Just a pondering...LS1 in a Caddy?| Grassroots Motorsports forum |

noddaz Reader
2/5/12 9:31 p.m.

Is this even possible? Is a LS1/LS2 engine small enough to replace a Northstar engine?

93EXCivic SuperDork
2/5/12 9:35 p.m.

IIRC the XLR is just a fat Corvette with a Northstar engine.

Keith SuperDork
2/5/12 9:40 p.m.

I can tell you it would be no problem to replace a Cadillac 429 with an LS engine

They're pretty compact. The Northstar has overhead cams, yes? That grows the engine, which makes it easier to fit an LS engine in there.

AutoXR HalfDork
2/5/12 9:46 p.m.

I have a northstar fiero I built about 10 years ago.. The N* is a huge complicated beast. I would gladly toss for an LS1 if the adapters weren't so hi priced

patgizz SuperDork
2/5/12 9:48 p.m.

AutoXR wrote: I have a northstar fiero I built about 10 years ago.. The N* is a huge complicated beast. I would gladly toss for an LS1 if the adapters weren't so hi priced

who needs an adapter when you can get the LS4 from a monte/impala/bonne/gxp

Appleseed SuperDork
2/6/12 12:05 a.m.

Weren't more northstars transverse? Could complicate things.

Knurled Dork
2/6/12 7:11 a.m.

noddaz wrote: Is this even possible? Is a LS1/LS2 engine small enough to replace a Northstar engine?

It's mad smaller.

Raze SuperDork
2/6/12 7:56 a.m.

Yeah a N* is a 90° DOHC V8, it's ridiculously huge (read wide) compared to an LSx. The kicker is that indeed most Northstar powered Caddies (pre latest body STS and XLR) the rest were transverse...

AutoXR HalfDork
2/6/12 10:09 a.m.

In reply to patgizz:

Because Automatic. Making it manual requires oil pan mods (basically fabricate a new one) remounting the starter - etc etc.. The northstar bolted up to the Getrag and required an easy little adapter for the 1 bolt that was out of alignment. The flywheel is aluminum and off the shelf from spec... where as the ones V8 archie uses are a design I am not fond of.

MadScientistMatt SuperDork
2/6/12 11:20 a.m.

Appleseed wrote: Weren't more northstars transverse? Could complicate things.

Transverse LSxs exist too.

Gearheadotaku SuperDork
2/6/12 12:58 p.m.

What kind of Caddy is it going in?

Appleseed SuperDork
2/6/12 2:59 p.m.

MadScientistMatt wrote:
Appleseed wrote: Weren't more northstars transverse? Could complicate things.
Transverse LSxs exist too.

We purists try to ignore that fact.

Conquest351 Dork
2/6/12 3:17 p.m.

Doesn't the GM F40 transaxle fit right up to the LS4? Isn't that what most of the Fiero guys are using?

slopecarver New Reader
2/6/12 3:18 p.m.

Appleseed wrote:
MadScientistMatt wrote:
Appleseed wrote: Weren't more northstars transverse? Could complicate things.
Transverse LSxs exist too.
We purists try to ignore that fact.

Unless said setup is in a mid engine RWD configuration as a swap.