Lateral-g Forums - CTS aka Britney Spears

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CTS aka Britney Spears

She's white, kind of dirty, might end up a bit nuts but would you say no?

I didn't. okay, she's 2006 Cadillac CTS 6 speed with 100k miles and a rod-like knock. I have another motor - the one in the Fiat. For a myriad of reasons, I'm going with a different motor in the Fiat... and this came along.... all in, I'll have less then $1,000 in it (including registration and a new battery).

https://i.imgur.com/HPb7MYP.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/v5pUbRvh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/hse8DRNh.jpg
and a sunroof
https://i.imgur.com/UDVMkQQh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/VFica5bh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/pY8ogSKh.jpg
she cleans up well
https://i.imgur.com/eI2Xiwhh.jpg

tonight I drove it into the shop... when I bought it, I never heard it run - back story is the guy I bought it from hadn't either when he bought it, got surprised after owning it for 4 years and finally fixing its issue, with the rod knock.... (which might simply be valves hitting the pistons)...
first, they didn't install the radiator correctly (thankfully it didn't break)
https://i.imgur.com/VQnGUH5h.jpg
but that's indicative of the car.
So the radio doesn't work
windows don't go down
why did GM put the fuses in front of the rear seat?
codes are for injectors (not a surprise with 4 year old gas) and cam timing
needs a rack (leaking)

but overall, the interior smells smokish (not heavy, and even I, who am almost allergic to it, can handle it). no rips, kind of dirty (needs a shampooing)
outside no major damage, I have another bumper cover (came with) for the rear. Paint is in good shape.
desperately needs tires (and it's an odd 5 bolt - 115 mm, but you can use 114.3 (small Ford) with the right hub adapter)....
which leads me to.. you can swap hubs and get the Camaro bolt pattern along with better (larger) brakes.
That last bit is cool because I have the C5 Corvette front hubs that are a straight bolt on, and I have 4 piston Brembos from a SS Camaro for the rear - all I need is another hub and brake assembly.

which leads me to

This might become my taxi. I have a good friend that I'd loan this to for track days... also use it for autox practice.... and in the end shift it to someone else....

I won't V the car - GM changed almost everything under the car to put the V8 in it (new K member, different rear suspension, stronger diff).... and I already have a beast for days when I need the last, shouted word....

So it's a project but it's likely you'll see it as supporting cast in the future....

thoughts?

I say go for it. Those v6's aren't half bad motors. Make it handle and drive well and just go have fun.

and the motor
So the Fiat makes an appearance
https://i.imgur.com/8NqjzJ1h.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/mi01GG9h.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/lAgzjLkh.jpg

it seems to have good compression still don't know what I'm going to put in the Fiat but I really should make it run somehow....

originally, I was going to twin turbo it for a Fiat 124.... now, I'll probably hit the easy button and LS it.

well, now Britney has shown all her fails...
come on Opel, how is this serviceable?
https://i.imgur.com/KKSA3oQh.jpg
keeping the a/c system charged was a pain, trick is pull the PS pulley
https://i.imgur.com/yCpwyTNh.jpg

it's out - these pictures are for posterity because the motor didn't need to come out - so probably not swapping stuff (which is why the pictures)
https://i.imgur.com/w1ArVVkh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/xWYBiu7h.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/FZUjPrnh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/uAaUkqoh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/jgSoxBCh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/oxA2AhSh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/IAmf1l6h.jpg

the first sign I should have listened to.... this motor mount is garbage - if they replaced the clutch, a reputable shop wouldn't put the broken part back in
https://i.imgur.com/TJBBxF1h.jpg
hmm not clean but the clutch looks new
https://i.imgur.com/akf9i08h.jpg
second sign, not all the bolts are the same (these are pressure plate bolts) also no thread lock
https://i.imgur.com/HJg3AHAh.jpg

see the wear marks on the flywheel bolts?
https://i.imgur.com/y4R3v0Rh.jpg

okay to be fair to myself, the rack needs to be replaced - so most of the work I did was necessary (the cross member needs to be removed to get it).

HOWEVER, when the guy said 400 miles ago that the clutch was replaced, it triggered the thought that the noise could be related to that. Clearly it was, whether the bolts backed out or the dual mass clutch failed... I don't know, the outer ring (what the clutch rides on) moves independently with the flywheel - not supposed to do that - but the rattle clearly was that and since there were no shiny metal bits in the oil.... again, flywheel problem not bearing problem...

so I'll continue on - I'll pull the pan to be sure and probably use the injectors from my other motor on it then put it back together...

back to my original plan, apparently the movement is normal (have a guru I can ask)
so the new motor - plugs are original and look good
https://i.imgur.com/96XH0MIh.jpg
I put a bit of machine oil down each cylinder to try to minimize damage since this motor hasn't run in at least 10 years.
cleaned the cross member then removed the old rack
https://i.imgur.com/Qm66J47h.jpg
installed new rack
https://i.imgur.com/ooBSR0Jh.jpg

I ordered the 'wrong' steering rack, the old one had some kind of sensor in it - since this car came with or without, I'll either program the light to stay off or remove whatever it's sensing

tomorrow new parts and see if I can get this ready to go in....

Putting it in has proven about as much a pain as removing it. For those considering this... the harness that runs to the speedo... put that on before the motor goes in...

anyway
big hole
https://i.imgur.com/3FWQiL9h.jpg

clutch installed
https://i.imgur.com/15HiCLkh.jpg
now would be the time to drape that wire
https://i.imgur.com/LhPT2bIh.jpg
yeah, it's not
another view
https://i.imgur.com/NPGH1EBh.jpg
nice and sketchy way of centering the motor (was within an inch)
https://i.imgur.com/w00784ch.jpg

getting there
https://i.imgur.com/hwYVyXUh.jpg

and most of the reason I'm posting this is because no one has posted up a motor r&r on a CTS. Given their price point at the competition, I imagine we'll see more of these out eating cones

Getting there
https://i.imgur.com/QJVMTt5h.jpg
Lab approved, but 7 month old labs don't know anything
https://i.imgur.com/Pzm1uvnh.jpg

getting closer
now with brakes
https://i.imgur.com/9L4qSrH.jpg
and oil - also spun it up to build oil pressure.
https://i.imgur.com/jfC4aFn.jpg
Paul worked on the rear bumper cover....
https://i.imgur.com/aZYZ37E.jpg
I made the old one fit in the garbage can
https://i.imgur.com/p59Oql4.jpg

Runs great.
but let's back up.... two of three fuse boxes are in front of the rear seat, under the carpet. Which is where you find the fuel pump relay
https://i.imgur.com/l2ENeWOh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/4fo6pDhh.jpg
did some research today to figure out how to bypass so that I could get the fuel out
yeah, these relays
https://i.imgur.com/ioBjJDCh.jpg
hmmm... blurry...oops
but it runs
https://i.imgur.com/nLrKhOph.jpg

and it has a leak in the worst spot for a coolant leak.... however, I'll fix that but other then that, it sounds good and is almost ready to go to the shop to fix the other stuff (radio doesn't work, windows don't go down)
in that vein, I leave the sun roof open when I only have one key.... good thing. smh, that could have been bad