Studding northstar block

[gm_fan]

I just bought a 1998 STS and guess what?? Your good, the car could not pass its co2 sniffer test. Has 63K miles and I assume it has head bolt issues after reading on this site. I am a professional mechanic and do transmission work for a living and need to know the best way to stud the block for a sure seal repair? I am open to suggestions , or advise if studding the block is not the best way to approach this problem..I also assume that dropping the whole cradle,with engine and trans out the bottom is the easy way to get to everything, since I have a shop with 2 post lifts available..I am a new member and would like some advise on how to make a permanent repair, as I plan to keep this car a good while..Thanks in advance..gm_fan

[Texas Jim]

Have you done a coolant test for hydrocarbons?

Are there any other symptoms that point to bad head gaskets?

Like coolant loss...overheating...etc etc ????

[gm_fan]

Yes I done the test and it has co2 in the coolant..when you run the car hard it pushes water out and then overheats from being low on coolant, noticable when you idle for any extended period.also have alternator problems, coolant related I am sure..I am perfectly willing to drop the cradle for engine access and do the correct repairs, Just want to know what is the most correct procedure for a permanent fix. I really like the car and my wife will be driving it..My machine shop is owned by a friend of mine and he told me they had repaired some of the blocks by putting a short stud in the top part of the block,1/2 inch in diameter, but did not screw in into the bottom part of the block like the original.I am not real sure of this type of repair,,thanks gm_fan

[Texas Jim]

The only studs I have heard about that really "WORK" for a long time fix, is the Northstar Performance stud kit.

Look a little further down the list of topics till you see Northstar Performance.

Jake, at Northstar Performance is one of the sponsors of this site.

He can be reached at

Phone: 519-875-2970

Fax: 877-858-6971

Email: info@northstarperformance.com

Hope this helps you.

[BodybyFisher]

Also, there is a discount at Northstar Performance, see more info here

http://caddyinfo.ipb...showtopic=23974

Have you determined which cylinder(s) are affected? I don't know much about a CO2 sniffer, is that a standard tester for breeched head gaskets? We have used the NAPA combustion by products test that can sometimes be inconclusive.

Please post the progress of your head gasket job. While some have pulled the engine from the top, its best to drop the carriage.

You might do the case half seal and rear seal also, if you have leaks. Look over your heater pipes at the rear of the engine for rust along with the HVAC cover, it becomes brittle and cracks

Glad to hear you are a GM Fan...you are among friends

[BodybyFisher]

I am going to move this thread to the main forum, it doesnt belong in Polls, Mike

[BodybyFisher]

By the way,

Are you overheating?

Sealers won't work, the head bolts typically pull from the block allowing the head to move up and down

That is low mileage for a head gasket problem, but...if the coolant is allowed to 'expire' by time (5 years) or 100,000 miles without being changed the coolant becomes acidic and eats the head gasket and it gets into the bolt holes corroding the threads and material

Another option for repairing the block is timeserting. See www.timesert.com Timeserts were developed by GM and have been the prescribed repair by GM.

When you drill the block bolt holes out, watch for the quality of the block aluminum, we have had members drill the block and the filings are not fresh aluminum shavings they are dusty powder.

You should notice that the crosshatching honing is still in the cylinder bores

You may need to remove the head locating dowels from the block, new ones can be bought at the dealer

[Ranger]

If I was not going to use Jake's stud kit http://www.northstarperformance.com, I'd go with Norms inserts. They have a coarser thread pitch than Timeserts.

[gm_fan]

My worst overheating issue is when the coolant gets low from being pushed out by the combustion after racking up some nice sounding revolutions .The car is not undriveable yet, but I am sure it will get there soon.Is there any tips for engine removable by droping the cradle? The worst one to date I have done is a dodge stealth, which really wasnt all that bad,by droping it all out the bottom..Does all the wiring unplug off the car and stay with the cradle ? Any tips or shortcuts?? Getting it out is the worst part I would think..thanks gm_fan

[BodybyFisher]

Remove the radiator and remove the AC compressor, "allow" the AC compressor to stay with the body by putting it on the ledge by the condenser, but dont forget to protect the condenser with a piece of 1/4 inch plywood.

Do you have a factory service manual?

[gm_fan]

Remove the radiator and remove the AC compressor, "allow" the AC compressor to stay with the body by putting it on the ledge by the condenser, but dont forget to protect the condenser with a piece of 1/4 inch plywood.

Do you have a factory service manual?

No I dont, where is one available? Like I said earlier, I am in the transmission business and I can appreciate how valuable information can be.. Are the manuals fairly comprehensive? thanks gm_fan

[BodybyFisher]

Remove the radiator and remove the AC compressor, "allow" the AC compressor to stay with the body by putting it on the ledge by the condenser, but dont forget to protect the condenser with a piece of 1/4 inch plywood.

Do you have a factory service manual?

No I dont, where is one available? Like I said earlier, I am in the transmission business and I can appreciate how valuable information can be.. Are the manuals fairly comprehensive? thanks gm_fan

I would not do this job without a FSM. This procedure is for engine replacement. Remember you do not need to remove the AC system, keep it intact.

1. Disable the SIR.
2. Recover the A/C Refrigerant System. Refer to Refrigerant Recovery and Recharging in Heating and Air Conditioning. NOT NECESSARY
3. Remove the air intake duct.
4. Remove the air cleaner assembly.
5. Drain the cooling system.
6. Remove the engine cover.
7. Remove the radiator hose at the crossover.
8. Remove the upper radiator hose from the engine.
9. Remove the radiator upper cover.
10. Remove the cooling fans.
11. Remove the transmission cooler lines from the radiator.
12. Disconnect the coolant overflow hose.
13. Remove the radiator and A/C condensor assembly.
14. Remove the cruise control servo connections.
15. Remove the throttle and cruise control cables from the throttle body.
16. Remove the brake pressure switch and bracket.
17. Disconnect the brake master cylinder.
18. Remove the shift cable from the manual shift lever and the bracket.
19. Remove the vacuum hose from the brake booster.
20. Using the J 37088-A fuel line quick connect separator disconnect the fuel inlet and return the lines.
21. Remove the negative battery cable from the left cylinder head.
22. Disconnect the A/C suction hose from the compressor.
23. Disconnect the A/C discharge hose from the compressor.
24. Disconnect the electrical harness from the underhood relay center.
25. Disconnect the electrical pass through by the brake booster.
26. Disconnect the right and left road sensing suspension electrical connectors.
27. Raise and support the vehicle.
28. Remove the lower engine splash shield.
29. Remove the right and left wheels.
30. Disconnect the steering gear intermediate shaft.
31. Disconnect the wheel speed and brake wear sensors.
32. Disconnect the exhaust downpipe from the exhaust manifold.
33. Disconnect the brake line at the proportioning valves. DON'T DO THIS disconnect ABS unit and set aside or tie up
34. Disconnect the oxygen sensors electrical connectors.
35. Lower the vehicle.
36. Remove the right and left road sensing suspension wheel speed harness brackets.
37. Remove the front and rear engine mount nuts.
38. Remove the strut to tower bolts at each strut tower.
39. Position J 39580 powertrain support dolly under engine assembly.
40. If the powertrain support dolly is unavailable. Support the powertrain with four suitable jackstands.
41. Remove the six frame mount bolts (3).
42. Raise the vehicle slowly.
43. Remove the flywheel inspection cover.
44. Disconnect the torque converter from the flywheel
45. Attach an engine lift to the engine.
46. Disconnect the left engine mount from the frame.
47. Remove the engine to transaxle bracket.
48. Remove the power steering gear heat shield. Not Necessary
49. Remove the power steering gear and set aside. Not Necessary and not sure why they suggest this
50. Disconnect the right engine mount to frame.
51. Remove the transaxle to engine bolts.
52. Raise engine from the frame and transaxle assembly.
53. Transfer necessary parts as required.

Reverse procedure for install. You can get a FSM from helminc.com or ebay. You will need a few special tools, like a flywheel holder, rear seal installer, CAM Pulley puller

.

[scott y]

WHEW!!! Didya get all that gm_fan?? Just don't pick a day like today to do the job...34C 44C with the humidity!

[KHE]

Remove the radiator and remove the AC compressor, "allow" the AC compressor to stay with the body by putting it on the ledge by the condenser, but dont forget to protect the condenser with a piece of 1/4 inch plywood.

Do you have a factory service manual?

No I dont, where is one available? Like I said earlier, I am in the transmission business and I can appreciate how valuable information can be.. Are the manuals fairly comprehensive? thanks gm_fan

Yes - the factory service manuals are the best available. Often, you can find them on ebay for a decent price. www.helminc.com sells new manuals. Helm Inc. is the company that prints the manuals for the manufacturer.

[gm_fan]

Alright, this car is pissing me off!! No news flash that the head gasket or gaskets are blown, but now after a short run today, I am getting a service stablization code and have trac control and abs lights both on..I am cleaning out a place on my back rack to drop the engine out, but this is a new one on me..Anyone have any ideas?? I really like this car and I am trying to convince myself this was a bunch of parts at some time before assembly, and if I take off enough parts , I will eventually get there. I am not being outdone by this STS, because its worth the effort I think,,thanks for all the help so far, and still curious about the abs and trac light..thanks gm_fan

[Ranger]

You can get an online equivalent of the FSM with a one year subscription to http://www.alldatadiy.com

[KHE]

Alright, this car is pissing me off!! No news flash that the head gasket or gaskets are blown, but now after a short run today, I am getting a service stablization code and have trac control and abs lights both on..I am cleaning out a place on my back rack to drop the engine out, but this is a new one on me..Anyone have any ideas?? I really like this car and I am trying to convince myself this was a bunch of parts at some time before assembly, and if I take off enough parts , I will eventually get there. I am not being outdone by this STS, because its worth the effort I think,,thanks for all the help so far, and still curious about the abs and trac light..thanks gm_fan

Pull the diagnostic codes - I think for that model, press and hold the OFF and INFO UP buttons and the codes will be displayed on the information center.

[JimD]

....I am getting a service stablization code and have trac control and abs lights both on..I am cleaning out a place on my back rack to drop the engine out....

Before you take the car out of service for however long it takes to take care of the head gasket situation, you need to display the DTC's related to the messages and warnings you report above. In case you don't know, some years of Cadillacs can display the DTC's directly. Here's how to:

http://www.caddyinfo.com/readingcodes.html

You are sure to find some "C" codes that you can probably diagnose and repair while the cradle and front suspension is out of the vehicle.

Bruce: The HOW-TO section keeps getting buried deeper and deeper in the system. How about a link on the top page of the General Forum?

[gm_fan]

I checked the codes and they are as follows, c1242 history , c1253 and a rss 1785 current and also a rim 1009 code,,,any suggestions?? I really would like to figure this out before I hull out the cradle with the engine and trans,,thanks gm_fan

[Cadillac Jim]

Sounds like the battery voltage went low. If it gets below 10.5 Volts you will get RSS, ABS, and Stabilitrak messages because that's the threshold for the EBTCM to work well. If it gets below 9 volts you will get errors from the PZM and other modules. The PCM will work (the drivetrain will work) to lower voltages so the car will start with a low battery.

Sometimes pressure-washing the car will cause lots of little temporary short circuits and the modules will throw lots of codes. After the engine dries out you can clear them and they won't come back. Perhaps the engine is barfing hot coolant all over everything.

When I was having head gasket problems, one thing that I found early on was that I would occasionally have a VSS problem. The speedometer would read zero when I took off after starting the car, and the transmission would shift roughly. After a few seconds it would be OK. Washing the right half axle down fixed it, but it recurred occasionally until I fixed the head gasket problem. Turns out the surge tank hose dripped coolant onto the VSS when the car was moving. This will also throw codes about the RSS and stability control.

Bottom line: fix the head gasket problem, reset all the codes, and see what comes back, if anything, after you drive the car.

[JimD]

C1242 History

This is worth investigating once the cradle is dropped. It could become a Current code again at any time.

Carefully inspect and clean (wire brush) the ground stud on the EBTCM pump motor as well as the chassis end of the ground wire. It can happen that the stud for the motor chassis ground vibrates loose; simply hold the stud threads gently with pliers and tighten the nut against the case.

C1253

This could be related to poor electrical connections also. At the EBTCM remove the large rectangular connector and do a close visual inspection (magnifying glass?) looking for damaged or loose fitting connector pins and corrosion. Spray with contact cleaner and cycle the connector on and off several times.

?1785

Is this a "C" code? I believe it is and might be corrected by the procedure above for C1253.

?1009

The only 1009 I can find is B1009 which is a checksum error. I would not lose sleep over that until the car is back on the street.

[gm_fan]

That make perfect sense,as I am experiencing alternator problems also, which I assume is another product of the head gasket problem, since the coolant goes through the alternator..I have seen the voltage low a few times so sounds like its time to get busy and get out the engine and trans and get this head gasket problem behind me and besides that my wife is tired of driving a 92 lumina instead of the STS. thanks for everyones help, hope I can repay the favors someday,,gm_fan

[Cadillac Jim]

The EBTCM/TCS/RSS is the most sensitive part of the car to battery and alternator problems. I wouldn't address those until I had the charging system and battery squared away.