Automatic turbos are for automatons and video game playing onanists. While some industrious engine builders have overcome the technical hurdles to accomplish this, the rework costs make it impractical for all but maximum-performance applications. The second generation engines were especially good as long as expectations were properly managed. Says the guy who writes paeans about the cars that lobbed floaters across the plate for Toyota to knock out of the park with the Camry. Another common problem with these engines involved their propensity to eat camshafts and crankshafts. They’re damned old now too. i would do a drive by video, but the car is currently off the road due to a bad fitting, these cheap chinese fittings today dont hold up at all anymore. Re: Olds 350 Deisel, upgrades A friend of mine got this mint 82 Coupe De Ville Diesel from this old guy in around 91 .The car was perfect because the old guy said it was broke all the time he just liked to look at it. He had somehow convinced himself that he wanted a Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. However, the diesel used “torque-to-yield” head bolts that required the entire set to be replaced when changing a head gasket. Aside from the special engine, Grand Dad had ordered his Olds equipped in pretty much the same way as his Chrysler. Typical Detroit cars had very unhappy owners at the time. The LF9-code mill was the only passenger-car V-8 diesel in the world at that time; Oldsmobile engineered it, but all … I also recall Grand Dad briefly putting the Olds up for sale. Defying the odds (considering its poor reputation and the over 130,000 miles on the odometer), the original power plant still resides underhood in relatively original condition (including head gaskets!) I had very little specific knowledge of the 5.7 GM diesels since I was under 10 when they were first introduced. Also, on the show the HorsePower guys show you how to tune your truck hauler for better performance and fuel economy. In that era they did a similar thing to the Fiero. Say “Oldsmobile diesel” and most people think of the trouble-prone 350-cid (5.7 liter) V-8 that plagued GM’s full-size cars in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Excuse me. When he went to the dealer to have the WIF sensor recall applied, he was told that it was no longer being performed, and instead they would install a fuel filter. They’ve got nothing I’d bother putting in my rotation for free. In the Delta 88 the WIF lamp would have been located in the panel above the HVAC controls. This Olds represents the ultimate sedan for the 1981 model year, being the largest sedan in the Oldsmobile line up, trimmed out with the Regency package, and optioned with the Olds Diesel. Yes, Toyota does make a better off-road SUV and a better GT coupe than Porsche. He also spends about two weekends a month with one of his cars taken apart in his garage. You go ahead though. The 300D also weighed a 1/4 ton less. Yeah took the parts out of a 6.2 pump, the 6.2\6.5 so that there was more fuel to the injectors. However, as I’m sure you are aware, Porsche has built many thing throughout its history that are not off-road SUVs or Grand Touring cars. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({ Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates. I was going to put my LS1 in the truck but now I am thinking about swapping the diesel to the truck and the ls1 to the car. They loved their new cars. Finally One year after its put in we have a video!!!! You will forever look and sound like “Frank” from Blue Velvet in my mind from now on. I’d like to think the “New” GM would have done what you suggest, but even now it’s not a lock they would. Thats pretty cool that u took a olds diesel engine and shoved it in a buick wagon like that…..cool…and man thats some pretty impressive mileage all things considered….24mpg is pretty good I think for a big wagon like that ð. Driving a new Porsche is about as desirable as fucking a fat boy in a dress. A “water in fuel” (WIF) sensor was installed in the fuel tank, as well as a warning light on the dashboard. Nice Oldsmobile Turbo Diesel Wagon, maybe someday, you should think about running it on waste vegetable oil or possibly make it around 200,000 or 300,000 on it. The larger, 3-inch-diameter main bearing journals it used in place of the normal 2.5″ journals were the same as in a big block; however, its commonalities with the garden-variety small block made it possible to bolt gasoline-engine heads onto the LF9 block, and (along with other modifications) convert it into a gas engine. The roller cam debuted on the diesel in 1980. 30 Replies to “1978 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Diesel: In Defense of the Olds 350 Diesel V8” EquipmentJunkie April 30, 2019 at 8:45 am. If that happens, he’ll be just as mystified by people who defend shoddy products as I am. If you slacked off on the oil change interval, and trusted your car to whatever oil the local monkey-lube installed, valve train and/or bearing failure was inevitable. Early production cars didn’t even get the water-in-fuel sensor, so a recall was issued to retrofit it. Presently, the car has a small fuel-system leak somewhere, probably just a cracked rubber fuel line, that causes the pump to lose prime after sitting. The 83 diesel trans looks like it may have never been rebuilt since all the plastic … Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Surely someone looking at a 911 would probably be happy with a 2003 Solara or something, save the mighty LC500 for comparisons with worthy vehicles, like a Tardis, the Millennium Falcon or supersonic hovercrafts….. What angle are you going for here CJinSD? People were so happy with the running qualities and efficiency that they didn’t complain about fit and finish or pretty much anything else. “It was him, Officer! For andye250- The oil pressure is fine on the motor, there is no gauge in the car just the oil and water temp gauge, and the boost gauge. Owners ignored this warning light at their (and their vehicles’) peril. The problem was exacerbated by improperly trained dealership mechanics who had to service this engine. It was the only time that block heater was used. Should have left the tunes on too, lol! No, they’re not for everybody–the LF9 was still an old-school diesel with no turbo to give it more power, nor electronic fuel injection to quiet it down–both of which are ubiquitous on moderns diesels–but still, I think diesels could have had a future in full-size American sedans. That this car is still with us today, and hasn’t exhibited most of the usual maladies these engines were known for, can be credited to a combination of good maintenance practices and good fortune. Unfortunately, as a cost-cutting measure GM did not outfit their diesel cars with a proper water-separating fuel filter. I can’t tell if he realizes that he has a hobby rather than a rebuttal of my arguments for buying a Toyota product. https://youtu.be/tGoV_dWHpsk. One of my good friends has a Jeep, a Porsche, and a mechanical engineering degree. To replace the Chrysler, he headed down to Carter Chevrolet-Olds and placed an order for what is oft regarded today as one of General Motors’ biggest blunders: a 1978 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with the then-new 350 CID LF9 V8 diesel engine. One problem was the fresh air snorkel. Then the other shoe fell. much better than the usual, ” i had no serious problems with mine.”, there’s and aftermarket kit that allows mechanics to rebore the heads to take beefier studs for these engines. I’ve been a loyal supporter of Dr. Rudolph Diesel’s offspring over the years. Your email address will not be published. If you need a “I have to get to work. I don’t even own a Toyota. The fact that the mechanics didn’t work for GM still gives the impression that it was GMs fault if you trusted the mechanic. ENGINE TYPE: pushrod 16-valve diesel V-8, iron block and heads, mechanical direct fuel injection Displacement: 350 cu in, 5737cc Power (SAE net): 105 bhp @ … Was trying ot figure out that song, grreat job! Also, owners were actually getting fuel mileage that came close to the EPA numbers. And 20000 Miles Later. There is Some video of the engine running in the car and the pressure gauge. We’ve since owned several VW diesels, GM 6.2-liter diesels, a Cummins-powered Dodge and a Chevy Duramax. 25 Responses to gm 5.7 350 Olds Turbo Diesel Station Wagon. My buddy put an olds 350 in it and it ran like a champ … enable_page_level_ads: true View all posts by Diesel Performance Truck. This is our blog. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items! He still needed to produce proof of every service before they honored the warranty. Both AC-Delco and GM Goodwrench rebuilt 350 diesel engines are available. There are all sorts of cars that I’ve driven or wanted to that were made before people could be elected in the US as admitted socialists. Diesel to Big Block/Small Block. I even had a co-worker that resurrected his Dad’s ’82 Olds 88 as a daily driver a few years ago. GM had already unleashed the 2300/Durabuilt 140 on their customers at this point. It seemed like those who were mechanically inclined and were fastidious about maintenance had good luck with them. “Brady ran a stock LD9 with a turbo on it until it finally blew up,” Norry says. After weathering a barrage of bad press from reviewers and purchasers during the engine’s first few years, they cancelled production despite finally having gotten most of the bugs worked out. “Driving a 5.7 (or 6.2) GM diesel is like walking around with an un-pinned grenade in your pocket…you know it’s going to really hurt, but you don’t know when!”. “If only GM had installed a proper fuel filter, made some of the second-gen improvements up front, and taken the time to properly train their dealership mechanics in servicing the engine.”. I attribute the uncharacteristic longevity of our Olds to this filter as much as anything else. His teenage son’s 2018 WRX automatic needed new VVT actuators and an ECU at 13,000 miles. 2010 ford f-350, pickup, 6.4l eight cyl engine engine, 4x4, 2010 f-350 crew cab 4x4, pickup - heres a nice local, 1-owner trade that was serviced. Seeing the car fail so early and the dealer try every avenue of escape from responsibility for what is clearly a low quality product may well convince him to buy a good car next time. He’s the one that ruined everything! In both cases, that could be avoided by using the correct diesel-rated crankcase oil and changing it promptly at the prescribed 3,000 mile intervals (or preferably sooner). It wasn’t for sale very long, either because the only interested parties were tire-kickers that wanted to lowball him on price, or because after my Dad informed him that the turbo-bird drank premium gas, he didn’t want one after all. You Don’t Need a Cape to Be A Superhero in Fleet Management, ?Writing With Absolutes – Why Master Writers Use Them. tpvalley October 10, 2009 at 8:24 am # Should do a drive by video. Diesel kings. We had several Olds 88 with the diesel engines when I worked in Odessa, Tx.