Cadillac Northstar question

DRAG-ULA

DRAG-ULA

Club Member
I've always liked the last few years of the Eldorados, I've been thinking about buying one. I don't know a ton about them, any concerns? I remember I used to do a lot of cylinder head work at an engine shop I used to work at, if I recall it was a valve seal issue gumming up the valve stems maybe? It was a long time ago. Anyway, any input is appreciated!!
 
My experience was with the North Star in the Oldsmobile aurora, head gaskets, head bolts pulled the threads out of the block, and of course they all had dex cool at some point so problems will pop up from that. They are powerful though.
 
Hmm ok thanks. I thought the Aurora was a different engine? Same family?

Now that I think about it, it was head gasket problems with all those heads, we had an account with a couple dealers and they sent us their machine work. I think we just changed the seals and checked the valve job because they were off the car.
 
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The northstar is a son of a bitch. Starter is located INSIDE the engine under the intake in the valley. Everyone of them just about needed head gaskets. When you went to do them you either pulled the threads out of the block, broke the bolts, or broke the block lol
 
I knew about the starter, and the head gasket problems. I've never R&R'd the heads, I've only worked on them off the car.
 
So the N* are good until they go bad lol.

My 98 deville have been great so far. Look on craiglist, plenty of them get 200K+ miles.

Maybe sure the fans work, drain and swap the coolant, I drilled a small hole in my tstat. Don't let the haters hate the pimp ride.
 
Oh I'm not. I picked this up Saturday. It's mint, one owner, some old guy had it. It was his baby, 80k on it.


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I still have to change the oil and coolant. Do I need to keep it dex-cool, or can I run conventional coolant?
 
DRAG-ULA said:
Oh I'm not. I picked this up Saturday. It's mint, one owner, some old guy had it. It was his baby, 80k on it.


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OtNt9P1.jpg



I still have to change the oil and coolant. Do I need to keep it dex-cool, or can I run conventional coolant?
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Flush it out REALLY GOOD, Then flush it out REALLY REALLY good. Then use conventional coolant. You don't want to mix the two at all.
 
Ok. Thanks for the advice. Do I need to put any of those anti-leak suppositories in? Didn't the factory use them with dex-cool?
 
After you're done flushing it really really good, flush it even more really good. Maybe backflush it. I've seen too many Degas tanks with muddy concrete from the slightest bit of coolants mixing.
 
DRAG-ULA said:
Ok. Thanks for the advice. Do I need to put any of those anti-leak suppositories in? Didn't the factory use them with dex-cool?
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Those Cadillac pills were used right off the assembly line in many GM cars are far as I know. They're made from crushed almond shells IIRC. They're pretty safe to use, they won't destroy your cooling system like Bars products. I've used them in a few cars, even non-GM vehicles.
 
My mom had the same eldarado when I was learning to drive. Loved the car, had great power for what it was once she got in the mid 100's it started using coolant and then it was gone.
 
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