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Comments
As for the initial sequence, I dont think it's misfiring to bring the catalytic converter up to temperature, but I could be wrong. I always understood that a very lean condition created more heat in the converter. I know the air pump (fitted at least on the 2K1+) is used to that effect. Did Aurora5000 record some misfiring on a plain scan tool?
Francois
IMHO, Henri
My 99 classic has developed an annoying vibration in the sunroof shade. I can touch it and it stops for a while then starts right back up. Its very noticeable. Anybody got a cure for this one?
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Now is the vibration noticeable when it opens or close? Because that would mean that it will eventually stop opening or closing all the way. That's what happened to my 1999 Aurora. Took it to the dealer and they did a complete tune-up on it.
To each his own, but it sounds very grainy to me.
Hood scoops/ducts don't tend to be made for any specific cars. I've never seen an aftermarket or high-rise hood for an Aurora. However, scoops or ducts can be integrated into the hood by a competent body-shop. As far as what will fit where, you and the shop will have to determine that yourself. I think we'd all be curious to see after pictures...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1855791418
That Aurora has an interesting color blue. It looks pretty nice. Wish I could say the same about the wheels. They are a bit much. The ad says they are extra cost. What the heck does he do if you don't want them? Do you get it on four spares or something? You never know on Ebay. I wonder if he removed the walnut trim and replaced it with oak or if he was just guessing at the material? I got a chuckle out of the angle of the front seatbacks, though.
I imagine that he will take a bath on selling it. It seems like when you modify a car it lowers the value relative to an unmodified car even if you've put way more money into it or made some part of it nicer.
I do not know how long GM keeps cars in their database, so if you plan to keep your car, you might want to get the printout now.
Henri
What type of print out is it? Is it similar to the old "build sheet" that used to be under rear seats? Are there still build sheets in cars? I found mine in my '53 Olds there (although someone torn). I saved my window sticker. How does this differ?
53Rocket
Thanks
The history of this engine starts out as the Oldsmobile Quad4. Then in 1988 Olds made a few Quad 8 to see how this engine could be made at a competitive cost. Feuling Injection systems of california who had consulted on the turbo quad 4 is enthused by the idea and works on his own version, hoping to sell it back to Oldsmobile. Marketing gets involved and the quad8 name is dropped at some point, yet the engine continues to be fine tuned.
Aluminium casting gets approved at some point, using dry sleeve inserts, less expensive to manufacture than silicon plus this would allow for different engine capacity with just a change of sleeve, keeping the stroke at 84mm (note: initially the stroke using quad 4 parts had to be 85mm, I dont know how/why it became 84mm). Potential bores ranged from 81.5 to 93mm. This would keep piston speeds within range, but obviously the 93mm version with a greater piston mass would require a lower rpm (hence the reason IRL 3.5L aurora can rev higher than the 4L). This engine was picked up in 4.6L form by Cadillac in 92 to include in the upcoming 93 Allante.
Dry sleeves that have been used during the history of this engine: 81.5mm (3.5L), 87mm (4.0L), 89.5 (4.2L - as used in caddy show cars starting in 99) and 93mm (4.6L).
So, in short, the northstar is an overbored oldsmobile aurora v8.
Francois
Also, for those who didn't know, Olds had the Aurora V8, and the car, in mind well before 1994. The Aurora V8 broke a bunch of endurance records back in 1992, well before the car debuted.
I appreciate your posting this info Francois. If you have any more, please feel free to post it or email me at aurora402002@yahoo.com. I'm quite interested in the history of the Aurora V8, and I bet others here are too.
P.S. I thought the 3.5L IRL Aurora had a shorter stroke with the same sized pistons? The reduced stroke would also increase revs because the same mass has to accelerate less (less distance to travel for each rotation). But I'm going from memory so maybe I got it wrong.
Also, I've noticed Cadillac press releases and history stuff had carefully not talked about the early Northstar except to mention it debuting in the Allante, sort of implying they developed it but avoiding actualy saying it. However, this release does mention Caddy developing it. I too noticed that. I guess no one minds kicking Olds when it's down.
At any rate more piston mass means lower max rpm, but I had forgotten that both 3.5 and 4.0 engines differ from production engines in conrod lenghts and crankshaft stroke. Both use a 93mm bore and shorter strokes (I believe these would be 73.5mm for the 4L and 64.5!! for the 3.5L).
Now what is really interesting is that the LX5 (the street going 3.5L found in the intrigue and aurora v6, a V6 obviously, while the 3.5L IRL is a v8, which you know, I'm just mentioning this for other potential readers) uses an 89.5 bore, a size that had been identified early on as a potential one by olds engineer to make a 4.2L V8. So again, another Cadillac "innovation" that is really Oldsmobile. The 3.5L V6 is also pure Oldsmobile.
It gets better. Remember the OSV Intrigue? Supercharged 3.5L V6 with pistons for the application. Once these became available on the shelves at GM, Cadillac comes up with a 4.2L supercharged v8. Coincidence? I think not.
Last thing, the LX5 has a 92mm stroke. We are but a crankshaft away of a stroker kit for the aurora v8.
Using the original aurora v8 pistons and the v6 conrod and this (as of yet) imaginary crankshaft, we would get roughly a 4.4L engine. With a V6 conrod and piston (altough we'd loose a bit in compression) that would make a 4.63L engine. Now for the final twist of imagination, imagine a 93mm bore (like the indy engines or the caddy) and this imaginary crank, v6 conrod and caddy northstar pistons, we'd get a 5L engine. Having said that, all these imaginary engines would have a lower max rpm and more loss due to the larger angle between the conrod and cylinder wall when the crank is horizontal.
To conclude, if the caddy 4.6 can sustain 6400 rpm before shifting, there should be no reason that the aurora 4L couldn't go to 7000, assuming the transaxle and heads can take it.
Francois
>The Aurora V8 broke a bunch of
>endurance records back in 1992
Indeed with the Aerotech Aurora. They also raced in 91 or maybe 92 that same aurora v8 in some "cutlass" tube frame chassis.
Francois
Many people think that the Aurora started out as a Cadillac show car and was in developement as the next STS initially.
The car has 93k on it, the dealer only had it for two weeks hes kinda like a 4 car dealer so he dosn't know much im taking the car to my mechanic on Monday the 9/16/2002 for him to look over the guys asking 6000 for it so let me know what you all think car seems to be in overall good shape..JC
You may also want to check the build date to see that it is after July 94.
I own a 95 Aurora.
You can also just call Olds with the VIN and they will give you the history. When I got my 98 with only 13,000 miles, I still did it and found that it had a light changed - that's it.
Don't forget Car Fax either. It's a great resource.
I stick by my value of under $5,000. But in America, you are free to pay as much for something that you want. How about those popcorn and canfy prices at the movies?
At $7,000 I got to wonder what value Edmunds is putting on the "STUFF" the Seller put in the trunk of the car.
Hmm, does anyone else hear Eric Clapton?
Overall, I have been very pleased with my Aurora. The paint and finish have held up well, the car is parked in my garage at night. The interior is spotless and still looks new after I do a normal cleanup. (It's good that I like the car, running comps is a shocking exercise - the value of these cars is falling like a brick from a 10 story building - I'm stuck with this baby for awhile!)
Like others in this group, I have been required to visit my local car repair shop on a number of occasions. The air conditioner and water pump have been replaced (under warranty), at 55,000 miles I had to replace the plugs and wires, clean the throttle body etc. Since then, the car has run very well with no problems except that now, at 70,000 plus miles my fuel gauge does not work. Or I should say that it works for the first one third of the tank, then it rapidly drops down to zero, the warning message appears and then the gauge soars to full. Very strange behavior....
All other gauges appear to work normally. Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Mark
My '97 experienced the same problem at about 60 000 miles. According to this discussion and to my local Olds parts man, this is a common occurence. The cause seems to be the sender in the tank. I have not replaced mine yet; I depend on the DIC "fuel used" display to keep me out of trouble. I plan to replace both the gauge sender and the fuel pump soon -- to avoid challenging Henry for his record of worst place to suffer a fuel pump failure -- in the Holland Tunnel.
AC Delco replacement for the sender is about $100. The fuel pump is about $400 (which may include the sender, but I have not been able to verify that).
It sure as hell isn't in an Aurora. And what is that hanging off on the bottom right? Electrical tape? Geez... It's no wonder Olds doesn't sell any Auroras. They don't advertise it at all, and if by some chance you do actually hear of the car and try to find out about it, you'll be turned off by it's V6 and electrical tape interior...
Periodically I hear the sound of what seems to be a small motor coming from the rear or the trunk area of the car. I never know when it will come on and when it does it seems to run about 10 or 15 seconds and then shuts down. I can't for the life of me figure out what this could be.
Has anyone else had a similar experience?