Well, this month has been especially bad on the Cadillac front (well it seems every month isn't a good month for this car). I smelled a bit of burning oil at times, took it in thinking it would be something normal like a valve cover or oil pan gasket. No such luck, most of the engine's major and minor seals are leaking to some extent. Do products that promise to stop engine oil leaks really help?

 

Engine oil stop leak is designed to swell gaskets and seals to stop leaks caused by shrinkage. I ,myself, have no experience with these products. I would replace what was required. I do not believe it would be effective in regards to lower crankcase leak. It maybe effective with valve cover gaskets, however it should be deemed a 'band aid' not a fix. Usually done prior to sale of a car, to an unsuspecting person or dealer. As people who do this @#$% say 'Let the buyer beware.'

 

I totally agree with slowroll, buy yourself a gasket set and replace as you have the time. Unless of course you don't intend to keep this ride. Gasket sets are not that much money but do take up a few weekends to complete. Good luck and Merry Xmas all.

 

Thanks guys. I have to wonder if this was done to my car.

 

Here is where the oil is leaking, "front cover gasket, front seal, rear main seal, upper and lower water crossover gaskets, intake gaskets, and oil manifold." I don't know if the leaks are "major" or "minor". I do smell oil burning after driving on the highway. When I change the oil, the pan is always wet and dirty with oil. At least it doesn't billow out smoke from the front or rear end. It doesn't leave oil stains either.

The GM dealer estimated about $2700 to repair the engine. It seems to me it would be better to overhaul the engine, get a crated rebuilt engine (I saw a sign at the auto parts house) or use an engine from a salvage yard. Or, I could just keep pouring oil into the engine and hope for the best. Given the car's value and that the transmission's torque converter may be bad (or the sensors are giving faulty readings), it seems risky to put another dime into it. Even with these repairs, it seems unlikely the car will stop giving me trouble. Any thoughts on what to do?

 

I think you have answered the question yourself.

 

I agree,$2700 is a lot of money, cant be much cheaper with the crate engine and the northstar is not really an overhaul engine. Factor in the tranny and you have $4500+ to put in this 99. But I know how much this car can mean to you. Wish you the best.

 

I feel so much better now. I purchased another Taurus wagon. Now to sell the Cadillac (at a costly loss I must add) and I'll be done with it. The Cadillac was a bad experience and it's time to put it behind me.

 

Tha sad part is that there was a recall for engine seals on that motor and year and the GM fix was very good. I have to wonder why the dealer would not tell you about the recall. Oh never mind, they saw a $2,700 bill dancing in thier heads!

 

There was/is no recall for leaks. There is one for a small number of 99 4.0 & 4.6 engines that the head bolt holes were drilled too deep and could lead to head gasket failure. Recall info in FAQ section if your vin falls within vin break contact dealer. On a different note. Head gasket in a can gets another victim. A friend of mine just bought his son a 2000 Land Rover notice it didn't appear to have antifreeze in it when they got it home. Drained and filled with antifreeze, now has blown heads.