Comments: 1-15, 16-25
What didn't go wrong with this car is a better question.
Well... the ash tray never broke.
Where do I start?
1. Transmission at 13k miles failed. The transmission that was installed in the car was a turbo 200 model. This transmission was designed for a small, lightweight car, about the size of a Vega. What moron from General Motors decided to install this transmission into a vehicle the size of Cadillac and expected it to function? Can we say DUMB ASS?
2. Engine: The same moron's that selected the trasmission must have been smoking dope while designing the 5.7L diesel. This motor had more problems than I could list. Head-gaskets, rocker assemblies, injector pump, broken head bolts, multiple starters, and the finally a broken crankshaft.
3. Differential and Axles: This car left me stranded 2 times with damaged rear wheel bearings. Again the same dope smoking moron's from above decided to redesign the rear end. Take a perfectly good working axle and wheel bearing, then remove the inner race of the bearing, and have the wheel bearing ride directly on the axle without a hardened steel race. (gotta save a few cents). Unfortunately they never grasped the concept that the bearing was harder than the axle, and as wear occurs that the axle would become damaged. This problem occurred 2 times, and of course the axles had to be special ordered each time (about 3 weeks of downtime).
I will never even consider another General Motors product after this car.
GM... GO TO HELL!!
I had a turbo 200-r4 in my '81 Buick Electra with a 307 Gas V8 (more power and toque than the diesel) and went 187,000 miles with the car and no transmission problems. If you were crazy enough to buy a 350 diesel then you deserve all those problems!
Anyone who would buy a diesel in the first place is foolish. The person who wrote this article condemning GM for one car has a definite problem with reality. Every car I have owned from GM has been extremely reliable. I am currently driving a 1990 Olds Cutlass Supreme International Series and have never been stranded. I bought the car and it had 70,000 miles on it. It currently has 145,000 miles on the odometer, it has been the best car I have owned, no problems. I have never done any major repairs on this car and it consistently gets 20-25 miles per gallon in the city. I have gotten up to 40 miles to the gallon on the highway.
So if you want to condemn GM go ahead, most of us won't listen to you anyway. As we base our opinions in reality.
The only thing wrong with the 350 diesel was that people treated them like they were gas engines.
Diesel sucks. anyone who bought diesel deserves it. Why didn't you just buy a Yugo so you'd have a legit beef (and even some of those ran OK)? I received my Olds as a birthday gift from my dad... and the car was already 10 years old. It was the greatest gift ever. I went almost 200,000 miles, and even my dad was shocked. That car just had zest. It's probably still out there. I sold it for parts. It may still be out there. Who knows? If I ever get a windfall, I'm gonna get another '98.
The Olds 98 with the 350 diesel was not that bad as a lot of folks say. I have nothing but good things to say about that engine.Sure, it may be outdated now, but it doesn't cost all that much to keep it running. If people that purchased these fine cars used some sense when behind the wheel, and by having a look under the hood once in a while, things would have been great. I have two of these Oldsmobile diesel engines running great.Could'nt ask for any better. Knock on wood every single time. Call me crazy, but I think GM should reintroduce them. In 1985,the bugs were worked out of those engines.They were really well designed in the last year they were manufactured.
I also think GM is one of the best car made. I also have a 350 diesel and haven't had one single problem with it. I also wish GM would start reproducing GM Good-wrench 350 diesels, so I can put one back when, if ever mine quits. GM should be praised for paving the road in automobile diesel engines.
Proud owner of a GM Diesel,
Tim.
I have ran the olds diesel a lot of miles and still do and I would say thanks for building an engine that is so enjoyable to listen to and operate as that one. John.
The original owner of my truck with the 5.7 GM diesel engine eventually had some problems, so the guy rebuilt the engine with some additional diesel strength parts. He must have been some sort of genius. Anyway, the engine just doesn't seem to want to quit. The only two problems I've encountered are finding parts such as fuel injector nozzles and overcoming it's low towing capacity. I think the materials that GM used could have been better, but the design is kind of neat.
The above comments are a JOKE, right?
Here in California we introduced the LEMON law primarily due to the GM 5.7L diesel.
I completely understand why this person is SLAMMING GM and the 5.7L diesel.
WHAT A PIECE OF CRAP ENGINE.
I had very similar incidents with my 5.7L back in 1981.
I have had now many diesels since then, all of them Fords.
Not a single major problem with any of the Fords.
All went over 200,000 miles and were running perfectly when I sold them.
I am now the proud owner of a new 6.0L Ford diesel and fully expect to see the same reliable performance out of this new engine.
If you want a diesel that’s going to run for extended miles…..Stay far far away from GM.
I once owned a olds diesel Cutlass.1980 model. The first
engine had some cylinder head problems, cracks, blown gaskets. At 60000 miles GM finally agreed to replace engine
if I'd pay labor. Eight years and 200000 miles later, I sold the car. During the time after the new engine, it had
an injection pump and a starter. That's it. I wish GM still
had cars of that type/size.
No, the above comments are not a joke. Ford changed their Powerstroke diesel in 2002 (I think) and had teething pains, as did GM with their Olds diesel.
I have an '83 Buick LeSabre with an Olds diesel. I just rebuilt the engine after 20 years and 215,000 miles. That engine is quiet, solid as a rock and gets 25 mpg highway. Not bad for a 3-speed tranny pushing a 4,000 pound car.
I have a 350 Oldsmobile Diesel that just rolled 300k. The problems were with the owner.
I would have to agree. The problems were with the owners. With proper maintenance they run forever.
I'm buying a 1982 Buick LeSabre 5.7 diesel, and I'm having it rebuilt with the best parts I can find. When I'm done, I'll bet it well out last any Ford diesel out there.
P.s. I'm a Ford guy!!
I remember these units pretty well, and they were a real mixed bag. The people that owned them had no clue what owning a diesel was like, they never warmed them up properly, they used the wrong kinds of oil in them and screwed up the bearings, hence the updated block (which rodders love because of their durability.)
G.M. had problems with the head gaskets, but this stemmed from the water in the fuel, because this separator system was like nonexistent, then the mechanic who had no idea about diesels would shave down the warped heads, they would be too thin and crack or warp again, they'd put it all back together, and it was a mess.
The injection pumps were also problematic, but this was more due to fuel quality, and again poor fuel quality.
By the '80's these engines were pretty well refined and decent running, but it was too late, their reputation was very tarnished and many of those who had owned them had had them switched over to gasoline engines.
They were no Mercedes 240's, but considering most of the problems with these motors were more often operator induced...
The 6.2's were much better, but they too were troublesome at first, and suffer from their faults as well.
The biggest factor in these motors unpopularity isn't that they were so incredibly crappy, it's that the parts are very expensive and difficult to find, at least compared to the famous small block, and the servicing is a little more expensive, GM owners love being able to buy anything for their vehicle at Autozone for dirt cheap.
As a note for you guys, google the early Jeep Liberty diesels, they actually pulled those off the market for a while because they were so bad,
take a look at the early Cummins 24 valve '98-'00 ram, those were eating through injection pumps like crazy.
Early Duramax, head gaskets and trannys, Ford... I'm not even going to go there. Fords are of the worst vehicles produced today, and have been for about 20 years.
I still own a 1982 Suburban with a 6.2L in it and it has 250k on it. It still runs strong, yes the motor was replaced by the previous owner in '87 at 60k, the only other thing I've done to it is the transfer-case and brakes. It's been decent.
My '05 Nissan Frontier (which was supposed to be the best thing on the market) has had a new set of leafsprings, a new idler pulley, a new gas cap, a new tranny, and several missing screws put on, and it still needs a couple things, and it only has 4800 MILES!
So I still like driving my ol 3/4 ton diesel better. Despite all its problems at 250k, it still gets 16 mpg around town with no over drive, and I believe it will still be getting 16 mpg long after my Frontier dies, or Nissan buys it back :).
"GM... GO TO HELL!!"
- I think that they're halfway there already.