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Sedans Cadillac DeVille Cadillac DeVille
2506 messages, Last post on Sep 27, 2009 at 12:50 AM
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Replying to: xeperx (Aug 24, 2007 11:15 am) What he probably said was due to expansion and contraction of the alumium motor and head of a Northstar under running and stopped conditions, the head bolts have become stressed, loosening these bolts. These are the bolts that hold the head to the motor, with the head gasket as the sealing between the two. When the bolts loosen, or thru other problems with the gasket seal, the exhaust pressure when a cylinder fires is blown into the water cooling passages between the head and motor (the gasket fails). This will cause massive overheating. (If you do not have overheating, water/steam coming out of fill tank, you may not have a gasket problem. Or, you might be in the early stages of gasket failure. A mechanic can test the coolant for combustion byproducts - if found this is gasket failure.) Most of the cost of repairing a Northstar head gasket is labor. The motor must be pulled to access the rear head. There is a 'kit' sold for the repair, a 'Timezert' kit. The head is removed, a jig bolted down on it for drilling alignment purposes, all the head bolts are drilled out oversized, they are rethreaded, a special Timesert insert is screwed in, then the head is reassembled to the motor with a new gasket and headbolts. Both heads should be done when the motor is out of the car. From what I've heard, cost is $2,000 - $3,000. The kit is not very expensive, less than $400, a few new gaskets, new headbolts. Most of the cost is labor, and finding a shop that is even experienced in doing this may be tough. The heads almost always are not harmed, and the motor does not have to be 'decked'. And yes, this happens to Northstars. And is the main reason I do not own a Cadillac. My wife loves them, but I do not want to own an older, out of warranty Cadillac where a head gasket repair would cost 20% or more of the value of the car.
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Replying to: bolivar (Aug 24, 2007 12:43 pm)
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Replying to: xeperx (Aug 24, 2007 2:26 pm) Now, as to how well a mechanic can do this job and re-assemble properly????????? |
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Replying to: sls002 (Aug 23, 2007 5:37 am) but the information center does not give me a reason that I would need service...damn, my old car I knew waht to do - thisd modern marvel, I have no idea. 
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Replying to: ladymylady (Aug 27, 2007 8:15 pm) |
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MY caddy over heated. i notice it said check coolant level but i had just put antifreeze in it about a week ago i checked it everything looked fine i drove for about 15 minutes and the temperture would not go down pass 215 eventually it began to go up quickly, then the temp reached 257 and idle engine, engine hot, coolant hot started flashing on my screen as soon as i made it to my house it started smoking when i looked under the hood i see that antifreeze had leaked but i dont know where it came from. i dont think it can be the thermostat because that was replaced about 4 months ago. does anyone know what may be wrong?
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Replying to: cdalee (Sep 05, 2007 5:30 am) |
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Replying to: cdalee (Sep 05, 2007 5:30 am) |
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This is an 8 cylinder (not Northstar)with 42,000 miles. Since June it has not always been starting on the first try. After jiggling the gear shift, it would start up. Yesterday it would never start. It was towed to the dealer. Once it got there it started right up and again this morning. No faults found on the computer. They are trying other diagnostics. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Any thoughts/suggestions? Thanks.
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You dont say what year the deville is....but on my old 93 deville I had that problem...and it turned out to be the alternator. Could that be it..? sometimes it would work and sometimes not...until one day it just gave up the ghost totally.
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