Want to learn how to fix your car? Take it on a 15,000-mile road trip. I promise–you will know your automobile, every blessed rattle, squeak, and rumble.
Better still, visit someone who owns your car–who knows each nut and bolt.
David King (owner of Brougham #615) and I have swapped many photographs and emails right here on Motorpool.com. But we’d never met in person–until this week when he graciously took time to help me on my Brougham journey. Tinkering in his Taj Garage, you won’t believe all we fixed. And man, was it handy to have four Broughams to compare!
Four Broughams–in one garage!
After tackling a bunch of minor electrical items (bulbs, fuses, etc.) we got after some bigger-ticket fun. While looking at my engine, David noticed I was missing the vacuum tube that runs up the back of the engine and screws into the right-side where the ground wire attaches to the block. The engine had it before the rebuild: if you look at the left-hand side of this really ugly “before” shot, you can barely see the tube in question. It is at the upper-left corner of the heads, adjacent to that pink wire.
Look closely, past the grease and grim, at the tube in the upper left corner
I would have never, ever noticed that missing item. Never. Here’s a “during” shot of us putting the engine back together. And yep, something is missing. That dern vacuum tube.
A few missing items, but looking good!
Important? Medium importance. The vacuum tube runs from the vacuum pump in the oil pan to supply extra vacuum to the brakes, windshield washer, windshield wipers, carburetor control, and automatic starter. The car was already generating vacuum through the engine, so the pump is simply a backup supply. Still, the tube bolts directly onto the block, and since it was missing, that meant there was a HOLE in my engine, sucking air directly into the oil pan.
I’d carefully removed that whole enchilada a few months ago and sent the vacuum pump and oil pump to Terrill Machine in Texas for a rebuild. Vacuum pumps are nearly impossible to rebuild (or at least, so I’ve been told) and thus I was happy to hear from Terrill that mine was working well. But it was simply sucking air–not creating vacuum. Until today.
The oil pump and vacuum pump “before”
After a rebuild by Terrill Machine
David had an extra tube, which he’s graciously lent me for my trip (until I go home and find my original). He also had a check valve, which prevents oil from being sucked out and into the vacuum system. It needed some attention. The tiny spring in the valve was demolished. So a quick trip to the local hardware store, a purchase of some 30 gauge steel wire and a small dowel, and we’d whipped up the perfect reproduction spring.
I made the spring. I’ve very proud. Maybe I’m getting better at this auto-repair stuff.
It worked like a charm, that is, after David coaxed the steel seat to seal correctly. After an hour of fiddling, we managed to get the tube installed properly (boy, this would have been easier with the engine out of the car) and the vacuum tubes correctly routed.
Feeling encouraged, we decided to check the timing on the Brougham, set the idle speed down to 450 rpm (with the car in gear and the A/C on) and adjust the air screws on the carburetor. The car was running very rich. With the help of a tachometer and vacuum gauge, we adjusted the carbs to factory specs.
What an amazing difference. The Brougham by no means ran poorly, but suddenly, she purrs like a new car. Smooth. Quiet. Vibration-free. Totally and utterly amazing. Then we hooked up the auto-start function.
That’s right. The Cadillac Eldorado Brougham can start itself. The driver turns the key to the on position and the car does the rest. I suppose holding the key in the “start” position was simply too tedious and labor-intensive for Brougham owners. Plus it really is a gee-whiz moment when the car fires itself to life.
Mine works beautifully. And the car now catches instantly. Turn the key and VROOM, baby, the 365 fires to life in a tenth of a second. Its incredible. David and I were like two 3rd grade boys, playing with a really big, heavy toy.
WIth auto start fixed and the car running like butter, we were off to the races. Soon we had the passenger door lock repaired and the automatic locks clicking. More bulbs were replaced in the rear arm rests. David has the correct throttle springs for a 1958 tripower carburetor, which allowed me to remove my weirdo two-spring setup (which looked kinda ad hoc). We replaced fuses and tightened bolts. The valve covers were torqued down properly. The gas tank overflow line was secured. Relays were tested. Batteries charged. The voltage regulator tweaked.
David’s garage, now dubbed the “Brougham Spa” was a flurry of wrenches, gauges, grease, and screwdrivers. I don’t think I’ve ever accomplished so much, so fast, on one car. Brougham 702 is getting her bits and pieces in order.
Once evening fell, David and I were both exhausted. A quick trip to Kroger provided all the ingredients for a meal that included the four Morgan food groups (salt, bourbon, fat, and pie). David’s lovely wife Becky baked some potatoes for us and we had a huge meal by the pool and congratulated ourselves for eating a meal that would make a 1958 Brougham owner proud.
Steaks, pie, brown liquor, and SALT. Fabulous.
