HG issues after '04 are pretty rare, but they aren't "common" after '99 either, and ANY car can have any mechanical issue. Ashland, VA The Northstar engine comprises a cast aluminum 90 V8 block, with a 102 mm bore spacing split into unitary upper and lower halves. s chassis at the Nurburgring hence the sigma platform overall I believe this car will be a future classic GM did the Northstar LH2 right compared to the . Otherwise, install an '82 to '88 S-10/S-15 manual-brake master cylinder and reservoir (Hollander 737). 4. Many times I have been annoyed by traction control. We may be seeing the last models with the Cadillac Northstar V8 engine. The auto trans used behind your LD8 is a 4T80E (RPO MH1), the strongest transverse four-speed front-wheel-drive unit the General offers. http://westers_garage.eidnet.org. There's little advantage to doing this on a drag race or normally aspirated street engine. 1025, used on GM S-bodied trucks (two-wheel-drive S-10/S-15/Blazer/Jimmy/Sonoma) or '79 to '88 GM A- or G-body rear-drive intermediate-chassis cars (Monte Carlo, Malibu, Cutlass, Regal, Grand Prix, and related clones) works by using ball joint adapter sleeves available from www.v8monza.com (no welding needed). One of the most advertised features of the Northstar engine was what GM called its limp-home mode. GM developed a cleaning kit to solve this issue. GM later was able to fix this issue by developing a rear oil-seal that pressed into the block. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. I haven't heard of any 2004 and newer having any head gasket or overheating issues. Copyright 2022 Bruce W Nunnally CHRF says it "has never had a problem with the mains. Clear editor. Reliability 5.0; Purchased a Used car . Northstar Engines and System Technical Discussion, The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo, http://www.cadillacforums.com/forumnorthstar-production-numbers-1993-2009-a.html, Informal Lounge, Introductions, General Discussion, FWD DeVille 1985-2005, Fleetwood, and 60 Special, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. They decided to name this engine the Northstar engine, and the supporting system of steering brakes and suspension the Northstar system. By snell1884, December 18, 2009 in Other V8Z Tech Board. http://hollanderinterchange.net, NAPA (Genuine Parts Co. ) JavaScript is disabled. Master cylinder actuating rod modifications may be needed. It also churned out more torque, at 315 lb-ft. Traction control is very sensitive--actually, too sensitive, in my opinion. After I set the timing with my light (vacuum hose pulled and plugged), the timing seems to wander, and after running for a little while, the engine starts to miss and backfire. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. "If you have a stock torque converter stall speed and are missing low-speed power, long tubes could help. Figure on about 10 to 16 degrees initial, and the rest in the distributor (as read at the balancer). Choose RE cam, LE cam or both. I ran a compression check to see if No. I am using shorty-style headers on my '71 Nova with a 383 small-block Chevy. If your H-body has vented front brake rotors (usually only '76 and later), the existing master cylinder and proportioning valve should be able to do the job. You cannot paste images directly. A quick how to video for the 4.6 northstar lh2 alternator removal Harlan, IA. There has been very few problems with the system and really has a huge impact on the ECOTEC (power plus economy) No brainer IMO. I would not be surprised if a bad mount would cause traction control to engage since engine hop would likely effect suspension and trick the computer to think something was going on traction-wise. The L37 intake cams have 0.0370-inch lift and 266 degrees duration. . Note that the Edelbrock RPM's main 1/2-NPT vacuum port is located in the No. My motor now has 130,000 miles on it. I plan on purchasing a 2005+ model STS, and I wanted to know if these models have known problems before I buy one. A similar approach should work on your earlier model Northstar. HTH. 2004 -2005 Northstar LH2 Engine Problems: For LH2 Northstar engines, head gasket failure is popular. I finally insulated the battery after going through 3 of them in about 4 years. No matter how one looked at it, Cadillacs engine simply was no match to the European and Japanese models, and soon, GM started losing its precious luxury market share. I have read through many of the threads, and I have not seen many issues. Followers 1. The usual symptoms of head gasket failure, such as the radiator constantly needing to be topped up with water, or plumes of smoke coming from the exhaust, are not always apparent. Essential Tips for Maintaining a Car You Rarely Use, Safe Driving Tips Every Car Owner Should Know. It's really designed for a mild turbo installation with 7 to 10 psi of boost on an otherwise stock engine. I have checked everything I can think of and reset the timing (10 degrees BTDC at idle, about 40 degrees total). Magnifying this issue is that repair of head gasket problems requires removal of the powertrain due to packaging, and so requires a very expensive fix. For the larger 7.5-inch rear, 26-spline axles (Hollander 1310) from '82 to '93 two-wheel-drive S-trucks with the GM Corporate 7.5-inch 10-bolt will bolt in. In the case of the STS, only a different battery cable was required to enable the LH2 to bolt into an STS. A NAPA TruStop hose (PN UTS4136845) is the best choice; other replacement hoses may require modifying the keyways in the stock H-body brake-hose/brake-line brackets. This engine was featured in the 2006-2009 Cadillac STS-V, and a slightly scaled 443 hp version was used in the 2006-2009 Cadillac XLR-V. 714/542-0515 This 4.4L Supercharged, Intercooled Northstar made 443 hp in the XLR-V, and 469 hp in the STS-V. From its introduction as a 270hp engine to its final bow in 320 hp VVT Rear-wheel drive form, to Supercharged, intercooled, 4.4L 469 hp form in the STS-V from 2006-2009, the Northstar has delivered driving excitement. Roseville, MI CHRF has a bunch of mild to wild Northstar custom cam profiles if you want to go off the deep end-but a cam change really isn't needed at the 100hp nitrous-shot level. A heat gun could be used to compare the temperatures on all cylinders. Far as having the overheating, heads separating from the block from bad threads on mounting bolts. We'll match you with the Northstar engine that will blow you away. 17-inch OEM aluminum wheels are weak and susceptible to pothole damage in comparison to the 18-inch wheels. The drilled sets are available from CHRF for $20. The Northstar engine made its debut in the year 1992 on the Cadillac Allant, which was a two-seater roadster that GM pitted against the sports cars from Germany and Japan. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Since the engines introduction, GM has steadily improved this premium V-8 and continued to push its technological envelope. Burning of oil caused a buildup of debris in the engine, because of which, the engine would overheat and the gasket would blow up. These cookies do not store any personal information. Out back, there is a bolt-in five-lug axle solution, provided your Monza has the 7.5-inch ring gear 10-bolt with a 101/4 x 91/2-inch cover; most Vegas and some Monzas only had a weaker 6.5-inch 10-bolt with a 101/4 x 81/2-inch cover. Also, the more cam overlap, the more header length you need. Huntsville, TX. It's a design flaw that GM took WAY too long to even attempt to solve. thats just the 04+. The factory pistons are a hypereutectic design with thin rings. All these cars came armed to the hilt with such exciting features that were never before seen on American soil. The head gasket may blow as a result. Northstar lineage can get a mite confusing. www.powertraincontrolsolutions.com, Wester's Garage In the following sections, we shall learn more about the historic Northstar engine. For performance use, the modulated (viscous-clutch-like) lockup converter should be replaced with a positive lockup converter. The rear-wheel drive engine, known as the RWD(LH2) Northstar, had a power output of 320 hp and a torque of 315 lb-ft. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. If the bolts are in good condition, they can be removed and reused (unlike the rod bolts, they aren't torque to yield). For thread repair or to withstand high-power turbo or supercharger engines, CHRF installs Time-Sert self-locking thread bushings and new head bolts or ARP head studs. In the late 1980s, German competitors such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz started vying for the large American four-wheeler market. The Caddy XLR is a 4.6L Northstar also. Try a different, old-school, analog light. Also peruse the FAQs on the www.h-body.org site. This outfit also offers complete H-body V-8 engine and drivetrain conversion solutions. Are my existing cams big enough to supply the air needed for more bang? However, it managed to have an improved throttle response and increased torque output in the lower rpm range. Use the kit with Zex's window switch (PN 82085) to select the rpm range that the nitrous system starts and stops at. "I'd taper the 3-inch collector down to 23/4, open it back up using a 6- or 7-degree megaphone, then back down to the tailpipe size." Good luck on your diagnostic efforts. The intake valve is angled at 25, and the exhaust is canted to 7. Though the L37 and LD8 engines made it on the Cadillac DTS and CTS, released in 2010, in July the same year, GM decided to cease production of the Northstar engine altogether. These were the highest figures that the Cadillac had ever produced. The bore and stroke was 87 mm 84 mm (3.43 in 3.31 in). Also, the No. Paste as plain text instead, the 00-03 northstars fail just as much as the pre - 00 . This 4.4L Supercharged, Intercooled Northstar made 443 hp in the XLR-V, and 469 hp in the STS-V. Supercharged Northstar For hard-core use, Oceanside Transmissions can build you a normal lockup converter, as well as beef up the output shaft, planetaries, sprags, clutch plates, and valvebody. 0 0 0. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. In the transition from FWD to RWD/AWD applications, the Northstar went from being transversely mounted to longitudinally mounted. In 1995, the engine was ranked as one of the "10 Best Engines in North America" by Ward's Auto World. An increased compression . My retired dragstrip/chemical engineer mentor says, "Overhaul it and give it a 100hp shot of nitrous." Olympia, WA, There may be more than one thing going on here. This is an interference engine having bronze pin bushings and free-floating pins. Rated at 275 hp and 300 lb-ft, it was designed to provide more low end than the 300hp/295-lb-ft RPO L37 (VIN 9) used on the Seville STS. Also compare the spark plugs from all the cylinders. 8 runner, the cylinder you say you are having problems with. So, if you are using a newer factory or aftermarket balancer with an original front cover and timing tab (or vice versa), you could be getting an inaccurate reading. Shift linkage is eventually going to fail; 9. The price we quote is the only price that you have to pay. Since GMs purchase of the company in 1909, Cadillac, through continuous technological advancements, has managed to establish itself as one of Americas most respected premier luxury car brands. CHRF says there are three different Northstar generations. The Cadillac Northstar engine is one of the most iconic motors of America. Akron, OH This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Original '68-and earlier balancers have a different timing mark location than '69-and-later balancers. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Beyond a doubt, the Northstar engines were a technological masterpiece when they were first released. As a result of the carbon accumulation, the engine temperature rises. I am in Texas and I wouldn't hesitate to go get in it right now and go to either coast at 60,000 miles the differential got loose and started thumping on hard acceleration and downshifts when slowing down, when checked the fluid looked like neversieze and there were fingernail sized chunks of gear in the fluid, upon investigation the diff seals were replaced by Cadillac on recall at 15,000 miles, yet they refused to do anything about it even though it was obviously a factory defect. Try again later. I just installed a brand-new engine in my Chevelle. In 1993, it was used in the Cadillac Seville and Eldorado. Alternatively, the H-body upper and lower control arms can be reworked to accept S-10 ball joints directly (welding and fabrication skills required). In 1994, the original Northstar (RPO L37) was joined by a second version (LD8). For example, Jack Burns offers a host of wild options, including stepped primaries and trick merged-venturi/megaphone collectors that maintain a header set's tuning ability even with an exhaust system attached. 760/451-8796 3. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I'd be looking at around 34 to 36 degrees total timing. VVT has not been used on transverse, FWD Northstars due to packaging constraints. Second, avoid aftermarket chrome distributor hold-down clamps-they slip. Are the 2005+ model Northstar engines more reliable than the earlier models? If you're going to be worrying about HG issues, then you'd be better off looking at a different car altogether. www.v8monza.com. I like the extra clearance of the shorty style, but is it at a cost? Whether or not USA would fall prey to this seemingly unstoppable duo, it was up to General Motors (GM) to decide! northstar-engine-problems 1/6 Downloaded from sendstudio.independent.com on November 5, 2022 by guest . The engineers at GM were faced with the daunting task of completely overhauling the luxury Cadillac brand. 949/631-5120 Do not use power tools when removing the head bolts, and watch for aluminum on the threads. there is a couple 2000+ on waiting list right now to get done. On a dry nitrous system, this requires bigger 30-lb/hr fuel injectors in place of the factory's 19-lb/hr units, turning up the stock fuel pump pressure via an adjustable pressure regulator or possibly the PCS unit. Rear differential bushing will eventually fail causing clunking sound, which means it must be replaced. Sign up to receive the latest and greatest articles from our site automatically each week (give or take)right to your inbox. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Parts interchange between different Northstar generations, and between front- and rear-wheel drive, is limited at best and not generally recommended. After that, we have a better crank [as well as stroker kits].". Check for vacuum leaks with the engine running using a can of starting fluid. You can convert a GM H-body (Vega, Monza, and clones) front end to accept five-lug wheels and associated larger brakes by changing to different steering knuckles (spindles), but it's not a direct bolt-in. For a typical 383 with a street exhaust system peaking around 6,500 rpm, Burns might design a header set with 15/8 primaries that step up to 13/4 or even 17/8, "depending on the cam duration, overlap, compression ratio, and the rest of the engine architecture. The sleeves permit retaining the stock GM H-body upper ball joints. . Jump to CaddyInfo Cadillac Discussion Forum, Cadillac STS-V LC3 Supercharged Northstar, Sold: 2005 Cadillac CTS 3.6L 86K Warranty 1-Owner Leather, CaddyInfo Applauds Sonya Jevette Los Angeles Tour May 2012, Rough, Unstable, or Incorrect Idle and Stalling, Fan of the Cadillac STS-V intercooler heat exchanger, Early Northstar engines had some gasket and seal issues. Beyond that, custom Arias forged pistons are available through CHRF. www.napaonline.com, Showcars Bodyparts Unlimited I was wondering if the V8 Northstar engine 2005 and up models has the same issues as the earlier model V8 Northstar engines? By design, the cold piston-to-wall and main and rod clearances are extremely tight. 6789 Quail Hill Pkwy, Suite 211 Irvine CA 92603. Instead, check your dashboard's coolant indicator. Keep in mind that those who do this generally combine it with other coolant-management mods, like experimenting with varying core-hole-size water-transfer passages in the block or plumbing external lines to the coolant passage near the small-block Chevy's siamesed (and theoretically hotter-running) center exhaust valves. Steel expands at about half the rate of aluminum, so the key to making the Northstar live is to thoroughly warm up the motor before leaning on it so the aluminum block and heads have time to properly expand. Set the switch's shutoff point lower than the factory ECU's rpm-based fuel shutoff point. For reference, '75-and-earlier Vega's had only 9 x 11/4-inch drums. The cylinder liners are cast-iron, while the pistons are made of cast-aluminum. The LD8 intake and exhaust cams have the same lift and duration: 0.339/0.339-inch valve lift, 244/244 degrees duration at 0.1mm (about 0.004 inch) lift, 22 degrees of overlap, and a 112-degree LSA (lobe-separation angle). differentials don't go out twice in 60,000 miles. However, in its 17-year long tenure, it found home in other cars as well. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. The road conditions are good not wet. Well except for when I left it parked for about 10 days with the Radar Detector on and the cell phone charger plugged in and they ran the battery down LOL. However, it could only be removed or replaced by using a special service tool. 805/659-3648, Joe Sherman Racing 770/953-1700 There are a total of 4 valves per cylinder. In total, the LH2 gained a five-percent power advantage over the FWD L37 Northstar. Showcars Bodyparts Unlimited is one of many aftermarket sources for fiberglass Vega body parts (including hoods and scoops). The Northstar was originally designed for front-wheel drive vehicles. VVT was designed for the longitudinal LH2 version of the Northstar, and due to packaging issues, wasnt used on the transverse front-wheel drive engines. The balancer itself could be failing. Similarly, the 4.6 lt LD8 too received a 5 hp push, bringing its overall power output to 275 hp. My guess is it has bad valve seals and a stretched timing chain. $179.00 per cam, shipping included to USA and Canada. www.oceansidetransmissions.com, Pontiac Bonneville Forum; document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there! Trim the plates as needed to provide clearance. This particular design can eat batteries due to too much heat since it is placed at the rear near at the passenger side firewall. I'd like to convert the front and rear hubs from four lug to five lug on my '75 Chevy Vega with a 450hp 350 and TH350 trans. In the later years, more developments were made to the original Northstar design. It has a roller cam with 0.500-inch lift and about 220 degrees of duration at 0.050. The Most Powerful Production Northstar The ultimate Northstar variant arrived in 2006 with the STS-V and the XLR-V performance cars. It would have been a V8 variant of the high-feature 3.6L engine, and so should have delivered over 385 hp. That engine makes 304 hp. Toronto, ON, Canada The blocks essentially split in half at the crankshaft centerline-the lower half acts like a huge, strong girdle with four bolts around each main. The Northstar engine was ranked as one of the 10 best engines in North America by Wards Auto World, consecutively for the year 1995, 1996, and 1997. Can this engine setup handle added horsepower without making me dump thousands into all-forged parts? However, it is blown out of proportion. In this Buzzle article, we take a look at the history of this engine, and explore the features and specifications of its different variants. 8? The third stage in the Northstar's evolution introduced variable valve timing (VVT) on the rear- and all-wheel-drive XLR starting in 2004. The trick valvesprings and retainers are available from CHRF and bolt in to the head without machining. If the starting fluid test does not produce an idle-speed increase when sprayed on this fitting, you could still have a leak somewhere in the various vacuum lines attached to the port, or at the devices at the other end of the vacuum lines (defective power brake booster, power brake booster check-valve, or auto trans vacuum modulator, for example). Northstar blocks and rotating assemblies are fairly stout for factory engines. Powered by Invision Community, Cadillac CT5, CTS, STS 2005+, 04-09 SRX, CTS Sport Wagon (Sigma). The second-generation engines were available beginning around 2000 and have significant differences, including roller rockers/followers instead of the previous bucket lifters, but overall, the heads don't have as much potential. To install: Clean the oil seal recess in the cylinder block and main bearing cap. Under this, the oil gallery is located which can typically hold 7.5 8 quartz of oil. The factory-powdered metal rods are good up to 500 hp, but be sure to replace the torque-to-yield bolts with new stock bolts at rebuild (no ARP bolts are available). The RWD (LH2) Northstar produces 320 hp (239 kW) and 315 lbft (427 Nm). Changes were major, and included the LH2 gaining variable valve timing (VVT), electronic throttle control (ETC), a boost in compression, a stronger engine block, a more powerful engine controller, polymer-coated pistons, high-performance exhaust valves, and a host of other technical enhancements. Oil changes tire rotations check things under the hood like belts and hoses every once in a while. Both had been steadily taking over the world and already; their troops had established camps on American shores. Photo Requirements: Minimum size 1,600 x 1,200 pixels Message Board: HOTROD.com. The L37's wide LSA makes for a smooth idle (as demanded by Caddy owners), but it won't really make power until 3,500 rpm. It had a different cam profile and a lower peak horsepower rating of 270 hp. It also introduced the Northstar system comprising traction control, adaptive suspension, and anti-lock braking system (ABS). Alternatively, use a universal wet nitrous oxide system with its own fuel supply. Prius drivers are two rungs further down the ladder from BMW drivers. It was the year 1990, and good old America was once again under threat from the expanding prowess of Germany and Japan. Posted December 21, 2009. The trunk mounted brake light was cracked slightly from being tightened too much from the factory. Newer Cadillac models, like the CTS-V, feature the small-block OHV engine, which is a much simpler design in comparison to the Northstar. You can post now and register later. The end result is a replacement camshaft that will make your 1993-1999 Northstar engine perform like new again. Intake manifold bolts are susceptible to loosening causing vacuum leaks and trouble code(s); 8. Your previous content has been restored. Clean, inspect and polish the rear oil seal rubbing surface on the crankshaft. CHRF uses aftermarket Holley EFI systems, but most of its builds are for retrofit rod and racing applications. problems in reliability related to cylinder deactivation. The Northstar has a good following among hot rodders especially for use in sand buggies (dune racers). DM Products offers subframe connectors for stiffening the Vega chassis, and www.v8monza.com will soon be selling subframe connectors of its own design. However, there are issues as follows: 2. You must also install '75-'80 H-body lower ball joints. This original Northstar engine, known as the L37, was a 4.6 lt 32-valve dual overhead cam all-aluminum V8 engine, outputting 295 hp.
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