SLegacy99

And there you have it.

Sal Collaziano

Sloppy design? Problematic? If the engine is maintained properly, it lasts just as long as any. I've owned several Northstar Caddy's.. I sold my first with 110,000 miles - it never had any major issues and ran like a brand new engine. My brother-in-law had one with 170,000 miles before he got rid of his. It was also running 100% perfectly when he got rid of it.

The Northstar is a world class engine. I don't know where you heard it was sloppy and problematic.

Sal Collaziano

As mentioned, Cadillac isn't giving up on v8s. They're simply not continuing on with the Northstar. They'll likely be using the LSx version of their engines and will work a little harder at the NVH that go along with them.

mmarshall

It is not a grossly unreliable engine (there are lots worse), but it does have a worse-than-average tendency to use oil.

Sal Collaziano

The use of oil was more for protection than anything. Being that I own and operate the Cadillac equivalent to ClubLexus, I've had the honor of speaking directly with the most involved engineer of the Northstar motor. If you can take my word for it, the "use" of oil was not an accident. If you cannot take my word for it, I'll do what I can to find what you need to know. However, that will take me some time..

In short, it had to do with over-lubrication...

Sal Collaziano

Furthermore.. The Northstar wasn't "not a grossly unreliable engine". It was actually quite reliable. However, as indicated in the owners manual, it was of supreme importance to take care of the cooling system. Unlike many engines, maintenance was very important. Those who neglected their engines had problems.

So the most common issue was being a quart short at the time of an oil change. If that's a big deal, than I don't know what to say. But, that quart short was normal.

Does anyone here know how long a Northstar engine could run at redline for?

mmarshall

Your word taken......you probably know more about the Northstar than I do. Not having owned one or had long-term experience with one, I just go by what I have read about it in auto columns, Consumer Reports, and what repair/service shops have had to say about them. They all agree on high oil use...for whatever reason.

Sal Collaziano

I suppose that regardless of the reason, every Northstar dropping a quart of oil every 3,000 miles isn't very good. Especially in these times..

SLegacy99

From me. Read earlier into the thread. Terribly unreliable even with a pristine service record. When spark plugs and wires only last 2000 miles then you have a problem

Sal Collaziano

If I could pull up a similar issue with, say, an 05 LS430 owned by a relative, would that make the 4.3 sloppy and problematic?

SLegacy99

Yes. What, you think Ive got some kind of allegiance to an automanufacturer? If the engine has continuous problems then that is not a good engine. I don't care who makes it.

Sal Collaziano

What I'm saying is:

...unless that is a common occurrence, than I don't see what relevancy it has to the Northstar as a whole.. It seems more like an individual problem than one experienced by the masses. I certainly have heard nothing of meticulously maintained Northstar engines having major problems. Sure, there's one guy here and one guy there - and the one who has a lemon. But as a whole? No. The engine is extremely reliable.

"sloppy design" and "problematic" are words that should not be used in the same sentence as "Northstar".

RX_330

But that's just one engine out of many thousands, is it not?

SLegacy99

Apparently not.

http://www.carsurvey.org/modelyear_O...rora_1995.html

http://www.carsurvey.org/modelyear_O...rora_1996.html

* My pop had a '95.

http://www.carsurvey.org/model_Oldsmobile_Aurora.html

ncelk

The Northstar was a world class engine......many years ago. Most car companies have engineered better engines in the past 5-10 years. But it is a bright spot for Cadillac in what was a very dim period for them.