fs98sim Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Has anyone ever changed the oil pan seal on their Northstars? Ive done some research online and have read stories of people saying the engine and tranny must be removed. Please tell me this is not true. Engine removal for a $10 seal replacement? WTF. Ive looked thru my alldata manual and it says to remove exhaust crossover pipe and oil qty level sensor, nothing about engine removal. I have a small leak nothing major but just enough to bother me. Has anyone done this job? Thanks Mario 2002 STS 136000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Please tell me this is not true. Sorry, it be true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 ....have read stories of people saying the engine and tranny must be removed. Please tell me this is not true.OK. That is not true.But I lie. Ive looked thru my alldata manual and it says to remove exhaust crossover pipe and oil qty level sensor, nothing about engine removal.Alldata is not the final word. Go ahead and do what they say. Please be sure to report back here on how well that worked for you.Have you looked under the engine to see what might prevent you from dropping the pan with the powertrain cradle installed in the car? I have a small leak nothing major but just enough to bother me. Has anyone done this job?Me too on the small leak. Actually, more like a small drip. And it has been happening for over 100,000 miles. I take comfort in knowing that the entire underside of the body is not likely to ever develop rust. Oil is relatively inexpensive. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dadillac Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Best thing to do is get under the car and try to put a socket on each bolt head for the oil pan. It can't be done. The trans actually has to separated from the engine as there are two or three bolts that cannot be reached with the trans in place. I think there are a few up front that need other parts removed to get to them also. Don "Modern warriors saddle iron horses of chrome." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoupeDTS Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Has anyone ever changed the oil pan seal on their Northstars? Ive done some research online and have read stories of people saying the engine and tranny must be removed. Please tell me this is not true. Engine removal for a $10 seal replacement? WTF. Ive looked thru my alldata manual and it says to remove exhaust crossover pipe and oil qty level sensor, nothing about engine removal. I have a small leak nothing major but just enough to bother me. Has anyone done this job? Thanks Mario 2002 STS 136000 miles Its a common problem for the half case seal to leak. Theres an oil pan and then a casing that goes up even higher to the block. One of those 2 seals are known to leak. But they dont get worse. Mine didnt leak a drop but when I tried to trade it in this car lot gave me hell explaining its a $2500 fix and it happens to all northstars and it made my car worth way less. Mine didnt leak a drop but they said my oil pan looked "wet" and so they knew it was leaking. It was also wet out while they took it for a test drive... Anyway I researched the problem and yes its a major fix but not a necessary fix. LIke said before, a little oil even for 10 years is way way cheaper than a $2500 fix. * 1966 Deville Convertible * 2007 Escalade ESV Black on Black * 1996 Fleetwood Brougham Black on Black V4P -Gone* 1983 Coupe Deville Street/Show Lowrider -Gone* 1970 Calais 4dr Hardtop GONE* 2000 Deville DTS - Silver with Black Leather and SE grille GONE* 1999 Seville STS - Pearl Red GONE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Actually there is a metal frame that obstructs you getting a socket on the bolts clearly also. How sure are you that your pan is leaking and its not your case half? You might just get under there with an inch pound torque wrench and snug up the pan bolts that you can get at, that may help, but do not over torque, use proper spec. 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...
fs98sim Posted January 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 I have been under the car and all that seems to be in the way is the exhaust cross over pipe. The 2 fwd bolts to the pipe seem easy to get to, but i cant see the aft bolts.From what i could see there doesnt seem to be any leaks fron the case half yet. I have also snugged up the oil pan bolts but the 1 or 2 13mm bolts that is hard to get a socket on to. I have read that someone took an open end box wrench heated the end and bent it 90 degrees and was able to get the bolts off. But that was on a 1996STS. I dont know how much difference there is in the 96 STS. BTW i have dropped the cradle last year to do the TCC solenoid and lowering the cradle is a job im not planning on doing again. For me being someone who works on his own cars this is the first and last FWD vehicle i will ever have. My next caddy will be RWD. Much easier to work on. Most people like myself dont believe in magic in a bottle, but i have come across an item called AT-205 reseal by ATP and it claims to swell the seals when poured into the engine and driven around about 300 miles and its supposed to stops minor oil leaks. Has good reviews. Not an item sold in ordinary auto part stores. Need to search the internet. Seems to be ancient mechanics secret. This is an option i am willing to try if i have no other recourse. Thanks Mario 2002 STS 136000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Mario, I think I sent you the bolts to drop your carriage, no? 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...
fs98sim Posted January 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 I believe so. You live in Manhattan correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dadillac Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 My oil pan leaks also. Has for a while. On my last oil change I used Valvoline Max Life oil. Hoping it will halp the leak. I cleaned the pan off pretty good and will recheck the pan after driving a thousand miles. If the Max Life doesn't help there is a product out that gets amazing reviews. It is called White Shepherd. I cannot find it local to me or else I would have bought it already. I hate buying things like that online Don "Modern warriors saddle iron horses of chrome." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 I believe so. You live in Manhattan correct? On Long Island 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...
CoupeDTS Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 I have been under the car and all that seems to be in the way is the exhaust cross over pipe. The 2 fwd bolts to the pipe seem easy to get to, but i cant see the aft bolts.From what i could see there doesnt seem to be any leaks fron the case half yet. I have also snugged up the oil pan bolts but the 1 or 2 13mm bolts that is hard to get a socket on to. I have read that someone took an open end box wrench heated the end and bent it 90 degrees and was able to get the bolts off. But that was on a 1996STS. I dont know how much difference there is in the 96 STS. BTW i have dropped the cradle last year to do the TCC solenoid and lowering the cradle is a job im not planning on doing again. For me being someone who works on his own cars this is the first and last FWD vehicle i will ever have. My next caddy will be RWD. Much easier to work on. Most people like myself dont believe in magic in a bottle, but i have come across an item called AT-205 reseal by ATP and it claims to swell the seals when poured into the engine and driven around about 300 miles and its supposed to stops minor oil leaks. Has good reviews. Not an item sold in ordinary auto part stores. Need to search the internet. Seems to be ancient mechanics secret. This is an option i am willing to try if i have no other recourse. Thanks Mario 2002 STS 136000 miles LOL I do LOVE my RWD caddys except for the few days a year snow is piled up on the streets. I had a 2000 DTS and the TCC needed changed. I had just fixed some other things on it, fuel pump, coil pack, and others. I got rid of it, that was just too much for me. I felt that was just the beginning of things to come. I couldnt imagine changing the alternator in those things (it was starting to act weird) where as my fleetwood is a basic 350 and everything is pretty easy to fix. And CHEAP! I give you credit you have hung in there with going to extremes to change that solenoid. My advice get a 94-96 fleetwood. They ride nicer than my 2000 did (softwise not performance wise). Bigger nice leather interior and still has luxuries like heated seats, plenty strong engine. And they regularly make it over 200k miles easy. You can pick them up for around 3 grand with around 100k miles and it will have lots of life left in it. I love caddys but have learned the best caddy is one with a chevy motor lol. My 83 caddy motor crapped out at a young life. The northstar has its issues. So I put a 350 in my 83 caddy, my fleetwood has the LT1 350 and my wifes Buick Rainier SUV has the chevy 4.2L inline 6. All chevy motors and all easy to work on * 1966 Deville Convertible * 2007 Escalade ESV Black on Black * 1996 Fleetwood Brougham Black on Black V4P -Gone* 1983 Coupe Deville Street/Show Lowrider -Gone* 1970 Calais 4dr Hardtop GONE* 2000 Deville DTS - Silver with Black Leather and SE grille GONE* 1999 Seville STS - Pearl Red GONE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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