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Cracked engine block on 2000 Cadillacs


2112

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I recently purchased a 2000 Eldorado. The owner clearly indicated that his repair facility determined that it had head gasket failure. I had the car towed to my friend’s repair shop in Palatine, IL (Midwest Cadillac Repair). Joe looked at it the other day and tells me that it has a cracked block. Well, this is the 3rd 2000 Cadillac that has a cracked block. Two blocks with cracks at the rear, and one at the front (if I remember correctly). I know Cadillac changed the composition of the aluminum for the block in 2000 at an attempt to keep head bolts from pulling (it would have made more sense if they used a better quality head gasket). This is also confirmed by Joe, as he has told me in the past that pre 2000 blocks feel like “aluminum” when he is drilling them. But, the 2000+ blocks do not feel the same, and do not drill with the same ease as the pre 2000 blocks.

This Eldorado I purchased is a very clean car. I would like to keep it. However, if there are integrity issues with the 2000+ blocks, then I don’t want a boat anchor. I am not in the position to be buying another N* engine, having Joe do a head gasket repair on it regardless if it needs it as a precautionary thing, and then 2 months down the road it has a crack in the block. These 2000+ blocks are not interchangeable with the previous years. Many people have indicated that cracked N* blocks are very rare. Well, 50% of the 2000+ cars Joe has seen have had cracked blocks… those are not good odds. I get the distinct feeling that Joe is spooked by this recent revelation.

So, what I am trying to find out:

1) Do these 2000+ blocks have structural integrity issues due to the changed composition?

2) Is it just 2000 blocks that have this issue, and not i.e. 2001, 2002, 2003?

3) Is this an extreme case of bad luck rolling in with these cracked blocks? 50% is ridiculous!

4) What could be causing these cracks?

5) What measures can be taken to ensure any replacement engine that I am looking at buying does not have the miniscule beginnings of this dreaded engine crack? (I don’t have an x-ray machine or a laser phaser :unsure:)

6) Does anyone have a 2000+ N* long block laying around?

Thanks,

Rob.

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Cracked Northstar blocks (any year) are indeed very rare and are likely to be caused by owner neglect (incorrect coolant mixture) rather than second guessing the metallurgical engineers. If there was a problem with the alloy in 2000+ blocks, they would all be boat anchors.

Can you post a picture of the crack?

Jim

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I have heard of only one or two NSs with cracks in ten years. The problem is you never know how the engine was abused,

Putting cold water in a hot engine or insufficient coolant allowing the block to freeze come to mind

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

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See attached photos. Hopefully this helps.

I did make a mistake. Joe at Midwest Cadillac Repair has not had three 2000 Cadillacs with cracked blocks out of six. After reviewing his records last night, Joe has had three 2000+ cracked blocks out of seven 2000+ Cadillacs. Within the past couple months, Joe has had the following cars come in with cracked blocks:

1) a 2001 DeVille... ~150k miles, dexcool in it but not full, no freeze damage,leaking out the front, engine oil was ugly maybe because it was sitting, seemed like a neglected car.

2001_DeVille_crack_1.jpg

2001_DeVille_crack_2.jpg

2) a 2000 Deville... ~100k miles, dexcool full, no freeze damage, leaking out the back, inside of engine is perfect, has original plugs, overall very clean car.

2000_DeVille_crack_1.jpg

3) my 2000 Eldorado... ~120k miles, has dexcool almost full, leaking out the back (see photo), overall very clean car. It was very hard to take a clear photo. The length of the crack is unknown.

2000_Eldorado_crack_1.jpg

The above just seems like too great of a coincidence. If Joe is that special, then I need him to choose the PowerBall numbers.

Looking at the blocks from the outside, the pre 2000 blocks appear much beefier than the 2000+ blocks. Yesterday, we used a hammer and smacked the 2001 block at its crack until it broke. See photo. The aluminum block at the point(see screwdriver in photo) it broke away in the photo is only 1/8" think. Yes, only 1/8 of an inch. Then you have about 1/8" of space before the steel sleeve. I am not a metallurgical engineer, I don’t play one on TV, and I did not stay at a Holiday Inn last night. But, it doesn't take much to conclude that if you thin out the block and then have an aluminum composition that is "harder" than the previous "softer" aluminum, the end result will not be positive. Maybe it just takes time and enough heat cycles for the 2000+ blocks composition to get fatigued; what if ~ 10 years is the average time, and is the "beginning of the end" of the 2000+ N* blocks? If over the next few years people begin to see more and more of the 2000+ N* blocks with cracks, there will be a definitive answer based on fact and not mere speculation. Understandably, it is very difficult to create a conclusion based on photos and I think this or I think that. We will never have a GM engineer come and explain things as they truly are because to do so would involve liability issues and revealing trade secrets. But, one thing that I can say for 100% certain is that there are three 2000+ N* cracked blocks at my friend’s shop out of 7 2000+ cars (those 7 cars being within the past 6 months total – cracked block cars within 2 months). BTW, that hairline crack on the 2001 appears to be right where the head bolts would end. So, further theorizing could easily point in the direction of... 2000+ N* block's head bolts are holding very well compared to pre 2000, structural integrity is lost in the 2000+ blocks over time (albeit heat cycles or "hardness" of the new aluminum composition), and the combination of the two results in these cracks.

Shamwow!

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By the way, we used to have a GM tech here that WOULD have commented on this, its a shame he is not here anymore

You are drawing a lot of conclusions yourself given that you are not a metallurgical engineer

These engines have 100k to 150k miles on them

Do you know who owned them?

Do you know how they were maintained?

Do you know if GREEN coolant was EVER used in these engines, thereby changing the DEXCOOL change interval to 2 years?, for life?

Do you know for CERTAIN that sufficient coolant was in these engines during the winter to prevent freezing?

Do you know if all grounds were in place on these engines?

Have these engines been abused

Could they have had detonation?

Was the proper octane used?

Was the engine ever in a vehicle that was in a front end collision?

If the coolant was not changed, it becomes acidic, and it will EAT the aluminum. We had a 4.9s block eaten away a few years ago.

I find it very hard to believe that the block is 1/8" thick, could that block be eaten away?

I find it hard to believe that a 1/8" thick aluminum block could stand combustion stresses

Something is wrong with this, but thanks for the heads up

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/

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The first thing I would try is the sealant pellets that GM recommends with the coolant in these engines. The crack itself, visually, looks like either freeze damage or an internal engine problem, like a thrown rod.

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Thanks for posting the photos. Not sure what to conclude from this, but the strength of our Cadillac community is our shared knowledge. Always glad to hear more experiences.

Your friend runs a Cadillac repair shop, so I assume 100% of the engine problems he sees are engines that are broken in some way.

Bruce

2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing

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2112,

Thank you for posting the pictures and sharing your experience. In many years on this and other Cadillac forums I can hardly recall a few cracked or eaten away aluminum engine blocks (out of tens of thousands). If I'll repeat IF 2000+ Northstar engine blocks are more vulnerable crack-wise that's a shame.

The possible correlation between modified head bolts and the cracks is food for thought. The Northstar headbolts have been known for pulling out. You are correct, the crack is equidistant from the upper face of the block at the axes of the headbolts. The cracks look stress-related to me. Pulled out bolts have likely saved the integrity of the blocks, which could crack otherwise. I believe such an information supported with documented facts would be of great importance to GM engineering staff. As BBF said it is too bad we do not have the Guru here anymore.

The saddest thing in life is wasted talent

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GM policy is that when a part fails on a car in warranty, this part is returned to GM for analysis. Of course this includes engines and subassemblies like heads. Out-of-warranty repairs are reported to GM and the statistics are analyzed. When the repair on any GM car of any year is done at a GM dealer, the parts are sent to GM unless the owner demands that he keep the parts himself.

I believe that most car manufacturers, if not all, have similar policies, at least for reporting repairs. The result of this process is that manufacturing and design issues are caught very quickly. The result is recalls for safety or emissions related problems early on, updating of designs of replacement parts, and influence on future related design and development.

Cadillac builds over 150,000 Northstars every year. The engine has been in production since the 1993 model year, and engines whose data are included in its design include the Cadillac HT series (4100, 4500, and 4.9, from the 1982 through the 1995 model years), the Olds Quad 4 (development began in 1983) and the LT-5 V8 used in the Corvette ZR-1, a 350 cid, 375 hp DOHC all-aluminum V8 for 1990-1992 model years, 405 hp for 1993-1995 model years. Many consider the Northstar a derivative of the LT-5.

My point: by the time that any engine goes to production at GM, hundreds of thousands of hours of testing of all knids has been done on everything about it from metallurgy to endurance runs, and the resulting information digested and used in many versions of the engine, with the emphasis on the versions approved for production. Everything that can possibly be known, short of results of experience from years in the field, is known before the first order is made to build an engine for production.

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-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
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I want to first thank you all for your input.

The above scenario, to me and I’m sure many of you, is just plain bizarre. My main concern is getting a used replacement engine (2000+), having Joe do the head bolt procedure, and then the block cracking not long after. I was hoping to find out some possibilities and/or tell tale signs as to why this may be happening so I could avoid “those” engines. But, right now I am highly thinking of putting the Eldo on eBay, and then looking for a pre 2000 vehicle.

Jims_97_ETC... were you serious about adding the GM coolant tabs? I'd be willing to try such a cheap possibility. But, realistically how many? Also, the engine on the Eldo runs very smooth. The LT-5 and teh ZR-1 are highly under-rated. I realize that any car manufacturer would spend countless hours prior to manufacturing anything. However, I can also see that GM failed somewhere. After all, GM attempted various changes to the N*. No manufacturer wants to initiate a recall. They have their actuaries weigh the likelihood of getting sued, people dying, etc before they implement a recall. If it is not cost effective, then no-go. No manufacturer will do a recall because it is the moral/righteous thing to do. It is business. Look at Toyota’s debacle. Our government is no different, whether State or Federal. If anyone believes in the honesty and integrity of our government, they are greatly mistaken, especially in IL. Some people believe that if you work hard and live an honest life, you will never get screwed. This is a bit off topic, but I have spent the last 5 years of my life dealing with a new bad modular home. See for yourself www.VeryBadHome.com Hell, I’ve had a bill passed as a direct result of my situation, had 4.5 minutes of CH-7 prime 10PM news time, and the manufacturer is unphased. The oil spill in the Gulf is the newest example of "I didn’t do it he did."

adallak... What happened to the Guru? I've heard the Guru mentioned on other sites also.

BodybyFisher... Absolutely 1/8" thick. I could not believe it myself. The combustion stresses would be primarily within the steel sleeve. The coolant passage is between the 1/8" block (in that area) and the sleeve.

BTW, Joe is not some run-of-the-mill clown mechanic who is out for a quick buck repairing N*’s. Ranger has been at Joe’s shop and met Joe, as well as myself. If anyone doubts Joe’s credibility, ability, or assessment/diagnostic capabilities, I would say speak with Ranger, or for that matter Jake also. If you want to speak with Joe, or have some detailed questions, his number is 847-878-5676.

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Look in the manual about the number of sealant tabs recommended, or on the box. This is the stuff right here:

The bubble pack says six tabs treats up to 3 gallons. Pop off the lower radiator hose and put them there; don't put them in the surge tank because they won't circulate and will muddy up the tank. The tabs will stop seeping water leaks through hairline cracks that are common in all aluminum blocks. Some newer coolants have other sealants in them and don't recommend additives; that is between you and the labels on the antifreeze you buy.

The guru was a GM powertrain engineer that is very knowledgeable about many things but Northstars in particular. Once he was outed as a GM employee he couldn't post because his writings might be construed as GM communications by lawyers, and passing every post through the Publications department pretty much preculded interactive posting, ending all forum work for him.

I don't see anything at all wrong with a 3 mm thick water jacket in a non load-bearing area. This is very common in engine block castings since about 1955, when GM pioneered the thin-wall casting with the first SBC, the Chevrolet 265 cid (4.2 liter) V8. Today, a high-performance GM bare block for a 350 or 383 cid engine will weight about 100 pounds. We had someone post here recently that said that a Northstar block, stripped of the steel sleeves, weights only about 30 pounds. A complete Northstar, without intake or exhaust manifolds, spark plugs, or cam covers but with damper and flexplate weighs 355 pounds. Even the big-block Cadillac V8 block was redesigned in 1963 to reduce weight (and improve strength, oil and water flow, and other things), and although this big bore high deck engine has been mass-produced at 500 cid, in 425 cid trim (1977-1979 model years) it weights about the same as a SBC 350 cid block.

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Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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Unfortunately the crack is not hairline with water seeping out of it. Its a crack with water running out of it. It appears seeping because its empty. The crack is also in the oil return passage so pellets will never help. The pellets will not help this situation .Some sort of magic epoxy may seal the crack and let the block hold water but it will never hold if the engine is run. The coolant will be better off left in the coolant bottles because thats all we will have when finished. A large coolant bottle with with leather interior and white diamond paint.

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You say combustion stresses would be within the steel sleeve and that is correct, but the HEAD is held on to the outside of the block where it is 1/8", right below the bolt ends. Everytime the plug fires on the power stroke, the head wants to be pushed off, that is the stress I was referring to. Maybe these are bad castings?

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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Are we "2112" or "edb150"?

If the crack is through an oil gallery, the block is junk, no question there. The pellets are for tiny hairlines or porous seeps.

Please note that you are posting on a forum that does a vast amount of support for owner and DIY problem solving and troubleshooting, and Northstar blocks that crack themselves haven't been reported by anyone that I know of, ever. Whenever you buy used motors, particularly from a recycling yard or other sources not involving running engines or guarantees by people who have rebuilt or remanufactured the engine, you don't really know the provenance or history of the motor, and there is some risk. I would just get the best match to the car's OEM motor and replace your bad one.

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-- 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.

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BodybyFisher said... "Everytime the plug fires on the power stroke, the head wants to be pushed off, that is the stress I was referring to."

That is similar with what Joe was explaining to me early on. His reasoning... the block being too rigid in composition, the pounding effect of the pistons, and whatever the "X-Factor" may be. The main question then would be, "What is this mystery ingredient so that it may be avoided or eliminated?" Whether bad castings, or ~10 year/~100k mile X-number of heat cycles, it is just plain ridiculous to have three out of seven 2000+ blocks that are cracked; and those 3 cracked blocks all came in within a couple months time.

Are we "2112" or "edb150"?

"edb150" = Joe from Midwest Cadillac Repair.

I was telling him that I am going to try the pellets. He basically laughed himself silly. Not because he was disrespecting you. But, more so because he knows more than I about these cracked 2000+ blocks he has at his shop. Unfortunately, he cannot explain every detail to me. Because he has the experience and the knowledge to explain things better, I told him to go to this thread and reply.

I would definitely consider a used replacement engine, but I fear the same. For me, with the high level of uncertainty presented, I at this time do not feel very comfortable in buying a used 2000+ engine. Unless, maybe if I had definitive knowledge that it was an engine with around 50k miles. The other issue with a boneyard engine is that the car is there because it was in an accident. Accident to me = possible high stress impact... high stress impact + rigid aluminum block = no thanks.

Anyone in the Chicagoland area... I am sure that Joe would have no problem showing you things in person. I would highly suggest that you call him and speak with him first. Do not just show up. He is busier than the definition of "busy".

I appreciate any thoughts or comments. Even what may seem as an absurd comment to some, may in fact trigger a different train of thought. You know that Thomas Edison's grade school teacher told his mother that he was basically mentally challenged and that he will never amount to anything.

Rob.

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Well I will say this, you are shocked that 3 out of 7 blocks are cracked. If this were a TREND, we would see it here, WHICH WE DON'T. Strange *smurf* happens sometimes, like the Flyers down 0 to 3 in a 7 game series and then coming back to win in game 7 after being down by 3 goals. Statistics say its not possible, but at some point it will happen. Just like I KNOW I am going to win the Lottery

The point is, a TREND is developed with hundreds of Northstars NOT 7, that the history is not known on, what you are seeing is just bad luck or odds.

We have been here a long time, I have almost 17000 posts, you have 4, we have not seen a trend of cracks, period

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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Lottery? Once, when the CA 6/51 lottery jackpot was ridiculously high, a KWFB news announcer explained the odds by pointing out that if someone had played the 6/51 twice a week since the birth of Christ, the odd are that he would still be waiting for his first win. This was on my morning commute; when I got home from work I pulled out my probability and statistics and checked it, and, yes, the odds of winning in 2000*52*2 plays was still well under 50%. It happens, like people ar struck by lightning and bitten by sharks. But, it isn't going to happen to me, with probability one, in part because I don't play golf in the rain and I don't surf in known shark hazard areas. And, I don't buy lottery tickets -- but that's just me; some people consider it cheap entertainment.

The viewpoints of people who deal in old broken motors serves them well but it isn't one that is appropriate to the man on the street. Someone that ran a car without sufficient antifreeze into the Chicago winter and cracked a block isn't going to... uh... put it in his Christmas letter, and that explanation isn't likely to be taped to the windshield when the car is towed in from auction.

A block can crack while sitting in a junkyard, too, if the 50-50 antitfreeze mix isn't maintained. What happpens if the block has been drained and the motor is left out in the open? It rains, then freezes...

You don't have a problem to avoid here. Be careful where you get your used engine, get one that is running, and make sure that you get a replacement guarantee.

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-- 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.

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BTW, Joe is not some run-of-the-mill clown mechanic who is out for a quick buck repairing N*’s. Ranger has been at Joe’s shop and met Joe, as well as myself. If anyone doubts Joe’s credibility, ability, or assessment/diagnostic capabilities, I would say speak with Ranger, or for that matter Jake also.

2112, you must be Rob. When I was there I thought you worked for Joe. I doubt there is any credibility problems, but should my luck ever run out, Joe gets the job.

I realize that 3 out of 7 at Joe's is pretty high, but in all honesty in the 6 years I've been at this and the other Caddy site, the number of cracked blocks I have heard of I could count on the fingers of one hand. If I where you I would not be concerned about another engine, be it junk yard or from Jake.

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BTW, Joe is not some run-of-the-mill clown mechanic who is out for a quick buck repairing N*’s. Ranger has been at Joe’s shop and met Joe, as well as myself. If anyone doubts Joe’s credibility, ability, or assessment/diagnostic capabilities, I would say speak with Ranger, or for that matter Jake also.

2112, you must be Rob. When I was there I thought you worked for Joe. I doubt there is any credibility problems, but should my luck ever run out, Joe gets the job.

I realize that 3 out of 7 at Joe's is pretty high, but in all honesty in the 6 years I've been at this and the other Caddy site, the number of cracked blocks I have heard of I could count on the fingers of one hand. If I where you I would not be concerned about another engine, be it junk yard or from Jake.

If those blocks were not made of aluminum, Joe might be called "2000+ Northstar cracked block magnet"! :D

Just kidding, not questioning his credibility at all.

The saddest thing in life is wasted talent

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BodybyFisher said... "We have been here a long time, I have almost 17000 posts, you have 4, we have not seen a trend of cracks, period.

You are right. However, the one thing you are missing is that not every N* that has a cracked block will get reported here, or on any other forum. Most average people will hear their mechanic say you have a cracked block, it will be bla bla bla to put in a used engine, and you will never hear about it. Your logic is flawed, for there is no correlation between quantity of posts and possessing direct knowledge of cracked blocks on N*’s. If you can tell me of any place or anybody in this country that has seen three 2000+ cracked blocks within a couple of months, regardless of the potential reasons for these cracked blocks, I would love to hear about it. That would be direct knowledge, not suppositions based on, "I have 17,000 posts." Kind of like the kid who gets out of college and thinks he is knowledgeable in his area of degree, yet he has no direct real world knowledge or experience. I have always been mesmerized with the gambling industry; it is kind of like “professional wrestling”… captivating, yet fundamentally ludicrous.

If you were truly who you think the 17,000 posts made you, the last thing you would be doing is trying to pass this off as nothing. You would be trying to figure out what is going on. More importantly, if you are who you think you are, well then you would know Al Cline on a personal level. You would have had his phone number, called him, and said hey, check out these photos of these cracked blocks, what is going on here. You would have gotten real world information, and then posted that here, since he cannot. But that did not happen, did it?

You sound like you are hell bent on making me think that there is no issue here. If you truly believe that, you could offer me a personal guarantee indicating that you will cover all costs of a replacement engine should the 2000+ replacement engine I may buy for the Eldorado ever crack in the future. I’d go for that. If you think that because you have 17,000 posts you are now the overseer of current and future Cadillac knowledge… well, have fun with that. Hey, I just realized that I must have tied my shoes well over 20,000 times... I must be an expert in shoes, let alone a potential Olympic track star. Hey, I must have printed over 15,000 pages on my printer in the past 5 years... I must be a noted writer. Hey, I must have eaten and crapped over 20,000 times... I must be a doctor, specializing in the alimentary canal. Hey, I must have farted over 100,000 times... I must be a Nuclear Physicist, specializing in explosive gases.

:P

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BodybyFisher said... "We have been here a long time, I have almost 17000 posts, you have 4, we have not seen a trend of cracks, period.

You are right. However, the one thing you are missing is that not every N* that has a cracked block will get reported here, or on any other forum. Most average people will hear their mechanic say you have a cracked block, it will be bla bla bla to put in a used engine, and you will never hear about it. Your logic is flawed, for there is no correlation between quantity of posts and possessing direct knowledge of cracked blocks on N*’s. If you can tell me of any place or anybody in this country that has seen three 2000+ cracked blocks within a couple of months, regardless of the potential reasons for these cracked blocks, I would love to hear about it. That would be direct knowledge, not suppositions based on, "I have 17,000 posts." Kind of like the kid who gets out of college and thinks he is knowledgeable in his area of degree, yet he has no direct real world knowledge or experience. I have always been mesmerized with the gambling industry; it is kind of like “professional wrestling”… captivating, yet fundamentally ludicrous.

If you were truly who you think the 17,000 posts made you, the last thing you would be doing is trying to pass this off as nothing. You would be trying to figure out what is going on. More importantly, if you are who you think you are, well then you would know Al Cline on a personal level. You would have had his phone number, called him, and said hey, check out these photos of these cracked blocks, what is going on here. You would have gotten real world information, and then posted that here, since he cannot. But that did not happen, did it?

You sound like you are hell bent on making me think that there is no issue here. If you truly believe that, you could offer me a personal guarantee indicating that you will cover all costs of a replacement engine should the 2000+ replacement engine I may buy for the Eldorado ever crack in the future. I’d go for that. If you think that because you have 17,000 posts you are now the overseer of current and future Cadillac knowledge… well, have fun with that. Hey, I just realized that I must have tied my shoes well over 20,000 times... I must be an expert in shoes, let alone a potential Olympic track star. Hey, I must have printed over 15,000 pages on my printer in the past 5 years... I must be a noted writer. Hey, I must have eaten and crapped over 20,000 times... I must be a doctor, specializing in the alimentary canal. Hey, I must have farted over 100,000 times... I must be a Nuclear Physicist, specializing in explosive gases.

:P

Let me chime in before BBF kicks your butt! ;) 17,000 posts were rather mentioned as an indication of many years of very active participation in this forum. While it does not make one automatically a specialist say, in metal alloys, it does allow one to accumulate statistics and knowledge of common problems of particular engine. I agree that not every lucky owner of a cracked Northstar will post here. But the same applies to ANY problem with Northstar or any other engine for that matter. Say, not every owner of a Northstar with blown headgaskets will post here either. Nevertheless, we see such posts quite often. That means that cracked blocks are really rare compared to say, same blown headgaskets.

The saddest thing in life is wasted talent

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Hey, listen, keep up the aggressive stance and you will be banned, period. I didnt even read your post.

The point of the 17000 posts was not to set myself up as an expert it was to make you understand that WE and I have been around for awhile, and WE and I have NOT seen ANY trend of cracked blocks, I have seen about 2 and I have been here and on the old Caddyinfo board for about 10 years probably longer as I have owned my Deville since 2003, and I owned my 91 Seville a long time

I said THANKS previously for the information, I dont panic based on 3 Northstars with cracks. I tried to explain the ODDs to you, that it COULD happen to you, but its STILL NOT A TREND. SEVEN Northstars DOES NOT make a good SAMPLE, now if you told me that 30% of 1000 NSs have cracked blocks, that is significant. Your small sample is an aberation based on what we have experienced here. We will take it as additional info and if we see other cracked blocks consider it, THAT is how trends are formed.

And as far as you saying ALL NSs with cracks dont show up here, yes that is true, BUT the internet is a focal point of cadillac owners with PROBLEMS, most dont come here and say, all is fine. So given that this is the FOCAL POINT of PROBLEMS, if there WERE a TREND of cracked blocks you can REST ASSURED that WE and I would know of it!! GOT IT YET?

I am not sure what your overall point is, you gave us the info, we responded, thanks, I said there is NO trend of cracked blocks, END OF STORY

You say I am hell bent on saying there is no issue here, well YES, that is what I and others have said. Clear the crap out of yours ears and listen again WE HAVE NOT, I REPEAT NOT seen cracked blocks, BUT, I can report that, we have seen HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS

If you do not want to buy a new NS, then buy something else, but I will not go round and round with you, I thought I made myself VERY clear

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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One more thing, if you spent any time here at all, you would know, that I am here everyday, you would know that I know every oddity that has happened to any Northstar, the hydrolocks, the spontaineous rod out the side while idling, the knocks, the cracks that have occurred. I see something ONCE and I can search and find it again.

The point is, I have NOTHING to hide, I am not wearing rose colored glasses, but I also call a spade a spade, and base my opinions on facts and support.

I am not sure what you want, do you want us to give you a gold star?, jump up and down and put you into the hall of fame?, make you an honorary member? WTF do you want?

Search the archives, you will find two cracks, a crack in a SLEEVE and a woman who bought a Caddy, and it had a cracked block, but the story was questionable.

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 just started to read your post, you really do have a problem sir. You act like you just discovered gold or something, what do you want us to do?, send you money? OK OK, you found a couple cracked blocks, GOOD FOR YOU.... We'll take it under advisement, if we see it again, you would have alerted us to it,

Do you really think that I was trying to say that my 17000 posts make me an expert? I was not implying that, as I stated above. The POINT was, I have been here a LONG FN time, and I have NOT seen a TREND, FN PERIOD, GOT IT?????

And for your info, I have traded emails with and spoke to Al Cline, I have many of his writings and articles saved, I know him a long long time and learned a lot from him and I enjoyed reading his posts and learning from him for over 8 years when he visited this site daily, I even referred MARK to him when he was turbocharging his Northstar and having problems with the traction control and air fuel mixture, and I know his current situation and miss him.

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 don't see any point in arguing about old motors of unknown provenance with cracked blocks. Yes, if an owner of a 2000-2002 Northstar gets a cracked block, there is a very high probability that we will hear about it here, one way or another. I'll leave it to Ranger, adillac, BodybyFisher and others more widely involved in the Cadillac user support network than I as to the mechanism of that network.

If someone in Chicago or anywhere else comes up with seven owners and drivers of 2000-2002 Northstars that he works with to service or maintain their cars, and three of them have cracked blocks with no apparent cause, then, that would be Earth-shaking. But I don't see that here.

If you don't like aluminum motors because you can stick a screwdriver through the water jacket, get a car with an iron motor. The problem is, you're going to have to find one. Every car on my radar as a possible daily driver has all-aluminum motors these days. And, unless you have an iron truck motor, you just may find someone who can stick a screwdriver through the water jacket with his bare hands.

Yes, Northstars have seen a few design changes. There are several out there; I'll lump the VIN Y and VIN 9 engines together because they generally differ only in the intake cams. There are some interchangeability issues between some years due to accessory mounting holes and such that I will also ignore in counting designs. In the 4.2 liter supercharged Northstars, there are two tunings, one for the XLR-V and one for the STS-V. With that, to date, there are four designs and one ultra-high performance version that shares the bottom-end design with the "regular" engines:

  1. 1993-1994 model years, 4.6 liter transverse V8.
  2. 1994-1999 model years, 4.0 and 4.6 liter transverse V8.
  3. 2000-2005 model years, 4.6 liter transverse V8.
  4. 2006-present, 4.6 liter longitudinal V8.
  5. 2004-present, 4.2 liter supercharged V8.

The difference in the 1993-1994 and the 1995-2000 Northstars is very minor: the EGR routing was changed. The intake manifold was changed concurrently with the EGR re-routing, but this didn't change the engine design otherwise. The change in the 2000 model year was primarily to allow VVT, and also included roller cam followers; that, with combustion chamber changes, allowed regular gas with no loss in performance

Back to the point: 2112 came to ask what to do to avoid cracked blocks on 2002 Northstars, and was told to buy one that did not have a cracked block and to take care of the engine. But, 2112 is arguing that there *is* a problem and points to broken motors in a Chicago junkyard; argumentativeness ensues. Let's get back to the point: we gave you an answer -- get a good motor and take care of it -- and now, we would like to know, what else can we do for you?

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-- 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.

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