Tell me about the 1st gen Cadillac CTS-V

[OVERKILL]

I've seen a few CTS-V's around and I normally hate the "sharp edge"/square look of the Cadillac cars, but I find it looks actually pretty decent on the CTS/CTS-V. The first-gen cars seem like they are nicely powered/equipped (400HP LS6) and reviewed well from what I've read. They come with the bulletproof T-56 transmission, so essentially they have a bomb-proof powertrain.

I saw a low mileage '04 for 14K the other day and it just got the gears spinning as a second car..... I'm not serious about it, but I'm curious, if that makes sense?

Anybody who knows me on here knows I'm not much of a GM fan. But that doesn't mean I don't respect a solid powertrain in what appears to be a pretty decent car for the price (and pre-bailout... yes, that matters to me). So if you are familiar with the cars, tell me about them. My biggest gripe is the interior, which doesn't seem to suite the "grade" of the car. It looks like some parts were plucked from a Cavalier

 

[SteveSRT8]

I can tell you about two of them.

One belongs to a track rat friend, basically stock. We have both beat the heck out of it since new. He has had a couple of extremely minor glitches, infotainment and such. Six speed stick in a 4 door. Tune only, otherwise stock. DEEP into the elevens in street tires!!!

My son's bud has a slushbox with a pulley, tune, exhaust, and some trans mods. It's a real WOW car with well over 600 hp at the wheels. A monster, but will overheat the SC if you hold your foot down for too long.

Both are mechanically very reliable. IMO the car has very little "presence" on the street with tiny wheels and tires.

I'll take mine in a 2 door!

 

[glock19]

A good buddy of mine has a 2005 6 speed manual as a track car. He runs R-Spec tires and has a full Corsa exhaust, headers, new cam, and tune.

The drive train has been rock solid after 100K and 3 years of track time. However, he has chronic power steering issues and recently blew some type of circuit that disabled all the electronics in the car. Still able to drive home from the track though (windows down and no gauges, lol).

All of that said, it's a great car but it's heavy. He's probably bailing soon and getting another S2000.

 

[Hokiefyd]

They're nice cars. I've driven my friend's car a few times. The interior looks very cheap, but doesn't feel nearly as cheap as it looks. It was a surprisingly solid car. Far, far more solid than the '01 STS that I had at the time. I was impressed with it.

 

[Art_Vandelay]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
It looks like some parts were plucked from a Cavalier


Actually some parts were plucked from a decontented Cavalier.

I think it's a killer used car. No doubt about that. GM really could be a world class car company. They just need to see their products through with a uniform vision. I wish they could have cloned Steve Jobs and had him run this company. There'd be a lot of bankruptcies in the future automotive world cause a well run GM could do a lot of damage.

They still manage to do many things well. The Corvette's performance is astounding on a dollar for dollar basis. I know it's not the greatest feeling in the world when the steering wheel comes off in your hands while your parallel parking it...but it only takes a couple of minutes to put it back on.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Ooops. I'm talking second gen.

1st Gen did have a habit of blowing the transaxle at the strip especially with drag radials. But this was only the stick models.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Ooops. I'm talking second gen.

1st Gen did have a habit of blowing the transaxle at the strip especially with drag radials. But this was only the stick models.


I think the first gen was only available with a stick, no?

 

[ls1mike]

First gen was only available with the T56 6 speed. The early ones (04 to 05) had the LS6. The later ones (05 to 07) used the LS2. The stock clutch is a pretty good unit at stock horsepower levels. Most of these cars would run anywhere from 12.80 to 13.40 depending on conditions and driver.
The weak spot is the rear end. There are kits out there designed to manage the wheel hop and prevent breakage.

I love how everyone complains about the interior. My 03's was very similar and it was just as nice a comparably equipped Lexus at the time. We crossed shopped those when we ended up with our plain Jane CTS.

It will run just like my LS1s have. I have had no problems with any of mine, have been around them since 98 racing them and swapping go fast parts. They take a dang good beating and love boost/N2O.

I am not aware of the power steering issue that is mentioned in this post. At least no one with them on the Cadillac board or the LS boards has complained. May have something to do with his setup or how much track time it sees.

 

[ls1mike]

04 CTS-V

04 Cavalier.

There is Pearl Vision near you!

 

[OVERKILL]

Mike:

It is the vents that look "borrowed" from something lower-tier. The rest of it looks decent.

Since you seem knowledgeable, what are the big differences between the LS6 and the LS2?

 

[ls1mike]

Engine size, electronics, heads, cam, oiling. You get the picture.

The LS6 is a standard Bore 3.9 inch (I believe) LS1/LS6
It is most similar to the LS1

The LS2 is the 6.0 4.0 inch bore, different heads, intake.

I would take either, but personally like the LS2, it has a lot of updates.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Engine size, electronics, heads, cam, oiling. You get the picture.

The LS6 is a standard Bore 3.9 inch (I believe) LS1/LS6
It is most similar to the LS1

The LS2 is the 6.0 4.0 inch bore, different heads, intake.

I would take either, but personally like the LS2, it has a lot of updates.


How do the power output/curves compare?

 

[ls1mike]

Ask and you shall receive. I had this saved for a long time.
Loaded it up just for you...

Lots of folks call the 6.0 the "Truck" motor. In stock form, they are almost identical. Bigger bore, if you modify, is better.
I also like the updates the 6.0 has.

 

[glock19]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike
I am not aware of the power steering issue that is mentioned in this post. At least no one with them on the Cadillac board or the LS boards has complained. May have something to do with his setup or how much track time it sees.


I'm positive it has to do with the amount of track time. It's been a serious track car for a few years now. He actually blew the hose off the pump down in Tennessee and drove it all the way back to DC with no power steering. I think he just burned the pump up on the way home. It works fine to drive on the street but at the track it completely blows out, he just needs a new pump. Also, the most recent time the pump blew at the track it burned up something and caused a short circuit somewhere. All of the electrics don't work and the battery drains if left connected so something is shorted. He's taking it to get checked out this week.

That long winded description is my way of saying the car is definitely reliable and the issues he had are a direct result of tracking the car. Those issues aren't too bad for 3 years of track time.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Ask and you shall receive. I had this saved for a long time.
Loaded it up just for you...

Lots of folks call the 6.0 the "Truck" motor. In stock form, they are almost identical. Bigger bore, if you modify, is better.
I also like the updates the 6.0 has.

Torque curve on the 6.0L looks a lot better........

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: glock19
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
I am not aware of the power steering issue that is mentioned in this post. At least no one with them on the Cadillac board or the LS boards has complained. May have something to do with his setup or how much track time it sees.


I'm positive it has to do with the amount of track time. It's been a serious track car for a few years now. He actually blew the hose off the pump down in Tennessee and drove it all the way back to DC with no power steering. I think he just burned the pump up on the way home. It works fine to drive on the street but at the track it completely blows out, he just needs a new pump. Also, the most recent time the pump blew at the track it burned up something and caused a short circuit somewhere. All of the electrics don't work and the battery drains if left connected so something is shorted. He's taking it to get checked out this week.

That long winded description is my way of saying the car is definitely reliable and the issues he had are a direct result of tracking the car. Those issues aren't too bad for 3 years of track time.

He does know they make a better pump right? The company escapes me right now, but it works for almost all LS based motors. I will see if I can find it.
At anyrate. I do believe the pump from the 2500/3500HD trucks have been swapped in "racers". It is a very stout unit as it is for steering and the brakes.

Bet he got fluid in the Alternator...I lost a hose on the Trans Am and had a similar problem. Seems to me the alternator is below the PS pump.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Ask and you shall receive. I had this saved for a long time.
Loaded it up just for you...

Lots of folks call the 6.0 the "Truck" motor. In stock form, they are almost identical. Bigger bore, if you modify, is better.
I also like the updates the 6.0 has.

Torque curve on the 6.0L looks a lot better........

Another thing is the reluctor ring on the crank is different between the two as well. If memory serves me it was to help smooth the idle, but don't quote me as it was long time ago. At any rate you can swap an LS2 in where an LS1/LS6 was, but you need to swap the reluctor ring on the crank.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Anyone who owns some of the iron block 6.0's can tell you they are amazingly durable and strong. Long life is the norm.

 

[Ben99GT]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
One belongs to a track rat friend, basically stock. We have both beat the heck out of it since new. He has had a couple of extremely minor glitches, infotainment and such. Six speed stick in a 4 door. Tune only, otherwise stock. DEEP into the elevens in street tires!!!


Then it must be an LSA CTS-V, because no 1st gen LS6/LS2 CTS-V is going 11s with just a tune.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
One belongs to a track rat friend, basically stock. We have both beat the heck out of it since new. He has had a couple of extremely minor glitches, infotainment and such. Six speed stick in a 4 door. Tune only, otherwise stock. DEEP into the elevens in street tires!!!


Then it must be an LSA CTS-V, because no 1st gen LS6/LS2 CTS-V is going 11s with just a tune.


Yes it is. I initially missed that he was looking at the first gen models. Both described in that post are the later model supercharged LSA motor.

But I can assure you, the ET's are real!