ESTATE SALE Cadillac EFI V8-6-4 | Will it RUN AND DRIVE 500 miles after 12 years?

I worked for Cadillac as a district service manager when that car was introduced. In pre-release service meetings, it was well-known from the very beginning, that the 8/6/4 was planned to be a one-year-only engine. The big problem was the early Delco electronics. The MAP sensor was calibrated with too-close tolerances. If the engine hic-upped (backfired) it would shut down. There was no repair except to replace the MAP sensor. The bigger problem was replacement stock was the exact same part, and it took GM a while before an updated unit could be supplied. Dealers would disconnect the 8/6/4 feature, running it as an 8cyl only. The press had a field day. I inspected a limo in West Palm Beach, Florida, that the owner wanted all the interior chrome replaced. Someone had discharged a tear gas device inside the car that caused the damage ( the interior chrome pieces came from different suppliers, so it was impossible for all of it to be defective) and I denied the claim. It turned out the limo was owned by the owner of the newspaper 'The National Inquirer" (famous for stories like 'I got pregnant by an alien, etc.) They went on a HUGE hate campaign, smearing the vehicle, which only threw fuel on the fire. Those were tough times to be a Cadillac District Service manager.

"The brake drum has traveled farther than the vehicle itself" man that was classic.

This episode should be called Man versus machine. It's so fun to watch these videos of Derek doing Derek things. Hats off to O'Reilly's for supporting the man.

I took a shot for every time you tried starting the engine. My liver has dissolved. Thank you

As a 35 year mechanic I want to say that I admire Derek for messing with that aggravating thing. RESPECT!

A bad Coolant temperature sensor will cause all the problems you're experiencing if it's feeding the ECM a -39 degree value. Very common problem in that era.

As much as we don't want you to get too frustrated, it sure makes for a funny video!! That runaway brake drum was epic!!

Seems like a perfekt fit for Derek. A factory car that randomly jumps from running 4 to 8 cylinders. Perfectly normal. Enjoyed this episode very much!

Having a cameraman is a big plus. Being able to catch that brake drum take off and catch Derek's live expression in the shot was absolute gold.

I clicked this as fast as I could, VGG is definitely my favorite thing on YouTube.

Derek, can’t stress enough the importance of SAFETY GLASSES. I’ve had the unfortunate experience of getting shards of metal stuck into my Cornea. Definitely not an enjoyable experience. Eye Doc was able to pluck the bits out. But this experience taught me a valuable lesson. You only get one set of Eyes. Protect them from damage!

I took apart a TBI unit, and on trying to start it flooded the engine with fuel. The engine hydro-locked, so I took out the plugs and turned over the engine. The ejected petrol was ignited by a stray HT lead and the whole engine bay went up in a large fireball. My kids asked me to do it again as they didn't all see it... Ahem. 😮

Derek had it right when he said “radio doesn’t work?! I’m selling it” 😂

I think this is the first time that we have actually seen you really struggle with a rig. This is sooooooooo relatable - if you have spent any time under a hood, you have been here. Thank you so much for showing that you struggle at times. So much of what you do, you make look so easy and it is so cool to see that the master struggles at times too - but you never give up and you are an inspiration to so many.

Do not quit on this. Never ever let the machines win! You let one win the others will walk all over you. This was a great great video and bring on Pt. II please!

You are something, Derek. My Dad had a V8-6-4. He had a four door medium grey and it was nice and comfortable but he complained that the engine was flaky. Was his last car and he still liked it.

We LOVED this episode. My wife cracked up when the brake drum shot across the shop. You can't let this thing beat you. Toss a modern EFI system on it and make it a super nice, "Take momma out to dinner" rig.

As someone who loves your channel and thinks the world of you, it was painful to see you struggle so. I also admire your commitment and have the utmost respect for how hard you worked on this episode. Thanks for all you do and the sacrifices you and your family make to keep this channel the best on you tube.

As some have stated, I’d like to see an expert on these vehicles take us through the troubleshooting of this system in a “Pine Hollow Automotive” manner. The system should be running ‘open loop’ when cold so most of the sensor readings shouldn’t matter (except, maybe, coolant temp sensor.) I’m looking forward to follow-up episode #2.

This is the first Vice Grip Garage segment I have ever seen, and it was amazing! You are a true comedian and doing exactly what you should be doing in this world. I feel for the struggle man but your composure was seriously admirable. I recently bought a 1981 Cadillac DeVille Sedan here in Australia that once belonged to my grandfather. It was the last car my grandfather owned, and he used to pick me up from school in it when I was 6. After he passed, the family sold it, and I saw it parked outside a restaurant. I went in and asked for the owner of the car. The owner and I had a great chat, and he confirmed it was my grandfather's and that he would call me if he was ever going to sell it. 12 years later, I got the call, and I bought it. When I went to pick it up and drive it home, it was the first time I had sat in the car for 34 years, and it had barely changed. Now I am slowly restoring the car. I would love to see if you can revive this thing. All the best, and thanks so much for the laughs.