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How many miles until tuneup needed?


kad3338

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No 96 STS is at 125k miles now and still running fine. I'm just curious if these Northstars can go awhile longer if it's running ok or if I should I look into new plugs / wires? Gas mileage still seems decent, 26 on hwy and 19 around town if I can keep my foot out of it.

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Plugs are good till 100,000 miles, ignition wires as needed in my opinion, look for burn marks, brittle, etc You might pull the plugs and have a look, they can lose their platinum pads and then all bets are off, the electrode wears quickly then.

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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As BBF said, plugs are a good idea, wires are due. If it runs fine plan on changing them the first warm spring day JUST GET OEM! Mine have about 125k, just didn't have the time before winter.

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The original wires in my previous '94 Eldorado are still good at 228K miles. I replaced the original plugs at 130K. The plugs needed to be replaced due to worn electrodes.

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You can check your spark plug wires with a multi-meter (ohm-meter) to see if they have high resistance, which would mean they could use replacing.

Check the resistance of each wire by touching the contacts at each end with the multi-meter probes. Make sure there is good contact or the readings will be inaccurate. Measure the length of each wire, and divide by the length of each wire (in ft), to get a value of Ohms/ft of wire. By checking the resistance of each wire you will determine two things: That there is continuity (not open) and if there is too much resistance in the wire. I do not know the factory specification for resistance on OEM wires, but it should be somewhere in the range of 150 - 1,200 ohms per foot, which is typical.

Better yet, if you do not know the specification for your wire set, measure the resistance of each wire. Remember to divide by the length of the wire to get a "per foot" measurement. If one wire is significantly out of the average spec, it is at fault and should be replaced.

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What's a "tuneup?"

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There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises

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I have two Sears dwell meters that I have been thinking of selling, I can't remember the last time I used them, probably the last time I used my timing light and distributor wrench...:lol: How many of you still have the allen wrench that came with GM points?, I for some unknown reason have kept about 10 of them...

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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An ancient PITA yearly ritual.

Oh yeah, I remember that now that you remind me. :D

You had to twiddle some thumbscrews at the base of something that sat on the intake manifold. And there was that allen key thing . . . or something, and the timing light. :wub: Oh, and spark plugs! Maybe even wires. Jeeze, I really miss that. NOT!

Regards,

Warren

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There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises

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I have two Sears dwell meters that I have been thinking of selling

To WHOM??

Gimme that guy's address! I don't yet have any swamp land for sale in Florida, but I might be able to rustle some up quickly. :lol:

Regards,

Warren

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There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises

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Lol! You guys cracked me up, with the timing lights & stuff.... Forgot all about that, and haven't missed it one bit...

Ahem, but to the original poster, I would definitely throw in a set of plugs & wires. I would do a throttle body cleaning. I would throw in a PCV. I would throw in a new air filter.

If you really wanna go crazy, throw in a fuel filter....

And, I hope this goes without saying, but you are right on top of your coolant changes, correct???

Your mileage sounds great though.... it must be running pretty decent, to get those numbers.... I'd have no problem waiting until spring....

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I have two Sears dwell meters that I have been thinking of selling, I can't remember the last time I used them, probably the last time I used my timing light and distributor wrench... :lol: How many of you still have the allen wrench that came with GM points?, I for some unknown reason have kept about 10 of them...

I still have the two foot long "FLEXIBLE" allen wrench adjustment tool. :D But I only have one dwell meter. :D

Have you ever set the dwell on a Mallory DUAL POINT distributor? That was always fun. :D

If you happen to get stuck in the middle of nowhere and have to change points and don't have a feeler gage... an easy way to set the gap to at least get you back home... use a normal business card. It will work. :D Don't ask how I know THAT. :D

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Still have 2 dwell meters, timing light, set of distributor wrenches, several sets of feeler gauges and a carburetor adjusting tool. Wish I new someone that wanted to buy them.

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