Cadillac Catera Maintenance & Repair

country2

can you be more detailed then that because there is so much stuff there that i can't see where i could put it.is it on the inside of the battery. where does the noosle come up.

az_hvy

On my 98 it is behind the grill on driver side. The fill spout comes up between the grill and fan shrout With hood open look straight down where the hood latches about 6 inches to the right you will see a secondery VIN and ID plate riveted just to the right of that plate(direction of driver front tire) is where the noosle goes. Hope this helps

acurry

if your looking at the engine infront of the car the top of it is to your right infront of the battery. if you can google cadillac catera and you should find a website to show you a picture of how the engine looks and it will point that out im sorry im not with my car right now im out of town but i aslo think its infront of the front frame and radiator aslo. towards the driver side of the car

country2

thank you very much, that makes sense and i think i remember that now.

nogm4me

Re: replacement load leveling shocks,..Monroe retails a kit with all the necessary lines
and compression fittings and adapters. Very reasonably priced. You'll have to find a
parts broker willing to track it down. KYB ( japan ) make a non load leveling replacement strut that does away with the air compressor, and its pricey. My
suggestion is fish the new pressure line in with the old one you are taking out. Be
extra careful not to stress or strain the new line. I have had to do this with a Cat up
in Canada since the factory originals rotted out due to the corrosive nature of road
salt. Also keep the protective boot/bladder lube'd up with silicone to keep it supple and to resist moisture. This should keep those new struts in service for another 150k miles.
My question: Does anyone have or know where to get a engine compartment vacuum diagram ??

leevandam

Hey there... have not been here for a few weeks.....(S) Here is s simple question this time..... can you cut and splice the wire on the cps. I would like to make the wire longer so as to rewire the unit and keep away from the "hot" spots on the engine, know what I mean? I want to cut and splice a piece of wire in to make the lead longer....... again thanks a lot gang, and fellow Catera lovers..... Lee

cwo3dove

I am helping my Mom with her Catera. She has owned this car for 5 years and had nothing but problems with the cooling system, the car runs hot and will overheat. She has thrown plenty of money at it replacing the radiator, hoses, cooling fans and wiring, thermostat. These have been dealer repairs. Car still overheats. Last diagnosis from the dealer was the auxiliary water pump. I have purchased one from gmpartsdirect.com (1/2 price of dealer) and will install myself. Anyone done this? Anyone experiencing the same problems with this car? Looks like a straightforward installation, anyone know of any tricks to this procedure? Thanks.

jguthrie

no its easy two bolts then pull out the caliper might need a screw driver to get it lose then all you do is pull out the old ones and put in the new ones . my first time it took me 30 minutes for the front. i have a 98 catera. and if you have disc in the rear just do the same thing. u might need a c clamp to push in the calipers,but it is very simple. just remember to pump the brakes after doing it.

jguthrie

i have what looks like puss lol on the bottom of my fill cap and on the inside of fill tube area,but i dont have any antifreeze missing or is it dirty . theres no oil in the anti freez tank or is there any anti freez on my dip stick. no smoke out the exhust so i dont think its the head gasket. is this a classic sign of a intake gasket leak or is it something else? and how much does it cost to repair it? i find no one wants to do the job because its a real pain as they say. oh and the oil smells kinda like gas. it runs good and has no lose of power either. please someone respond as soon as possiable thank you.

jguthrie

i do . it does it every morning and after work. if its warm it shifts fine. i find it easier to let off the gas when it hits 3 thousand rpms or so. did you find out what the problem is i would like to fix it also.

az_hvy

There is a oil cooler located under the intake manifold. I had to replace the one in my 98 Cat back in March The cooler was 500$ (came with all gaskets) The labor was the about the same from a honest shop here in Phoenix (1000$ total) dealer gave me a ballpark figure of 1800-2100.If you go back and read the post 680--695 in this forum It should help you Good luck let us know

jguthrie

u can look online there was a place i bought both of mine for less than 300 dollars comes with the whole kit but they can hook up to the original air lines i think it was wholesale auto parts .com if thats not it type in airshocks at wholesale price. and they are easy to put on just take the two bolts off one on top and one on bottom you might have to use a wrench because they re might be a second nut on top. the dealer wants about 750.00 for the back shocks alone plus 3 to 4 hundred to put them on so

sskl

Found plugged cowl drain under hood drivers side that could cause runoff to dump water in sparkplug holes and cause severe missing in this car that I bought last Saturday at a reduced price because of the missing. Driver's side back two plugs were covered with rust. All plugs are four point Bosch, the back two driver side are Bosch #4 plugs, all are out now. All looked clean as if they were firing. Must be plug wire seals don't seal out water. Plan to confirm tomorrow. Comments please!

Mr_Shiftright

I'm skeptical but hey who knows. I would think the water would burn off quite fast. But maybe you just have funky spark plugs wires to begin with? Also I'd expect plugged drain holes to have leaked water into your car's interior.

My two cents is that water is intruding from somewhere other than cowl basin.

sskl

You're as right as I thought I was! Still misses with new plugs. Sounds like a stuck lifter if there is such a thing in this car. It did try to hit on 5 or 6 cyl. momentarily but went back to missing. Again all plugs looked clean except for rusty tops.
Thanks for your input, I can use any ideas to solve this! Dave

Mr_Shiftright

You might test the plug wires. And do a compression test.

sskl

Will do. Does it hurt coils to run engine with wire off plug?
Dave

Mr_Shiftright

I was thinking of a static resistance test. I'm sorry but I don't know what the resistance reading is supposed to be on those.

sskl

Wires OK, # 3 cyl. missing, going to check injector when I find it, next cam cover removal to see what valves are doing on # 3. No comp. check yet, will do first. Any help is welcome!
Thanks; Dave

sskl

#3 cyl. miss, new plug receiving spark and compression checks OK. Fuel injector check next. What is the best way to do the check? I am a pretty good old shadetree mechanic but can use any help!
Thanks; Dave

Mr_Shiftright

Well you could check for fuel injector pulse (electrical input) by using a NOID light, which you can buy pretty cheap at Autozone or some such.

But otherwise you'd have to pull it and time the injection duration, or at least see if there IS an injection. You hafta be careful working around squirting gasoline don't you know.

sskl

What is the process of teardown to get to do the node check and injector adjustment..
Should know before I start removing the plenim.
I've worked on many oddball engines from Jag "E' S, Lincoln V-12's and Chev fuel Inj., but don't "S" about this one, which makes it a new challenge.
I found that this is a Saab engine which means it had airplane designer influence.
Being a Boeing engineer doesn't help me at all on this one!
Thanks again, Please feel free to teach me!
Dave

Mr_Shiftright

This might be interesting reading for you:

http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/dec2000/mech.htm

It might be time for you to get a really good workshop manual :P There's tons of information to be learned here, and I have no way to shovel it all to you, what with charts and value tables and special tools, blah blah.

az_hvy

For over the last 6 months none of my interior lights including the one in the trunk have worked in my 98 Cat. I have checked all fuses and relays. Tuesday morning they came on, they worked fine and still came on when I left the car. On the way home same old story no interior lights, OK I have a short somewhere. Here comes the weird part, every morning since then they have worked but not in the afternoon or evening.
I live in Phoenix and just last week it has finally cooled off here (low to mid 50s) over night but still in upper 70s-low 80s in the day. Could the temperature affect them to short out? I’m clue less

sskl

Could be a relay affected by temp., suggest checking relay box under hood per manual to locate and replace.

leevandam1

We, just when it seemed that all was well another bug.... today my wife was driving our Catera when the transmission sport shift light came on and was blinking..... the car died and after a short time it started ok again.. I, in the past ( this summer) have replaced the cps, the heater valve and the over flow tank it has run good for seveal months, but then THIS... any thoughts on the subject..... PLEASE help..... asap Lee...

oldskewl

I have done this job at work,and in my opinion 900 bucks should be labor alone. It was possibly one of the hardest jobs I have ever done in my 30 plus yr career.ALSO be sure to have the thermostat replaced wile the intake manifold is off. :lemon:

chrissstie

I am back. Okay I recently had a small water leak that was found to be a loose Intake Bolt. So I had the intake valve replaced, and got my car back to find it has a miss/roughness to it. After the car heats up for about 30 mintues, the check engine light will come on and if i go to accelerate it will start acting up. I replaced the spark plugs, and it appeared to have fix the problem until i drive it about 100 miles and it stated again. Anyone know what else could be causing this? It is to the point where it sounds and feels like it might die when I come to a stop. :sick:

gwhitcomb

I have a 1998 Catera; nice car actually. However, I am having some goofy experiences. I can not get the emergency Flashersor the horn, to shut-off. In a fit, I pulled out all the relay switches located just to the right of the fuses. I can not seem to get them back in order. can any one tell me what order they go back in? The picture in the fuse panel cover is worthless. If someone could at least tell me the amps and volts, in the order they go back in, or the color of them, I think I can figure it out from there.

phil2400

First, get the trouble codes read. Any time the CEL comes on, a trouble code is stored. It remains there, even if the light goes off. Places like Autozone or O'Reillys will read the codes for free. write down the actual code, like P0301, and post it here. These codes are invaluable in determining your problem.

gwhitcomb

RE: Post #855 (mine): It seems I put all the relays back into the right places. However, my flashers keep going; I have no horn; no directional signals. When I install the relays, and the car is on nothing happens, but when I turn it off, the flashers start up and will not shut-off until I pull the relays. I have come to one conclusion that it might be the car alarm system. I would like to tempoarily disable it, however there isn't a fuse or relay that is labelled for that. Locking and Unlocking the door doesn;t shut-it-off as suggested it might. Does anyone know how to disable the alarm system. If I could do that I may be able to re-gain use of directional signals and horn.

gnguru

:sick: Well here goes. Don't know if anyone can help me but thought I'd check before having to go to Plan B which would mean having the car towed to the Cadillac dealer. Plan A is at the end of this post. About two weeks ago the car started turning over slower and slower each time you'd try to start it. Sometimes you'd turn the key and nothing and then turn it off and on again and it would start but just didn't have the normal gusto when turning over. Had to do a smog check and the guy checked the alternator and it was putting out 13.7 volts so it is fine. Naturally, I thought it needed a new battery even though it had a 17 month old Optima battery which really shouldn't be going out that soon. Anyway, I installed a brand new battery and it was still turning over slow and worked for about 8 starts and now when you turn the key over to start it is completely DEAD!! Not even a click but if you turn on the lights they are as bright as they are supposed to be so the battery is not the problem. Also, if you turn on the headlights and try to crank the car, the lights stay on as normal. My next guess would be the starter. Just wanted to see if anyone else has had a problem like this and if so what was the solution. I thought about maybe a relay, fuse or circuit breaker but if that was the case, it would have gone bad all of a sudden and not the gradual decline like I explained. If anyone has any thoughts or comments on this I would appreciate your input. Also, wondering how much of a job is it to change out the starter (Plan A). Car only has 59K miles and Mom bought it new. Thanks and any input would be greatly appreciated.

gwhitcomb

This may sound goofy, but several years ago I had a similair situation with another brand of car. We found out the belts were worn enough, and weren't tight enough keep the battery charged. I put in 2 batteries much like yourself and they went dead. Not sure where you live but in Mn. the temperatures will cause the belts to expand and contract especially in the winter. Just might check the condition of the belts.

gnguru

Brand new battery fully charged (verified) and alternator putting out 13.7 volts so belts and tension are fine. As i said, it won't even click when trying to start but thanks for the input. Anyone else have any ideas. Looked at service manuals and new starter appears to be a boogaroo to install. Ugh

Mr_Shiftright

Presuming the battery and alternator are doing what you say they do (just because they are new doesn't mean they are good)...but...presuming the battery is good and the alternator is putting out enough, then I'd have a "starter draw" test performed. Also the battery should be "load tested"

By the way, 13.7 volts is not all that great. It should be 13.8 or higher.

toritiny

hey I have a question I have a '98 cadillac catera, and I am experiancing some problems with the speedometer, and lights on the inside of the car. The speedo is not working, and the lights (dome lights,door lights, etc) will come off and on at will.

Do you think it is a fuse problem or a relay problem. Or could it be something else?

az_hvy

Does the ABS and or the TC light come on ?

Exigente

Have the same issue and then some. per AZ HVY' s question I do have a recurring TC ABS light associated with it.
Mine is a 2001 Catera it has started with what appears to be an oil leak from the top of motor. It alternately loses power steering, engine roughness and timing change at unprovoked times and speedometer will usually just stop working, Radiator light is on but has enough fluid and today radio turned off suddenly on hitting a bump but started again.

Now I know too many issues but is it possible a short in or affecting a chassis computer can be the cause and could it also be contamination of the wiring by the oil leak.

I'm weary of dealer repair expecting them to suggest I change every component affected when there may be a central cause. So far I have had Dyno suggest change of O2 sensor and registered misfire with right side of engine not firing(this occurred during rough idle and probably is sporadic). Also a communication problem.

I expect radio is a loose ground.

Oddly, I still love the car and would like to solve the problem...Is it too late, and costly?

max999

Hi:
I have 98 cadillac catera and there is oil leake on top of engine, i have been told that i have to change valve cover gasket, so please let me know step by step with diagrams or pictures if possible how to do it. Thank you

sskl

I also have a 98 with complete 2nd edition original factory manuals.
Removal procedure for camshaft cover as follows---
Remove intake plenim, (top cover on engine) disconnect attachments first.
Remove intake manifold underneath top cover.
Remove oil filler spout by unlocking the tab and twisting counter clkwise.
Disconnect the cam pos sensor and plastic ties.
Remove the wiring harness channel bolts and reposition the wiring harness channel.
Remove spark plug boots and wires from plugs.
Remove camshaft cover bolts.
Remove camshaft cover to clean and replace gasket and reassemble in reverse.

sskl

Solved by now? Just read your postings. Mr. shiftright's suggestion has or will solve the prob. I'm sure. Could also be loose connection to starter, fried solenoid contacts, park switch, or defective ignition switch in start mode. ,

gnguru

Yes, the problem is solved. Like I thought and said, the starter was shot. Mr. Shiftright's suggestions did not solve the problem. I knew the battery was good and the alternator was putting out plenty of voltage. I do alot of my own mechanical work on my cars but after doing the tests and determining that the starter was shot and then reading the techs for starter replacement on that Catera, I let the Cadillac garage do it. It was $645 out the door which included a wash job...LOL -- Part of starter replacement includes removing the RH catalytic converter and disconnecting and removing the RH motor mount and raising up the engine. It was just more than I wanted to do in my garage and I thought worth the money to let someone else do it. Anyway, thanks for your input and the Catera is "Back On The Road Again"!!

sskl

I'm also a pretty good shadetree mechanic, started over 50 yrs ago, you name it i've probably seen it including Jag., Benz., Porsche, Lancia but am concerned about the design of the Catera electrical and mechanical systems.
Removing your starter for instance!
Wire bundles on top of buried plugs! Buried injectors! Hidden coil between engine and firewall! Continuous DOHC belt! Rear wheel drive!
My son watched them being built in Germany, Schnapps allowed in engineering?
You're lucky you got a Cad. mechanic to work on an Opel engine!
I've only had this Catera two weeks, wondering if changing oil and filter has any surprises? The Catera is like a beautifull crazy women! I like crazy beautiful women

gnguru

Yes, the Catera is quite unusual in design and conception. And if you've ever looked at the Service Manuals (3 volumes for the '98 model) the manuals can be very confusing and are not real informative :confuse: . Almost like you need to be a rocket scientist to read them. LOL Anyway, oil & filter change = been there, done that. Only surprise (or at least it was a surprise to me) is that the oil pan drain plug takes a torx bit to unscrew. Other than that, it's pretty routine. I always use a high end oil filter and Mobil 1 oil (5w-30) but I live on the west coast in a pretty mild climate (never below 32F or above 85F :shades: ) so adjust your oil weight according to your local climate. And good luck and HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and also to all you other Catera owners....

sskl

Thanks O' fortunate one in a warm climate, we're in Michigan.
I've got the manuals you mentioned and am studying them, supposed to delay the onset of alzheimers by solving complex puzzles. Ha-Ha
Hope you and yours are having a great thanksgiving!!!!!!!!

sww49

Hi I can't get my fog light to come on can anyone tell me where the fuse and relay are at for this

gnguru

You say "fog light" so does that mean only one is not working or are they both not working? If in fact only one is not working it is probably the bulb. There is a rubber waterproofing boot behind the fog light with a rubber tab on it. Pull the tab to remove the boot. Then you'll see a metal clip holding the bulb into the socket. Undo the clip, unplug the bulb, replace the bulb and reverse the procedure to put it back together. And when handling the new bulb - don't touch it with your bare fingers. If niether fog light is working, let me know. Good luck.

sww49

Hi neither oneis woeking I checked blubs they are good when I press on off switch the light in the dash doesn't even come on and can you tell me what this means I had my cd/radio unlocked now when i put cd in it tell's me cd error and pops the cd out Thanks for your help

gnguru

:confuse: Sorry but I guess I'm not going to be much help. Tech/Owner's manuals don't even tell which fuse is for the fog lights. They are close to the cornering lights so I'd check to see if those work and if they don't check that fuse. And don't know much about the cd/radio deal. I would try a different cd and if that doesn't work, I wouldn't know what to do. Sorry I couldn't help you. Maybe someone else has some ideas.. :confuse:

rolliem

I recently purchased a 2000 catera and have been checking the postings in your forum to see if I could resolve the no driver side heat issue, and I think the sticking doors under the dash is probably the problem. thanks! In the interim my wife was driving the car and it quit on the hwy. I towed it home and suspected from her description that it had broke the timing belt. took it apart and found that it had broken a bolt on one of the tensioner pulleys. my question is how can I locate info on setting the timing so I can put this back together, crank it over, see if the valves were hammered or not, then I'll decide if I want to pull the motor and make it a winter project in the garage. any info would sure be appreciated!!