My Car is beside itself! CAR WIZARD's '04 XLR has a split personality

NORTHSTAR HEAD BOLT REPAIR #4: The Northstar engine has been bullet proofed. Now the fun of swapping the engine. You've got to see how the CAR WIZARD 🧙‍♂️ split his 2004 Cadillac XLR into two. Thanks again to ‪@NorthstarPerformance‬ and ‪@JJAutoWrecking‬ for making this video series possible.
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[@GoinDownhill361]

No matter where Mrs Wizard points her camera, there's always one of Hoovie's tragedies lurking in the back. Can't wait to see and hear that sweet Caddy when it's ready. Keep up the good work!

[@flyonbyya]

No doubt…like a friggin nightmare

[@chrisparsley9647]

You made me rewatch the whole video to count how many of Hoovies cars are in there

[@bryduhbikeguy]

Von,Eh,eh,eh car owened by Hoooie.Two,eh,eh,eh,cars owened by Hoowie...

[@MrTilbin]

Hoovies reality TV KZbin channel. His tragedies aren't real life. If there wasn't a profit he wouldn't do it.

[@abbysapples2547]

"The Haunting Of Hoovie" in theaters now, rated R for retarded. ❤️😃👍

[@rodrv6]

I used the same method to rebuild the engine on my C4 Corvette and my Porsche 928. It's the way they were put together at the factory, actually pretty easy!

[@3.2Carrera]

I just rebuilt the engine in my 911 and those come out the bottom. the cool thing is the engine, transmission and exhaust are all out at the same time and can be built like a human being on a table. I had a C4 as well!

[@ianmontgomery7534]

It reminds me of cars that had a separate chassis and the body lifted off.

[@lawrenceoliver9813]

I am wondering how hard it would be to stuff a same year zr1's drivetain under the caddy

[@alhowry6548]

I saw another xlr maybe on your channel that needed a fuel pimp which is buried deep in the fuel tank that required major disassembly! FYI

[@petere3015]

In 2005 I visited the GM Corvette plant in Bowling Green, KY. Believe it or not, I also saw the XLR being built there. But the Corvette was on an assembly line track whereas the XLR was being hand built and pushed on a rolling platform from one department to the other for assembly and completion. The engine for both the Corvette and the XLR was received ready to be bolted in. A once in a lifetime experience to cherish for life!

[@blakek1043]

you witnessed the catastrophe in real life?

[@JaySlow7]

Most people dont realize the effort any engine swap is. Great work and looking forward to that caddy getting back on the road.

[@andydeciccio]

Hi wizard, i used to work at the foundry that made the exhaust manifolds for that car. The cats were welded on as a brazed joint wouldn't be able to handle the heat. The weld is that good, that it looks like it's brazed. We had an automated process, it was that good.

[@JDMSpecYugo]

Love the progress you're making repairing the NorthStar and giving the respect it needs. You have a bright future ahead of you and you are improving very well! Best of luck!

[@d0gZpAw]

"My Car is beside itself!" you waited so long for that PUNchline, it finally paid off!

[@MartinGick-ix6sv]

I have a 93 Allante it runs great no issues with temperature. Can it be driven in a way that heating issues are less likely. IE not driving it hard. Or does not matter. My Allante has 54500 miles

[@johncatalano7185]

Hey Dave: J&J is right in my backyard in Marshallville, Ohio where the state's largest meat market is also located; so, when you get your Caddy parts, you can get steaks for the grill for dinner too.... From the home of PB Blaster Silicone spray.... Cleveland, Ohio.....

[@rowleypottery]

Wizard having extra fun today and Mrs. Wizard being extra funny!

[@christopherkraft1327]

Hey Wizard & Mrs Wizard, Happy Holidays!!! You are really making progress on the Cadillac, I am a big fan of this model!!! I can't wait till it's finished!!! 🎄⛄🤶

[@ArthurRondeau-me1sb]

I worked for GM at the Warren Tech Center and processed hundreds of engineering work orders. In all those years I never actually saw how the XLRs or Corvettes were assembled. Your videos have finally enabled me to see the “guts” of both cars. Thanks, Wizard!

[@thiosemicarbizidebenzoylal2921]

At this point i would upgrade all suspension components to modernize handling. The C6 owners do this regularly.

[@402SHO]

I’m biting my self in the ass for not doing it this way. I had my front sub frame out and had the chance to easily switch to 2013+ components and didn’t 🫤

[@JohnnyBfromPeoria]

I added a rear sway bar from a Corvette (all mounting points are already there) and replaced the worn out MagRide shocks with new ones and I'm as happy as can be. What would you do, specifically?

[@MASS_ONE]

True...

[@rjechols2059]

An ol legit street cars “while you’re in there”

[@JohnnyBfromPeoria]

Again, "specifically," what would you do? Emulators are required to fool the computer when the MagRide shocks are replaced with something like Bilsteins. Ride height is monitored by the BCM. I would have thought there'd be a lot more information on all these "mods" you'd do on a bulletin board like Cadillac XLR Net Forums. I must have missed them over the years...

[@joesnapple83]

The Wiiiiiiiizard!!!

[@steveshoemaker6347]

David you and your wife make very fine AUTOMOTIVE VIDEO.....This old fighter pilot in my 80's thanks y'all....... Shoe🇺🇸

[@rlw127]

I'm enjoying this series.

[@kar4tube]

That was cool! I had no idea XLRs/Corvettes (newer) were so modular and easy to work on - so long as you have the space, and the right equipment. Man, if I did, I'd love to own one of these just for the tinkering factor.

[@mulletsquirrel]

"Easy" is a relatively term haha

[@j.d.8593]

The Corvette's have been like that since the C5.

[@mulletsquirrel]

@@j.d.8593 Yep, and I just had to pay for a gas tank and crossover tube in my C5. My wallet disproves of this design at the moment lol

[@ianmontgomery7534]

@@mulletsquirrel hardly surprising.

[@rolandthethompsongunner64]

If you have the right equipment most things are easy. 😂

[@marshallmcfarland7555]

I’m so happy that you explained it why the LS would be so difficult to put in that’s one of the things I wanted to do when I XLR but now I know thank you

[@jhaedtler]

Pontiac did the same trans set up in 1963 on the Tempest. With a half a v-8 engine.

[@SeawaySensFan]

I have a Northstar DTS and I love it. One of the best cars I've ever owned. Smooth and powerful and really good on gas.

[@TraceZ28]

The dealer dropped the left tank from my 17 Stingray and replaced the fuel pump under warranty without dropping the drivetrain. They removed the rear facia and the left muffler and were able to reach in and disconnect the fuel crossover hose. The book time is over 12 hours to do it "the right way" but it takes less than half that time doing it more creatively.

[@tigerman3]

I live in KS and absolutely LOVE this channel! Can't get enough of your repair videos. Keep preaching the Toyota Gospel Car Wizard! (Thanks for keeping CW straight Mrs. Wizard...you ROCK too!)

[@peasantgarage2468]

I HondaBond all my seals and o-rings the product never fully dries...just awesome! Never have leaks.

[@martymiller4300]

I see Hoovie’s miracle XKE in the background. Been dying to see what adventures await the replacement rear main seal. Awesome video on the XLR, always interested by things like inaccessible fuel pumps.

[@terencehawkes3933]

Oh now that is really cool wizard! That is quite a bit of engineering.

[@senanfoutchedjev2401]

Great Wizard, thank you for showing us how is it done professionally, just like the Jonny from Car Ninja. Great stuff.

[@Vincent-ke5zn]

That was super awesome with the body off ,very cool 😎. Good luck with the bullet proof engine, drive safe

[@dongreene2546]

I had a 1963 tempest Pontiac that had this type set up. Designed by John Delorean. What's old, is now new.

[@thomasfarley6052]

Thanks Wizard this was a good video and you sitting on the trans was hilarious.

[@tankman232]

a few things: thank you for the techron shoutout. my 02 aurora never had an issue with the fuel gauge, nor any of my vehicles. also check around because some wild man build a northstar 3 wheel motorcycle. its probably as long as the xlr. and finally, thanks for all the amazing work and info!

[@wotrulke5868]

I’ve really enjoyed this video it’s a great instalment to the XLR series, just loved watching it 🤓 and I probably will again and again thank you Mr & Mrs Wizard 🧙🏼‍♀️ 🧙🏼

[@94concours]

I had a 2000 Cadillac STS, it also had a water cooled alternator. They were only used for 1 or 2 years in that model due to issues.

[@mitchrenee]

It will be sweet! Love my XLR! I have had that gas tank repairs done, about 4 years ago, at the time it was $2500

[@killaco23]

I've always loved these cars. Great video Wizard! 🍻

[@williamserver4332]

Man that looks like a lot of work but you know what you're doing. Great video

[@ItaliansAreFromItaly]

Glad to hear you say you hate manuals. I got my first manual car in October. 1990 Corvette!! It's a 6 speed and my god do I wish it was an auto :')

[@daniesalex7073]

I would have the Urge to put an LS in front of that torque tube , but the Northstar is a very cool engine

[@woongah]

Well, gearbox in the back with torque tube connecting to the motor were used also in the Porsche 924, 944, 968 and 928. The Alfa Romeo type 116 châssis had a transaxle gearbox in the back, too, but did not use a torque tube - that was one of the reasons why the gear change was famously poor on that type (although in the SZ-RZ they had managed to fix most of yhe issues).

[@woongah]

P.S. the Alfa gearbox in itself is pretty decent, but the motion from the gear stick is conveyed to the box by one single link that slides back and forth (not a problem, there) and twists just the angle that the shift lever makes left to right. When someone pushes the clutch, the torque from the engine disappears and the gearbox rocks back to rest position, precisely as they may be doing a "diagonal" shift (3-2, 4-5) and this messes the gear change. This makes the 3rd to 2nd gear shift particularly harsh for the 2nd gear synchro that, as a result, wear out prematurely, to the point that they can assume that gear to not be synchronized any more and just learn how to double clutch on the 3 to 2 downshift. Oh, tu, Giulietta terza serie, quanto acor ti amo.

[@hahaadventures4838]

Love this Northstar series! Great job 👍

[@chollythecrazycorgihesinsa6505]

Very cool to see your Caddy split in half!

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

"Wow wizard, this is a really long shaft!" Phrasing!

[@JSFGuy]

It's time to check it out.

[@pablopicaro7649]

🥇

[@DJEyeBee]

I remember putting Techron in my C5. It was basically a requirement to keep the float sensors happy. Those had the same saddle tanks, I kinda miss that car but not really 😅

[@rbestavros]

Unbelievable, so well done....wow!!!

[@brentwinkelman1990]

XLR quad/atv!!! Excellent idea...get a crushed/smashed one!!!

[@harryconover289]

I had a 1964 Pontiac Lemans it had a 324 V8 entered in front and a transactional independent versus Bentonville is only available for a couple years but it was great when was here

[@JohnSmith-xx1lx]

Sitting on the back of that drive shaft was hilarious caught me off guard 😆

[@rustyrobinson8027]

Thanks this is a good series

[@bojow8102]

Cool video! That's a good looking car 👍👍

[@talis84]

WoW! I have those exact fender mats!

[@kwilliams1958]

An absolute outstanding series to watch and learn from the Wizard...

[@jeroenvangastel9079]

Great video, never knew they were build like that 👍🏼

[@GuyChapman]

My old Volvo 360 had a transaxle and torque tube. Made for great balance.

[@tokuzumi1]

The 90-95 Corvette ZR-1 had a cat built right into the factory exhaust manifold. Been going on for decades.

[@nickayivor8432]

Thanks 👍

[@31dknight]

Another great video from the wizard. Keep it up

[@germanstudent06]

That body is looking pretty good. Not a bad Caddy either :D Cheers Wizard and Wife!

[@luisruelas9763]

Great episode on the XLR!!💪👍

[@mikemoxley9477]

Very very cool video, looking forward to the video of the next step 😊

[@lennartvestin5124]

Agree with you, manual gearboxes has no advantages. Some says a manual car gets more MPG but I say you can never shift as optimal with a manual that you will notice that advantage especial in heavy city traffic. But you will be a better driver not having to actively think of which gear to chose.

[@denverbasshead]

Cheaper to maintain/repair plus less maintenance.

[@crashoverdrive-x8l]

The power train looks like the ship from the movie ‘Event Horizon.’ Really cool!

[@jdadon2000]

Lol wow I felt that you answered my question on the previous video about LS swapping. Makes a lot of sense now. It would be mission impossible or mission oh gosh darn it should have kept it original. I am excited for the grand reveal now.

[@MASS_ONE]

J&J going to get rich parting them cars out

[@JohnnyBfromPeoria]

Bet they're going to have those engines for a long time. Failure rates for the RWD, 04+ Northstars are quite low. They'll probably have a better market for top modules, headlights and taillights - as long as they haven't gotten wet...

[@MASS_ONE]

@@JohnnyBfromPeoria the lights are $2000 each....

[@JohnnyBfromPeoria]

@@MASS_ONE well, that's down from $4K a piece (asking) a few years ago.

[@hotpuppy1]

Some years back (don't remember exactly) in Hot Rod magazine they showed swapping a Northstar V8 into a Pontiac Fiero. They used front wheel driver version engine. I think they used Chevy Celebrity wagon axle shafts. I bet THAT was a project.

[@drcovell]

Wiz, when you ask “What is the car,” you are getting into *Gestalt Theory* but I am sure you have the philosophical chops for it! 😊

[@dennisfahey2379]

Wow a liquid cooled alternator - I had to look it up - 150 Amps - over 2100 Watts (peak). That's a fair amount of juice!

[@BA-xj9ew]

Nice job Wizard, just subscribed... Love your interactions with Hoovie...

[@1mlb704]

I absolutely love these videos, great stuff Wizard!

[@dadelives1]

You are a Northstar wizard!

[@mentat1341]

Wizard is so practical I am shocked he hates manuals. They are so much easier to work on and so much less expensive to maintain and replace.

[@peterbiltxr379]

old knees and hips are gettin to him.

[@chassegallerie2910]

Those Caddy are pretty cool. I'm a model kit builder, and I wish they'd make a kit of those. Also, in this vid, I saw at least 4 of Tyler's cars, so all of what you're doing to your Cadillac is covered by Tyler's money! lol

[@trentryan27]

I think ive seen 1 before, you may be able to find it online somewhere

[@chassegallerie2910]

@@trentryan27 If it's the one I think about, it's a resin kit. Not really into resin kits 'cuz they're not always molded correctly (bubbles in the resin), and some are made in questionnable ways.

[@user-kw5ze5ky5q]

“Wow Wizard, that’s a really long shaft!” I bet that’s not the first time she’s said that to Wizard lololol

[@pazuzutru-truluv7094]

I love Mrs Wizard’s questions, but when will she bow down to the absolute awesomeness of the car genius formally known as the Wizzzzard?????

[@landonhoover4668]

This was cool to see. I don't think I will ever tackle this unless I am stranded on Mars and there are no other options...But cool to see.

[@pablopicaro7649]

interesting old caddy story

[@wfomph1435]

you have a great sense of humor ....roll up comedy . THANX

[@ragnarironspear1791]

Love the more indepth videos 👍🏻

[@michaelscott7706]

Yea I remember my mother's 98 Cadillac Seville had a water cooled alternator. Definitely wasn't a cheap part.

[@joeschlotthauer840]

12:02 music by the band OFFSPRING "You gotta keep em separated" should be playing.

[@Soravia]

You don't need too much money, fab a Hemholtz pipe and stick it before muffler. It will eliminate drone and put out sharper tones. You can then afford a smaller muffler in return. Saves your hearing on cruise, too.

[@Oddman1980]

I've seen this done with the full size Ford trucks, I guess it's the easiest way to deal with ecoboost engines or the 6.0 and 6.4 liter diesels.

[@4cammer]

That is one CLEAN looking White Bronco in the background

[@Timoastra]

I felt it when you talked about the cat beeing a part of the manifold. On my Audi the DPF is in the same part as the cat, so when (not if) the DPF gets glogged and destroyed the cat also has to be changed. The part is 3000 EUR from Audi...

[@throwback19841]

Eurgh. Im not inherently against manifold cats (hey, makes them a shedload harder to steal) but they could have included a flange... ditto on the DPF. On a gas car, this is a definite argument to always service your ignition system ahead of schedule and jump on any misfires as soon as they start occurring. It is always much, much cheaper to fix an ignition system than it is to replace a catalytic converter...

[@jwalster9412]

That powertrain would be perfect for a custom car. Just design the mounts, get all the electronics. And build a body over top of it.

[@ToJoseGarcia]

Get to the choppa!!!! Wizard is pulling spines out!

[@twilson1973]

Nice video. I can’t believe what’s involved if you have to replace the fuel pump

[@sarahmutesi7387]

Does Mis Wizard know how to repair cars ??? I know she doesn't know that she knows the best repair tricks ever because she's always in class she's the best Mr And Mrs Wizard more videos more love

[@clifbradley]

Easy there Theseus on the explanations

[@sunbeam8866]

Of course, GM could've put fuel-pump access plates in the floor above the tanks, but DUH !! I seem to recall Wizard adding fuel-pump access to the floor of something recently.

[@sunbeam8866]

@KevTech1 My keyboard is possessed!

[@bsea35]

I did a clutch on a 2000 Saab (GM) convertible and had to drop the subframe down onto Jack stands like this then lift the engine and transaxle off. Luckily I had a bridge crane to go through though the hood so I could access it. What a nightmare. Dealer wanted $3k I did it for $800. I’ll never do another one. Lol

[@BlackLung911]

Image doing this job with a trolley jack on the driveway. 😃😃

[@qq-hk2sq]

Well, there goes my plans to pickup an XLR. I've been a Cadillac fan for the last 5 years, the length of time I've owned a CTS and vowed never to get in another sports car unless it's a CTS-V, or anything Cadillac V. I like and insist on working on my own cars so accessibility and practicality is important. Now that I know I'd need to buy a lift in order to do an engine, transmission, or fuel pump change, I'm going to stick with the traditional rear wheel drive Cadi.

[@BackyardEngineer334]

Cat went out on my 06 Civic which is part of the manifold, $1300 for just the part from Orielly’s. I paid a guy $200 to take my existing one off, cut it open, gut it, weld it back shut, & slap it back on.

[@frankn4skeen]

YEHEEEE ! Action ! Action !

[@scubatrucker6806]

I love the XLR but I thought they had the same power trans as the Corvette because they came out of the same plant. Watching this series has told me different. Thank you Wizard

[@rolandthethompsongunner64]

Unless they put North Stars in Corvettes 😂

[@scubatrucker6806]

@@rolandthethompsongunner64 I thought they had a Corvette LS engine in the XLR . Not the northstar.

[@JohnnyBfromPeoria]

They came out of the same plant, but not off the same assembly line.

[@scubatrucker6806]

@@JohnnyBfromPeoria I understand that now

[@WhittyPics]

That job would be pure hell on jack stands?

[@trentryan27]

You could do the same thing with jack stands, a few jacks and some patience also a friend to help, lifts make it so much easier

[@honchoryanc]

Probably not even possible

[@j.d.8593]

I've seen people do it, it's possible if you take it slow.

[@throwback19841]

@@j.d.8593 Yeah i've seen this done with a Jag XK but it looked sketchy. A lot of jacking the car up, put it on stands, put blocks under the car, jack it up from the blocks more, raise the stands, put blocks under them, etc etc until your car is 4 foot up in the air or whatever on blocks of wood. Definitely not a trivial task but neither is dropping a whole power train. Then you jack the engine down. When you consider the amount of money you will spend on jackstands, long reach jacks, blocks, time, friends time etc, buying your own lift suddenly doesnt seem so expensive.

[@michaelbrennan7148]

Thank you.

[@lawrenceoliver9813]

My mind is usually in the gutter and when Ms Wizard said WOW Thats A Long Shaft I started laughing and said thats what she said!

[@Sandy-oy2lr]

I recently had the fuel pump replaced in my C6. Thankfully, they found a way to remove both tanks without having to drop the drive train. Just drop the exhaust. But, still, because of the high milage and age, I had both tanks dropped and everything plastic, rubber, sensor-ed, gaskets replaced. And the bill was still over $4K. The pump & level sender together are $2K! There is one active pump, a syphon pump and a jet pump. The fuel moves from the right tank to the left when being used. It's a horrid setup and I don't think there's any way to cut into the rear hatch floor to gain access to the top of the pump...Like one can do with a Caddy single tank setup.

[@-jimmyjames]

Dug the heck out of that music during flooded ocean car scene

[@stoveguy2133]

Pulled motor to do heads. 5 yrs later rad dumped coolant into trans and wrecked trans. Pulled trans. Grr. Sold it then.