As much as I dislike having to ever say anything bad about the Oldsmobile diesels -- there were three in all -- I want to ask you all: how many of you lucky owners still have at least one of these today in 2013?
The three diesels in question were given displacements of 4.3 or 5.7 for the V8 (the 1979 4.3 V8 was the debored version of the 5.7), and one V6 displacing 4.3 liters (just the 5.7 with two less cylinders). Different RPO codes are assigned depending on the application.
LF9 5.7L V8 (1978-85) (rear-drive and front-drive E/K chassis)
LF7 4.3L V8 (1979) (Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon only)
LT6 4.3L V6 (1982-85) (rear drive)
LT7 4.3L V6 (1982-85) (front drive)
LS2 4.3L V6 (1985) (front drive -- Electra/Park Avenue, DeVille/Fleetwood and Ninety-Eight only)
Of course, that's provided if you took all the recommended fixes in the years after 1985, such as the use of ARP head bolts and a proper water separator...
TIMELINE OF OLDSMOBILE DIESELS, 1978-85
BUICK
LeSabre, Electra Estate (B) (1980-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Electra/Park Avenue (C/RWD) (1980-84) (LF9 5.7L)
Riviera (E) (1981-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Century (A/FWD) (1982-85) (LT7 4.3L)
Regal (G) (1982-85) (LF9 5.7L 1982-83, LT6 4.3L 1982-85)
Electra/Park Avenue (C/FWD) (1985) (LS2 4.3L)
CADILLAC
Seville (K/RWD) (1978-79) (LF9 5.7L)
DeVille, Fleetwood (Brougham), 60 Special (C/RWD 1979-84, D 1985*) (1979-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Eldorado (E) (1979-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Seville (K/FWD) (1980-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Deville, Fleetwood (not Brougham), 60 Special (C/FWD) (1985) (LS2 4.3L)
(* note the "D" chassis code is exclusive to Cadillac since it is a continuation of the 1977-84 "C" RWD chassis. Until Buick and Oldsmobile replaced their rear-drive "C" body Electra and Ninety-Eight respectively for 1985 with front-drive versions, the "D" code was assigned to Cadillac commercial chassis and limousines. Thus, when the Fleetwood Brougham continued into 1985-92 just as the front-drive DeVille/Fleetwood showed up in mid-1984, the "D" code replaced the rear-drive "C" code.)
CHEVROLET
C10 series trucks, Blazer, Suburban (1978-81) (LF9 5.7L)
Caprice Classic/Impala (B) (1980-85 wagons, 1981-85 coupes/sedans) (LF9 5.7L)
Malibu (Classic) (G) (1982-83) (LF9 5.7L and LT6 4.3L)
Monte Carlo and El Camino (G) (1982-84) (LF9 5.7L 1982-84, LT6 4.3L 1982-83)
Celebrity (A/FWD) (1982-85) (LT7 4.3L)
GMC
Sierra trucks, Jimmy, Suburban (1978-81) (LF9 5.7L)
Caballero (1982-84) (LF9 5.7L 1982-84, LT6 4.3L 1982-83)
OLDSMOBILE
Delta 88, Custom Cruiser (B) (1978-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Ninety-Eight (C/RWD) (1978-84) (LF9 5.7L)
Cutlass (Supreme) (A/RWD, G) (1979-85) (LF9 5.7L 1979-85, LF7 4.3L V8 1979, LT6 4.3L V6 1982-83)
(for 1979 model year: the LF9 within the Cutlass family was only available for the Cutlass Cruiser wagon; the LF7 was used for the Cutlass Salons and Supreme coupe)
Toronado (E) (1979-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Cutlass Ciera (A/FWD) (1982-85) (LT7 4.3L V6)
Ninety-Eight (C/FWD) (1985) (LS2 4.3L V6)
PONTIAC
Bonneville, Catalina, Safari (B) (1980-81) (LF9 5.7L)
Grand Prix (A/RWD, G) (1981-84) (LF9 5.7L)
Bonneville, Safari (G) (1982-84) (LF9 5.7L)
6000 (A/FWD) (1982-85) (LT7 4.3L)
Parisienne, Safari (B) (1983-85) (LF9 5.7L)
(for some reason, Pontiac never cataloged the LT6 4.3L diesel V6 for its G-body product lines)
~Ben
The three diesels in question were given displacements of 4.3 or 5.7 for the V8 (the 1979 4.3 V8 was the debored version of the 5.7), and one V6 displacing 4.3 liters (just the 5.7 with two less cylinders). Different RPO codes are assigned depending on the application.
LF9 5.7L V8 (1978-85) (rear-drive and front-drive E/K chassis)
LF7 4.3L V8 (1979) (Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon only)
LT6 4.3L V6 (1982-85) (rear drive)
LT7 4.3L V6 (1982-85) (front drive)
LS2 4.3L V6 (1985) (front drive -- Electra/Park Avenue, DeVille/Fleetwood and Ninety-Eight only)
Of course, that's provided if you took all the recommended fixes in the years after 1985, such as the use of ARP head bolts and a proper water separator...
TIMELINE OF OLDSMOBILE DIESELS, 1978-85
BUICK
LeSabre, Electra Estate (B) (1980-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Electra/Park Avenue (C/RWD) (1980-84) (LF9 5.7L)
Riviera (E) (1981-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Century (A/FWD) (1982-85) (LT7 4.3L)
Regal (G) (1982-85) (LF9 5.7L 1982-83, LT6 4.3L 1982-85)
Electra/Park Avenue (C/FWD) (1985) (LS2 4.3L)
CADILLAC
Seville (K/RWD) (1978-79) (LF9 5.7L)
DeVille, Fleetwood (Brougham), 60 Special (C/RWD 1979-84, D 1985*) (1979-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Eldorado (E) (1979-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Seville (K/FWD) (1980-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Deville, Fleetwood (not Brougham), 60 Special (C/FWD) (1985) (LS2 4.3L)
(* note the "D" chassis code is exclusive to Cadillac since it is a continuation of the 1977-84 "C" RWD chassis. Until Buick and Oldsmobile replaced their rear-drive "C" body Electra and Ninety-Eight respectively for 1985 with front-drive versions, the "D" code was assigned to Cadillac commercial chassis and limousines. Thus, when the Fleetwood Brougham continued into 1985-92 just as the front-drive DeVille/Fleetwood showed up in mid-1984, the "D" code replaced the rear-drive "C" code.)
CHEVROLET
C10 series trucks, Blazer, Suburban (1978-81) (LF9 5.7L)
Caprice Classic/Impala (B) (1980-85 wagons, 1981-85 coupes/sedans) (LF9 5.7L)
Malibu (Classic) (G) (1982-83) (LF9 5.7L and LT6 4.3L)
Monte Carlo and El Camino (G) (1982-84) (LF9 5.7L 1982-84, LT6 4.3L 1982-83)
Celebrity (A/FWD) (1982-85) (LT7 4.3L)
GMC
Sierra trucks, Jimmy, Suburban (1978-81) (LF9 5.7L)
Caballero (1982-84) (LF9 5.7L 1982-84, LT6 4.3L 1982-83)
OLDSMOBILE
Delta 88, Custom Cruiser (B) (1978-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Ninety-Eight (C/RWD) (1978-84) (LF9 5.7L)
Cutlass (Supreme) (A/RWD, G) (1979-85) (LF9 5.7L 1979-85, LF7 4.3L V8 1979, LT6 4.3L V6 1982-83)
(for 1979 model year: the LF9 within the Cutlass family was only available for the Cutlass Cruiser wagon; the LF7 was used for the Cutlass Salons and Supreme coupe)
Toronado (E) (1979-85) (LF9 5.7L)
Cutlass Ciera (A/FWD) (1982-85) (LT7 4.3L V6)
Ninety-Eight (C/FWD) (1985) (LS2 4.3L V6)
PONTIAC
Bonneville, Catalina, Safari (B) (1980-81) (LF9 5.7L)
Grand Prix (A/RWD, G) (1981-84) (LF9 5.7L)
Bonneville, Safari (G) (1982-84) (LF9 5.7L)
6000 (A/FWD) (1982-85) (LT7 4.3L)
Parisienne, Safari (B) (1983-85) (LF9 5.7L)
(for some reason, Pontiac never cataloged the LT6 4.3L diesel V6 for its G-body product lines)
~Ben