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Has your Northstar been Timeserted?


JasonA

Has your Northstar been Timeserted? Please post mileage and answer.  

214 members have voted

  1. 1. Has your Northstar been Timeserted? Please post mileage and answer.

    • Yes
      33
    • No
      150
    • I don't know
      31


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I did my own timeserts with the engine in the car. In my case the head bolt thread failure was a result of the head being off a couple years prior, to repair a burned exhaust valve.

I didn't know anything about timeserts at that time, so it never got done.

Barry

2008 STS V8
2016 Colorado Z71
1970 Corvette LT-1 Coupe

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Can someone explain the process of timeserting ? And how do you do it yourself ?

This is rather simplified but basically

1. Remove the engine.

2. Remove heads.

3. Drill out old threads

4. Tap new threads

Here is a thread that shows the steps. http://caddyinfo.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=4796&hl=

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I had mine Timeserted at 120,000 mi. while it was apart for head gasket replacement.

photo-36.jpg

Happiness is owning a Cadillac with no codes.

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A post script to my previous reply.

As I do all of my own repairs the Timesert cost was not that bad, just not much fun getting the engine in and out. I pulled the engine out the top in each car, the second time I used an engine leveler, much easier to handle the engine.

While I knew the Northstar was a good engine, when you have it apart you can really appreciate the engineering that went into its design.

Attached is a link to my web storage with an Excell spreadsheet, showing the parts cost. I also fixed the oil seepage at the same time. (see Timesert Repair)

Was it worth it? You bet!

-George

Timesert Repair Cost

Edited by growe3

Drive'em like you own 'em. - ....................04 DTS............................

DTS_Signature.jpg

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94 Concours - 119500 miles - has been leaking oil for 55500 miles though, but runs great. In 3 years I have owned it the major items I replaced were: spark plugs, plug wires, waterpump, shift solenoids, & coil. I can't complain too much.

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OK, now that we have 22.5% what do we think this means? 40 votes, 9 yes. Do we think that this accurate for all Northstars produced or just our sample? What kind of Cadillac owner comes to this site?

IF in fact that 22.5% of ALL Northstars have had blown head gaskets that is a poor record. What bothers me is that we ONLY have 40 responses...... How could this be slanted. Maybe the title HAS YOUR NORTHSTAR BEEN TIMESERTED draws in the TIMESERTED more readily than the NON-TIMESERTED?

Lets try to direct EVERYONE here to vote and see what happens!

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If you do not count the radiator hose that I damaged, everything under my hood is untouched original. That includes sparking bolts and wires too at 142,000 miles.

Following Mr. Bbobynski's guidelines on cooling system care sure helps.

Jim

Drive your car.

Use your cell phone.

CHOOSE ONE !

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If you do not count the radiator hose that I damaged, everything under my hood is untouched original. That includes sparking bolts and wires too at 142,000 miles.

Following Mr. Bbobynski's guidelines on cooling system care sure helps.

It sure does! Jim, my wires fell just short of yours. About 140,000 miles. Stinkin' cheap OE parts! ;)

Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond)

"When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?"

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Pushing 175,000

No timeserting. Only need to buy an ACDelco fuel pressure regulator as my Eldo's backfiring and blowing white smoke into the engine compartment when trying to start.

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24 straight posts with NO time-serters... This is exactly what I thought would happen, the people who did not have head gasket problems / time serts ignored this post and the time-serters jumped right on it!

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Why is it that some Northstars need to be timeserted and others don't?

user posted image

Defending Northstar perf a qtr mile at a time!!!!

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Why is it that some Northstars need to be timeserted and others don't?

Maintenance is the primary reason or the lack there of. When coolant gets old looses it ability to stop corrosion, the head gaskets among other things begin to corrode and fail. When they fail coolant can leak into oil passages, combustion chambers etc or it can leak externally. The coolant can get into the bolt holes and weaken the threads and a bolt will pull loose causing coolant to leak in the ways described above. So while this appears to be a "defect" as some have spouted the problem is caused by poor maintenance practices. And when I say poor maintenance, it does not mean doing the maintenance improperly but mis-understanding the change cycle...

Here is an example, before I bought my car it was owned by a friend of mine who really believes in proper maintanance. Well his mechanic did not change the coolant at 5 years because he thought it was good for 100,000 miles and just over looked it. At 6 years I became more knowledgeable about dexcool and proper maintenance and asked him if he changed the coolant. He asked his mechanic and he said its good for 100,000 miles and I said, yep or 5 years! That is the kind of misunderstand that can get you in trouble! The mechanic was not a Cadillac mechanic from the dealer, he ran a private shop, perfect for not fully understanding the cars needs. An innocent misunderstanding of the coolant change requirement....

It is possible that a Cadillac that has been maintained BY Cadillac, that has its major service performed as specified would fair much better than one that has not been serviced by Cadillac and that has not had major service performed as scheduled..

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