After some research into why there was such an increase in overheating of vehicles, there was a simple solution: the company switched from coarser threads to finer threads on their new gaskets, eliminating the catastrophic problems once and for all.
The Northstar engine is not for the faint of heart. Fortunately, most problems can be easily fixed with a good cleaning and regular maintenance.
However, if the engine is not cared for and maintained and suffers a failure, you can expect a big headache and a lot of money to repair. The cleaner is added to the cylinders through the spark plug holes and allowed to soak the rings for two hours before being exhausted from the same areas when mixed with used oil in a new clean filter.
Throttle body and EGR valve cleaning should also be done with the engine open to avoid sludge or debris that could affect performance later. And while you are at it, make sure your accessories are on point too since you are fixing a major part of your car—. The Northstar engine has been a favorite among car enthusiasts since its launch. There were some problems with gaskets in early versions, but these were quickly rectified in subsequent versions. However, the reputation of the head gaskets remains intact even after , kilometers, as they are difficult to repair and expensive compared to other engines that have not experienced such problems.
However, despite the problems, the Northstar engine is still a formidable force to be reckoned with. A well-maintained engine will run for years and can handle just about anything you throw at it. This engine does leak oil and requires expensive resealing as it ages, but what engine does not? If you keep it maintained in good shape, this engine can last forever. Be sure to check out our other sources about the best cars and vintage cars in American history without issues of engine longevity—. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Northstar Engine History When the first 4. Problems Emerge The Northstar engine was destined to revolutionize the automotive industry. Oil Leakage There was a major oil leakage problem with the first version of the Northstar V-8 engine , but Cadillac fans ignored it. Blown Head Gaskets Another major problem that arose was a problem with the head gaskets blowing up due to debris from burning oil.
Recommended Posts. Posted March 7, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options KHE Posted March 7, Posted March 8, Ranger Posted March 9, Posted March 9, If the head gasket bolts have held for K, it should go another Join the conversation You can post now and register later. Reply to this topic Insert image from URL. The failures of the head gasket in the Northstar engines caused the engines to run very hot and overheat while driving, which in turn, made the problem worse and get worse faster than it normally would have.
Repairs for this issue are especially expensive and at the high end of the price spectrum, since the engine will have to be removed from the chassis to do the repair, showing how Northstar engines can be a bad choice. The most common years of the head gasket issues for the Northstar engines are , with the change of Cadillac lengthening the head bolts severely reducing the prevalence of the issue in Northstar engine cars.
This decreased the chance of having the failure, but did not completely eliminate the issues, showing how the Northstar engine remained bad in the following years. However, once and model years came around, the head bolts were replaced using the LS6 head bolts which were longer than the originals and had a coarser thread with a better girl, effectively altering the issue and making the Northstar V8s no more prone to head gasket issues than other aluminum V8 engines.
The Northstar engines after the and model years are known for their long lifespan and reliability, and show how Northstar engines can be good vs.
Now that you know head gasket issues are a prevalent problem in some model years of the Cadillac cars, you should know how to spot a head gasket leak. Head gasket leaks can oftentimes be hard to identify and diagnose in a Northstar engine, showing how this engine choice could be bad when fixing your own vehicle. The typical symptoms of head gasket failure include the radiator needing to be constantly stopped up with water after minimal use and plumes of smoke emitting from your exhaust pipe.
However, with some Northstar engines, these signs are not always apparent and easy to spot. If you see the level of this light dropping very quickly in a short amount of time, this can be a sign that the coolant is leaking in your vehicle.
This limp mode is used to keep the engine running even when the coolant tank is dry, but this can sometimes actually damage the engine further, showing the Northstar engine can be bad when the coolant is leaking. Other issues with the Northstar engines that have gone bad are the oiling in the cars. General Motors fixed a lot of these problems after the model year, but earlier cars develop leaks around the seals and valve covers in the vehicle.
The oil pressure can quickly plummet, especially on the early Northstar engines in the and models, as a result of the debris caught in the oil pressure relief valve. This problem will require the owner to replace the seals and the gaskets, with the gaskets being a bit tricky and time-consuming to fix.
The engines use external oil pumps mounted to the front of the engine block, so if you see the low oil pressure, you can easily remove the oil pump and clean out the debris. For cars in the pre category, they tend to go through oil much quicker than newer and more modern vehicles.
The oil is not leaking in these cars, but it is being burned off quicker in the combustion chamber. The problem relates to the piston rings, which can get stuck due to the carbon buildup in the rings. When the piston rings get stuck in the grooves, they can;t do their job of wiping the cylinder walls and cleaning the engine. This can allow the engine blow-by to go directly into the crankcase and cause a huge decline in power and fuel economy, showing how the Northsatrr engines can be bad in the earlier models.
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