2004 GXP Headgasket Job

[wilsonracing]

I'm in Bloomville Oh. 44818

[91ThreeOhFive]

Moral of the story seems that if you have a headgasket issue, buy a rebuilt/used engine. Cadillac dealer told me that if that issue ever comes up with a Northstar, they replace the engine. Service techs exact words were that the Northstar is a "throw away engine". Seems even when you know what you are doing, there is a chance the engine will still have an issue.

[wilsonracing]

After all that's said and done with this motor and this car, Its came down to going with my gut and tightening the balancer more then the 27ft lbs and 120 deg. I now have amazing oil pressure and no over heating problems. The motor and the car runs great and preforms awesome.

So I would say I would do this build again, knowing what I know now. And knowing that the book is not always right and to trust my gut and first instinct.

[harofreak00]

Yay! Now you don't need to crush it! How much more did you tighten it?

[wilsonracing]

I set it to 60ft lbs. and it works great.

[CMNTMXR57]

Moral of the story seems that if you have a headgasket issue, buy a rebuilt/used engine. Cadillac dealer told me that if that issue ever comes up with a Northstar, they replace the engine. Service techs exact words were that the Northstar is a "throw away engine". Seems even when you know what you are doing, there is a chance the engine will still have an issue.

This has nothing to do with it being a "throw away" engine. It has to do with what is cheaper for GM in terms of warranty costs. If it's something significantly involved (Studding on N*'s isn't one of those as it is a common issue and most techs at Caddy dealers can do them in their sleep...), GM just R&R's (Remove and Replaces) it instead of involving tech time and parts for something they can't guarantee. It's just cheaper to pay a tech book time to R&R something than it is to have them rebuild it... I saw this a lot with transmissions to be honest and secondarily, driveline/axles.

What they do, is then send the defective ones to rebuilders (Jasper for one), or others and have them (engines and transmissions) rebuilt to keep in their own stock for warranty replacements and sell the excess to those same rebuilders and they rebuild and resell them.

But it has little to nothing to do with the N* being a "throw away" motor... All engines fall into that category now-a-days.

[CMNTMXR57]

After all that's said and done with this motor and this car, Its came down to going with my gut and tightening the balancer more then the 27ft lbs and 120 deg. I now have amazing oil pressure and no over heating problems. The motor and the car runs great and preforms awesome.

So I would say I would do this build again, knowing what I know now. And knowing that the book is not always right and to trust my gut and first instinct.

On the last page I eluded to this...

my quote;

The bolts on the balancer require a specific torque... Something like 37ft/lb and 120* rotation after.

[wilsonracing]

It's well over the 37 ft lbs and 120 deg now... Lol I do know I set it to your speck the second time after I replaced the oil pump, that's when I set it to 60. And I agree, I would not have throw the engine away for a replacement. It's a great running motor and worked as it should. The studs are the way to go.