northstar price

[mailloux]

Hello everybody

What would cost me less

-a engine rebuild kit installed

-a new engine from GM installed

-or a rebuild engine installed thank you everybody

[Ranger]

These engines almost never need to be rebuilt. Replace head gaskets yes, but complete rebuild, no. Why do you think you need to rebuild it?

[growe3]

These engines almost never need to be rebuilt. Replace head gaskets yes, but complete rebuild, no. Why do you think you need to rebuild it?

Rebuilding the Northstar with the original high quality parts is very expensive, thats one of the reasons that they last so long. The valve work (32 valves, 32 seats and 32 valve guides), with required TimeSerting, could cost nearly as much as a new engine. This has not even touched on the crankshaft, which cannot be reground, or that each rod bearing costs about as much as a full set on most other GM engines.

Bottom Line:

If the engine was worn to the point of needing a rebuild, I would not rebuild it. I would replace it with a new one. In the long run this would be the lest expensive, and most secure way to go.

On the other hand, as Ranger notes, these engines almost never need a rebuild. Head gaskets are probably the biggest job that normally needs to be done, next would be oil leaks, hardly a need to rebuild a Northstar engine.

I replaced the head gaskets on my 93 STS at about 125k miles, I now have 190k miles and the engine still runs strong and smooth. I did all of the work myself, and the parts costs (all OEM parts), was about $890.

Why do you feel that you need to rebuild, as opposed to just fixing whatever the problem may be?

-George

[mailloux]

I need to rebuild or chnage it because I went to 130mph and then it blow

and how much would it cost a new engine whith the intsallation approx?

[JasonA]

I need to rebuild or chnage it because I went to 130mph and then it blow

What do you mean "and then it blow"? Head gasket? Rod through the block? We need a little more to go on.

As far as the cost for installation, if you buy a new engine and have it professionally installed, I'm just guessing somewhere in the $4000-6000 range, but that's a complete guess.

Again, if we can help you best determine which route to take, please give us all the details about what happened, what the damage is, how it was diagnosed, etc.

Is your 1997 DeVille a base DeVille, a DeVille Concours, or DeVille d'Elegance?

[mailloux]

no its not whith my deville, its for helping my uncle whoe have a 1994 sts. The garade dont know what it have blown but because of that everything that ias electricla dont work

[Bruce Nunnally]

So, your Uncle's 94 STS was going down the highway at speed, and all the electrics went off? So he took it to a garage, and they said they don't know what was wrong with it, but they want to replace the engine?

Did they have any other symptoms other than the electrics are off? For example, as there a fire in the engine bay?

If the ONLY symptom is the electrics are off, you need to take the car to a dealer or a shop that understands the STS and ask them to diagnose. Just because the electrics are off is no reason to replace or rebuild the engine.

[OynxSTS]

Ya, a dead short or a bad alternator and a drained battery could (would) cause the same thing.

[growe3]

The questions/statements are more and more silly. My ten year old grandaughter can spell and explain herself better than this person

Are we being "trolled" ?

-George

[mailloux]

Thank you everybody for your hint.

[JohnnyG]

The questions/statements are more and more silly. My ten year old grandaughter can spell and explain herself better than this person

Are we being "trolled" ?

-George

No personal attacks. Yes, this person may be having trouble with our language, I assume he is from one of our friendy nations such as France or Mexico, but you must remember the board rules and your diversity training. He (or his uncle) is a Caddy owner and deserves to be treated as such. That is exactly what sets this board apart from others.

[growe3]

The questions/statements are more and more silly. My ten year old grandaughter can spell and explain herself better than this person

Are we being "trolled" ?

-George

No personal attacks. Yes, this person may be having trouble with our language, I assume he is from one of our friendy nations such as France or Mexico, but you must remember the board rules and your diversity training. He (or his uncle) is a Caddy owner and deserves to be treated as such. That is exactly what sets this board apart from others.

Johnny G,

My reply was not a personal attack by a long shot. If you have ever read any of my past replies, you would know that I just do not do that.

Based on this person’s response, each one getting more unintelligible, it has the trademarks of a “troll”, baiting a forum.

I have spend many hours, researching, scanning, photographing, typing out detailed instructional letters, and occasionally phone calls, to help clarify difficult procedures to other members of this forum; just to help anyone that I could. While some did have a little trouble phrasing their problem, whether they lived in the US, Canada, or Sweden in a few other countries, none of them were like the type in this post.

I am aware of the forums rules, I respect them, and I do not believe that I have ever violated any of them. As for diversity, I assure you that I am well trained. In fact I have taught many such classes over the years, as part of my duties working for the State of California.

I feel that I made a valid query, based on the information viewed, and a “personal attack” was never launched against the poster.

-George

[Ranger]

I tend to agree that mailloux is from another country and not fluent in the english language. Untill he proves himself otherwise, I am not ready to label him a troll yet. That said mailloux, it does sound as it you are being lead down the yellow brick road. You (or your uncle) may not need a new engine after all. Try to get the answers to the questions asked and we will try to steer you in the right direction.

[mailloux]

I'm from quebec in canada and normally I speak french

[ALBUNDY]

I'm from quebec in canada and normally I speak french

Welcome to Caddy forum.

[Cadillac Jim]

So, your Uncle's 94 STS was going down the highway at speed, and all the electrics went off? So he took it to a garage, and they said they don't know what was wrong with it, but they want to replace the engine?

...

Forget the new engine, in my humble opinion. I would get it towed to a reputable dealer or other safe haven first.

Sounds like the battery cable broke or got cut (road debris or wildlife), the battery died, or you lost a main fuse. The battery can get disconnected because of a cracked terminal, too. More often, the battery case cracks and the acid leaks out, and it goes dead. Sometimes a battery cell shorts internally and boom, there you are. It's rare but it does happen. So, first, check the battery and the battery cable at the terminals.

The Cadillac Northstar battery cable for that year range has three hot leads. One of them goes to the starter (under the fuel injection between the cylinder banks), one goes to the alternator (low on the front of the engine), and the third goes under the radiator, across the car, and up to the main power bus for the fuse block under the air cleaner. That third battery cable powers the entire car and, with your symptoms, is a good candidate for road damage.

There is a large fuse block under the air cleaner. The first thing I would do is look at that, see if the battery voltage is present at the main bus, and check the fuses there. I would bet that by the time you finish up with that and fixing what you see and what it leads to (shorts, broken wires, etc.), your car will be ready for the road again.

[Ranger]

I'm from quebec in canada and normally I speak french

Welcome. Let us know what you find out about the car.

[mailloux]

I just came to talk to my uncle and he say that the electrical problem was repaired but the engine have blow tooso its cant start. And can anybody refer me to a place we're they sell used northstar

in good shape. I found one on cherry-auto.proxsoft.com he only have 1000miles and its only 2,300$. Do you think i should buy it or go see somewhere else

[JimD]

I just came to talk to my uncle and he say that the electrical problem was repaired but the engine have blow tooso its cant start. And can anybody refer me to a place we're they sell used northstar

in good shape. I found one on cherry-auto.proxsoft.com he only have 1000miles and its only 2,300$. Do you think i should buy it or go see somewhere else

Bon jour;

To help us help your uncle, I suggest you find a friend who is 100% thinking - writing - and speaking bilingual (French and English).

Ninety nine percent of the folks who are willing to help you here are English as first language speakers. And this Anglophile is confused about the original problem with your uncle's engine.

[Ranger]

$2300 for a Northstar with 1000 miles on it is a very good price. However I would guess it is a newer engine and cannot be used in your uncles '94. He will need a '93 or '94 engine only. Ebay may have some engines, but you still have not told us exactly what is "blown". It may be repairable unless a rod let loose or something like that.

[Cadillac Jim]

One of the posts said that he "took it to 130 mph and it blew." We still don't have a clear idea of what happened. We do know that the electrical system failed at the battery or main bus. We know that "the electrical problem was repaired" but we don't know what the problem was or what fixed it, or why the owner still thinks the engine "has blown."

I don't think that we have enough information to understand what happened to the car or what it needs. If we answer questions about a course of action, such as replacing the engine, we have to understand that the old engine may very well be just fine.

[Cadillac Jim]

I'm from quebec in canada and normally I speak french

Mailloux: Please read this very carefully. Answering a few simple questions can help us help you. If you were in the car when the indicent occurred, you can answer most of them yourself.

FACTS

First, a Northstar can run 130 mph all day without problems if it is in good shape. That is not the top speed. It's the speed that the electronic module is set to keep the car from going faster than is safe for the tires sold on it.

Second, Northstar engines very rarely simply fail without warning or without cause. Nearly all failures can be fixed without replacing the engine.

QUESTIONS

What exactly happend while the car was running 130 mph? Our best guess is that all the lights went out and the engine died. Was there something else happening, such as a burst of steam or white smoke? Was there engine noise? Was the engine dripping oil or water after the car stopped? Is there visible damage to the egine? If not, then there is likely no problem with the engine.

What was done that fixed the electrical problem? Will the starter turn over the engine?