Anyone know what the towing capacity of an 1985 Chevrolet Caprice wagon with a V-8 and auto trans would be? I'm thinking of getting one to tow a boat.
Thanks
towing capacity of an 1985 Chevrolet Caprice wagon with a V-8 and auto trans
Dec 22, 2007
8 Replies
Best Answer
I want to be in the oil change business once I go to North America.
3000 mile intervals I last used in my racing motor bike, not in a family car.I am using my second T5 and fourth high performance Volvo and have never had oil changed in any of them sooner than 15000 km, i.e., 9400 miles I believe, currently I do in 20000 km (12500 mi) intervals. No sludge, no degraded performance, no oil lost. Just works like a horse. I use decent oil, though: Castrol's best racing synthetic (the bugger costs more per bottle than my favourite scotch); would never even consider any of the sludgy minerals.
I am not a technician, dare not diagnose your problem by the symptoms, but I would not be surprised if it were due to the low quality of oil rather than to infrequent change.
What size boat? Even at 23 years old it should tow a row boat pretty well. Put a 30 footer behind it and it might balk up hills though. It's probably rated new at 2,000lb towing capacity. Mid-90's Caprices with the LT1 (Police Package) had something like a 5,0000lb towing capacity, but you're not going to get that out of a garden variety (earlier) Caprice.
Depends on a couple factors..
1=3D what gear ratio is the rear end? is it 2.73 or 3.23? 2=3D the class of trailer hitch you instal or is installed 3=3D the size of the boat.These wagons are (were) rated to tow 3500 lbs. you could up that to
5000 and more if you installed a custom welded hitch, which are not popular anymore as the bolt on types are much cheaper.too see what one of these wagons can do with a boat trailer check this out
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Oh, and before you comment, I know this wagon very well and what the owner claims is true..
The towing capicity should be in the owners manual. However this is a 22 year old vehicle. I would not want to push it to the limit.
It also makes a difference if you live about two miles from the lake, or are you planning on towing 50+ miles. Anything will tow something for a short distance at a lower speed, but when you get up to 55-60 mph for a half hour or more everything may start to get a little "warm".
Given the age of the car, it also depends on what the trailer hitch is mounted to. The frame may be rusted and the boat may fall off before you even move.
Those Caprice wagons are tough. I don't know the rating but I would guess it would be close to anything a small pickup would tow. I believe factory towing packages were offered. I think the 85 had the Oldsmobile drive train, I know the later ones did. If its Olds you will have the 307 engine, 2004R tranny and probably some low ratio rear gears. Great for fuel mileage but not so good for towing. Look for your engine oil fill. If it is on the front of the engine just above the timing cover and is actually a fill tube you got a Olds. If it is on the valve cover you got a Chevy.
Low ratio gears are good for fuel mileage and not good for towing?
Do you understand that a 4.10 gear ratio is a lower ratio than a
3.08 gear ratio? Wanna guess which would be better for towing versus economy?When is an engine oil fill tube -not- actually and engine oil fill tube?
What if someone swapped in a 1966 327, wouldn't that be confusing?
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