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Same old story 1997 Eldorado


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My first post. I have been dealing with the same problem, blown head Gasket. From all the product available I am going with  North Star Performance head studs kit.  The reason for this choice is because the head studs provide a wider stud for griping the block surface at thread level. Second the reason I don't want to use time sert and head bolts is you only drill out the bad one at each time the gasket blows or replace them all at once but still have steal head bolts moving up and down chaffing the threads at all levels. third when you place the studs in the block you will not have to twist the studs out of the block which causes most of the damage to the threads in the block. Forth, the studs kits come with all necessary tools needed to drill and tap the block myself. I am looking forward to buying the Stud kit from North Star Performance, because I trust Studs over bolts any day of the week.    

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When Timeserts are used, the proper installation is to install the inserts in all 20 head bolt holes in the block.  The Timesert kit comes with all the necessary tools to install the inserts.  You will need to purchase the additional inserts - I think 10 are included in the kit.

Regardless of the method you use, you're not going to have to remove the heads again - it's stronger then when it left the factory.  Even if you did have to remove a head for some reason, the head bolt would spin in the insert - the inserts are swaged and Loctited to the block. 

 

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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I have been using timeserts since 1995 and I have never had an issue. The next cost effective insert is the NS300L inserts. Once you buy the kits the inserts are cheap. 

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While I like Northstar Performances solution with the studs, its just a different way to skin a cat, there is no benefit of one method over the other.  For that matter, there is a third method, its Norms inserts.

Kevin covered your misconception regarding doing one timesert at a time.  But there is NO chafing that takes place and I dont know where that idea came from.  The timesert kit has all tools also.

If you decided to use a solution thats great, but dumping on timeserts when they do a good job is unwarranted.

This looks like a poor advertisement for NP studs, which I will say are good and Jake does a good job, but the support you use to make your point is weak.

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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While I like Northstar Performances solution with the studs, its just a different way to skin a cat, there is no benefit of one method over the other.  For that matter, there is a third method, its Norms inserts.

Kevin covered your misconception regarding doing one timesert at a time.  But there is NO chafing that takes place and I dont know where that idea came from.  The timesert kit has all tools also.

By the way, I removed the heads on an engine that was timeserted and EVERY timesert remained in place!

If you decided to use a solution thats great, but dumping on timeserts when they do a good job is unwarranted.

This looks like a poor advertisement for NP studs, which I will say are good and Jake does a good job, but the support you use to make your point is weak.

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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There is a 4th option....do nothing. 

The sun is setting on the Northstar legacy. Not many people will fuss with repairing head bolts in a 20 year old car with 200k miles. Time for the scrap heap. 

I think the last ones were built in 2010. 

Going the way of the Quad4 engine....Fiero...Vega...etc...

My kids don't even know what a Pinto is.

 

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Aww come on, :wipetears  the sun set on the Nash, Edsel, Tucker and many more but try to buy one now......

My 98 is almost a classic :bluesbrothers:

THERE IS ALWAYS ENOUGH TIME TO DO THE JOB RIGHT - THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH TIME TO DO THE JOB AGAIN !!!

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8 hours ago, Logan said:

There is a 4th option....do nothing. 

The sun is setting on the Northstar legacy. Not many people will fuss with repairing head bolts in a 20 year old car with 200k miles. Time for the scrap heap. 

I think the last ones were built in 2010. 

Going the way of the Quad4 engine....Fiero...Vega...etc...

My kids don't even know what a Pinto is.

 

Ouch!  Haha.  

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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9 hours ago, Logan said:

There is a 4th option....do nothing. 

The sun is setting on the Northstar legacy. Not many people will fuss with repairing head bolts in a 20 year old car with 200k miles. Time for the scrap heap. 

I think the last ones were built in 2010. 

Going the way of the Quad4 engine....Fiero...Vega...etc...

My kids don't even know what a Pinto is.

 

2011 was the last year for the Northstar. 

That's exactly the reason I sent my '97 Seville to the junkyard when the engine block cracked three months ago.  20 years old and 220,000 miles - no way was I going to go through all the work of swapping the engine.  The car would have had to have sentimental value to me or be in very good condition with low mileage to warrant all the work to R&R the engine.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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The problem is that the 96 to 05 and beyond are such good cars.  If you can find one that was garage kept, renovating the powertrain delivers a terrific car.  Someone elses misery of a blown head gasket, a P0741 or leaks can be turned around quite easily.  Using one of the block repair methods makes the engine live again.

Even KHEs 97 lasted a long time before the block cracked after he timeserted/bigserted it. 

I have found that these cars in good shape now appeal to a younger crowd all one needs to do is go to Facebook and search Northstar, Cadillac, STS, ETC

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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my 96 had over 200k before the HG failed.

My 97 Seville failed at around 95k miles. I had it serted and have over 30k on it and have been trouble free. I do not baby it at all

from all of my experience it seems 99 was the worst year and it seems if you made it over 100k without it failing you were lucky. Just my opinion.

When I bought my 97 Deville I expected it to have the issue and it sure did. Passed a around town test drive but failed miserably when driven like it was designed. I had a engine installed in that one (been great so far) Also not babied.

My 96 ETC had 120k miles on it and had triple doom, pulled head bolts, torque converter, and  needed body work. I let that one go.

GM FAN FOREVER

Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile

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Alot of these cars are getting rough... real rough. I have tried to talk people out of the repair sometimes but I can only do so much. I won't touch a car over 20 years old unless its a garage queen. I am doing head gaskets on a 97 eldo from KY with 85K and it's a time capsule!

All in all if the car has nice interior and a nice body and paint, it doesn't mean doo-doo. I turned down 3 cars last year. 

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