Hey I have the chance to buy a 96 DeVille for $700.00 Its fully loaded and has 190kms What should I look out for on this? I haven't looked at it yet, just hopin some of you caddy guys will be able to help...LOL
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1960 Pontiac Strato Chief Safari 1960 Laurentian Safari 1960 Laurentian 4door(scrapped) 2001 Grand Am Traded on a '96 Suburban 2WD 2002 Hyundai Accent(SOLD) 1968 Grand Parisienne Scrapped and SOLD
the norstar v8 dont touch it if it has one, but if you insist, wtch for any cooling or heating issues, cause it means a motor job. starter is under the intake, so listen for strange noises. (12 hr job to replace)
I heard something about the northtar and heating problems, or overheating problems. Is it the head gaskets, or some other problem?
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1960 Pontiac Strato Chief Safari 1960 Laurentian Safari 1960 Laurentian 4door(scrapped) 2001 Grand Am Traded on a '96 Suburban 2WD 2002 Hyundai Accent(SOLD) 1968 Grand Parisienne Scrapped and SOLD
head gaskets due to aluminum head, and its poor design. most mechanics wont even touch a head job on those, and the few that will, wont even give a tailight warranty. they are bad news to buy used.
1960 Pontiac Strato Chief Safari 1960 Laurentian Safari 1960 Laurentian 4door(scrapped) 2001 Grand Am Traded on a '96 Suburban 2WD 2002 Hyundai Accent(SOLD) 1968 Grand Parisienne Scrapped and SOLD
A properly maintained NorthStar will go 500,000 klms no problem. '96 was a decent year for that engine, but really look out for headgasket problems as everybody says. It seems that geezer owned cars that only do short drives without time to fully warmup get carbon build up and suffer the most for head gaskets. I've had 1 really bad one and 6-7 good ones.
for me it was 4 bad and 2 really good, and yup, your right, the low milers were the worst
-- Edited by tin indian on Sunday 6th of February 2011 05:16:00 PM
Another thing thats a must on those engines is proper coolant flush and refill with Dexron AND the GM rad suppliment tabs. The car sounds cheap, but Caddies can be a black hole for swallowing cash. I know of a near mint '97 STS, black on black, 160 klms and they want almost $3000 for it. it's nice but....
I swear by the Northstar, gives these cars perfomance that outmatchees pretty much every muscle car we crave. I plan on upgrading soon to '06 or 07, my 13 year old car is just too old to put any more money in..... I love it though, especially the Northstar. The overheating is not a bad design it is a function of the original owners not maintaining and GM's insistence on 160,000 km coolant changes. Bad idea, I've done it every two years. BUT this one is pretty old. I'd be surprised if the air ride works and as Todd says it probbaly won't pass emmissions. I think the engine is worth $700 though, would make a great resto rod engine, 300 HP from the factory after all.
It was owned by a Geezer...LOL I may still check it out though. $700, maybe get it for $500. The geezers daughter is selling it.
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1960 Pontiac Strato Chief Safari 1960 Laurentian Safari 1960 Laurentian 4door(scrapped) 2001 Grand Am Traded on a '96 Suburban 2WD 2002 Hyundai Accent(SOLD) 1968 Grand Parisienne Scrapped and SOLD
Engine oil leak. They have a cradle housing that holds all the main bearings. Leak will be between that and the block, not the oil pan. Either live with the leak or pull the engine and tear it down. Not a nice job. JC
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'68 Parisienne 2+2 Convertible Matador Red (Resale Red but not for sale).
It was owned by a Geezer...LOL I may still check it out though. $700, maybe get it for $500. The geezers daughter is selling it.
They all were owner by Geezers, that's sometimes how the problelm crop up with lack of maintenance. Kind of silly thinking the old guys were piloting around a 300 HP racing engine. The Northstar started life as an Indy engine then it was too good to shelve so it was detuned and dropped in the GM Flagship. Olds Aurora got a 4.0 litre version and then the 3.5 litre V6 known as the Shortstar evolved from it. The Bonneville GXP and Buick Lucerne also were benefactors of Northstar starting in 2004.
The Northstar has been on Ward's top 10 engines in the world list, so was the Shortstar. GM goofed with the coolant not the egine designs. The last Northstar was made a few months ago so the engine was in production for 19 years and really only pulled because V8's are a thing of the past. GM made enough to last for the planned run of cars that presently use them.
If you buy it change the coolant right away, change the trans fluid right away and change the oil right away. That will be a big bill. Call around to the dealers for the oil change. Some will do it for $39.99 Mr. Goodwrench specail or whatever it is called BUT the engine takes 8 litres so usually around $75 anywhere else. After than change your oil religiously and dump the coolant every other year.
I have never experienced an oil leak but I notice that the original owner had the main seals changed on a warranty work order when I bought the car from the dealer.
-- Edited by 73SC on Sunday 6th of February 2011 07:15:13 PM
