low coolant level?

[CarlaValentine]

You make good points Kevin, every time you post, I move toward pulling it from the top

Did you end up getting a used engine? Or are you just redoing the one you already have in the car? Just curious...

[Wildcard]

The engine can be pulled from the top in these cars - It is the "alternate method" in the service manual.

Definitely repair the existing engine vs. buying a used engine.

ah thank you. That would most likely be the way i would be forced to do it as i have no access to a lift and there is no way i could afford to pay a shop to do the work. im thinking as much as i like the car, when i have it checked if they say its def a motor issue im just going to have to sell it. Will have to make up my mind after the check up.

My step father checked the oil by way of the dip stick to see if there was sign of coolant in the oil and it looked fine to him. i'll pull the plug asap and check it from that end.Like i say i think IF its a head issue then it has to be a slow seepage as it does not smoke when the motor is warm and the motor runs great, no skipping ect no over heat, just smoke for a couple minuts on start up after its not been cranked for a few days. and even if thats the case it may last quite a while but i dont think my nerves would handle that hanging over my head lol. I'll tell you guys had i known how stupidly priced those N*'s were i would prob have found something else lol. even at 10 years old its still a rich mans car

[Wildcard]

You make good points Kevin, every time you post, I move toward pulling it from the top

Did you end up getting a used engine? Or are you just redoing the one you already have in the car? Just curious...

i thought i rememberd reading that no one rebuilds N*'s? does any one know of a good company that has decant prices on rebuilt motors for a 2000 deville DHS? aslo how pricey would just redoing the heads on the motor i have now be?

i would be very weary of a used non rebuilt as who knows what your getting and it would suck bad if you had to redo the motor again.

[BodybyFisher]

When the head gaskets go bad, these engines don't always allow coolant to get into crankcase, so that is not a tell tale symptom on these engines

[BodybyFisher]

You make good points Kevin, every time you post, I move toward pulling it from the top

Did you end up getting a used engine? Or are you just redoing the one you already have in the car? Just curious...

The thought crossed my mind, but the more I thought about it, I feel that I know what I have, to go to an engine that is foreign to me adds unknowns.

I have lived with my engine, I have not badly overheated it, run with no coolant, I have never gotten a SHUT DOWN message and I dont believe I have hit 260 degrees in it.

I know that I have a knock, and I will look for tell tale signs of one as I disassemble it.

The extent of parts needed to do this job will be expensive, if I need to replace a CAM, lifters, etc. I am already going to replace the main and rod bearings, the rod bolts need replacing. At 125K miles, do I replace rings?, or ignore them, for fear that the new rings not seat properly?, that is up in the air, my guess is to leave well enough alone, I think others will agree

I know that I have a cross threaded crossover bolt hole, that will need to be resolved.

The one thing that I thank the heavens for is the drill and tapping experience I got from working at the ship yard years ago. LOL.. I once drilled an tapped in excess of 500 holes on a computerized plasma plate burning machine to provide leveling capability for its tracks. You can't beat a good drill press.

I want my car back on the road, getting in and out of a two door Monte Carlo is a killer. Plus my chocolate lab loves the Cadillac over the Monte Carlo

[KHE]

The engine can be pulled from the top in these cars - It is the "alternate method" in the service manual.

Definitely repair the existing engine vs. buying a used engine.

ah thank you. That would most likely be the way i would be forced to do it as i have no access to a lift and there is no way i could afford to pay a shop to do the work. im thinking as much as i like the car, when i have it checked if they say its def a motor issue im just going to have to sell it. Will have to make up my mind after the check up.

My step father checked the oil by way of the dip stick to see if there was sign of coolant in the oil and it looked fine to him. i'll pull the plug asap and check it from that end.Like i say i think IF its a head issue then it has to be a slow seepage as it does not smoke when the motor is warm and the motor runs great, no skipping ect no over heat, just smoke for a couple minuts on start up after its not been cranked for a few days. and even if thats the case it may last quite a while but i dont think my nerves would handle that hanging over my head lol. I'll tell you guys had i known how stupidly priced those N*'s were i would prob have found something else lol. even at 10 years old its still a rich mans car

Northstars will only puke coolant into the oil when the head gaskets are totally shot. By that time, it will be leaking coolant to the ground. If the head gaskets are bad, it is not the end of the world. For about $800 in parts and some labor, the engine can be repaired and will be stronger than when new. You'd take a huge loss selling the car with bad headgaskets.

[CarlaValentine]

Personally, I think before you jump to any conclusions (though it does seem like head gaskets) you should have the coolant tested for combustion gases. There is a do-it-yourself test kit available at NAPA.

[Ranger]

i thought i rememberd reading that no one rebuilds N*'s? does any one know of a good company that has decant prices on rebuilt motors for a 2000 deville DHS? aslo how pricey would just redoing the heads on the motor i have now be?

check with Jake at http://www.northstarperformance.com

[Wildcard]

Personally, I think before you jump to any conclusions (though it does seem like head gaskets) you should have the coolant tested for combustion gases. There is a do-it-yourself test kit available at NAPA.

RGR that. im going to ether get the kit or just take it to a shop and have it fully checked.

[Wildcard]

The engine can be pulled from the top in these cars - It is the "alternate method" in the service manual.

Definitely repair the existing engine vs. buying a used engine.

ah thank you. That would most likely be the way i would be forced to do it as i have no access to a lift and there is no way i could afford to pay a shop to do the work. im thinking as much as i like the car, when i have it checked if they say its def a motor issue im just going to have to sell it. Will have to make up my mind after the check up.

My step father checked the oil by way of the dip stick to see if there was sign of coolant in the oil and it looked fine to him. i'll pull the plug asap and check it from that end.Like i say i think IF its a head issue then it has to be a slow seepage as it does not smoke when the motor is warm and the motor runs great, no skipping ect no over heat, just smoke for a couple minuts on start up after its not been cranked for a few days. and even if thats the case it may last quite a while but i dont think my nerves would handle that hanging over my head lol. I'll tell you guys had i known how stupidly priced those N*'s were i would prob have found something else lol. even at 10 years old its still a rich mans car

Northstars will only puke coolant into the oil when the head gaskets are totally shot. By that time, it will be leaking coolant to the ground. If the head gaskets are bad, it is not the end of the world. For about $800 in parts and some labor, the engine can be repaired and will be stronger than when new. You'd take a huge loss selling the car with bad headgaskets.

Really? well 800 bucks i could def deal with. iv been under the impression from articals that iv read that no one really works on N*'s ect as the cost for repairs/rebuilds ect were so high you were better off just buying a new motor. i read in on one site that GM considers the heads throw away meaning of course if they go bad replacement is the only option ect. But IF the heads are bad and i could have a fix for 1k i would def save up for that as i do love the car. i NEVER thought id hear my self say i love my cadillac lol, iv always been a sports car fan or street truck kind of guy. i always thought caddys were for older folks to drive to the golf course on sundays but first time i saw the 2000 and up devilles and the CTS i changed my mind and after putting the hammer down on a N* for the first time i fell in love ;P. No Z28 but it sure did impress me for being a big car and having only 4.6 Liters.

thanks again to every one who posted and gave me advice. i'll have the test done and the carchecked out as soon as i can and post back with the results and go from there.

[Cadillac Jim]

There are lots of people who work on Northstars and there are lots of rebuilders. Try a web search on "rebuilt Northstar." I bought my remanufactured Northstar from Jasper in 2006. Here are a few links I turned up using http://www.dogpile.com web search:

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

http://www.accurateengines.com/remanufactured-engines/cadillac/northstar-46-liter-engine/

http://www.actionsalvage.com/northstar-engine.htm

{used engines)

http://www.gatorengines.com/Gas%20Engines/Cadillac_engines_informations.html

etc. etc. etc.

[KHE]

Really? well 800 bucks i could def deal with. iv been under the impression from articals that iv read that no one really works on N*'s ect as the cost for repairs/rebuilds ect were so high you were better off just buying a new motor. i read in on one site that GM considers the heads throw away meaning of course if they go bad replacement is the only option ect. But IF the heads are bad and i could have a fix for 1k i would def save up for that as i do love the car. i NEVER thought id hear my self say i love my cadillac lol, iv always been a sports car fan or street truck kind of guy. i always thought caddys were for older folks to drive to the golf course on sundays but first time i saw the 2000 and up devilles and the CTS i changed my mind and after putting the hammer down on a N* for the first time i fell in love ;P. No Z28 but it sure did impress me for being a big car and having only 4.6 Liters.

thanks again to every one who posted and gave me advice. i'll have the test done and the carchecked out as soon as i can and post back with the results and go from there.

There is a ton of bad information on the internet about the Northstar. The heads won't be bad - all you need to do is Timesert the block, replace the headgaskets and any seals that might be leaking and the engine will be fine. Keep in mind the $800 is parts cost with you doing all the labor.

[BodybyFisher]

We have NEVER had a member not be able to use the original heads here and I have been here about 10 years.

Now, years ago, the CHEVY 4 cylinder head cracked, it was on the MONZA class engine, it was rare to find one that was NOT cracked, but he NORTHSTAR head has not been problematic.

Don't worry about the heads themselves. You could have them checked for flatness but I dont think its necessary.

You are on THE site for CADILLAC NORTHSTARS, reading other GM sites will not be applicable here, we have a TON of information and experience with this engine