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Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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onediadem
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Aug 20, 2011, 9:06 AM
Post #1 of 14
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Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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Hi, great site btw. I have a 1996 Cadillac concours with a northstar engine. I have an overheating problem. I know part of the problem was there was a leak where the plastic and metal met on the left side of the radiator. The car would overheat while idling, but as long as I kept fluid in it, it stayed 194 degrees while driving, but sitting too long at stop lights the temp would rise, but always come back down once driving. I had a radiator man come out and replace the radiator for me. It was awesome, he only charged me 10 extra dollars to make a house call from his shop so I didn't have to worry about overheating getting to him. He replaced the radiator, and it still overheated which caused fluid to spill out of the overflow tank. He told me it was probably the thermostat. We replaced it and the temps went way off the charts, with no fluid coming out of the overflow tank. It is building pressure but not escaping. Could it be a bad thermostat? Even tho it is brand new? HELP! We are going to take the thermostat out and see what happens. Any other ideas?
One color and one type set is sufficient
(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Aug 20, 2011, 9:19 AM)
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onediadem
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Aug 20, 2011, 9:24 AM
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Re: Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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I'm sorry, I copied and pasted so it just sort of happened.
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zmame
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Aug 20, 2011, 3:38 PM
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Re: Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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Might be air in the system when he installed the new rad. I would also do a chemical and pressure test for headgasket leak.
Chemical test will show if any combustion gas is being pushed into the water jackets. I know the N* engines were famous for headgaskets.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Aug 21, 2011, 10:52 AM
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Re: Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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Did you make sure the water pump belt or tensioner isn't broken? Could be air in the system. Those engines do like to trap air, as Zmame stated. Coolant lift systems makes refilling a lot easier on those. Cooling fans coming on when the engine is running too hot? What do the upper and lower rad hoses feel like when it is hot? When the fans kick on, do you feel hot air blowing out of them?
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Aug 21, 2011, 12:18 PM
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Re: Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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They had a lot of problems with head bolts pulling the threads out of the aluminum blocks.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
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Aug 21, 2011, 12:33 PM
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Re: Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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Don't say aluminum and threads pulling in the same sentence. That's like scratching your nails on a chalk board....eekkk. Have you time serted any Toyota 11x1.5s or Northstars yet? If not, they are loads of fun...
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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zmame
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Aug 21, 2011, 7:21 PM
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Re: Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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I know all about the headbolts from my moms N* did head gaskets on it torqued to spec then went to give it the last turn down and there goes the threads.. then it all comes apart again and off to the machine shop..
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Aug 21, 2011, 8:26 PM
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Re: Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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"You know, Joe...it's funny, but lets install torque to yield head bolts into an aluminium threaded hole, said the automotive engineer as he was sitting on the beach sipping his umbrella drink. "That's really a great idea, Frank. Look at the money we are going to save. I am sure those mechanics are going to love that!" Joe said as he reached down to grab his bowl of grapes. "Yep, they can only be torqued down by the robot at the factory to our specs. If they are removed and torqued again, that will bugger the threads, so Harry can sell GM those thread repair kits.", chuckled Frank as he let out a huge beer fart into the ocean breeze. "You really are a genius, Frank." Joe said as a plunked a grape into his mouth.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Aug 21, 2011, 8:28 PM)
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onediadem
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Aug 22, 2011, 8:29 AM
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Re: Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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Ok, took the thermostat out and ran it without it, went to 150 before I got to the end of my street and back. Thermostat not the problem. No discharge from the overflow. It did drink an awful lot of water however when i started her up. Perhaps needs more? Its sounding like a lost cause to me however. The thing that stumps me is with the old radiator, all I had to do was fill it up before I left, and as long as I was driving her she did fine and only heated if i sat too long at a light, but the temp would come right down as soon as I started rolling again. It never got above 215 or so, and predominately ran at 194 degrees. You would think a new radiator and thermostat would have cured this not make it into the nightmare I have now.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Aug 22, 2011, 8:34 AM
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Re: Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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That's what happens when you ignore a cooling issue. It gets too hot just one time and you're tearing the engine down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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re-tired
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Aug 22, 2011, 8:38 AM
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Re: Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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Since we got the top frucked up.. We'll hide the starter inside the engine . And just for laughs we'll make'em have to pull the entire front sub frame and transmission to change a leaking oil pan seal. 
LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Aug 22, 2011, 8:55 AM
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Re: Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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Yep, gotta love that motor.............(boat anchor)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Aug 22, 2011, 9:08 AM
Post #13 of 14
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Re: Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to do a block test or sniff the radiator with the cap off with a gas analyzer to see if there is combustion gases making their way into the coolant system.
Every Cadillac sold should come with a free bag of Speedy Dry in the trunk.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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nickwarner
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Aug 23, 2011, 1:41 PM
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Re: Overheating 1996 cadillac northstar
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I would imagine one of those engineers got home early from work and caught his wife with the local mechanic. He calmly and quietly got back in his car, drove back to work and exacted his revenge.
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