I have a 1992 Allante with a 4.5 liter engine. I recently had some cylinder head problems and found it necessary to install a new engine. When I was researching the problems with the engine, I was told that the problems were also prevelent with the 93 Northstar unit.

I am thinking about purchasing a '93 Allante with the Northstar but I am concerned about the potential engine problem. I was recently told that only the early Northstars had the problem and that the cars could be identified by the Northstar emblem on the trunk which was chrome on a black background. According to my source, cars with better engines were chrome with no black background.

Can anyone bring any light to bear on any of this information??

Thanks in advance for your help

 

not so .. who told you that?

please read the Allante XYZ Facts in our Allante FAQ .. the V4 is in the code sheet (spare tire well) of the cars that have the 2nd generation engines. However, they are still susceptible to the coolant issues.

"The 1993 had a mid-year V4 engine change. All these engines have shown a tendency for head-gasket failure due to coolant issues. Experience has shown that all coolants failed to protect the aluminum engines after 24 months. The Touring and Sports Coupe El Dorados were also given their own versions of the N* in the late '93 models as was the 93 Seville STS. "



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Nice suggestion about this issue in Allante.I also suggested you to read this and properly understand its engine and other parts and then solve the issue,its better for your experience.

 

I had a 90 for a while I appreciated the 4.5 motor. It seemed to be a lot simpler to work on. I now have a 93. The NorthStar motor has confounding placement of different parts like the water pump n the starter. The 93 for certain has a little bit more horsepower. Also, I really really appreciate the fact that the brakes are simpler. I've put about 10,000 miles on my 93 since I bought it a few years ago. I recently put a new transmission in it. So, I'm not too happy with the transmission performance. As for as for the engine I've had no major problems so far. The ignition system is coil packs. Those need occasional replacement. If you decide to buy a 93, one word of advice; get a later year model. I believe it's called the 4jv. The trans in the early year 93 is difficult to find and impossible to find folks that will work on it.