Been a member for over a year now, and have posted once or twice. I really haven't had a reason to post, but now I need some advice. I'm going to take my Deville in for a 100,000 mile service, and have the trans fluid changed. All this at the dealer I bought it from. The dealer is reputable, but pricey. I don't mind paying for the service, because they do good work, but I'm curious what this service consists of, and what a nominal charge would be? I do my own oil and filter changes, so that will not be included in the service.
Of the three Devilles I've owned, this one is the best so far. The 1st was a 1955 Deville, the 2nd was a 1987 Deville, and now the 1999. All three were great cars, and I had minimal problems with them.

Thanks,

Richard in Eastern NC.

There's not a lot scheduled in the 100,000, but I would guess that, if you can't document the work recently, the dealer will want to do your request along with the plugs and wires and maybe a fuel filter and tire rotation. My guess ??? $1,000 + or - a few bucks. Charlottesville, Raleigh-Durham, New Bern, Fayetteville (Boone)?? Urban/industrial area prices.

Richard:

Your Owner's Manual has the recommended service schedule. Take a look if you have not done so.

You did not mention drain and refresh coolant; you are past due on the calendar if the coolant has not been refreshed.

Drain and refill transaxle (use Dexron VI) can be done without getting dirty.

Plugs and wires replacement as a preventive step is always a good thing to do.

Your serpentine belt and water pump belt can leave you stranded on the side of the road and 100,000 is a reasonable change interval.

I have my brake fluid on a two year replacement schedule; complete total flushing with fresh DOT 3 fluid.

All of these items are DIY and not much more technical than an oil change. Buy whatever tools you might not have and save yourself some serious cash. Fine way to spend a Saturday.

Thanks for the tips. I'll still have it done at the dealers, but I'll be a bit more specific now with what I want done. I feel 100,000 miles is a milestone figure, and a lot needs to be done to keep it running like new. BTW, I'm getting 21-23 MPG in town, and have been averaging 34-36 MPG on the highway. 36 was my best, and low was 34. Must have been the way the wind was blowing that made the difference. It's a great car, and I'll keep it for a few more years.

Richard

Thanks for the tips. I'll still have it done at the dealers, but I'll be a bit more specific now with what I want done. I feel 100,000 miles is a milestone figure, and a lot needs to be done to keep it running like new. BTW, I'm getting 21-23 MPG in town, and have been averaging 34-36 MPG on the highway. 36 was my best, and low was 34. Must have been the way the wind was blowing that made the difference. It's a great car, and I'll keep it for a few more years.

Richard

Jesus,you must have had hurricane force tail winds to get 36 mpg! The best i ever got on my 1995 Deville was 30.5 mpg on the highway with a stiff tailwind for an hour over a year ago.I`ve never been able to match it since.I typically get 17-18 mpg city,24-27 mpg highway---which is typical for these generation Devilles.You`ve got the Northstar engine,i`ve got the 4.9 litre.

Last week i had my 100,000 mile replacements of plugs,wires,tranny filter & fluid,new Felpro gasket,fuel filter,tranny oil cooler lines and engine oil cooler lines done at my local trusted Meineke center.I bought all the parts myself heavily discounted at Advance auto parts and just paid labor.I saved over $200 by doing it this way compared to my local Cadillac dealer doing it.

I learned from past experience that a well maintained vehicle will last many years longer compared to one that`s not----that is,barring any unforeseen circumstances such as getting rear ended by a jerk not looking at 40 mph at a stop light.

In addition to what is posted here I believe the OEM service schedule also advises "inspecting" the oxygen sensors. I'm not sure how you inspect an O2 sensor but that sticks in my head from reading mine. With your gas mileage I would not worry about them since MPG is usually the first thing to suffer if the O2 sensor starts to go.

Richard S - Check the "Cadillac Tech Archive" section top of this page. From what you're saying your car is running real smooth. As far as O2 sensors, if you're not pulling any codes all is good. K_C

Thanks to all of you for the information. I use full synthetic 10W40 motor oil in the engine and have never had to add more than 1/2 quart between changes, which are at the high end of 7000 miles. Using good oil and filters and changing them at regular intervals is the best insurance you can buy. I also change the air filter every 6 months due to the dusty area we live in. No codes as yet. I haven't had any of the problems with this N* like I have seen people talk about on this forum. It's a great car, nice and big (so that both my stomache and I can get behind the wheel at the same time) and gets good milage, at least as good as some smaller cars. The only thing that I have an issue with is that it's recomended to use premium fuel. I use mid-grade and have used regular, but then it would ping under a load like pulling away from a stop light. It seems to run well with mid-grade, although if I do a WOT, it will ping some. No smoke or clouds of dust from the exhaust on a WOT, so the insides must be staying clean. Now I'm not a youngster by any means, being in my mid-sixties, but I don't baby this car, and I also don't hot rod it. Just a normal mix of city and country roads, with some interstate thrown in occasionaly. like I said, it's my third Caddy and they just keep getting better!

Richard S in eastern NC

You've got it down, GM seems to have a design life of 10yrs built into their vehicles. Bet your wishing you still had the 55!! Don't be concerned with running regular. Lot's been said around here no sense kicking the horse again, search around and you'll find it. NorthStar is smart. Meant to be driven and enjoyed. K_C

BTW I'm off to smoke a hog this weekend. Block pit and cherry wood. Just thought you'd like to know you ain't the only boys lovin' the BBQ. A good reason to drive a full size DeVille!!!

Well, we had to go to Sarasota FL this weekend for a memorial service, and the Deville started to overheat on the way back. We got into South Carolina and the temps hit 230 for about 20 seconds before I pulled over and shut it down. Waited a bit and opened the overflow, and no coolant. So, since it was Memorial Day and no dealers or parts stores open along 95, I added about a gallon of water, closed her up and got back on the highway again. About 50 miles later, the temps started to rise again. Pulled into a service plaza, bout a couple gallons of water (all they has was ethalene Glycol antofreeze) filled her up and started down the road. This time it took well over a hundred miles and we were on 70 headed for home before the temps started up again. I slipped it into nuetral and gunned it once, and the temps started down, so that's how we made it home, and at 63 MPH, the temps never went above 197. Yesterday morning I started it up and took it to the dealers for it's 100,000 mile service, and to have them look at the reason for the overheat condition. Well as you can guess, blown headgasket! So, one very expensive repair coming up. It should be done by Friday. Since my wife wants an SUV to pull our trailers, and as her daily driver, we decided to trade the Deville in on the SUV, and I will inherit her 1997 Olds LSS. I may get another Deville one day, but until GM corrects the HG problem to better than 20% odds, I'll drive a different GM vehicle.

Well, we had to go to Sarasota FL this weekend for a memorial service, and the Deville started to overheat on the way back. We got into South Carolina and the temps hit 230 for about 20 seconds before I pulled over and shut it down. Waited a bit and opened the overflow, and no coolant. So, since it was Memorial Day and no dealers or parts stores open along 95, I added about a gallon of water, closed her up and got back on the highway again. About 50 miles later, the temps started to rise again. Pulled into a service plaza, bout a couple gallons of water (all they has was ethalene Glycol antofreeze) filled her up and started down the road. This time it took well over a hundred miles and we were on 70 headed for home before the temps started up again. I slipped it into nuetral and gunned it once, and the temps started down, so that's how we made it home, and at 63 MPH, the temps never went above 197. Yesterday morning I started it up and took it to the dealers for it's 100,000 mile service, and to have them look at the reason for the overheat condition. Well as you can guess, blown headgasket! So, one very expensive repair coming up. It should be done by Friday. Since my wife wants an SUV to pull our trailers, and as her daily driver, we decided to trade the Deville in on the SUV, and I will inherit her 1997 Olds LSS. I may get another Deville one day, but until GM corrects the HG problem to better than 20% odds, I'll drive a different GM vehicle.


Sorry to read you had HG problems.Hopefully,you`ll have better luck with the Olds LSS.
I make sure to keep BARS LEAKS GOLD POWDER flowing through my '95 Deville`s 4.9 litre's cooling system.Northstar`s are known for the HG problem.

Didnt want to start a new thread, but I had a question now that maintenance schedules have been brought up, does the north star require anytime of major engine work at a certain miles, timing belt/chain at 100K or more?

No. Read the manual and do the coolant changes at 4 - 5 years for DEXCOOL. 100K is also spark plug time.

No. Read the manual and do the coolant changes at 4 - 5 years for DEXCOOL. 100K is also spark plug time.

Sorry, my car didnt come with a manual, the perks of buying from a auction :) but thanks for pointing me the right way...

Take a look in the Tech Archives at the top of this page. Recommended Maintenance Schedule is there + lots of other good info. K_C

I picked up the Deville this evening from the dealer. as long as they had to fix the HG's, I had them do a 100,000 mile service at the same time. The cost was a lot less due to the engine being out and everything was right out in the open. The only part that wasn't in the original list was a new oil pump. They gave me a 12,000 mile or 12 month parts and labor guarentee on it, so I might keep it a bit longer. I'm irked about the cost, and the fact that there were 4 high milage Devilles in the shop for the same problem. The tech told me that their shop has about 20 out of a hundred sold that are coming back at about the 100,000 mile mark, give or take some miles. They haven't seen any 2002 and above come back yet because they don't have the milage on them yet. It felt good to get behind the wheel again, and it really didn't drive or responde any different than before. Maybe I'll get even better mileage on it now that it has new plugs and wires!

On the plus side, the Caddie got us the 350 miles left to drive home even with a blown HG! I'm sure that not many other vehicles could do that.

RichardS in eastern NC

I'll quote from the work order what they did, and what they charged.
R&R engine/transmission assembly and lower cradle. R&R engine intake valve covers,heads,drill out headbolt holes in block, install tyme serts, replace head gaskets, front cover gasket, valve cover gaskets, spark plug o-ring seals, water pump, water pump housing crossover gaskets, water pump gasket, thermostat, thermostat gasket, reseal lower crankcase, replace oil manifold, oil baffle, oil pan gasket, new oil pump, upper and lower radiator hoses, replace heater hoses and coolant bypass hose, replace spark plugs, and spark plug wires, cleaned out sludge from oil pan, flushed cooling sustem and refill with coolant, inspect front and rear brakes, emissions control check and safety inspection, changed oil filter and oil, bleed air from cooling sustem and roadtest vehicle, did a 4 wheel alignment due to removal of lower engine cradle, and replaced serpentine belt and water pump belt and maintenance on idler.
And for all that in and out the door in three days, $5681.23. I wasn't able to make a personal appearance at the dealers when they called, but they wanted to show me what the oil pan looked like, so they took pictures and I saw them tonight. It had to have taken the guy at least several hours to scrape the sludge out, and he made sure all passages were clean and after they road tested it, they changed the oil and filter once more.
So, my attitude has changed a bit now about the northstar, but as you all have said, it can take a huge amount of punishment and survive. If I can be assured that this repair will hold, I may just hang on to the old girl for a few more years. I put new tires on 5,000 miles ago, and it still looks good, and it's a GREAT car to travel in.
Anyone have an estimate about how many miles it has left in the engine?

RichardS

With regular oil changes and normal maintenance, maybe 150,000 +. Seriously.

Anyone have an estimate about how many miles it has left in the engine?

When I originally saw this post I contemplated being a smart a$$ and adding that the 100K service for a 99 Cadillac is the headgaskets, having just paid the same bill (HGs, two cams and half case oil leak) at 101,000 on my STS. At this point our engines should be fine for the remaining service life of the car, I expect I will hit suspension/ABS/TC problems long before another engine issue. Once the block has been Timeserted you are unlikely to have major problems again.

I've been having time Warner problems and my connection has been out since yesterday. So I'll try to remember what I was writing at that time.
About all I have to have done is the transmission oil and filter changed, and the Big White Car will be ready for another hundred thousand miles. Of the three Caddies I've had, The '55 was the most powerful with the 500 CID engine. Also the most thirsty, but fuel was $.45 a gallon then. The '87 was the most luxurious and the least peppy of all. It had a 305 and had trouble getting out of it's own way, or over small bridges. The '99 is the best of both of those, with a nice comfortable ride, but responsive to the road, and an engine that is like having a hot rod, but very stingy on fuel. It was dependable, even with a blown HG, because it did go the long haul home in that condition, and made it to the dealers the next day.
Yes, I will keep it now, and with regular attention (which I don't think the PO did) it will make it until I decide to trade it for a newer Caddie!
Now if I can just find that tailwind and see if it will get that 36 MPG that it did a couple years ago going to PA.
Thanks guys, ya'll have been a great help and inspiration, and I'll now go back to lurking mode.

Richard in Eastern NC.

I'll quote from the work order what they did, and what they charged.
R&R engine/transmission assembly and lower cradle. R&R engine intake valve covers,heads,drill out headbolt holes in block, install tyme serts, replace head gaskets, front cover gasket, valve cover gaskets, spark plug o-ring seals, water pump, water pump housing crossover gaskets, water pump gasket, thermostat, thermostat gasket, reseal lower crankcase, replace oil manifold, oil baffle, oil pan gasket, new oil pump, upper and lower radiator hoses, replace heater hoses and coolant bypass hose, replace spark plugs, and spark plug wires, cleaned out sludge from oil pan, flushed cooling sustem and refill with coolant, inspect front and rear brakes, emissions control check and safety inspection, changed oil filter and oil, bleed air from cooling sustem and roadtest vehicle, did a 4 wheel alignment due to removal of lower engine cradle, and replaced serpentine belt and water pump belt and maintenance on idler.
And for all that in and out the door in three days, $5681.23. I wasn't able to make a personal appearance at the dealers when they called, but they wanted to show me what the oil pan looked like, so they took pictures and I saw them tonight. It had to have taken the guy at least several hours to scrape the sludge out, and he made sure all passages were clean and after they road tested it, they changed the oil and filter once more.
So, my attitude has changed a bit now about the northstar, but as you all have said, it can take a huge amount of punishment and survive. If I can be assured that this repair will hold, I may just hang on to the old girl for a few more years. I put new tires on 5,000 miles ago, and it still looks good, and it's a GREAT car to travel in.
Anyone have an estimate about how many miles it has left in the engine?

RichardS

I'll just make two observations here. (And yes, I know this thread is several months old.)

1) If you changed your oil and filter every 3,000 miles, using any decent brand of oil and filter, you would not have had that sludge in your oil pan. Is that really necessary? No, probably not, but it makes me feel better about the car, so it's worth it to me.

2) Your car is simply not worth $5,681. I just purchased a 1999 DeVille d'Elegance with 67000 miles for $6500. This was a CarFax certified one-owner, new car trade-in, with dealer service records, not a scratch or blemish on it. And this is not a one-of-a-kind deal. The same dealer had a 1998 DeVille with 55000 miles for $6900 (one year older, but fewer miles).

I do not say this in order to make you feel bad. I simply wanted to offer my advise/opinion for anyone reading in these forums who is in a similar position, and is trying to decide what to do about it. I have great sympathy for your position. A little over 3 years ago, I junked a 1998 DeVille with blown head gaskets. The dealer wanted $4,500, and would only guarantee the work for 90 days. I agonized over my decision for quite a while, before realizing it was just not worth it.

I actually work at this dealer where the car was serviced (Trent Cadillac) and while the car might not be worth the amount that was payed for the new HG's, it was one of, if not the cleanest late model Deville's i've personally seen. I haven't seen the car back since it was fixed, so I'm sure everything is great. Could've gone out and bought another '99 Deville, but there could've been a risk of the HG going on that car. On a weekly basis, I'd say we get 3-4 cars in with oil leaks and HG failures. My '00 came in with a HG failure; they fixed that, new motor mount, and a few more things. It's quite common, and most of it stems from old coolant, people babying the thing, or just not maintaining it correctly.