Packaging. I remember when that engine was a new thing and it sounded like a great idea at the time. I'm guessing whoever signed off on the idea didn't have much/any experience in RAM-D testing. That's Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Durability. I worked in that field for a few years. It's best if your stuff just doesn't break during the design life expectancy, but if it does, you want it to be quick and easy to swap out. The original Porsche 911 is pretty good in that respect. It's designed along the lines of a race car in that it's expected that things will break and it's pretty easy to get to things and swap them out quickly.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

Unfortunately they also had a penchant for blowing head gaskets. I wouldn't want to be having to replace the rear HG or even changing spark plugs for that matter. There is a reason they are really cheap to purchase.


Sent from an abacus

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

The problem is not just limited to the gasket blowing out, the threads in the cylinder block strip out. You you get a can of worms in your hands.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

Just makes you wonder why the heck they used the engine all those years. Granted when they are running right they are supposedly very nice, smooth and torquey...I'm sure Tyler can add his experience here. I may be mistaken but I think the only RWD car that they had the northstar on was the XLR?


Sent from an abacus

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Starter in the valley sounds great to me. You replace it what, every 100k? That's about time to refresh the intake gasket anyway. Keeps the starter out of the salt too.

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

If you want to stretch things a bit, you could include the install of the 4.0 liter Olds Aurora Northstar into the RWD Shelby Series 1 during the late Nineties/early Aughts.

When this engine was developed it was quite an achievement. It was lighter (all aluminum), compact (4.6 Liter) , and more powerful (300HP) than the Europeans. Lots of neat little details designed for durability and ease of maintenance. The engine was actually designed to be able to drive 50 miles without coolant with no damage. Unfortunately they had a fatal flaw with the head gasket bolts, and were put into poorly designed cars/engine bays. You also had poor quality seals/gaskets. It was a huge step forward considering the heavy, larger, and only 200HP V8 it replaced.

I had a 98 STS and loved it. Currently driving the last of the Northstars, a 2007 DTS. They are pretty much worthless value wise and far more reliable than given credit, especially the 2007, but working on them is a huge pain. I think with an extra few inches in the back bay, better head gasket bolts, seals and gaskets, we would be talking about this engine in the same breath as the 3.8 V6.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

The 4.7 liter Toyota V8 has the starter in the valley as well. But that is a fabulous engine IMHO. My '98 LC has almost 300K miles on it.

Rgds,
Chris W.
'95 E300D, 444K

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Objects in closer are mirror than they appear.

as tyler pointed out the engine was quite advanced than the one it replaced, as usual with GM - their design is good, their execution is a total failure sometimes.

The engine is meant to rev like a motorcycle, its actually specified to leak some oil past its oil rings to keep them nicely lubed, they have collosal failures of the head bolt threads in the block, however there are some repair kits now that repair this issue quite good (I used it on my camry)

The engine cradle was sealed with rubber gasket which leaked after a while, GM's update to use threebond sealant repairs that permanently (actually violence is required to remove the bond - I love that sealant).

But as the car aged through its life, it was seen as a collosal failure because of such leaks and HG failures, repairs were not fast or cheap either and not everyone wrenches on their vehicles.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

I'd nominate just about any V6 FWD van!

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

And if I could jump 44" vertically and was 7'-3, I probably would have been an excellent basketball player!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.