What if the 5.7l diesel had been successful? If GM took their time and ironed out all the bugs before’78, what do you think today’s automotive landscape would look like? Would America have more diesel vehicle choices?
Oldsmobile diesel history
- Thread starter turbodieselfreak
- Start date
That was a truly sad story, a reasonable technology poorly implemented.
My parents had one, swallowed a valve with about 100miles left on the warranty. Later had a V6 Diesel Chevy Celebrity which broke the crankshaft under warranty.
There was a lot of garbage 50 years ago.
My fathers 79 Pickup was well out of warranty blew heads, damaged valves and Mr Goodwrench gave him a new Mr Goodwrench engine.
Was a rusted out bucket on the 3rd owner when we saw it last 20 years after my father sold it.
GM bean counters were told day 1 that there needed to be a fuel water separator and more grade 8 headbolts.
Which were cost reduced out.
Owners who self upgraded both on their own would usually get 200,000+ out of the original mills
Was a rusted out bucket on the 3rd owner when we saw it last 20 years after my father sold it.
GM bean counters were told day 1 that there needed to be a fuel water separator and more grade 8 headbolts.
Which were cost reduced out.
Owners who self upgraded both on their own would usually get 200,000+ out of the original mills
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
I don't think any naturally aspirated diesel would have been successful from an overall sales or EPA standpoint. Many of us BITOGers would love and appreciate them, but that's about it.
My BIL had a company vehicle with a GM diesel. It was in the shop most of the time.
Exactly, a turbodiesel would have taken over. The question is if they would have stubbornly stuck to the small block V8 form factor or gone for something better like an I-6.
We would have had to have had $2 gas in 1987 instead of 89 cents per gallon for the GM diesel to continue. And we'd have a way different landscape with fewer SUVs.
It is worst now
The father of friend of mine owned a heating oil and gas distributorship for Citgo. He bought alot of GMC trucks from the local
GMC dealer who sold them two pickups with these diesel 350's in them. One truck kept going back for blown head gaskets. They did everything they could and GMC kept telling to try this and that. Finally, he got so tired of trying to get it fixed he spoke to the owner of the dealership.
The owner of the dealership said, bring the truck around back. The owner was behind the shop with a bucket, he raised the hood of the truck to see what was going on and why it was smoking so bad. He removed the air cleaner and reached over to a bucket full of drained antifreeze , dumped it in the intake and it hydrolocked. He said, you'll be getting a new motor installed tomorrow.
GMC dealer who sold them two pickups with these diesel 350's in them. One truck kept going back for blown head gaskets. They did everything they could and GMC kept telling to try this and that. Finally, he got so tired of trying to get it fixed he spoke to the owner of the dealership.
The owner of the dealership said, bring the truck around back. The owner was behind the shop with a bucket, he raised the hood of the truck to see what was going on and why it was smoking so bad. He removed the air cleaner and reached over to a bucket full of drained antifreeze , dumped it in the intake and it hydrolocked. He said, you'll be getting a new motor installed tomorrow.
Nah, VWs cleanest diesels ever made up through 2016 were naturally aspirated , they were the only diesels that didn’t need to cheat and the emissions on NA are a fraction of the cost. There was a lot of interest in diesel by consumers in the late 70’s that was rapidly ruined by the near immediate failures.
Outside CA
Fuel economy rightly was considered “more important “ by the EPA than emissions makeup until well into the 90’s. If diesel would have been a larger portion of the us domestic car market like in Europe even the epa would be manipulated by consumer and corporate interests.
Even the old 6.2 would meet CA emissions of the time by using a pvc crankcase vent and a little egr.
The reality was that extreme and irreputable permanent damage was done to the us diesel by GMs buffoonery.
Gas economy vehicles of the time were underpowered by such a large factor that diesel would have done more than fine
Blow headgaskets, wipeout injection pump, throw rod ...Repeat
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
They were awesome, but I don't think they would even come close to today's emissions standards, or they'd still be in production as-is.
A friend's dad had one and loved it. They got great mileage. He was a Czech machinist that owned his own shop. Maintained it himself. Lots of troubles, but he still loved it. Too bad...
Growing up our neighbors always had them. First was a 1978 Delta 88 Royale then around 1981 a Pontiac Bonniville then 1984 he got a Pontiac Parisenne. He kept all 3 in mint condition and maintained them well - he had no issues. My father then bought a 1984 Seville diesel and maintained it just like the neighbor and had no issues. The were all luxury cars and getting econo car fuel mileage. I wish I had that 84 Seville now it was so gorgoeus in the 2 tone blue.
Other people we knew with diesel 5.7's were not as lucky and I blame it on their lack up understanding the maintenance needs and just driving them. Granted - they were lemons but you could get some good service from them if you maintained them well.
Other people we knew with diesel 5.7's were not as lucky and I blame it on their lack up understanding the maintenance needs and just driving them. Granted - they were lemons but you could get some good service from them if you maintained them well.
GM did more to kill diesel car offerings in this country than the EPA ever dreamed of.
There were diesels from all sorts of makers available in the early eighties and of those only VW and MB continued.
Maybe better for all of us, since we didn't have to contend with the large beater fleets of smoke belching diesels that would have been around had GM been more successful with its diesel V-8.
There were diesels from all sorts of makers available in the early eighties and of those only VW and MB continued.
Maybe better for all of us, since we didn't have to contend with the large beater fleets of smoke belching diesels that would have been around had GM been more successful with its diesel V-8.
Those Olds 350s made great gas powered engines! No water separator, insufficient/weak head bolts, nodular iron (NOT FORGED!) crankshafts, 22:1 compession! What could possibly go wrong??
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