Northstar In An Alero

[Arsonalero]

I got a question... if i put the northstar in my alero what would you think it would run in the 1/4??

[Oldsman]

well this is a very general question.

if you just put the motor in and may not make it down the 1/4 due to breaking stuff.

but if you were to have everything done right then you would probably be mid to low 13's

[-Alero-]

:blink: theres a shortstar and a northstar right? whats the difference?

[Aleromaster]

Originally posted by Alero-@Oct 16 2004, 11:45 PM
:blink: theres a shortstar and a northstar right? whats the difference?
2 cylinders

[Vtolds]

I think the Northstar would be to big I would drop a 3800 supercharged engine in it. Or if you want a Northstar engine buy a Aurora.

[Youngblood77]

Originally posted by VTOLDS@Oct 17 2004, 07:48 AM
I think the Northstar would be to big I would drop a 3800 supercharged engine in it. Or if you want a Northstar engine buy a Aurora.
I agree. If I were to attempt a swap into an Alero, I'd go with a GTP engine.

[Final-Reality]

Everybody loves that cast-iron pig...

[FormulaNERD]

if you're gonna do a swap, do it right, the 3.8 is crap. swap the shortstar (if you dont want the northstar) or better yet the nissan 3.5

and for the newbs that say a northstar wont fit, then what the hell is this?
http://alero.org/gallery/bigimages/engine-northstar.jpg

[FormulaNERD]

hehe, this is one sweet sounding mr2.

http://racingstrong.com/toystar/index.asp

haha, this is one sticker that does put 300 hp to the ground

http://www.racingstrong.com/toystar/images/day3/images/PB230012.jpg

[Youngblood77]

Originally posted by Final-Reality@Oct 17 2004, 12:26 PM
Everybody loves that cast-iron pig...
I don't love the motor per-say, but i'm just thinking in terms of cost and ease. The Northstar swap just seems like it would cost ALOT more to do, and there's a HUGE aftermarket for the S/C 3.8

[Oldsman]

the northstar swap is not really that bad just expensive. a company out in california did the swap of the alero 442. and if you don't think there isn't that big of an aftermarket for the northstar you are wrong. the only difference is price.

[Youngblood77]

You're more informed than I ( no sarcasm ) How much difference do you think there would be? I realise that the Northstar engines are kinda expensive, but how much would he be looking at tranny-wise, suspension-wise, etc?

[-Alero-]

so the northstar is a v8 right? judging by 32 valves, but anyways whats the power on a northstar? and whats the power on a shortstar? and what are the prices for the engines?

[FormulaNERD]

the northstar is a 4.6l 60* v8 and weighs in at about 500lbs with all accessories, and puts down 295 horsepower i believe.

the shortstar is a 3.5l 90* v6 and puts up 215hp, and i'm not sure how much it weighs.

edit

there is also a 4.0l northstar, as found in the aurora

[-Alero-]

which would be best? whats thier costs? i'd love to have either of those engines!

[FormulaNERD]

either way it's not a direct bolt in, there will be custom work. and buying new would be way expensive, you'd be better off finding a wrecked caddy from 95+ (for the northstar) and the 3.5l is olds only (and 0 aftermarket support.)

[-Alero-]

i'll keep that in mind

[Bill Strong]

Hi guys. I am the guy that built the V8 Northstar powered Toyota MR2. or am still building... :) http://www.v8mr2.com

The problem is not really with the intsallation. That is the real easy part if you have the correct tools and some brains. I have the tools, still working on the other stuff

The problem is the computers. remove them from the cadillac and they go into limp in mode. The best way to go would be to buy a Northstar, get an after market ECU (I use the Electromotive TEC3 http://www.electromotive-inc.com/ for the engine and the Powertrain Control Solutions tranny computer http://www.powertraincontrolsolutions.com/ )

There is actually a pretty good aftermarket for the Northstar. The problem is that parts cost so much money. The engine is not designed to be rebuilt, though it can, it just takes special tools and procedures.
We (Racing Strong Motorsports) and WolfKats Performance are now building an aftermarket performance fuelrail for the northstar. Meant to be a bolt on part that will work with the stock intake manifold. It will have better fuel pressure regulator and stainless lines, pressure gauge and look sorta bling bling but support up to 600hp.

There are a ton of people doing parts. The good thing is that the Hotrod world has adopted this engine.

Bill Strong
Racing Strong Motorsports
owner of the MR2 Owners Club Message Board
14,000+ Members world-wide

www.mr2oc.com
www.racingstrong.com
www.v8mr2.com

[-Alero-]

i must say you have come a long way

[Aleromaster]

wow I just spent the last 41/2 hours reading everfy page on that site. WOW

[FormulaNERD]

Originally posted by Aleromaster@Oct 18 2004, 04:11 AM
wow I just spent the last 41/2 hours reading everfy page on that site. WOW
as did i.

who contacted him? glad to see him join up and offer info.

[Bill Strong]

I review all the incoming hits from my site.
:)

[FormulaNERD]

ahh, i see :) well i found your wonderful world, and i'm looking forward to seeing the finished product.

also i find alot of cool humor in your picture titles. lol (heres some thing here, i'll figure out what the f*** it does later)

oh, can i ask what your total cost is right now? i know alot of it came from what you had... also what did you pay for the wrecked caddy?

[Redog]

One word for such a project

SLEEPER!! which is an awesome thing :thumbsup:

[FormulaNERD]

lol, if you watched the video and heard the exhaust, you'd know that it'd be impossible to have that thing as a sleeper!

[tenny]

i've always loved MR2's that would be a sweet car to have, I wish I had the ability to build something like that! Iam proud of myself just for being able to change oil let alone do a swap haha.

[|Rev|]

that mr2 is awesome, can't wait to see a finished product!

[2000NavyAleroGLS]

Depending on what kind of northstar you get you could get any where from between 275hp-320hp.

[FormulaNERD]

Originally posted by 2000NavyAleroGLS@Oct 18 2004, 06:08 PM
Depending on what kind of northstar you get you could get any where from between 275hp-320hp.
275-320?

first of the 4.0l puts out 250 in a stock aurora, and was only used in oldsmobile engines (unless they're using it for something else now? but not that i know of)

320? where did you get that number? only the cunningham STSi, the VERY new (and very expensive) northstar as seen in the XLR and the rumors of a european marketed northstar (i have no idea which car it's for) puts out 320. but any american 4.6 northstar(96~03) puts out 300-305

oh, and then theres a twin turbo/intercooled 4.0 that dyno's at 580, but that's just insane.

[Final-Reality]

Nice of you to join up and tell us a little about your project! You're right, a northstar in an MR2 will be an animal, but I'd personally be weary of driving a 2500lb car with almost 500lbs of engine sitting in the back. As if MR2's werent squirrley enough :P

Good luck and please when you finish this project post some videos :)

[shortstar]

the 320 hp RWD HO VVT northstar is also offered in the new STS and SRX. Im not sure if it cant be adapted for FWD use but I seam to remember reading some reason why it couldnt. Stil if you can find a totalled 2004 SRX or a totaled 2005 STS (eyeah right there are only 2000 or so on the road so far) then you can get a stock northstar making 320 hp, and it also has VVT.

[Bill Strong]

Thanks for the probs guys!

I actually have the 275hp 305tq engine. But I have a set of cams that will take me way over that :)
We expect the N/A engine tpo have close to 360hp at the crank. With a low boost T04B turbo I expect 450-500.

I have been busy moving to the new shop. This weekend I have to go see my daughter in college (parent weekend), so I will start pulling the engine out on Sunday. yippy!
The intake manifold made it to Northern California today! Wolfkats said he will start working on the new fuel rail soon...

How much money???

I have no clue... If I actually sat down and figured it out my wife would kill me. No... she really would kill me. The whole caddy cost me $250 :) The computers alone were over $3000. Some MR2 guys have asked how much I would charge... well so far I have over $60,000 in labor. :)

What I find interesting is that I thought this job would take a month or two. But I am starting month 11. I figure the way I am going the car will be driveable in the spring and street legal in the summer.

[MikeSS]

^ Thats Awesome man ^

We have a few Fiero's in our Grand Am/Grand Prix club and they all have engine swaps too. One guy has the Grand Am 3400 in his Fiero and the other guy has a 5.0L V8 From a ealry 1990's Caprice. He has done a bunch of work to it too to increase horspower. The best part is he has one of the first made Fiero 2M4 cars with no exterior mods done except rims (to handle the power) and custom made side scoops to feed more air into the engine (he says it gets real hot).

He even has a stock looking exhaust. Such a sleeper. These guys always tell me about a member of their club who has a turbocharged 4.9L Caddy engine in her Fiero.

Those old mid engine cars (MR2 and Fiero) can be made sooo fast.

[Final-Reality]

Originally posted by Bill Strong@Oct 20 2004, 11:36 PM
What I find interesting is that I thought this job would take a month or two. But I am starting month 11. I figure the way I am going the car will be driveable in the spring and street legal in the summer.
Haha c'mon you didnt ACTUALLY think it wouldn only take a couple months did you? You were just telling yourself that so you wouldnt talk yourself out of it. :P

[Bill Strong]

lol, I think I was saying to try and keep the wife happy... though she kept saying that nothing of mine gets done in just a few days... they get all upset when you are quick and complain when you take your time and do it right! :)

[Bill Strong]

oh ya, and the engine is in the middle of the car. In front of the rear axles. This makes the car pretty ballenced. The added weight wont be that big of a deal.