Northstar engine

4.6 Northstar engines have 3 very expensive common failures. As was stated earlier headgaskets, and the tcc solenoid in the 4t80 transmission, and the upper oil pan gasket (otherwise known as a bed plate) it holds the crank in place. It seals to the engine block, and the regular oil pan bolts to it. The sealer between the upper oil pan is poor and requires engine removal and most of the engine to be disassembled to reseal it.

Strangely, the water pump was the easiest water pump to replace I have ever done.
15 minutes the first time and
I think I could do it in 5 now.

turbojimmy wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
And then there was the issue of where the starter was mounted on the Northstar. :R Wooo Hoo!!!

Don't know which would be more fun; jabbing a pencil through my hand, pulling a 6.0 engine or putting a new starter on a Northstar. :B

Eh. It's under the intake manifold. Not too hard to get at. I was happy not to have to get under the car to replace it.

Ya, I always love pulling the intake manifold just to put a starter on. Almost as much fun as pulling a cab just to pull the heads off a motor. :R

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
And then there was the issue of where the starter was mounted on the Northstar. :R Wooo Hoo!!!

Don't know which would be more fun; jabbing a pencil through my hand, pulling a 6.0 engine or putting a new starter on a Northstar. :B

Eh. It's under the intake manifold. Not too hard to get at. I was happy not to have to get under the car to replace it.

My 87 year old father has 90K miles on his '99 Deville and never an engine problem. He has never maintained it well either. I can't believe that car is still running but it does. They got rid of their '92 Safari van last year. Again, not maintained well but ran forever.

And then there was the issue of where the starter was mounted on the Northstar. :R Wooo Hoo!!!

Don't know which would be more fun; jabbing a pencil through my hand, pulling a 6.0 engine or putting a new starter on a Northstar. :B

You may want to look at a Lincoln Towncar or a Grand Marquis? They ride just as nice and have no issues.

Turbo Jimmy, I empathize with your Mom. There really isn't anything out there that compares and believe me we have spent the last two years looking. We are starting to feel like real dinosaurs for wanting a cushy ride. Our 04 Silverado has more amenities than some "luxury" vehicles. Better seats too. We'll keep that truck till it disintegrates.

cts

covetsthesun wrote:
Ahh jeeze Turbo Jimmy! All that work and poof. We understand the pain there. We had a 95 Caddy Deville Concourse... g o r g e o u s! Rode like the land yacht it was and great gas mileage. I drove it through the mountains several times and that thing was a beast. Long story short... it met it's end in FL during a staged accident. Some moron in a pick up truck swooped in front of DH causing a rear end collision. We had just had the tranny rebuilt...new tires..etc. Insurance totalled it due to cost to repair and age. It was drivable...but needed a bit of work. After much hassle with the insurance company we got a check and a friend got it for salvage. It was parted out to other Caddy's on a waiting list. I guess it lives on.
FL is ground zero for staged accidents BTW.

We had a 2006 DTS..pale blue with the special paint that shimmers... loved, loved, loved that car. It, however.. was a bit of a drama queen. Every time DH got a bonus check that car just knew... and wanted it. Now. So the "ice queen" was sold. Still... there's just something about those Caddies.

Yeah my '95 was a Concours. It was a great car. The rear subframe rotted out from underneath it so I had to junk it. No mechanical problems though.

That wrecked DTS was White Diamond - the triple coat that changed color depending on how you viewed it. Did I mention it was a flood total that I rebuilt myself after hundreds of hours of labor? I called it the White Zombie. I sold it (wrecked) to a guy that was to take the $1,000 exhaust system off of it and junk it. But no, he never titled it and sold it someone else who rebuilt it. But before he rebuilt it he left it for months in an apartment complex in Fort Lee NJ. The White Zombie returns. Warrant issued for my arrest for failure to appear in court to answer the tickets that were piling up on the car that I didn't know about. I was able to sort that out, but as far as I know that stupid thing is still on the road somewhere.

My mom is still driving her '06 DTS. It's seen better days, but mechanically it's just fine. Since they stopped making big Cadillacs she's not sure what to get next.

I thought the Northstar was still a problem for the seal leaks, gaskets and bolts even after 2005. Was I mistaken?
cts