# 1998 Cacillac Deville **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** engines\ **Created:** [April 28, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-cacillac-deville/29727 "2009-04-28T03:29:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![munskin1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@munskin1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/munskin1)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-cacillac-deville/29727/1 "2009-04-28T03:29:53Z")
I purchased this car from an auction, and it ran what seemed to be fairly well until I completed my 8 mile drive home. That is when all the coolant began to leak from what seemed to be the overflow. Why did my NorthStar overheat. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-cacillac-deville/29727/2 "2009-04-28T03:40:18Z")
Maybe the guy who put it up for auction had the same question…Did the electric cooling fan(s) come on? Do they come on when you turn on the A/C? Overheating can be caused by many things from a bad radiator cap to a blown head gasket or cracked head. A good mechanic should at least know the reason in about an hour… ---
**Author:** ![munskin1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@munskin1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/munskin1)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-cacillac-deville/29727/3 "2009-05-08T02:13:34Z")
Well, I took the thing to the mechanic, and he did a block test and said that the engine was damaged with a blown head gasket. Also, the radiator had a small leak in it and the mechanic said that the leak is why there was no white smoke coming from it. Well I reckon I’ll be looking for another engine. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 2:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-cacillac-deville/29727/4 "2009-05-08T02:46:23Z")
Why should a blown head gasket gasket necessitate a replacement engine? ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 11:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-cacillac-deville/29727/5 "2009-05-08T11:56:04Z")
And now you know why I would not buy a car from an auction. Being able to look at the car (and perhaps to peer under the hood) is just not sufficient to verify that a car is in decent mechanical shape. While there are exceptions to every rule, in almost every case, the better used cars do not wind up at auctions. ---
**Author:** ![Scudder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Scudder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scudder)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-cacillac-deville/29727/6 "2009-05-08T12:22:22Z")
A good question kit - Northstar V8s are ‘plastic’ engines ~ alloy block & head. That engine has a record of both blown head gaskets and problematic replacement i.e. new head gaskets blow due to head / block distortion. Only viable remedy is engine replacement since it’s more economical than head / block machining. There are companies out there that do nothing but rebuild Northstars. If you do go for a head gasket remedy NEVER EVER RE-USE THE HEAD BOLTS. ---
**Author:** ![munskin1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@munskin1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/munskin1)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-cacillac-deville/29727/7 "2009-05-08T16:52:19Z")
Well now, lets see… I reckon I can find an engine for about 1700.00 (rebuilt). Warranty becomes another issue. Do you think that a one year warranty would be sufficient for that kind of money and engine? Anyway, I called back to the auction house, and I must have caught someone at a bad time to complain. Anyway, he said son, you Can Read right ?? 🙂 Thanks ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-cacillac-deville/29727/8 "2009-05-08T18:56:34Z")
One year is what’s typical on the market. Yeah, it’s sufficient. If anything is wrong with the engine it gives you plenty of time to discover it and get a replacement. Remember that the purpose of the warranty is not to earrant the engine for longevity, but rather to warrant that it’s free of defects when you get it.