Poobah Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 I am curious how the frequency of Cadillac head gasket failures compares to that of other makes. I searched Google and Yahoo to see if I could find a table or list of failures per make but found nothing. I did find links to head gasket issues for many different auto makes, however, suggesting that Cadillacs are not the only cars that have this problem. Do any of our members know if Cadillacs are as prone, more prone, or less prone to head gasket failures when compared to other makes? Happiness is owning a Cadillac with no codes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 From this site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_gasket (exerpt) This problem has been exacerbated by the use of aluminum rather than iron cylinder heads; while lighter than iron, aluminum has a much greater thermal expansion rate, which in turn causes a great deal more stress to be placed on the head gasket. Engine makers have responded to this by adding a non-stick coating such as Teflon to the surface of the head gasket If you to to timesert.com, you will notice that timesert makes timesert kits for Ford, GM, Honda and VW. If you look at the Honda engine/year listing its extensive I know that Ford has had problems with spark plugs blowing out of aluminum heads also 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEldo97 Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 I ran Alfa Romeos, both twin cam 4s and V6s for years and frequently replaced gaskets. My memory tells me about 50K miles was just about max in terms of HG service life. And they were good gaskets - Goetze and Reinz. Alfa used studs as opposed to bolts and if the coolant wasn't maintained the studs would corrode to the heads and you couldn't get the GD things off. Occasionally a stud would break! You want to talk about trouble!!!!!!!!!!! The thing that makes the Nortstar headbolt problem such a PIA is the FWD configuration. If Cadillac didn't run that lousy FWD this repair would be a snap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 I know that Ford has had problems with spark plugs blowing out of aluminum heads also My friend in Houston, had a spark plug blow out of his V8 Ford pickup. The way he described the ford recomended fix... It was to just use a HeliCoil type insert. He did it himself.. the truck was WAY out of warranty. He also had considerable trouble with the Coil on Plug ignition setup that Ford uses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 I know that Ford has had problems with spark plugs blowing out of aluminum heads also My friend in Houston, had a spark plug blow out of his V8 Ford pickup. The way he described the ford recomended fix... It was to just use a HeliCoil type insert. He did it himself.. the truck was WAY out of warranty. He also had considerable trouble with the Coil on Plug ignition setup that Ford uses. My son has an Expedition, he has had plugs blow out and also the COP issue you speak about. Timesert makes timeserts for that engine for both the spark plug and head bolts. It is VERY interesting to note that timesert makes a head bolt for their 4.6 engine 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 NEVER use a helicoil for a spark plug thread repair. The end of the helocoil makes a hot spot in the head that at a minimum will cause your PCM to retard your spark and can cause detonation that destroys the plug, takes the tin plating off the top of the piston, or worse. You have to pull the head to make sure that the shavings don't go into the engine with any kind of repair, and the cost of a Timesert repair is dwarfed by the labor, gaskets, and such in such a repair, so why use something as cheezy as a helicoil? Unless you don't care about a few shavings and want a on-the-engine repair... -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 NEVER use a helicoil for a spark plug thread repair. The end of the helocoil makes a hot spot in the head that at a minimum will cause your PCM to retard your spark and can cause detonation that destroys the plug, takes the tin plating off the top of the piston, or worse. You have to pull the head to make sure that the shavings don't go into the engine with any kind of repair, and the cost of a Timesert repair is dwarfed by the labor, gaskets, and such in such a repair, so why use something as cheezy as a helicoil? Unless you don't care about a few shavings and want a on-the-engine repair... Wait a minute... don't beat me up so bad... I didn't do it.... I was just relating what SOMEONE else did. I don't know the EXACT procedure he used, but I am pretty sure he pulled the head. It was down for two or three days or maybe longer. I didn't remember the details as I don't have a Ford and didn't figure I would ever NEED TO KNOW the details. I said HeliCoil just as an example of a TYPE of repair. I didn't mean that he actually USED a REAL HeliCoil insert. He is a pretty good mechanic and he does stuff RIGHT. He does not cut corners. Since BBF says that TimeSert makes inserts for the sark plug holes.... if I had to GUESS... I would say that is what he used. He reads Ford truck forums like I read Cadillac forums, so he probably KNEW what to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Believe it or not, right or wrong, I have seen heli-coils used for spark plug thread problems, so I would'd be surprised. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Ford 3.8 <a href="http://www.complaints.com/april2001/compla....april20.11.htm" target="_blank">http://www.complaints.com/april2001/compla....april20.11.htm</a> Again, you will notice someone say, it will happen to all of us <a href="http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/index.php?....8+head+gaskets" target="_blank">http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/index.php?....8+head+gaskets</a> Again <a href="http://www.autosafety.org/autodefects/FORD-3.8L.htm" target="_blank">http://www.autosafety.org/autodefects/FORD-3.8L.htm</a> This is shocking http://www.visi.com/~bruns/report3.html Ford spends $210 million for head gasket problems http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/pmext...4-2000Mar8.html 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Very interesting article http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group2/commo...why_do_hgfs.htm 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Mercedes >> http://www.robisonservice.com/servicedep/merc_problems.asp 126 cars - the 82-91 S Class •Engine The 6 cylinder 300 engines are prone to develop head gasket leakage at the front of the head, in the timing chain area. The 8 cylinder engines are prone to leak oil from the left head gasket. 560 motors are the worst in this regard. The 8 cylinder engines have weak timing chain tensioners. When starting the car you may head a brief rattle from the motor - especially just after an oil change. If you hear this you should change the tensioner right away as there may be no other warning before the chain skips, bending the valves and causing $5,000 damage. 140 cars - the 92-99 S Class •Engine The 6 cylinder engines are prone to develop head gasket leakage at the front of the head, in the timing chain area. More Mercedes head gasket info http://www.carsurvey.org/review_17252.html 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Ford 3.8 <a href="http://www.complaints.com/april2001/compla....april20.11.htm" target="_blank">http://www.complaints.com/april2001/compla....april20.11.htm</a> Again, you will notice someone say, it will happen to all of us <a href="http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/index.php?....8+head+gaskets" target="_blank">http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/index.php?....8+head+gaskets</a> Again <a href="http://www.autosafety.org/autodefects/FORD-3.8L.htm" target="_blank">http://www.autosafety.org/autodefects/FORD-3.8L.htm</a> This is shocking http://www.visi.com/~bruns/report3.html Ford spends $210 million for head gasket problems http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/pmext...4-2000Mar8.html I knew about the head gasket problem on the 3.8L V6 Ford engines when I bought my 2002 Taurus. I got the 24 valve DOHC 3L engine in it. Haven't driven it but about 800 miles in the last two years since I got the new DTS. Sold it to my neighbor the other day. I have put 90,000 miles on it and it still looks and runs like new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeb Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 i think the issue with labor on a northstar is that the motor is DOHC and very wide. I think if it had a pushrod vortec style motor it would be easier to work on. i know the latest FWD chevy's with the LS motor are very limited production compared to a northstar car and they of course are all low mileage examples. isn't the LS all aluminum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEldo97 Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Yes it is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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