BUICK11 Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 Does anyone know if the new procedure to seal the Half Case with RTV is a permanant fix??? I had one fixed about 10 years ago on our 1999 SLS where they just installed a new gasket. It started leaking again in about 3 years. The new TSB is very specific about the type of RTV to be used and the assembly procedure. Just wondering how long it will last??? Also was wondering what procedure they are currently using from the factory today. Is it RTV or a gasket???? Thanks for comments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 Does anyone know if the new procedure to seal the Half Case with RTV is a permanant fix??? I had one fixed about 10 years ago on our 1999 SLS where they just installed a new gasket. It started leaking again in about 3 years. The new TSB is very specific about the type of RTV to be used and the assembly procedure. Just wondering how long it will last??? Also was wondering what procedure they are currently using from the factory today. Is it RTV or a gasket???? Thanks for comments I see on my 97 SLS it looks like gray rtv. just done at the dealer GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjb981 Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 What does RTV stand for? I guess some kind of "liquid gasket", but what exactly is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 RTV == room temperature vulcanizing. It's silicone sealant. There are two types, water-vulcanizing (rare and expensive) and acetic acid vulcanizing (common, often used as hardware-store calking compound for bathrooms and aquariums). -- 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...
BUICK11 Posted March 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 Does anyone know if the new procedure to seal the Half Case with RTV is a permanant fix??? I had one fixed about 10 years ago on our 1999 SLS where they just installed a new gasket. It started leaking again in about 3 years. The new TSB is very specific about the type of RTV to be used and the assembly procedure. Just wondering how long it will last??? Also was wondering what procedure they are currently using from the factory today. Is it RTV or a gasket???? Thanks for comments I see on my 97 SLS it looks like gray rtv. just done at the dealer How long do you think it will last with this new procedure??? Is this the way the new cars are now coming from the factory??? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 The sealer is NOT just grey RTV. It is an epoxy RTV made by Wacker (sp?) for GM and is only available to the public through the dealership parts counter. Th eengines have been sealed with this product since the bulletin came out. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUICK11 Posted March 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I have a local Buick dealer that I do a lot of Business with. He recently hired a few of the best Techs that were let go when a local Cadillac business went out of business. I bought my 2001 DTS over to the Buick dealer and he called in over the phone and received a authorization number to re seal the Half case. The local Cadillac dealer told me he had to have a adjuster come out and look at it before a authorization could be issued. (GMPP) The Buick dealer showed me on his computer screen that the estimated costs is about $3000.00. I looked up the labor in AllData and it showed 11 hours including trans removal. Just wondering how that can come out to $3000.00? As info: We have a 2008 STS that is still under the bumper to bumper warranty. In the past I had to take the car back to the Cadillac dealer. It now appears GM has changed that policy. My Buick dealer has handled a few items under the Cadillac Bmper to Bumper warranty. This makes life a bit easier for warranty work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I recently had the HALF CASE LEAK fixed on my 2006 DTS. They dropped the trans, split the case and also replaced the oil manifold while during the repair. At the same time, they fixed a small leak from the rear cam cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL T Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 I recently had the HALF CASE LEAK fixed on my 2006 DTS. They dropped the trans, split the case and also replaced the oil manifold while during the repair. At the same time, they fixed a small leak from the rear cam cover. I am sorry to hear that they are still having case half leak problems even on a 2006. I just do not think this should be acceptable. This has been a problem since the Northstar came out in 1993. I know it is not as frequent as it used to be but we have only had 13+ years to fix it? Do not get me wrong, I love my Northstar but when I hear of a case half leak or pulled head bolts in a newer caddy it makes my blood boil. I am sorry for the rant but it just does not say much for GM's engineering or quality control. I had a dealer tech tell me "it is the nature of the beast" when my father-in-law had case half and other leaks fixed in an all dealer serviced 2004 Deville. It made just me sick. If they had not agreed to fix it free after a small fight I would never look at another newer used Cadillac again. Some may argue well it was used. Yes that is true but a dealer serviced since new, low mileage, all maintenance record, hardly worn car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 Paul T - take what you hear from techs and dealers with a grain of salt. These people are not GM employees. When my coolant change reached 5 years, my dealer tech asked the service manager to ask me to call him. He - instead of telling me to change the coolant - urged me to trade the car because the head bolts were weak on my car (1997 model year) rather than to change the coolant. Two years later, I did have a head bolt pull and head leakage. By then I had found a local mechanic for other reasons, and my research on Caddyinfo forums led me to believe that I should have changed the coolant at 5 year intervals because 150,000 miles would not happen first unless I drove 30,000 miles a year. The good local mechanic that I found was the second or third one that I took my car to. It turned out, not coincientally I believe, that he wa a certified Jasper installer. The 1993-1999 Northstar is a magnificent engine, and was used as the Indy engine in 1995, and is yet supported by an aftermarket outfit, Cadillac hot Rod Fabricators, with 600 hp and more with twin turbochargers and such for sand card and other off-road applications: http://chrfab.com/ I got a Jasper re-manufactured engine and plan to drive m 1997 ETC for quite some time. -- 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...
BUICK11 Posted March 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 Yes the Northstar is a magnificent engine, therefore It should not leak oil like it does. My tech at the Cadillac dealer showed me a 2011 with barely over 1000 miles on it that was leaking at the Half Case. The Cadillac engineers along with Permatex and Felpro should be able to come up with a permanant solution. Fantistic automobile with a problem that need to be addressed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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