I've been driving this car since 1986. It has 108K on it.

Last year, it got caught in a hail storm that ruined the original vinyl top. The insurance company TOTALED it and sold it back to me for $1. It now carries a salvage title, even though, it has never been wrecked.

The car value is about $700 for tax value in North Carolina, where I live.

In December, the transmission died suddenly in traffic. The rebuild was going to cost me over $1600. I shopped around for another car, but couldnt find anything I liked for around $3K.

Relatives kept telling me to junk it and buy something new. I dont want a new car. I like this one, so, I bit the bullet and had the tranny rebuilt. Its the THM-325-R4 with lock-up torque converter.

The builder warned me up-front about a clutch-drum problem that these trannys were famous for, and included the replacement of 2 assemblies in the estimate.

He also told me that since I changed the tranny fluid and filter about every 25K, I got about 25K of extra life since many of these units died at about 80-90K.

My tranny died after I put a can of seal rejuvinator in the fluid. This was a last-ditch attempt to stop some major leaking seal problems.

The builder said that he had a hard time getting the tranny apart as the seals had swelled up so tightly. The 2 major clutch paks and drums were cracked, and the overdrive clutch assembly was missing some teeth, and was cracked also.

All in all, with the added cost, I got away with a $1700 bill.

Now, for the driving:

I am now glad that I spent the money and got it fixed. I had no idea that the tranny was making so much noise before... I just thought it was shifting a bit more rough than I had noticed in the past... The new tranny shifts strong, and stays in lock-up now. Before, I could just touch the gas pedal, and it would jump out of lock-up.

Before, I would have to let the car sit for a minute on start-up on cold mornings before it would move. Now, I still let things get warmed up, a bit, but theres no noise and whining sounds other than the engine noise.

Now, I get to replace the rear brake calipers, the water pump, and the BIGGIE for me, the heater core.

The MAIN reason I wanted to keep this car is because I can work on it, for the most part. Not the tranny, but anything else.

In the 20 years I have had it, it has been to the dealer one time, and that was for a warranty repair. I've done all of the other repairs. The front wheel bearing hubs were a joy unto themselves. It gets good tire wear, and handles nicely on the open highway. I can floor the gas pedal and it will GO GO GO now, unlike in the past.

Dont let your friends tell you what to do with your Olds cars. As long as I can get parts, I will be driving this car. Next year, the new vinyl top, and a paint job are in the works. Would have happened this spring, but, well, THIS happened.

Keeping another Toronado out of the scrapyard....

Bruce
Asheville, NCEdited by: holmesuser

 

How bout that I have an 85 toronado and I live in Brevard, Its a small world.
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Does this 1985 toronado have a ditgal dash?


A friend of mine form Texas, is looking for a ditgal dash for his 85 Toronado.

 

Do you know of a 3rd genation toro with a ditgal dash?





I haveing problems with junk dealer (or I did up until last Fall)


keeping them away from my 85 riveria , it has a 307 Olds motor[img]smileys/smiley1.gif[/img]


http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2972022

 

OK. Its 2009, and it still needs to be painted.

BUT, I have replaced the heater core in a fun 9 hour job, and replaced the rear calipers, and front and rear pads. Now, I have an emergency brake again.

This summer, I hope to do the paint job and new vinyl top.