tripper511 Posted May 30, 2005 Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 I've come across a 1993 cadillac eldorado touring coupe for sale. It has 181,000 miles on it which explains why the seller wanted such a low price ($2,800). I'm not completly familier with the northstar engine aside from the fact that is has a unique starter and DOHC. I've heard that it is suppose to be very good but if anyone could tell me anything about the northstars lifespan and integrety it would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted May 30, 2005 Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 Cooling system maintanence is one of the keys to engine life. If possible, review the service records and confirm the coolant has been changed / refreshed on schedule and the GM recommended coolant supplement has been used. After the cooling system, the usual caveats apply. Good luck. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tripper511 Posted May 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 Lets say hypothetically that the cooling system was kept perfect. Is this an engine that would make it to 250,000 miles if well maintained? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted May 30, 2005 Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 Too many variables. My first person experience with a '98 is at 14x,xxx and so far with nothing more than recommended service. I have read reports of 'well-maintained' Northstar powered vehicles reaching 300,000 miles, and more. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted May 30, 2005 Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 Provided proper maintenance, you should get at least a few hundred thousand out of a Northstar. LOTS of examples of them running around with hundreds of thousands. Like Jim, I have 144,xxx on mine and it runs like a scalded cat. If they cannot provide any evidence of cooling system maintenance, I'd skip it. There's no guarantee that even with complete neglect it would fail soon, but your chances of head gasket damage are much higher without proper cooling system maintenance. If you're looking for a toy and wouldn't mind doing some head gasket work, go for it. If you're looking for a daily driver, I'd demand some evidence of engine maintenance before I bought it. If the coolant was changed often, there's still no guarantee that it WON'T fail (this is a 12-year-old machine here), but provided good maintenance, that engine has another hundred thousand in it anyway. Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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