Why is my 1990 Cadillac Sedan Deville dying?
Asked by adbreed Feb 15, 2014 at 01:27 PM about the 1990 Cadillac DeVille Sedan FWD
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
At first it started dying once in awhile when I was at a complete stop but the other day it
died when I was coasting down hill at about 25 mph and since then I even notice it jerking
on the freeway like it wants to die. Thinking maybe of starting with changing the fuel filter
but would love any advice if anyone has any. Thanks.
6 Answers
When I first got my 1994 deville it die on me one day, it started right back up and ran for quite some time and then it died again, started right back up. I knew that there was something but these intermittent problems are hard to find. I had new air filter,ran thru some injector cleaner. took it for a "blow out the carbon " run ( that's when I found out I was driving a comfy cozy sofa that could go 160 k.p.h. and feel like you were still in heaven, and had more to give; but, I returned to sanity before a cop saw me). Anyway I got in it one day a few minutes after my spouse got home and it wouldn't start. Called C.A.A. and after waiting for them I decided I'd try to start it again. It started - I called C.A.A. to cancel and went downtown where the damned thing died and would not restart. Had C.A.A. tow me to my guy who replaced the distributor (electronic equivalent thereof). the plastic body of ( I'LL continue to say distributor) was so brittle that you could break of pieces with your finger tips. Car has never stalled or not started again! Cost a couple of hundred bucks only.
Once you get your problem solved- I say use ONLY 93 octane, I tried regular gas for a bit but switched back and my baby will never drink regular again. Little pleasures like single malt scotch for me and high octane for my cadi are what life is all about!
I used a long torx 20 L key wrench that looks like an Allen key but has a star end to increase bottom idle speed. Available as part of a $14 set from Advance Auto. There is an access hole in the black bracket that holds the idle speed control motor attached to the throttle body. It's challenging to angle it into the hole to turn the screw, and I found I had to pull the hoses and pipes in the area worked on. I think as the engine ages, it can develop a rough idle requiring the bottom idle speed to be bumped up, so to speak.
I also had the distributor changed to a Cardone for $89.95 for the part, plus labor. This helped a driveability problem. I also noticed the wires inside were brittle.
This all was done on a 1990 Cadillac DeVille with 217,000 miles. I suspect a new engine might solve the rough idle when hot. But, I haven't gotten the itch to have that replaced, lately. Compression or general wear might be factors. Duane
Same problem. New distributor. Never ran so well.
