87 Cadillac wont "get up and go"?

Question

I got an '87 Cadillac DeVille 4 door sedan about 4 years back from my granddad. It has been driven all its life. I have kept it well watered and oiled since I've had it. However, today while driving to work I noticed that it was not accelerating normally. I can give it gas from a complete stop and it will stay at a steadily, slowly increasing speed until it gets up to a speed I need. However, giving it more gas does not make it accelerate any faster and the engine does not rev up any higher than it is before giving it more gas, even when the peddle is pressed to the floor. Still the same steady speed.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

Needs an Italian Tune-Up! It's likely the cylinder bores are glazed by a long time of Grandad easy-driving, and it needs to be taken out on the freeway and run hard for some miles, in the lower gears! This can do WONDERS for an old engine, really freeing up the power and reviving it. Also, check the basics of things like a good set of spark plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor arm, coil, condensor etc. Give it an oil-change, a filter and a new air-filter too.

Answer 2

Start with a basic tune-up. Air & fuel filters, distributor cap, rotor, plugs and wires. A 1987 shouldn't have points to adjust, but I'm guessing a little old fashioned routine maintenance will work wonders.

Answer 3

If only no acceleration without hesitation or bucking the most likely cause is a stopped up convertor, a muffler shop can check for backpressure usually for no charge, if jerks & no acceleration after 20 to 30 miles an hr, the most likely cause is a restricted fuel filter or low fuel pressure froma defective fuel pump

Answer 4

It is almost 30 years old. It probably needs many things. No one will be able to guess, it has to be looked at.

Answer 5

a mechanic,,,could be ignision..EVER tune it??? ever change wires,,,plugs...cap/rotor?? fuel filter before u spend 500 replaceing part after part.. find out whats wrong,,We call it DIAGNOSIS