Cadillac Northstar Engine

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diztroy
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Cadillac Northstar Engine

Post by diztroy »

Name: diztroy

Vehicle: 1931 Pontiac Sedan

Engine: Stock 1996 Cadillac Northstar (still on firing stand, not in car yet)

My brother and I built a MS-II/V3.0 board and modified the stock Cadillac wiring harness to fit the Megasquirt. All of the ignition (GM DIS) and fuel system is 100% stock and now controlled by MS.

We had some problems getting it running at first, but it turned out to be 6 stuck injectors, so we took some off our spare motor and it fired right up!! Still need to get the idle lower and make sure the IAC is working properly, but it was very exciting to hear it run for the first time!

Next up we'll get our other Northstar running that has a sheetmetal intake my bother built for it.

It will be a while before its in the finished car, but this has been very exciting so far!!

Thank you to everyone that made/makes Megasquirt possible!!
Nashco
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Location: Portland, OR

Post by Nashco »

Did you do anything special with your board, wiring, or software? Or was it just a standard install. Thanks for the post, not many Northstar guys have used the MS yet.

Bryce
diztroy
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Post by diztroy »

Bryce,

Let me first emphasize that we haven't/can't do any road/load tuning, so there might be some bugs to work out when that time comes.

That said there was really nothing special to get it running. Just follow the instructions for DIS(HEI) in the MegaManual. I kept all the stock wiring that goes from the 2 crank sensors and the cam sensor to the DIS module. Then just wired up the DIS to the MS like the Megamanual says.

I was able to modify the factory fuse block to fit all the fuse/relays needed.

Also its VERY handy to have a factory wiring diagram.

If your interested I made a spreadsheet of the important pinouts/colors on the factory wiring harness. It not 100% finished, but is about 98% useful. I should also have a factory wiring diagram if your interested. I'll have to dig it all up, but your welcome to it!

-Troy
DRB
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Northstar engine

Post by DRB »

I have a 1999 Cadillac STS Northstar. I would like a copy of your spreadsheet..

Thanks,

Danny Berry


diztroy wrote:Bryce,

Let me first emphasize that we haven't/can't do any road/load tuning, so there might be some bugs to work out when that time comes.

That said there was really nothing special to get it running. Just follow the instructions for DIS(HEI) in the MegaManual. I kept all the stock wiring that goes from the 2 crank sensors and the cam sensor to the DIS module. Then just wired up the DIS to the MS like the Megamanual says.

I was able to modify the factory fuse block to fit all the fuse/relays needed.

Also its VERY handy to have a factory wiring diagram.

If your interested I made a spreadsheet of the important pinouts/colors on the factory wiring harness. It not 100% finished, but is about 98% useful. I should also have a factory wiring diagram if your interested. I'll have to dig it all up, but your welcome to it!

-Troy
diztroy
MegaSquirt Newbie
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:14 am

Post by diztroy »

Dan,

I've attached the spreadsheet from my 96...hopefully your 99 is similar. The green table is the stock discription/pinouts/color of the wiring and the yellow table is what should go where to the MS. One thing you should probably double check is the wiring of the injector banks. I ran across this post after I wired it up and I'm not sure if I did it as suggested, http://www.msefi.com/viewtopic.php?t=25300

Hope this helps!

-Troy
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by diztroy on Thu Sep 20, 2007 6:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
DRB
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Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 9:34 am

NorthStar Engine Info

Post by DRB »

Troy,

Thanks for sharing the spreadsheet. You mentioned a wiring diagram. I am always interested in those. If it's not too much trouble I would like a copy.

I am not sure I understood the post you mentioned? http://www.msefi.com/viewtopic.php?t=25300

Thanks, Again
Danny

P.S. Caution: I had a 95 Eldo before the 99 STS and the 95 had a bad problem with the Throttle hanging up. I remember it sitting in the garage making a ratcheting noise after I had shut it off. I even changed it out one time. New one did the same thing afeter a while. Hopefully the design was changed in 96. The 99 has 132,00 miles on it and has never had any problems. A run away northstar is scarry!


quote="diztroy"]Dan,

I've attached the spreadsheet from my 96...hopefully your 99 is similar. The green table is the stock discription/pinouts/color of the wiring and the yellow table is what should go where to the MS. One thing you should probably double check is the wiring of the injector banks. I ran across this post after I wired it up and I'm not sure if I did it as suggested, http://www.msefi.com/viewtopic.php?t=25300

Hope this helps!

-Troy[/quote]
diztroy
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Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:14 am

Re: NorthStar Engine Info

Post by diztroy »

DRB wrote:
I am not sure I understood the post you mentioned? http://www.msefi.com/viewtopic.php?t=25300
Danny,

The reason I provided a link to that post is because of this picture, (scroll down on the first page),

Image


Read through the posts...some people claim that the wiring of the injectors can effect the idle. The firing order on the northstar is 1 2 7 3 4 5 6 8, so you according to that post you should wire 1746 to INJ-1 on MS and 2358 to INJ-2 on MS. In my initial spreadsheet I didn't have that wired properly...I fixed that and posted it again. I also added the wiring diagrams for the 1999 STS...sorry their kinda hard to read...I couldn't get them any better. Just download it again from my post above.

Enjoy!

-Troy
DRB
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Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 9:34 am

Re: NorthStar Engine Info

Post by DRB »

diztroy wrote:
DRB wrote:
I am not sure I understood the post you mentioned? http://www.msefi.com/viewtopic.php?t=25300
Danny,

The reason I provided a link to that post is because of this picture, (scroll down on the first page),

Image


Read through the posts...some people claim that the wiring of the injectors can effect the idle. The firing order on the northstar is 1 2 7 3 4 5 6 8, so you according to that post you should wire 1746 to INJ-1 on MS and 2358 to INJ-2 on MS. In my initial spreadsheet I didn't have that wired properly...I fixed that and posted it again. I also added the wiring diagrams for the 1999 STS...sorry their kinda hard to read...I couldn't get them any better. Just download it again from my post above.

Enjoy!

-Troy

Thanks,

Never mind the mail box message I sent today. I see that you combined the spreadsheet into the word document. :( Its been a long day . Tired and sleepy. :shock:
raze
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Re: Cadillac Northstar Engine

Post by raze »

Not to beat a dead horse, but I'm looking for this spreadsheet, it says it's no longer available, anyone?
diztroy
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Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:14 am

Re: Cadillac Northstar Engine

Post by diztroy »

Are you logged in? You need to be logged in....the spreadsheet is at the bottom of the .doc file. Good Luck! :D
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