Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

EriktheAwful wrote:

I won't bad mouth the 5.3, except to mention that it's not a rotary nor a BBC (big-block Caddy)

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/engi … _for_3252/

Not a Lemons project - but its on my Bucket List to swap a 20B rotary into a C5 Corvette to make up for all the LS swaps that end up in RX7's.

Dangerous Banned Technology (NOLA 09), Judges Choice (Houston 2010), Organizers Choice (NOLA 2010), Most Heroic Fix (Dallas 2010), $100 from Jay's Pocket (Dallas 2010), Dangerous Homemade Technology (NOLA 2010), Ununhexium Legends of Lemons Status,  Index of Effluency (Dallas 2011), Most Heroic Fix - (Houston 2011), Index of Effluency (TWS - 2012), Organizers Choice (Dallas 2013)

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

Back on topic though:

Heres one that runs but seems to be fuxored for no less than $600:

http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/2761738135.html

Dangerous Banned Technology (NOLA 09), Judges Choice (Houston 2010), Organizers Choice (NOLA 2010), Most Heroic Fix (Dallas 2010), $100 from Jay's Pocket (Dallas 2010), Dangerous Homemade Technology (NOLA 2010), Ununhexium Legends of Lemons Status,  Index of Effluency (Dallas 2011), Most Heroic Fix - (Houston 2011), Index of Effluency (TWS - 2012), Organizers Choice (Dallas 2013)

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

Judge Phil wrote:

Here is a Catera in Arizona with Chevy 350 "partially installed." It's "ready to be completed!"

Oh man...I envision a Catera with white pearl paint, and a greasy malaise SBC with smog heads and a crappy orange paint job sitting in the engine bay on mounts made from square steel tube with gnarly-looking flux core welds.

It's a powerful mental image.

Former chief proprietor and lead bad idea generator of Binford "More Power" Racing, 2010-2013: humbly self-proclaimed the best Chevy Beretta in Lemons history.

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

BoB wrote:
EriktheAwful wrote:

I won't bad mouth the 5.3, except to mention that it's not a rotary nor a BBC (big-block Caddy)

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/engi … _for_3252/

How about a nice rocket v8, the only v8 that was able to pass emissions all the way through 1990 with a carb.  (I have a feeling that gm stopped producing not because it couldn't pass emissions, but that they got fed up with the olds engine doing what the sbc couldn't even after they tried to sabotage it with making them use crappy Pontiac parts.)

A full sized GM wagon would make an excellent racecar if I didn't already have one.  Plenty of potential in the little 307 Olds they all came with, just uncork it a little and go.

Constructor/Owner/Driver - Billy Beer Ford Futura

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

The Honorable Phil,

Earlier this month, at CMP, the Douchebags demonstrated our driving skill by racking up enough black flags to tent a house. As a penalty we were instructed to build a wooden model of a motorcycle, which would be presented to you as a gift. Two hours and many broken pieces later, we discovered that there is at least one thing that we are more incompetent at than driving. To make up for our many (many, many, many) failures at CMP, we hereby ACCEPT your Catera challenge!

See you at CMP in September (or in July, depending on the location),

The Douchebags in a Catera (the "crappy" is implied)


Our Beautiful $250-1997-205k-Caddy that zigs.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FkZL_u-a0zA/T2yogi-0w0I/AAAAAAAAAI8/Rz5h3bJgCXM/s1600/photo%2B1%2B%25282%2529.JPG

This is why it was $250
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IAzS9gdsOfQ/T2yog73CdqI/AAAAAAAAAJI/3bFjDENF5AI/s400/photo%2B4%2B%25283%2529.JPG

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

LS1 swap ftw.

4.8 anyone?

Daniel Sycks

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

Or a 5.3,  with a 6 spd. You have enough stuff to sell off of the car to get the engine at least.

Byte Marks Racing - "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred."
1992 Nissan 240SX DM Edition (Drift Master)

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

We might, but lack of fabrication skill will be our biggest problem with any motor swap. We are going pure stock motor and tranny. If it made it 205,000 miles, it can make it through one Lemons race....Right?

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

This car is the kin to the 04 to 06 GTO and G8. Before you give up on the 5.3, look into what can be found.

Byte Marks Racing - "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred."
1992 Nissan 240SX DM Edition (Drift Master)

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

No way. As per Phil's challenge, we are running with stock motor and tranny.

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

douchebmw27 wrote:

We might, but lack of fabrication skill will be our biggest problem with any motor swap. We are going pure stock motor and tranny. If it made it 205,000 miles, it can make it through one Lemons race....Right?

I learned the hard way... ANY Caddy, especially one with a Northstar engine, is blessed by divine intervention to go more than 125,000 miles on it without blowing a head gasket or cracking some major internal engine component.  The ex's car puked a head at 126k, after NEVER overheating.  I called around and found a full dozen Northstars with blown engines in a couple of nearby junkyards (and no good engines).  My buddy at one yard told me to dump a can of Barrs in it and limp it to the dealer for a trade in....  Car looked like brand new, engine was toast!

Go ahead and also buy a stock of cam position sensors, they will go out every 60K and the engine will randomly die.  Just to make it interesting, it will sometimes do this without throwing any codes....

Other than that, congrats on the purchase!

#508 Team SOB
FINALLY!!!!!!!!!

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

Ok, enjoy your race.

Where are you at? When you are done with it let me know as I will come and fetch it home to do do bad things with.

Daniel Sycks

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

Hooray! Catera!

I wore my Douchebags In A Crappy BMW team shirt during the Sears Pointless BS inspection today. I hope there will be a similar Catera shirt in the future.

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

douchebmw27 wrote:

The Honorable Phil,

Earlier this month, at CMP, the Douchebags demonstrated our driving skill by racking up enough black flags to tent a house. As a penalty we were instructed to build a wooden model of a motorcycle, which would be presented to you as a gift. Two hours and many broken pieces later, we discovered that there is at least one thing that we are more incompetent at than driving. To make up for our many (many, many, many) failures at CMP, we hereby ACCEPT your Catera challenge!

See you at CMP in September (or in July, depending on the location),

The Douchebags in a Catera (the "crappy" is implied)


Our Beautiful $250-1997-205k-Caddy that zigs.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FkZL_u-a0zA/T … 2%2529.JPG

This is why it was $250
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IAzS9gdsOfQ/T … 3%2529.JPG

You are aware the head gaskets on Cateras are RARELY responsible for the pictured mess right?
Get it running FIRST, if it runs fine the oil to water cooler under the intake is FUBAR, a very common issue, change it, flush the coolant with chemicals, go race!
Sorry if this has already been mentioned.

Homestead Chump 5th-Sebring 6th-PBIR Lemons 9th - Charlotte Chump  CrashnBurn 9th
Sebring 6th again -NOLA Chump 1st -PBIR Chump Trans Fail 16th
Daytona 11th - Sebring 6th - Atlanta Motor Speedway 2nd - Road Atlanta Trans Fail 61st-Road Atlanta 5th
Daytona 13th - Charlotte 9th - Sebring 2nd-Charlotte 25th broken brakes - Road Atlanta 14 10th-Daytona 14  58th- Humid TT 19th Judges' Choice!

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

Here's another Catera,  for anyone feeling left out. It's not quite the nice price of $250, but with the promise of a coolant leak, I suspect it'll be just as crappy!

http://wichita.craigslist.org/cto/2888752681.html

Team Fall Guy Stuntman Association - 1989 Ford Escort - Gator-O-Rama Feb 2010

That Looks About Right (TLAR) Motorsports - 1983 Dodge Challenger - In Build

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

Team Infinniti wrote:

You are aware the head gaskets on Cateras are RARELY responsible for the pictured mess right?
Get it running FIRST, if it runs fine the oil to water cooler under the intake is FUBAR, a very common issue, change it, flush the coolant with chemicals, go race!
Sorry if this has already been mentioned.

The car runs great at start up. It sat under a tree for year until we finally looked at it, and it cranked right up with a jump, had full oil pressure, and didn't smoke at all out of the exhaust. After about 10 minutes of running it starts to over heat from its milk shake antifreeze. I really appreciate the post, i was literally about to order a $200 head gasket kit.

42 (edited by Bayley 2012-03-27 06:34 AM)

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

Mick25 wrote:

I learned the hard way... ANY Caddy, especially one with a Northstar engine, is blessed by divine intervention to go more than 125,000 miles on it without blowing a head gasket or cracking some major internal engine component.  The ex's car puked a head at 126k, after NEVER overheating.  I called around and found a full dozen Northstars with blown engines in a couple of nearby junkyards (and no good engines).  My buddy at one yard told me to dump a can of Barrs in it and limp it to the dealer for a trade in....  Car looked like brand new, engine was toast!

Go ahead and also buy a stock of cam position sensors, they will go out every 60K and the engine will randomly die.  Just to make it interesting, it will sometimes do this without throwing any codes....

Other than that, congrats on the purchase!

DING - DING - DING!!!

You hit it spot on.

I previously had a 2005 CTS for the wife with the random activating cam position sensors that started at ~40,000 miles.  At 65,000 miles it started to mysteriously consume coolant and stumble at idle.

At 65,001 miles, it was  traded for a new Dodge HEMI Charger.  I can't believe I'm saying this, but the Charger is such a better car.  Cheaply built with cheaper interior, but overall a better car.

I salute any LeMon warrior who shows up to battle in anything that bears the Cadillac name (or worse; drive train).

The Pentastar whisperer

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

The Catera is OPEL power with a German influence, they handle great.

Get that intake manifold out of the way, change the oil/water cooler, score nickles!

Homestead Chump 5th-Sebring 6th-PBIR Lemons 9th - Charlotte Chump  CrashnBurn 9th
Sebring 6th again -NOLA Chump 1st -PBIR Chump Trans Fail 16th
Daytona 11th - Sebring 6th - Atlanta Motor Speedway 2nd - Road Atlanta Trans Fail 61st-Road Atlanta 5th
Daytona 13th - Charlotte 9th - Sebring 2nd-Charlotte 25th broken brakes - Road Atlanta 14 10th-Daytona 14  58th- Humid TT 19th Judges' Choice!

44 (edited by douchebmw27 2012-03-27 09:51 AM)

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

Team Infinniti wrote:

The Catera is OPEL power with a German influence, they handle great.

Get that intake manifold out of the way, change the oil/water cooler, score nickles!

We only ran into 2 problems with this oil cooler. 1 it costs $250 (rather put budget money to work in other places). 2 It looks like we have to take one of the heads off to remove the plate on top of the cooler. So our solution (in true Lemons fashion) is to shove bolts where the oil lines used go into to cooler, reroute the pressure lines to the front and buy a universal oil cooler. Also, we think cooling hot oil in the center of a motor with 200F water is stupid anyway.

45 (edited by Team Infinniti 2012-03-27 05:50 PM)

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

You do not have to (nor do you want to remove one of those heads~! The timing belt setup is very finicky not to mention if you get things wrong it is a very interference engine.

Listen to what you said, $250 on a C-A-T-E-R-A, The judges wont even notice although I do suppose pouring JB weld in the holes or using bolts would seal up things nicely.

Homestead Chump 5th-Sebring 6th-PBIR Lemons 9th - Charlotte Chump  CrashnBurn 9th
Sebring 6th again -NOLA Chump 1st -PBIR Chump Trans Fail 16th
Daytona 11th - Sebring 6th - Atlanta Motor Speedway 2nd - Road Atlanta Trans Fail 61st-Road Atlanta 5th
Daytona 13th - Charlotte 9th - Sebring 2nd-Charlotte 25th broken brakes - Road Atlanta 14 10th-Daytona 14  58th- Humid TT 19th Judges' Choice!

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

We might have stumbled on a GM epic fail that might have contributed to the reliability issues of the Cateras.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bu9VqDNXvgI/UDfni6lgelI/AAAAAAAAAJo/Jo78FY89ygY/s1600/photo%2B%25282%2529.JPG

As you can see the previous owner CORRECTLY changed where the owners manual told you to put your washer fluid.

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

Epic Fail.on top of a epic fail WOW

Homestead Chump 5th-Sebring 6th-PBIR Lemons 9th - Charlotte Chump  CrashnBurn 9th
Sebring 6th again -NOLA Chump 1st -PBIR Chump Trans Fail 16th
Daytona 11th - Sebring 6th - Atlanta Motor Speedway 2nd - Road Atlanta Trans Fail 61st-Road Atlanta 5th
Daytona 13th - Charlotte 9th - Sebring 2nd-Charlotte 25th broken brakes - Road Atlanta 14 10th-Daytona 14  58th- Humid TT 19th Judges' Choice!

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

Awww.... "the Caddy That Sucks,"  - stealing my schtick! That was the first thing I thought when these were first advertised... and was I wrong?.... I think it be fun to try, but not seen one running in a long time...

"Don't mess with Lexas!" LS400. We survived another one! See website link for build details.
Maker of the "unofficial Lemons fish!" - If you ask nice, I'll likely give you one at the track.

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

Well you can see a couple of them at CMP!

Whether they are running is an entirely different story....

Re: Revisiting the need for a Lemons Cadillac Catera

Who is Lisa Catera?

Team Lost in the Dark
Winner " I got screwed" and "Jay's dream car"
2012 Gulf region champs