optimum tire coating

[Setec Astronomy]

Yes, those tire foams seemed to do a decent cleaning job, I still have a few cans of that Detailer's Advantage. I remember arguing with BillD over on Autopia that he was crazy doing his involved tire cleaning, I told him that I just scrubbed with the P21S runoff, rinsed, let it dry (I guess?), and sprayed with the tire foam and I was good until next week's wash. Sorry Bill.

I mean that did work pretty well, but eventually I wound up with dedicated tire cleaners...and all the other crazy stuff we do.

Anyway, how are we going to get back to Optimum Tire Coating?

 

[Eldorado2k]

Since you guys are in Eldorado mode, that '82 was the FWD chassis that they started making in '79 (shared with the Riv and Toro)? The Caddy had a specific engine? I'm trying to remember if there was a Buick engine in the Riv in '79; I know later they were using the Olds 307, I want to say in '79 it was a Buick 305 in the Riv, with the front distributor. I guess the Toro must have had the 307 from the get-go; that was just at the time when they were establishing the "powertrain division" or whatever so they didn't get sued for putting Olds engines in Cadillacs, unless these are the cars they got sued over. I still remember when they started adding that wording to the brochures, something like "GM vehicles use engines manufactured by GM powertrain division, blah blah"

-In 79’ the Eldorado had an Oldsmobile 350.
-In 80’ it had the Cadillac 368 V8.
-1981 had the Cadillac V8-6-4
-1982 is when they unveiled the infamous HT4100 V8 which became famous for blowing head gaskets & warped engine blocks, among many other drawbacks, 125hp. etc.
-Also available in 82’ was the Oldsmobile 350 Diesel, which was also a disaster.
-82’ also had the option of a Buick V6 with 125hp.
They were all terrible.

They got sued for selling Eldorado Convertibles in 84-85. I’m not sure if they got sued over the engines, but they should’ve because they were that bad.

I actually have those brochures.

I have a brochure that covers some of Cadillacs history of achievements and they talk about how they 1st began working on the HT4100 way back in the 1960’s. So they worked 20yrs. on producing their worst engine of all time.

But it’s not completely the HT4100’s fault because that engine was being designed to go into the downsized Cadillacs of 1985-86.

The reason it was rushed into production was due to the Cadillac V8-6-4 being such a disaster in the 1981 cars. That’s the main reason it was so underpowered in those big Cadillacs including the Eldorado.

 

[Eldorado2k]

Yes, those tire foams seemed to do a decent cleaning job, I still have a few cans of that Detailer's Advantage. I remember arguing with BillD over on Autopia that he was crazy doing his involved tire cleaning, I told him that I just scrubbed with the P21S runoff, rinsed, let it dry (I guess?), and sprayed with the tire foam and I was good until next week's wash. Sorry Bill.

I mean that did work pretty well, but eventually I wound up with dedicated tire cleaners...and all the other crazy stuff we do.

Anyway, how are we going to get back to Optimum Tire Coating?

Bill D is crazy… You know about his wash technique with the foam. He’s crazy. Nuff said.lol. J/k

 

[Bill D]

Yes, those tire foams seemed to do a decent cleaning job, I still have a few cans of that Detailer's Advantage. I remember arguing with BillD over on Autopia that he was crazy doing his involved tire cleaning, I told him that I just scrubbed with the P21S runoff, rinsed, let it dry (I guess?), and sprayed with the tire foam and I was good until next week's wash. Sorry Bill.

Gee, I don’t remember that but I’m getting new tires on the Accord soon and I’ll be sure to go all out cleaning them

 

[Bill D]

Bill D is crazy… You know about his wash technique with the foam. He’s crazy. Nuff said.lol. J/k

Oh yes, and it pays off. My polishers gather dust. I’ll be tackling another involved cleaning procedure once I get new tires on my Accord. That Tufshine tire cleaner worked rather well on my white walls a few months ago when I got new tires on the Caddy

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Gee, I don’t remember that but I’m getting new tires on the Accord soon and I’ll be sure to go all out cleaning them

I believe I accused you of making things too complicated, coming from the guy who later, when getting new tires, would take all the wheels off his car and go to the tire place and have all the old tires dismounted, bring the wheels back home for a good cleaning, then bring them back to the tire place to have the tires put on, then put the wheels back on and drive to the tire place for an alignment.

 

[Bill D]

I never actually took wheels home to clean them before returning them for an alignment. I did ask the mechanic if I could clean the barrels there at the shop though. This was in the days before I had a lift.

As crazy as I am though, I would encourage anyone to do just what you said.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

-In 79’ the Eldorado had an Oldsmobile 350.
-In 80’ it had the Cadillac 368 V8.
-1981 had the Cadillac V8-6-4
-1982 is when they unveiled the infamous HT4100 V8 which became famous for blowing head gaskets & warped engine blocks, among many other drawbacks, 125hp. etc.
-Also available in 82’ was the Oldsmobile 350 Diesel, which was also a disaster.
-82’ also had the option of a Buick V6 with 125hp.
They were all terrible.

I had to look it up, in '79 the Riv also had the Olds 350, in '81 they went to the Olds 307. Didn't the HT4100 develop into the Northstar engine? Or was the Northstar clean-sheet after the HT4100 disaster?

They got sued for selling Eldorado Convertibles in 84-85. I’m not sure if they got sued over the engines, but they should’ve because they were that bad.

I looked it up, the lawsuit was in '77 for putting Chevy engines into Delta 88's. However at that time it was noted that the original Sevilles had Olds engines in them...of course the Seville was just a gussied up Nova, anyway (don't get me wrong, a Seville was a dream car for me and my friends, especially after Car & Driver kind of hot-rodded one, although we never put it together that it was a Nova, unlike later when the Cimarron came out).

I actually have those brochures.

I'm going to have to look what Caddy stuff I have from that era. I don't think anything.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I never actually took wheels home to clean them before returning them for an alignment. I did ask the mechanic if I could clean the barrels there at the shop though. This was in the days before I had a lift.

Just to be clear, I left the car home, jacked it up, put the wheels in another car, took them to the tire place, had the tires removed, brought the wheels home, cleaned/coated/whatever, brought the wheels back for the tires some days later, brought the clean wheels with new tires home, put them back on the car, then drove there for the alignment. One time I had the car sitting on jack stands for weeks when I had the wheels refinished before putting the new tires on. Of course in that case I let the wheel shop take the tires off.

 

[Bill D]

I really tip my hat to you for going through all of that!

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I really tip my hat to you for going through all of that!

This is your opportunity to tell me how I'm engaging in crazy overkill. Turnabout is fair play, right? And I haven't done that for a long time...I'm itching to dump the tires on one of my cars maybe next year, not sure if I will go through that.

 

[Bill D]

It is overkill. I’m just going to get new tires and an alignment some time pretty soon. I’m going to work on cleaning the tires leisurely like I did on the Cadillac. I’m all about detailing for pleasure now and not overthinking or overdoing anything,at least not any more

 

[Eldorado2k]

Didn't the HT4100 develop into the Northstar engine? Or was the Northstar clean-sheet after the HT4100 disaster?

The HT4100 was its own deal which evolved into a slightly improved version in 1988 with the 4.5 liter version, and finally in 91’ with the 4.9.

The Northstar was a completely different engine that was somewhat derived from a Lotus racing engine.

 

[Bill D]

My car has the 4.5. Very thankfully, no problems with it.

 

[Eldorado2k]

I did ask the mechanic if I could clean the barrels there at the shop though. This was in the days before I had a lift.

I’ve thought of wanting to do that, but it’d probably never happen.


I actually bought a 3 ton floorjack for the 1st time a couple of weeks ago for the sole purpose of wanting to remove my wheels to get them 100% clean.

However I decided that it wasn’t worth it since I’d only use it for that purpose maybe once per year. I returned it after it had been sitting in my trunk unopened for almost a week. Plus I’m pretty sure my cousin has a floorjack and I could pull up to his driveway and do it there if I wanted to.

I do want my wheels to be this clean again though.

 

[Bill D]

Wow, very clean! I'm sure you're going to get your wheels like that before you know it!