Toronado.org

I am settling the estate of my late uncle and therefore am now in possession of his '83 Toronado. He hadn't driven it in 20 years, but he did store it in a climate controlled garage. We put a new battery and some fuel in and she started right up. The odo shows 90,000 miles and I know for a fact that is actual. My question is...how reliable is the engine and transmission on these cars, and how expensive is a repair job on those componnys? I am able to do routine maintanence on cars but I have zero experience with front wheel drive. I would like to keep her but don't want to be in over my head. Thanks in advance for any help and or advice.

Hello:

Having owned & daily driven my '84 Toronado since it was built (presently 194,600 miles), I can provide some information.

If your '83 has the 307 V8, it is a very reliable Olds engine. It doesn't make much power but will just keep on running. These engines used a nylon tipped camshaft timing gear. The miles driven & oil change frequency determines how fast these nylon tips wear out and break off. No damage to the engine will occur if the timing chain skips a tooth or two but you'll need a tow. A good mechanic can easily check for slack in the chain. If the chain is slack, there is a good chance the nylon tips are worn or missing. It's not a major expense to replace the timing set (chain and all metal gears). For durability, install a double roller timing chain. They are available for this Olds family of engines.

The first generation GM CCC (Computer Command Control) is simple & reliable. Although primitive, built in diagnostics exist. All you need is a paper clip to 'flash out' stored error codes via the check engine light. The computer controlled Rochester Quadrajet carburetor is not mysterious. When properly adjusted, the engine will run smoothly, deliver decent fuel economy and stay within emission limits.

The Hydramatic 325-4L (four speed overdrive with TCC) had some weak points. The GM engineered soft shifts caused the band which 'creates' 2nd 'gear' to wear out prematurely. At 90,000 miles, that band might be on it's way out. To get a general idea of it's condition, warm up the transmission fluid with a 10 mile drive. Then from a standstill, perform a series of accelerations beginning with a light throttle and proceeding to 3/4 throttle. Pay attention to the quality of the 1-2 shift. If it's lazy and feels like a slow two part transition, the band is probably worn out. Under heavier throttle accelerations, the 1-2 shift may end with an abrupt 'bump' or 'jolt'. Also pay attention to the 2-3 and 3-4 shift quality. If there is a 'flair' (engine revs up a bit at these shift points), the friction elements are worn. The durability & shift quality of this transmission can be greatly improved by the installation of a 'shift improver kit' (a TransGo Shift Kit) during a rebuild. The shift points become quicker which reduces heat and wear of the friction elements. The TransGo kit will not make the shifts harsh. I had one one installed during the first rebuild @ 77,000 miles. 100,000 miles later, the shifts were still perfect. The second rebuild @ 180,000 miles was needed because the metal drive chain and sprocket bearings had worn out. The transmission shifts better than new @ 194,600 miles...!

Other than the replacement of damaged CV boots on the drive axles, the rest of the front wheel drive system is strong & durable. As with ANY front wheel drive automobile, damaged CV boots will allow the grease to spin out and foreign matter to destroy the CV joints in short order.

The front wheel drive system on these cars does not utilize a transaxle (combined transmission & differential). The cast iron case differential is in front of the transmission and can be serviced separately. Except for the design of the differential, the front wheel drive layout is the same as the '66 - '78 Toronado (and the '67 - '78 Eldorado). For it's time, this was an amazing design...!

Don't let me steer you into selling your car... There are SO few of these cars around. I have driven The Queen Mary for 27 years. I love the style, comfort and history of these '79 - 85' GM 'E' bodies...

Please keep us posted...

Paul

Other than the replacement of damaged CV boots on the drive axles, the rest of the front wheel drive system is strong & durable. As with ANY front wheel drive automobile, damaged CV boots will allow the grease to spin out and foreign matter to destroy the CV joints in short order????