I remember those from when I was a kid. Always seemed odd seeing soot coming out of the exhaust: That’s a classic body style. My grandfather had a couple Caprice Classics so these remind me of him.
I had one of these in the early 80's, never had the historic problems with the diesel but when I went to trade it in i had to fight to get some of that class action money to offset the horrible value lost. I ended up with a voucher for $2500.00 that could be used at any GM dealership.
Hey, I’ve just recently found your channel and I love your vids. Nice GM product 🙌😁 i have a dream of getting an olds diesel one day too but I have 3 vehicles to take care of before I can allow myself to get anything else
I'm 58 years old and in 1986 I worked at Pitcairn Oldsmobile in levittown pennsylvania. My manager had an Oldsmobile Cutlass supreme 4-door with the diesel engine and when he put five people in it and went to back up his driveway it would not move the people had to get out and then he could back up the driveway because it was a slight incline. God's honest truth from somebody who was there to experience it
Dad's free company car Cutlass Brougham Sedan would easily do burnouts on our semi-steep drive way when it was wet. It went through 4 engines in 18months,car was a pile of sh&t.
It seems that by the time the DX block rolled out they were pretty reliable other than water in fuel issues and the head gaskets but those don't seem to be as bad. I've heard many stories of DX Olds diesels going 200k+ miles
@@BigMessGarageand people who use them hard had better luck. Just puttering around town killed them, if you were someone who drives a lot of expressway or country driving they weren’t bad
Pretty cool Ryan, 150k ish seems quite high for these! I think its the first I've seen that high. My regal is 119k. But remember the much more Robust V6... Btw I love those interiors. So grand and Classy... My dad is looking for one of these. Decent parts availability? or better off finding another G-body sedan?II really can't believe how Exceptional!! it starts up. $1,000 score all day long.
As for parts in general, it's all just GM parts bin stuff and from what I understand much of it was still used into the 90s so parts are no problem to find. Engine parts for the diesel can be a little more tricky but I've already stockpiled a good amount of stuff so no worries for me there either. I personally would go with one of these over a G Body sedan all day long, but I really love a G Body coupe so that would be a hard choice lol
I knew someone who had one and brought it up to sub zero New England in late January where the fuel jelled and it wouldn't run until conditions warmed up.
It's funny, before I bought my black 81 Ninety Eight the only knowledge I had of the diesel was that my aunt had one probably 30 years ago and I remember it sitting in the driveway because it wouldn't run, fuel gelled up. My uncle was a GM master mechanic lol. Guess I'm a glutton for punishment 😂
My other 81 Ninety Eight diesel I did the long haul for Hot rod power tour this year, 2,000 miles with it! I had that thing foot to the floor a lot during that trip going up the hills trying to maintain speed, even took it down the drag strip! The engine loved it, no issues at all 😎
We had an 80 Cutlass Diesel and had a lot of problems with it. Gloplugs and other odds and ends. Worse comes to worse, when the engine dies, you can do a 350 swap and keep on trucking! My 77 Seville has one. Great engines. I did hear the 81’s and beyond were much better.
I've had overall good luck with mine, I have another 81 Ninety Eight diesel that I did hot rod power tour with this year, even ran it down the drag strip in Indianapolis 😂 I have a video on all of that if you want to check it out 😎
Friends of mine had (I think it was an Olds) a diesel station wagon. Other than it being a bitch to get started any time the temperature was lower than about 70F, I don't seem to recall them having all that much trouble with it.
Many stories out there of them going 200k+ miles! Seems like most people back when they were new didn't understand how to treat them differently than the gas engines they were used to which also led to issues on top of the manufacturing flaws.
Perhaps it was not the original engine. My first day of driver's education class (in 1982) we had a classroom-only session (with the "scary drivers education movie"). I was driven to that class by a friend of a friend. He had a Chevy Vega with 74,000 miles on it. Clearly that car did NOT have the original engine.
I remember those from when I was a kid. Always seemed odd seeing soot coming out of the exhaust: That’s a classic body style. My grandfather had a couple Caprice Classics so these remind me of him.
My grandma had a Buick Park Avenue, I remember how nice that thing was!
Awesome! It sounds good! Kinda weird seeing a slick top car with opera lights
congratulations!!! 1981 is my favorite due to the grill and the DX block. I have an 81 as well...
They are fantastic cruisers!
Congrats on your purchase of another Ninety Eight. You put the effort and the work, you will get this Ninety Eight where you want it to be.
We'll see what happens! Plenty more to come, stay tuned 😎
@@BigMessGarage I will be watching.
I had one of these in the early 80's, never had the historic problems with the diesel but when I went to trade it in i had to fight to get some of that class action money to offset the horrible value lost. I ended up with a voucher for $2500.00 that could be used at any GM dealership.
I love it! Sounds healthy! Started easy. If it had problems, it would not be that easy to cold start. Rust doesn’t bother me.
Hey, I’ve just recently found your channel and I love your vids. Nice GM product 🙌😁 i have a dream of getting an olds diesel one day too but I have 3 vehicles to take care of before I can allow myself to get anything else
Just do it, YOLO 😂😂
Love it!!!
i would love to get one of these one day.
I'm 58 years old and in 1986 I worked at Pitcairn Oldsmobile in levittown pennsylvania. My manager had an Oldsmobile Cutlass supreme 4-door with the diesel engine and when he put five people in it and went to back up his driveway it would not move the people had to get out and then he could back up the driveway because it was a slight incline. God's honest truth from somebody who was there to experience it
I do not doubt that at all, they are a bit gutless and the high rear gear certainly doesn't help!
Dad's free company car Cutlass Brougham Sedan would easily do burnouts on our semi-steep drive way when it was wet. It went through 4 engines in 18months,car was a pile of sh&t.
Glad I'm not the only one who appreciates old stuff like this. Glad it went to a good home. Stay dirty 👍
I just put a video up giving it a cleanup too 😎
Looked pretty solid. Good luck with her!
Thanks!
Awesome find! I'm genuinely surprised that engine has lasted over 100,000 miles.
It seems that by the time the DX block rolled out they were pretty reliable other than water in fuel issues and the head gaskets but those don't seem to be as bad. I've heard many stories of DX Olds diesels going 200k+ miles
@@BigMessGarageand people who use them hard had better luck. Just puttering around town killed them, if you were someone who drives a lot of expressway or country driving they weren’t bad
100k is nothing for a diesel engine.
It is for that diesel engine @@LADroneMan
@@LADroneMan it's a almost unbelievable amount of miles for a olds diesel most were scrap metal long before that many miles
Awesome cars youll fix her up do u still have the black one too
I'd love to find one of those for $1K, great find!
@@youtoobe169 then pull the diesel and put in a rocket 350 or 455
@@nathandevine552 No way! I only want it for the diesel.
Congratulation! 😎
Always found it strange that GM could build great truck and marine diesel engines but couldn’t build a decent one for cars.
The Olds 350 diesel came out before the Detroit 6.2, I guess they started with the worst and worked their way up from there 😂
Pretty cool Ryan, 150k ish seems quite high for these! I think its the first I've seen that high. My regal is 119k. But remember the much more Robust V6... Btw I love those interiors. So grand and Classy... My dad is looking for one of these. Decent parts availability? or better off finding another G-body sedan?II really can't believe how Exceptional!! it starts up. $1,000 score all day long.
As for parts in general, it's all just GM parts bin stuff and from what I understand much of it was still used into the 90s so parts are no problem to find. Engine parts for the diesel can be a little more tricky but I've already stockpiled a good amount of stuff so no worries for me there either. I personally would go with one of these over a G Body sedan all day long, but I really love a G Body coupe so that would be a hard choice lol
Really nice oldsmobile always nice to see one out and especially in original factory condition are you going to have it detailed?
Interesting car, these are almost obsolete now.
You definitely don't see many anymore, especially in good shape! Check out my other videos, I have a black one as well with many videos on.
Looking forward to see the progress! Is this a donor for the black one or is it worth saving?
Time will tell, not 100% sure yet but I have a million ideas in my head for it lol
Fix the cigarette lighter - Jake Blues
I knew someone who had one and brought it up to sub zero New England in late January where the fuel jelled and it wouldn't run until conditions warmed up.
It's funny, before I bought my black 81 Ninety Eight the only knowledge I had of the diesel was that my aunt had one probably 30 years ago and I remember it sitting in the driveway because it wouldn't run, fuel gelled up. My uncle was a GM master mechanic lol. Guess I'm a glutton for punishment 😂
I would restrict the throttle so it doesn't kill it's crankshaft retention bolts.
My other 81 Ninety Eight diesel I did the long haul for Hot rod power tour this year, 2,000 miles with it! I had that thing foot to the floor a lot during that trip going up the hills trying to maintain speed, even took it down the drag strip! The engine loved it, no issues at all 😎
An 81 Ninety Eight came up for sale on my search recently.
Also 7 hours away.
$1500 CND
I have no trailer though.
Next purchase
Is it for
Sale is a diesel
I was able to borrow a trailer from a friend to go snag it, otherwise I was going to find one to rent. Well worth it!
I have extra room in my driveway for this.
We had an 80 Cutlass Diesel and had a lot of problems with it. Gloplugs and other odds and ends. Worse comes to worse, when the engine dies, you can do a 350 swap and keep on trucking! My 77 Seville has one. Great engines. I did hear the 81’s and beyond were much better.
I've had overall good luck with mine, I have another 81 Ninety Eight diesel that I did hot rod power tour with this year, even ran it down the drag strip in Indianapolis 😂 I have a video on all of that if you want to check it out 😎
Friends of mine had (I think it was an Olds) a diesel station wagon. Other than it being a bitch to get started any time the temperature was lower than about 70F, I don't seem to recall them having all that much trouble with it.
I love the old wagons, would be cool to have one with a diesel too!
Had one broke head bolts crankshafts and everything in-between
I've heard many horror stories on the Olds diesel, just makes me want to keep it running even more! I guess I'm a bit stubborn haha!
How is it still running w 153 thou on it they never went that far
Many stories out there of them going 200k+ miles! Seems like most people back when they were new didn't understand how to treat them differently than the gas engines they were used to which also led to issues on top of the manufacturing flaws.
Perhaps it was not the original engine. My first day of driver's education class (in 1982) we had a classroom-only session (with the "scary drivers education movie"). I was driven to that class by a friend of a friend. He had a Chevy Vega with 74,000 miles on it. Clearly that car did NOT have the original engine.
That's how we know there isn't 253K.
They really weren't that bad. The engine are okay. The transmission that general motors decided to use for the problem.
I'm definitely not a fan of the 200 metric transmission, I have a 200-4R to swap in though! That with a better rear gear will wake it up for sure 😁
By 1981 the problems with the diesel were resolved. The problems with that engine were during 1978 and 1979 model years. You'll be fine.
That's what I've read! My other 81 Ninety Eight diesel has been good too. Worst case, I still have a NOS olds 350 diesel sitting in my garage 😎
I think you are at 53,000 miles, not 153,000!! those engines kill themselves around 50K :-)
Love it !!!!!!