My 2006 Lucerne has started puffing white smoke on startup. Usually indicates coolant in cylinder. The car is excellent shape inside and out. Any techs on here that can give me the flat rate for replacing this engine? Or should I just repair the studs and drive it. Wife loves the car and we don't need a car payment. Both retired on fixed income. Ed
Head gaskets flat rate at 21.3 for the pair, I don't have an actual engine replacement flat rate spec, but you'd be looking at close to that. The cradle has to be dropped out of the car and everything done on the ground. Quite honestly, most of our customers just bail out on them once they start having issues. The Northstar is/was a great engine when it's new, but have a tremendous amount of oil and coolant leak issues.
Is there something to swap in that is easy, or is this just something you need to know about to fix? Or is it just too expensive to pay someone. Cheaper to do yourself or too much in parts for a DIY?
My guys absolutely HATE working on them, I have to spread them around so I don't give the same guy 2 in a row. They are not easy, but if a guy had a lift he could do it at home, anything is possible. As far as a swap, you'd need a different transmission, engine, full harness, axles, engine mounts, ECU, yadayada.....it's not like it used to be. As I said, most customers just bail out on them or drive them till they actually die, as labor alone is about what the whole car books for.....
Where are you located? There are a few shops that specialize in repairing them. Helicoils and studs are the fix. I wouldn't put a used engine in unless you can verify it has already been fixed. What you have is serviceable in the right hands.
Ed, Just curious how many miles do you have on the car? We have one with 62 K and it runs well for now. Bob
I have had (2) a 2001 and 2003,I love these engines, that being most seem to fail over 100,000. Have you let the engine get cold and open the overflow cap, if air escapes the head gaskets are leaking, this I am told due to carbon build up and increasing the compression, was always told to go once a week and do a few WOT's This is where I had my 2001 repaired, fascinating how they do it... http://www.midwestcadillacrepair.com