19th Oct 2014, 03:01
Excellent point. The 4.9 was eclipsed by the Northstar - for a while. People were bowled over by its heretofore unheard of for a Cadillac rev range, and its initial reliability. As time went on, oil consumption, oil leaks, and eventually, nagging head gasket failures surfaced. Meanwhile the final iteration of the HT4100 family - the 4.9 - was holding up relatively well.
The 4.9 may not have the rev range of the Northstar, but it has a enough of a rev range, and a very nice subjective feel, with a torque curve that is well-suited to the wide-ratio automatics that both engine families were hitched to.
19th Oct 2014, 22:22
I don't like to rev a car past about 2,000 RPM, and the wonderful thing about the old V8s (and even a few of the old push-rod sixes) is that you didn't need to. Comfort and torque, that's the answer... too bad it's gone.
21st Oct 2014, 21:31
Yes, I agree. And the 4.9 is great for torque throughout the band. Merging on to the highway, passing, highway cruising... I don't seem to ever have to push the pedal any more than an eighth of the distance to the floor. Pulls like a bear. Nice and quiet on the highway because it's just not huffing at all to do the job.
25th Oct 2014, 03:30
I would take a 4.9 over a Northstar any day.
I have owned 4x 4.9 liter cars and one 4.6 Northstar, and the 4.9 is far better for reliable, consistent mechanical performance.
The Northstar may be a more sophisticated engine, but it's far less reliable. I have belonged to two Caddy websites, and have found common faults with the Northstar that are expressed.
1st Feb 2023, 13:05
I'd like to know other opinions on "city" driving comparable to the Fleetwood and DeVille. Also, the 4.9 Eldorado to the NorthStar ETC. I currently drive a Volvo S40 and feel every bump. Prior Cadillac owner of the 93 and 94 Fleetwood. They are too hard to find nowadays; as are the parts and looking for Deville or Eldorado with the 4.9 and am most concerned over road noise and road feel. Thanks in advance.
1st Feb 2023, 19:16
You won't find anything that rides as good or quiet as a 90s Fleetwood, but the DTS from the 2006-2011 is the next best thing. I heard the XTS offers a floaty quiet ride as well. The 4.9 and Northstar have no shortcomings performance wise, but the Northstar likes to play 'show and tell' with how much better it is than the 4.9. It'll spin all the way up to 6500rpm and make sweet music while doing so.
4.9 (HT4900) sounds and runs like an old hot V8 from 1969 and drinks more gas than a Northstar.
2nd Feb 2023, 20:25
Driven the XTS myself. The ride doesn't compare at all to the grand old Cadillacs. The ride is quiet and smooth, but yet isn't capable of absorbing bumps or rough road surfaces.
Comparing the Northstar to the 4.9; yes the Northstar is faster and quieter than the 4.9, but nowhere near as reliable. Even after 2003 when the head bolt issue was resolved, you still had to deal with oil leaks, difficult starter and alternator replacement, water pumps aren't easy to replace and so on and so on. I had a 93 DeVille with the 4.9 with a pretty good service life, but steered clear of Cadillac later on due to the Northsar's well known issues.
To be honest the last good engine that Cadillac produced was the 6.0 368 CID V8 built from 1980-1981.
15th Oct 2014, 14:33
The 4.9 as far as reliability has been (as a fact) according to warranty claims, one of Cadillac's best engines in the modern era. To discount any Cadillac that is not equipped with a Northstar is really scoping out some great reliable cars with more than sufficient performance. Yes the NStar is more powerful. But that does not make a 4.9 powered vehicle inadequate by any means, and to claim it's not a Cadillac with it, quite honestly, is very closed minded.
The early Nstars were also very prone to head bolt failures, and needless to say, that's a costly repair, often more than the car is worth. It was not until approximately 2000 that the Nstar reached more reliable ground, and by that time, its reputation preceded later efforts, and the Nstar a few years after was nixed.
Myself, just an opinion, as is yours... I would not touch an NStar... and by the time Caddys were equipped with it, body styles changed with it. I like the classic styling of my 91 Eldo. Google info on Nstars and it's lots of talk of head gaskets.