You can thank GM for killing two promising technologies in American cars back in the 80's -- diesel and cylinder shut-off.
Didn't G.M. also get the high silicon/aluminum block right with a Cadillac pushrod V8 that preceeded the Northstar in the early '90s? Some weird duck of a motor with cast iron heads?
Yeah the 4.1 (HT4100), 4.5, and 4.9 V8's. Aluminum block with cast iron heads. They didn't exactly get it right though because these engines are notorious for coolant leaks and head gasket failures. They even came factory with GM sealant pellets or "stop leak" in the cooling system. If you own one of these engines flush your cooling system AT LEAST evey 2 years or 24,000 miles and add the sealant pellets. God help you if you own an HT4100. By far the worst engine GM has ever made.
I was test driving a Northstar STS in 97, still when the engine system was pretty fresh. The sales rep was telling me how ingenious cadillac has been through the years, engineering such wonder machines and engine 'breakthroughs' in design, with the V8-6-4, 4.X series engines, and the 4.6 Northstar. At the time, I wanted a Seville (affordable) with what would be the 4.1 or 4.5 V8. My dad just didn't let me get one. Later I purchased 4 Northstar powered STS's. They have been the most costly, unreliable, problematic powerplants I have ever owned! They use high amounts of oil, have transmission issues, three blew head gaskets. The gaskets can't be repaired, either...the head bolts pull out of the block so that requires a $7G overhaul. My GF was getting a warranty for her car, and every warranty company had a disclaimer that they would not warranty Cadillac 4.1 (HT4100)! So, my experience with the engineering 'breakthroughs', is exactly that...they always break. Maybe having Bars Leaks in a cooling system may be positive, but installed at the factory...for goodnes sake, isn't that saying something to begin with?! My uncle had to have 3 engines in a 90 Fleetwood, due to coolant leaks. I just haven't had good luck, although I'm writing this for the humor side of things. They are fun to drive...when they are working and I have a bottomless bank account. LOL
