300 HP is not what it used to be.

[johnplara]

REading all this I would like to add my 2 cents to this whole conversation. First, after looking at the Cadillac website, the Northstar as we know it is now for the most part just the basic entry level engine. We all look at what the competition is pulling out, but if you think about it, all those BMWs, Lexus, and infinities, etc, have weaker engines accross the board that make up the vast majority of their fleets. Lets look at a basic car at the dealership close to me. Imapalas come in three flavors, the stock 3.5 with only 200 ponies, the better 3.9 with 240 I believe, and of course the V8 with 303. which do you think most people buy. Same with the luxry cars, most people will buy the slower 3 series cars, and not the Ms, most people will buy the regular CTSs, and not the Vs. In reality the superior cars of each line are just marketing tools. Yes, Cadillac knows it has to compete at the upper echelon of the market with the V series because the younger crowd is the future market and "old people's car" is not the image they want when they grow up. Think about it. How fast was the 68 Eldo compared to the rest of the market when it was unleashed? How did that car cement the positive reputation Cadillac had for years. Was it not a revolutionary sports/lux car?

[davesdeville]

Originally Posted by mtflight

I also hate to point out that under the new SAE J1349 standard which requires independent witnesses, the likely output of the "300 hp" L37 Northstar is 292hp (218kw) @ 6300 rpm.

In the Deville, yes.

[mtflight]

Originally Posted by davesdeville

In the Deville, yes.

It's the only production L37 Northstar. Are you saying you would get different results with other L37s? Please elaborate.

[WarrenJ]

Well, I used to be able to beat 98% of the cars I came up against on the road. I guess I'm now down to 96%. I can live quite comfortably with that.

Members made some good points here:
1] The Cadillac has character. And heated leather seats, and . . . . and . . . .
2] Bottom line . . . . love 'em for what they are.
3] Cop's eyes automatically gravitate to 'Vettes. Ours don't get a second glance.
4] The lady goes home in the Caddy, not the Civic.

All-in-all, not a bad deal!

Regards,
Warren

[97ETCPowerHouse]

I have a 97 ETC with 300hp, a nano air and oil filter, and Amsoil 0W-30 racing oil. I'm a touch worried about all these bigger engines coming out and there performance, and how the Eldo will fair. Eldos are one of the fastest front wheels drive cars ever produced in the world, next to the tornado. Needless to say, I raced an 06 Acura RL, their flagship car with 295hp, and he couldn't get any closer than 6 car lengths. 300 hp on a rice burner cannot be compared to 300 hp on a Northstar. The ETC of my year is a 7 second 0-60, which is plenty of power. And the 60mph-120mph is unreal with an 83mph 2nd to 3rd gear shift! Yeah baby! Ohh yeah, my car is speed limited to 150mph and my tires can handle speeds of 170mph, being ultra high performance, BRING IT ON!!

[97EldoCoupe]

I have people thinking their souped up Cavaliers and Sunfires will beat my Eldorado. Mine's the base Eldorado. I left them all in the dust. Mine's an auto, slightly heavier, and yet I'm beating them all. I damn near kept up to an Infinity G35. This is the interesting part: I've got the slowest Eldorado out there right now. The worst gear ratio (3.11:1) and the slowest engine (Aurora 4.0 under the hood). And I'm still way ahead of most. I lost to that Infinity but then again he had a car length's head start on me. Yeah the 4.6 is going back in soon (the 4.0 was just temporary) but gee whiz- who the hell thinks a 4 banger pop can on wheels, like the Cavs and Sunfires, can beat a Caddy? I left them in the dust with the 3.11:1 and the 4.0, just imagine how far back they'd be with the 3.71:1 and the L37!!! What I just can't believe is that these morons think their tin cans are so fast. I beat a 5.0 Mustang with a '96 Aurora Autobahn. And the STS/ETC has 50 HP more. Caddy's aren't slow. It's not the HP or torque, or even the weight. It's how it pulls those numbers across the RPM band and how it gets it to the ground.

[C0RSA1R]

Originally Posted by 97EldoCoupe

Caddy's aren't slow. It's not the HP or torque, or even the weight. It's how it pulls those numbers across the RPM band and how it gets it to the ground.

Best argument in this thread so far, IMHO.

[Scottish-Dave]

This is why having a 300hp Cadillac over her rules, half the little small boys in their sooped up jap mobiles get owned easily when you rev the v8. But nothing beats the face of a sales rep in a bmw or merc when you fly past them

[kdsevillle]

I know our Caddy's aren't the quickest car's in the world, but if a 00 SLS can beat a.......oh.....I dont know......a 02 Mustang GT, 5 spd, CAI and a stage 2 comp cam.....That's pretty damn impressive!!!!

[RodneyPierce]

wow, something is def. wrong with my northstar then, because I dont find it all that impressive at all honestly. I mean for the heavy car its in it does OK, but it isnt anything to write home about. Then again, I also have a 11 second WS6 in the garage, perhaps that sways my perspective?? Ha, I dont know.

[billytheshoe]

300hp of apples or 300hp of oranges. The north* is a torque motor that can sustain upper rpm capabilities due to the over head cams. The engines are Factory tuned for lower torque and thats where the hp is. hp is going drop off but will continue to climb in rpm. The difference between the "9" motor and the "y" motor is insignificant. It may move the power band up 500 to 600 rpm. Most of that being the "9" final drive gear giving back some low end torque. The car weighs 3900lbs with out the 300lb girfriend and if it were tuned for top end power it would only get 10 mpg driving around town. Some of the small cube jap motors with an opened up intake & exhaust will increase the hp & torque in the upper rpm ranges suggnificantly and an inline 4 cyl. is usually a sturdy piece that can handle the sustained revs alot longer in a car that may weigh 1000lbs less that is far easier to turn & stop. 8000 rpm sustained would not be uncommon. I don't think a north* would hold up very long at 8000 if it could reach that without hitting a wall in power. Someone should have dyno stats to even bring up this subject. Post some stock dyno stats please. I bet this engine drops off badly in hp over 5400 rpm.

[mtflight]

Originally Posted by billytheshoe

... The car weighs 3900lbs with out the 300lb girfriend ...

Originally Posted by billytheshoe

Someone should have dyno stats to even bring up this subject. Post some stock dyno stats please. I bet this engine drops off badly in hp over 5400 rpm.

[billytheshoe]

There ya go, some made up bullshit graph off gm's website. 600ft.lb. of torque is absolute bullshit. A real dyno chart, not an advertisment. this would be strapping the car down on a dyno and doing at least 3 pulls and presenting some real data.

[billytheshoe]

600 ft. lb. of torque at 5500-6000-rpm is a dream. wake up!

[submariner409]

Read the graph.

Torque on the right column, HP on the left.

That's the GM spec graphs of the 2 STS/SLS Northstars, L37 and LD8: 300hp/295 ft/lb and 275hp/300ft/lb.