Nothstar fairytails

dutch STS · #1 (**permalink**) 06-18-06, 07:22 AM

I'm new here, so maybe there is allready a thread about this,

but I a long time ago I heard a story about the design and performance of the Northstar engines.

Somebody told me Northstar engines were build to last several miles without oil in them and some other things like that. (note, the person that told me these things is a real big Cadillac fan, so he thinks there is no better engine than the Northstar, and I share that thought), but are there things like this know by you?

Was the Northstar engine designed to last under the wurst conditions?

JohnnyO · #2 (**permalink**) 06-18-06, 08:57 AM

Not without oil, but there is a "limp home" mode that the engine will run on 4 cylinders at a time if there is no coolant, like if you had a bad leak or blown hose or whatever.

dutch STS · #3 (**permalink**) 06-18-06, 09:07 AM

ok, tnx. Does are the things I am trying to find out.

But it also switches of cilinders when driving at one speed, doesn't?

eldorado1 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-18-06, 10:49 AM

No, it doesn't turn off cylinders. You're confusing the northstar with some of the latest engines with "displacement on demand"

**Ranger** · #5 (**permalink**) 06-18-06, 05:16 PM

Depends on what you are talking about here. When in the limp home mode (overheated engine), the Northstar will alternately shut down left & right bank injectors and just pump air through the cylinders to aid in cooling and thus allowing the 50 miles with no coolant. It is not displacement on demand where it will disable valves and run on 6 or 4 cylinders as needed.

The Northstar was designed and tested to be a high performane engine. It was tested at WOT for hours on end and it needs to be run hard. Occassional WOT burst are recommended and if you have never driven one at WOT, you are in for a treat.

No engine will run without lubrication.

dutch STS · #6 (**permalink**) 06-18-06, 05:26 PM

ok, so the story that it will run 90 miles without oil isn't true, but it will run for a longer period at the max rpm (don't exactly know what WOT is).

Haha, btw; I was telling a friend of mine your story JohnnieO about the coolant . He has a '92 STS and a '90 Allante both without Northstar. He's trying to sell me his STS, but I want a Northstar model. He says his engine is just as good.

After him and me spoke on the phone, he went for a short drive and the temp. ran up really high causing the engine coolant to boil. He stopped and saw a cut hose. He drove home carefully refilling water all the time.

haha, I could't stop laughing, because I just told him the story about the Northstar engine and how it reacts to a cooland leak. And he said that had now extra value. It was like the Cadillac Gods heard him say that.

**Ranger** · #7 (**permalink**) 06-18-06, 06:10 PM

WOT = Wide Open Throttle

eldorado1 · #8 (**permalink**) 06-18-06, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dutch STS

He stopped and saw a cut hose. He drove home carefully refilling water all the time.

haha, I could't stop laughing, because I just told him the story about the Northstar engine and how it reacts to a cooland leak. And he said that had now extra value. It was like the Cadillac Gods heard him say that.

JohnnyO · #9 (**permalink**) 06-19-06, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dutch STS

It was like the Cadillac Gods heard him say that.

That can happen.
Also, Cadillac came out with (I think) the first variable displacement motor in (I think) 1980, known as the V-8-6-4. It would run on either 8, 6, or 4 cylinders depending on the demand for power and to save on gas. Basically it ran like crap and jerked a lot and within a few years most people clipped the wire so it just ran on 8 cylinders all the time. I worked at a Cadillac dealer in 1983-84 and we did this. 1981 was the last year they made that engine.

codewize · #10 (**permalink**) 06-19-06, 11:22 AM

He probably has the 4.9 which isn't even close to a Northstar. I think the 4.5 in my STS is a closer resemblance. I often wonder if it was a test bed for the Northstar development.

Also the claim to fame on the 'no coolant' thing was 50 miles at 50 miles per hour.

No oil would cause immediate failure in any engine. However due to the high oil volume and small displacement of the Northstar, the oil change duration is extended beyond other engines. 12,000 miles or 1 year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dutch STS

ok, so the story that it will run 90 miles without oil isn't true, but it will run for a longer period at the max rpm (don't exactly know what WOT is).

Haha, btw; I was telling a friend of mine your story JohnnieO about the coolant . He has a '92 STS and a '90 Allante both without Northstar. He's trying to sell me his STS, but I want a Northstar model. He says his engine is just as good.

After him and me spoke on the phone, he went for a short drive and the temp. ran up really high causing the engine coolant to boil. He stopped and saw a cut hose. He drove home carefully refilling water all the time.

haha, I could't stop laughing, because I just told him the story about the Northstar engine and how it reacts to a cooland leak. And he said that had now extra value. It was like the Cadillac Gods heard him say that.