1980 CHEVROLET CAPRICE

Typical onset: 90,000-140,000 mi

Symptoms: Slipping on 1-2 or 2-3 shifts, especially when warm, Delayed engagement into Drive or Reverse, Burnt transmission fluid smell and dark red/brown color, Metal shavings on dipstick

Fix: Full rebuild required in most cases - 8-12 hours labor depending on 2WD accessibility. TH200 (267 V8 cars) fails earlier and more catastrophically than TH350. Cooler lines often corroded, causing additional fluid contamination. Plan on replacing torque converter, all clutches, bands, and seals.

Estimated cost: $1,800-2,800

Typical onset: varies - often deferred maintenance from 60,000+ mi

Symptoms: Hard starting when cold, needs excessive choke, Rough idle, stalling at stop lights, Black smoke from tailpipe under acceleration, Poor fuel economy - sub-10 mpg city

Fix: Rochester Quadrajet or Dualjet carbs gum up from ethanol fuel and deferred service. Computer Command Control (CCC) systems corrode and give false readings. Realistically needs carb rebuild (3-4 hours), new fuel filter, EGR valve cleaning, and oxygen sensor replacement. Many owners delete emissions equipment illegally rather than repair properly.

Estimated cost: $600-1,200

Typical onset: 100,000-150,000 mi

Symptoms: Blue smoke on startup that clears after warmup (valve seals), Constant blue smoke under throttle (rings), 1 quart per 500-1,000 miles consumption, Oil fouling on spark plugs

Fix: 267 and 305 engines particularly bad due to smaller bores and emissions tuning creating carbon buildup. Valve seal replacement alone: 6-8 hours. Full ring job requires engine removal and teardown: 18-24 hours minimum. Many owners just add oil and live with it until complete failure, then swap in a crate 350.

Estimated cost: $800-1,400 seals only, $3,500-5,500 full rebuild

Typical onset: 80,000+ mi

Symptoms: Oil drips on driveway centered under bellhousing area, Transmission bellhousing wet with engine oil, Oil spots under front of oil pan, Visible seepage but not a gusher

Fix: Two-piece rear main seal design notorious for leaking. Rear main requires transmission removal: 6-8 hours. Oil pan gasket replacement easier at 3-4 hours but exhaust and crossmember often complicate access. Both often done together when transmission is out for other work.

Estimated cost: $650-1,100 rear main, $400-700 oil pan, $1,200-1,800 both

Symptoms: Visible rust perforation on rear frame rails ahead of axle, Body mounts rusted through causing body sag, Control arm mounting points showing surface scale, Fuel and brake line corrosion where they run along frame

Fix: Salt-belt cars show serious frame deterioration by 40+ years. Rear frame sections can be cut out and plated (12-16 hours), but complete frame-off restoration is the right fix if body is worth saving. Southern and western cars typically rust-free. Not economical to repair unless you're doing the work yourself.

Estimated cost: $2,000-4,000 partial repair, $8,000+ frame-off

Symptoms: No-start condition with no spark, Intermittent stalling when engine is hot, Starts fine cold, dies after 20 minutes driving, Rough running and misfires under load

Fix: HEI distributor module fails when hot - classic symptom is stalling in traffic that clears after cooling. Module replacement: 0.5 hours and cheap ($40-80 part). Distributor shaft bushings wear causing timing scatter: 2-3 hours to rebuild or replace distributor. Keep spare module in glovebox for roadside fix.

Estimated cost: $120-250 module replacement, $350-600 distributor rebuild