Quad 442, '94 Silverado 1500 or Cutty Supreme 3.4?
 

I found a Olds Calais Quad 442 5 speed on craigslist for 300 bucks. It needs work but its in excellent shape. I am aware of the head gasket problems but I am willing to change it if needed, since the Quad 4 is a amazing engine! Am I not mistaken, or does the Quad 442 have the W41 engine?

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/car/248768372.html

It DOES have a salvage title, but was noted that it will pass the inspection to get a clear title.

RUN

EDIT: It doesnt sound like it was started or prepared for the long term storage. Along with the known problems as you mentioned, a $300 car is exactly what it is. I wouldnt buy it because before you know it, your going to end up with a $3000 Car by the time repairs are done.

I have talked to the guy before, the car was driven every year to prevent problems.

For $300 it's not bad. And if you find a car that cheap, in most cases you already know it needs $$ and work, so there are not as many surprises.

It is a very good possibility I can buy it, since I can also afford petey's 92 SSEi. THIS TIME I am going to look it over carefully before deciding to buy it, since it is a Gm and will be cheaper to fix than a BMW.

If I had to pick ONE car I should have kept, it was an Olds Cutlas Calais Quad4/5speed. I miss that car.

Basically a Quad442 with 2 extra doors. FE3 suspension, too. The Quad4 engine set some speed records at Bonneville for a 4-cylinder. One of those records still stands. AJ Foyt was behind the wheel.

The Quad4 was the basis for the Aurora V8.

Now I have heard about head gasket problems, is the HG a bitch to replace? i would really like to have it if its in good shape, since the Quad 4 makes mad power turbo'ed.

Remember this is a DOHC 16-valve. So it's going to be a bigger PITA than a OHV pushrod engine.

Yup. well I am going to look at it sunday, I think Im gonna get it if its in good shape and running good.

Funny thing about fuel management on those things. If you shit one fuel injector, it'll take out 2. :lol:

Trust me. ;)

arnt you getting a 1992 SSEi?

Nope, I decided I didn't want it, as its $2600 and I dont think i would be able to do the payments.

Well I researched some pricing and such, and parts are pretty cheap compared to the bimmer. God I love GM. 8)

I'd stick with the SSEI if I were you... Just my thoughts...

I can't afford it. :(

Wren, can you point me to a good N-body forum?

Nope. Wouldn't have a clue where to start. Sold my last N (GrandAm with the Quad4) a few years ago.

No problem. 8)

Yes, I owned 2 Quad4's in a row. ;)

One of my favorite GM engines of all time. Of course, neither of them blew a gasket. :lol:

i heard the Quad 4 is quite a loud engine at WOT, true? Which I don't mind. :D

Also am I going to have to worry about the timing chain snapping? I know it has to be a interference engine.

the musty smell would be enough to turn me away. I had that in my SSEi. I ended up throwing out all carpet padding, the rear trunk carpet, will be replacing the carpet, and still can smell mustiness sometimes.

As for the car itself, I looked at it before and it looks like it could be a fun little car. I'd pick it up as a 2nd car, but not as a primary in it's current condition.

Honestly Pinkster...the timing chain is enough to make most people run away.

Add to that the water pump is driven off that chain...the cracking of the heads and head gasket issues...

RUN... it was fast...it was a great concept.. longevity isn't a highlight on these motors..I can't begin to tell you the number of these I see at the yard with "bad motor" written on the car.

Try www.oldspower.com. It's mostly people with G bodies, but there might be some that own the Calais.

Well I was over on the Quad4 site, and apparently the Quad4 is a pretty good engine, excpet fo rthe head gasket problem, otherwise they are mean little engines. Quote -

The standard non W41 442 will run 0-60 in about 7.5ish seconds and the quarter between 15-15.5.

Common problems with this engine are the headgaskets, which generally go about every 150k, don't beat on her when she is still cold, watch your oil pressure, and just general maintenance and you should be good for a while.

Common performance mods are:

W41 chip
W41 Cams
3.94 FDR int slave tranny ( stock for us is 3.61 ext slave )

That alone with a proper running HO will put you in the 14.6-15 second range if not a bit faster.

Then there is a TRS header, good luck getting one as Josh has seemed to have fallen off the face of the earth, but if you do manage to get one, get a good 2.5 inch pipe all the way back and you are looking at +20HP dyno proven.

Easy do it yourself mods are a home made 3 inch cold air intake, it may not do anything for performance but it sure as hell sounds cool!!

Screw the Olds, how about this?? Needs a trans..and I like it.

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/pts/249179374.html

itl need the 4l60e so is pretty common go for it 4.3's are little demons and pretty relaible. it is a 90* v6

I can probably get you one like that for $1000 with a 5 spd that may need a clutch at most. It would be a 1995. My mechanic has it, but it sending it to auction soon I think.

How about this??? Olds cutty supreme 3.4 TDC. Yes I know but I am willing to take a chance and i do want a challenge. :shock:

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/car/249298857.html

I still maintain that you should save a little cash, and spring for the SSEI. A club owned car will most likely be the safest and most reliable bet.

Well I am going to look at the Cutlass this weekend. Heck, for $400, you really can't pass on it. I figured I am going to get the hardest thing done at the dealer (timing belt) and drive it until the HGs blow, then have those done.

Those 3.4 DOHCs can be problematic. I'm worried why that Cutlass is only pictured on that angle too. Looks like it's been sitting for a while. But it's only $400. Go check it out!

those early 3.4 motors blew head gaskets a lot. My father wouldn't even let me consider one when I was looking for my first (and second) cars because of it and the cost to fix it (at dealer and sears)

In my opinion, with the price range you are looking in, you're buying a temporary solution or a really bad investment.

If it is a temporary solution, then buy the one running the best and hope it stays that way til you get money for another. Otherwise you are going to end up putting the cost of a better car into it in no time.

the $1000-2000 range has a lot of good cars if you watch diligently or know people.

Examples. I got a 98 GP GT last year with some minor issues (ran great) with 68K on it for $400 from a guy at work. He thought the minor issues were major and just didn't want to deal with them.

I got my integra for $2000 with 109k and all it needed was gas lines. Those were $200 plus labor (waiting to hear from mechanic) but shouldn't be more than a couple hundred and now I got a great car. It

And I missed a 97 suburban with 270k on it, some minor cosmetic things, and on it's third tranny for $1200 2 days ago.


So there are better deals out there. You just need to figure out what you want out of it and then go from there

Forget the 3.4. Worse than your beemer.

This will just be a temp. solution, since I am suddenly getting calls for interviews and need a car. Plus from what I heard on 60degreeV6, the 3.4 is O-K if you buy the better head gaskets, and will last for quite a while on them. Also I can fix it up when I'm done with it and get at least 1500 out of it.

K I made a big descision. i decided on the Quad442, since the 3.4 is very problematic and stuffed in there. I was thinking since BOTH have their fair share of problems, the Quad4 is by far easier to work on.

I used to live in NH and I used to buy $400-$500 cars all the time that at most, only lasted me a year or so before something major went wrong with them, and I was forced to junk them.

IMO - Save some money and buy a better car. Your looking at almost a grand to do a timing belt at a dealership which will put the cost of the car at about $1400

If you can come up with at least that, I say save some more money and buy a newerish better car.

Yeah like I said in my new post, I would rather have the Quad442. Plus I am in need for a car asap possibly.

I hear ya. Its unfortunate that your in a position to hurry with the purchase. Ive had to do that many times which is why I went through so many cars.

The only two cars that I bought that lasted me a while was my 90 Eclipse and the Bonne so far. I shopped arround for a while before making the purchases and tried not to jump into anything.


My worst purchase was an 84 Mercury Capri with the Ford 5.0 that I just HAD to have. Come to find out, there was tons of electrical problems with it and the more I poked around the more I knew that it had been in an accident but never tottaled, just fixed half assed :roll:

I lost allot of money on that car since I gave it back to the dealer that ripped me off, and traded it for the same year Caprice which was faster than the 5.0 believe it or not.

remember, you get what you pay for...

Well I sat here and did some research for an hour and the decision is..........















The Quad442. It's too good of a deal and hard to pass by, it may need little work but from what I hear, it is well worth it. I am aware of the common problems, and they will be fixed. Plus the Quad4 is a unbelivably powerful engine for its time and I happen to know a Quad4 pro. :D