I'm the proud new owner of a 2004 Cadillac DeVille with a Northstar LD8 with 87K miles. The best part? It's a retired Eureka hearse that's externally beautiful. I only paid $2,200.00 for her because she has engine trouble, the extent to which is currently unknown. I'm taking her to a Cadillac specialty shop soon, and then I'll know more about what I'm dealing with. However, she's losing coolant and throwing a P0301 code (cylinder one misfire), which leads me to believe the most significant problem will be stretched TTY bolts and one or both head gaskets leaking.

My questions are: If I have to replace the bolts and head gaskets, would it be better to repair the current motor and install a Northstar Performance 'Bulletproof' kit or replace it with a Fraser Remanufactured Northstar Engine? The Fraser engine will likely cost more, but they have all the upgrades already installed (though not an NP Bulletproof kit or Suregrip bolts). They also come with a complete set of replacement gaskets for moving the other needed parts (valve covers, water pump, starter, etc.) from the old motor to the new one.

Has anyone here had experiences with Fraser or another engine remanufacturer? If so, was it a viable way to get new life and miles out of your Northstar-equipped Caddy?

Also, has anyone installed a Northstar Performance Suregrip or Bulletproof Kit installed in your motor? If so, are you pleased with the outcome?

Any advice y'all can offer would be most appreciated.

~MattLTH