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The electronics are different, different coils, intake, air pump, accessory bolt locations. And it's not a matter of changing the computer, its wiring.

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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I am an old school mechanic and I realize that on the newer types of engines especially the n-star things aren’t the same as they used to be-that being said,it is hard for me to understand that if I have both cars and the engines are physically the same and the cars are physically the same that you could change valve covers and coil pack arrangements and unless the intakes or the intake bolt pattern on the heads is different that you could swap the intakes and use accessories in the 99- again,I am looking at this through the eyes of a guy that used to remove a small block chevy and install a 454  and have it running the same day-oh the good old days

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Listen we have had members use a 94 in a 96-99.  

The heads are different, compression is lower than the 99.  The 02 runs on regular, the 99 does not.  I am not sure how total timing would come into play here and whether you would suffer detonation or timing issues.

There are roller cam followers on the 02, versus rubbing element lifters, that shouldn't matter.

The 99 may have dog bones to stabilize, the 02 probably doesnt.

You should check the accessory location holes carefully.

Let's see what @Logan thinks

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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This pretty much covers it...

http://www.northstarperformance.com/interchange.php

 

Dogbones were not used after 2000 except for Eldos....but the holes are there for the brackets. 

Buried in the details.....a different crankshaft in 2000....."A new crankshaft with a different reluctor wheel (crank position wheel) is used"

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I would say if Barczy says it wont work then it wont, (at least not without drastic modifications)

I wish I could compare this engine to a small block chevy. But it is nothing like it. It is its own animal

GM FAN FOREVER

Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile

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I guess i will just have to repair the 99 head gasket problem -the 02 eldo is not near as nice as the 99 -bought it for my son to drive to work which he did for quite a while -it’s been wrecked before and he hit a deer with it among other problems-great gas mileage and the alternator was the only major engine issue ,and also a coil cassette (I think that’s what they are called)was just thinking I could do a quick swap but ain’t gonna happen!oh well,my day wasn’t wasted seeing as how I learned something new-thanks for all the info and timely responses-Papalac 

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welcome to CaddyInfo by the way.

I would say the 99 engine would be more reliable than the 02 if fixed.

Does the 02 use any oil?

GM FAN FOREVER

Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile

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Not a lot to my knowledge-the boy had it serviced regularly and he never mentioned it using oil-it did seep coolant on the crossover manifold gaskets-didn’t have time to repair then so he just kept an eye on it-ran like a scared rabbit when it was hitting on all 8!

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Rebuild the 99, we can help you through the process.  Tell us a little history of the 99.  How many miles, when did the headgasket blow?  Was it driven long after it blew?  Does it misfire?  How did you confirm it was the head gasket blown?

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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I bought the 99 off of a couple who were going on the word of a caddy garage in SOMERS ,pa. where it was towed to after overheating on the turnpike -he trailered it back to Pittsburgh after hearing the repair estimate-it was actually their third car so they were not in a big hurry to repair it-the car has a dent on the front fender but other than that it is in nice shape -I personally have not checked the coolant for contamination yet-I have driven it around a little and it runs good-never overhead-but I drove my 99 deville to Erie twice-90 miles one way and it never overheated but kept loosing some coolant and until I watched a video on using the gas analyzer for the coolant on utube I had trouble convincing my self that the head gaskets were bad(I put a little power jack to the engine instead of just letting it idle then the liquid turned color quickly).i installed timesert and has been trouble free for about 3000 mi

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Besides the head gasket there are a slew of problems that can cause overheating.

Things to check

Is the air purge line clear

Is the coolant concentration at least 50/50

Does the system hold pressure

Does the cap hold pressure

Is the tank leaking

Is the water pump belt good

Does the water pump belt tensioner bind does it apply tension

Do the fans work properly

Is the radiator flowing coolant

Is the radiator obstructed of air flow

You can buy a combustion by products tester from NAPA, it is $46, it is a test kit that can but used many many times and the solution turns.color if the coolant has traces of.combustion in it.  It is called the Balkamp block tester.

Borrow or buy a cooling system pressure tester and pump the system and cap up to see if it holds pressure.

Some mechanics press the panic button quickly and parrot head gasket without doing any testing.  I belonged to Northstar Facebook groups and the members there IMMEDIATELY yell headgasket when a NS overheats with NO diagnosis whatsoever.  I hate the Facebook groups, it's a bunch of know it all loudmoith punks, I quit all the groups.  They can assume headgasket all they want. I myself prefer diagnostics before hitting the panic button.

I have saved about 20 cadillac northstar by clearing out the air purge line, if it is clogged, air can not get out of the system and the water pump cavitates causing overheating.

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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I have to agree with all of that-I haven’t began to fully track down the culprit in this car-have a lot of other things to do before I can get to enjoy working on her-and I do enjoy it-the guys at work can’t believe that I got the deville so cheap and repaired it without too much money and effort-after all, now an old paving mechanic is riding around in a Cadillac! I learned a lot about the quirks these engines have from this forum and what to check for-all the younger know it alls were saying n-stars are junk and not to buy one-I wanted to find out for myself and I wanted to see if I could fix one-well, I don’t believe that they are junk and I did repair one-now I am a little bit hooked on them and want to get to know them a little better-will be working on the eldo in the near future and I will let you know what I find-my grandkids gave the car the name papalac and I love it-they also had a license plate made up at the fair-gotta love em.

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Well I agree, and love the NS also.  Let us know how we can help. 

I will say this, the NS is great, but the cooling system can leak pressure in so many places.  Every NS I have owned I have renovated the cooling system and the engine runs cooler.  Just like your kitchen or bathroom it needs renovation.  

By the way, the heater pipes that wrap around the rear of the engine can leak, and the radiator end tanks can leak.  If you smell coolant it is leaking.  Coolant under pressure vaporizes upon contact with atmosphere and you dont see a leak, you smell it.  

 

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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Every head gasket job I do I actually drill out the hollow bolt and it's always filled with crud. Alot of times the metal line on the 93-99 northstars are clogged! Always check the air purge line. 

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When I bought the deville it was partly torn down and then they decided it was beyond their skill level-so when I started to put it back together I found out they had misplaced the hollow bolt-after pricing one at the local caddy dealer (and finding out they are totally insane) I made my own by drilling out the proper size bolt and brazing a small pipe nipple onto it-worked great and I didn’t empty my wallet.

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16 minutes ago, productionx said:

How well would a 97 Seville STS workout as a parts car for a1993 Seville STS?

Not too good for these reasons

The 93 was OBD1 and the 97 is OBD2, therefore the PCM, many of the engine controls, the EGR system is different

The intakes are different due to the way EGR flow is accomplished, the 93 had a plenum that contained the fuel pressure regulator that was directly acted on by engine vacuum, I do believe the cylinder heads were different

The 93 uses and ISC motor and the 97 uses an IAC

While there are improvements within these years, the engine compatibility, lays out like this.   I hope someone can fill in the 04 and newer engines, I am not well versed on them

93-94

95 sort of in a class by itself

96-99

00-03

04

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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