thebourne_id
New member
I bought this car about 10 days ago and so far it has given me no trouble, and to ensure this I put in a new air cleaner, had an oil change and a wheel alignment. Today it got into the lower 80s outside and first my coolant light comes on like I was overheating. I stop a few blocks away and pop the hood and the coolant jug was loaded to the gills and antifreeze was gurgling out of the top of where you add more and so I let the car rest to cool off and over the course of 10 minutes or so the coolant jug emptied out back into the radiator. A Cadillac serviceman said to add more antifreeze direct into the radiator itself and run it with the cap off to see what it does and I did and they said if things looked ok to continue driving. I drove about 20 more blocks up the street and the light comes on again so I park it and thinking it may be a stuck thermostat I go home and buy one nearby. I took it back on the freeway after adding some water to mix down the more or less pure antifreeze I added previously and just as I get up to 60 the light comes on again so I drive home on local streets until the coolant light AND the check engine light come on. I park and let my car rest and then the battery went dead. I get a jump and car drove home in the cool evening air, no problems no warning lights.
What on earth happened to the car today? Up until now the car drove just fine in similar conditions but today it totally dogged on me. The car did sit more or less undriven for 12 years, as the first and only owner before me was too feeble to drive.
Car is a 1981 Sedan Deville with the 368 in^2 6.0L V8. Any diagnosis/tips would be well appreciated.
Though I got a new thermostat, I did not install it since somebody more familiar with this kind of Cadillac said the thermostat was working.
The belts look new and rather good looking. However the A/C compressor intermittently locks up making a squeaky/peeling out type sound and not spin so I disconnected the wire to it.
What on earth happened to the car today? Up until now the car drove just fine in similar conditions but today it totally dogged on me. The car did sit more or less undriven for 12 years, as the first and only owner before me was too feeble to drive.
Car is a 1981 Sedan Deville with the 368 in^2 6.0L V8. Any diagnosis/tips would be well appreciated.
Though I got a new thermostat, I did not install it since somebody more familiar with this kind of Cadillac said the thermostat was working.
The belts look new and rather good looking. However the A/C compressor intermittently locks up making a squeaky/peeling out type sound and not spin so I disconnected the wire to it.