) side of the ignition coil is grounded through the metal case of the coil. Make sure that the inside of the metal clamp is clean & shiny. I use emery cloth to also remove the paint from the coil case in the area of the clamp. Use emery cloth to expose shiny metal where the clamp attaches to the engine block (or firewall). These tasks will insure a good ground for the secondary side of coil. As for the metering rods: I don't know this generation of carburetors specifically but do know that metering rods and jets go hand in hand. The brass jets are what the metering rods insert into. The rods are tapered and regulate the air/fuel ratio based on the position of the rods in the jets. Think of the jet as a donut and the rod as a broom handle which tapers from a small diameter at the bottom to a larger diameter at the top. I would transfer the jets as well as the rods from the 'new' carburetor to the 'old'. You may have jets which are too large in your existing carburetor... This could create an overly rich mixture... Condolences on the loss of Michael. I think you are doing a wonderful thing by keeping his memory alive through his former Cadillac. Please keep us posted... Paul PS: I have a Holley carb on a Ford Mustang V8 which had jets which were too small. The engine would sometimes stumble & stall when moving from a complete stop. This problem continued even after a complete carb rebuild. It took another sharp carb rebuilder to spot this hidden situation. That car was a mechanical basket case when we first bought it. Not any more...! _________________________ Paul E. Floro 1984 Oldsmobile Toronado (Original Owner) 1966 Ford Mustang (Nicely Restored Driver)
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#460506 - 11/01/07 06:06 PM Re: Help me fix my 1949 Cadillac [Re: pfloro]
manncad manncad Member Registered: 08/14/07 Posts: 21 Loc: Cognac France	the coil is new and not painted. The clamp is new too. So I guess it's fine, unless it's not enough to be grounded, and maybe I need a wire to go from the engine mount, where the clamp is bolted in, to...somewhere. I'm so tired of this, probably small problem that I can't fix. I've done so much and still can't find it. Why would this car suddenly run so bad after spending so many years running great. I've done something that I don't remember and now, I can't fix it. Thanks for your help anyway
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#460616 - 11/02/07 08:17 AM Re: Help me fix my 1949 Cadillac [Re: manncad]
pfloro pfloro Member Registered: 05/19/04 Posts: 57 Loc: Tucson, AZ	Manncad: Speaking of grounds, check to see that your ground strap (or cable) from the engine block to the body is also clean & tight at both ends. Sometimes the crimps on the connectors to the wire (round or braided) become loose. It doesn't take much electrical resistance to cause trouble. Did my comments regarding your carb jets & metering rods make sense? Don't give up. Sometimes, it's good to 'Let The World Take Another Turn' before proceeding. Paul _________________________ Paul E. Floro 1984 Oldsmobile Toronado (Original Owner) 1966 Ford Mustang (Nicely Restored Driver)
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#493466 - 03/10/08 08:32 AM Re: Help me fix my 1949 Cadillac [Re: pfloro]
manncad manncad Member Registered: 08/14/07 Posts: 21 Loc: Cognac France	long time I havent answered on the forum, just to let you know I havent had time to deal with the car yet, I will do it as soon as possible to be able to drive it this spring. cheers
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#506548 - 05/01/08 06:03 AM Re: Help me fix my 1949 Cadillac [Re: manncad]
manncad manncad Member Registered: 08/14/07 Posts: 21 Loc: Cognac France	Hi everyone, I went to anither garage here in france, and the guy simply said I needed to get a new carburator. So, if you can help me finding a CARTER Carburator for my 1949 Cadillac Model WCD 682 S I sent an email to USA PARTS SUPPLY but still waiting for an answer. Thank you Emmanuel
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