Cadillac V8 engine

Cadillac was the first automobile maker to mass produce a V8 engine. The company has produced eight generations of V8s since 1914, and today is the only General Motors division to retain its own V8 design.

L-Head

The Type 51 was the first Cadillac V8. Introduced in 1914, it was the standard engine for 1915 Cadillac models. It was a 90° design with an L-head (sidevalve) configuration and was water cooled. Bore was 3.125 in and stroke was 5.125 in, for a total of Auto CID|314 of displacement. Output was Convert|70|hp|kW|0|abbr=on.

The engine was refined for 1923 with a new split crankshaft that introduced the (now standard) 90° offset for each pair of cylinders. Power was up to Convert|83.5|hp|kW|0|abbr=on.

The L-Head was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines of the 20th century list.

L-Head applications:
* Cadillac Type 51
* Cadillac Type 53
* Cadillac Type 55
* Cadillac Type 57
* Cadillac Type 59
* Cadillac Type 61
* Cadillac V-63
* Cadillac Series 341

Cadillac created a new V8, the 341, for 1928. It was a 341 in_ engine and produced Convert|90|hp|kW|0|abbr=on. The same year saw the introduction of the synchromesh transmission. This engine was used in the Series 341 and 341B cars of 1928 and 1929.

From 1930 through 1935, Cadillac produced a version with an increased displacement of Auto CID|353. This used a Auto in|3.38 bore and Auto in|4.94 stroke. This engine was used in the Series 353/355/355B/355C/355D and Series 10.

Monobloc

A Auto CID|322 "monoblock" engine was used in 1936's Series 60. It was designed to be the company's next-generation powerplant at reduced cost from the 353 and Cadillac V12. The monoblock's cylinder heads were cast as one unit with the engine block, and it used hydraulic valve lifters for durability. This design allowed the creation of the mid-priced Series 60 line.

Bore was Auto in|3.375 and stroke was Auto in|4.5. This engine was modified with a Auto in|3.5 bore for the 1936-1948 Auto CID|346 engine. This was used in the Series 60/60S/61/62/63/65/67 and 70/72/75. It was also used in tanks in World War II.

LaSalle

In 1937, the new Monobloc Flathead gained 24 in_ in Cadillac V-8 models to Auto CID|346, while the LaSalle Straight-8 of 1934–1936 was replaced with the 1936 smaller Auto CID|322 version at Convert|125|hp|kW|0|abbr=on. In 1941, the LaSalle nameplate was phased out along with the 322 in_, and Cadillacs, all 346 in_ powered, were available with the new Hydramatic automatic transmission which debuted in Oldsmobile the previous year. These engines were produced through 1948.

OHV

331

For 1949, Cadillac and Oldsmobile each produced a new V8 design, Olds at 303 in_ engine. This engine featured a "dry" (coolant exited through an assembly attached directly to the cylinder heads) open runner (requiring the use of a tappet valley cover) intake manifold, rear mounted distributor and shaft mounted rockers. An untrained eye could mistake this engine for the GEN 1 AMC V8 engine whereas the AMC counterpart uses two wing nuts per cover in its centerline, the Cadillac parts are secured through screws in its gasket perimeter. This engine also featured an oiling scheme that used a cast-in passage above and between the lifter galleries. This fed oil to the cam and crank by grooves machined into the cam bores. A single drilled passage per bearing saddle fed both cam and crank journals. This design was used in the Chevrolet_Small-Block_engine , GEN 1 AMC V8 engine , and the 'top oiler' Ford FE engine and the Ford MEL V8 . A design that it shares with the Oldsmobile Rocket V8 is a skirtless block where the oil pan flange does not descend appreciably below the crankshaft centerline.

365

Displacement was up to Auto CID|365 for 1956, and the 1958 Eldorado 3-2bbl version produced Convert|335|hp|kW|0|abbr=on.

390

A longer stroke pushed displacement to Auto CID|390 for 1959, yielding Convert|325|hp|kW|0|abbr=on, while the Eldorado six-pack reached Convert|345|hp|kW|0|abbr=on.

Redesigned OHV

For the 1963 model year Cadillac updated their V8 engine, modernizing the tooling used in the production line while optimizing the engine's design. Although it shared the same layout and architecture with the 1949-vintage engine, the revised engine had shorter connecting rods and was Auto in|1 lower, Auto in|4 narrower, and Auto in|1.25 shorter. The accessories (water pump, power steering pump, distributor) mounted on a die-cast aluminum housing at the front of the engine for improved accessibility. An alternator replaced the former generator. The crankshaft was cored out to make it both lighter and stronger. The revised engine was Auto lb|52 lighter than its predecessor, for a total dry weight of Auto lb|595.

390

For 1963 the revised engine shared the same Auto in|4.00 bore and Auto in|3.875 stroke of its predecessor, for an unchanged displacement of Auto CID|390. Power was unchanged at Convert|325|hp|kW|0|abbr=on, as was torque at Auto lbft|430.

429

For 1964 the engine was bored to Auto in|4.13 and stroked to Auto in|4.00, raising displacement to Auto CID|429. Power rose to Convert|340|hp|kW|0|abbr=on and torque to Auto lbft|480. The 429 was used through the 1967 model year.

World's largest

Although the modernized engine was compact and light for its displacement and output, Auto CID|429 represented the limit of the original architecture's expansion, and it had been surpassed by Chrysler's 440 and Lincoln's 462. As a result Cadillac introduced an all-new engine for 1968.

472

At introduction, the new engine had a Auto in|4.30 bore and a Auto in|4.06 stroke for a displacement of Auto CID|472. It delivered Convert|375|hp|kW|0|abbr=on @ 4400 RPM, and a massive Auto lbft|525 torque, produced at just 3000 RPM. The new engine was about Auto lb|80 heavier than its predecessor. It was used through 1974.

500

For 1970 Cadillac stroked the V8 to Auto in|4.304, increasing total displacement on the engine up to Auto CID|500. At introduction it was rated at Convert|400|hp|kW|0|abbr=on, SAE gross, and Auto lbft|550 of torque. For 1971 compression was reduced from 10:1 to 8.5:1, the lowered compression ratio dropped the 500's gross output from convert|400|bhp|kW to convert|365|bhp|kW, or convert|235|hp|kW in the new SAE net ratings. By 1976, its final year, it had fallen to convert|190|hp|kW. However, a new Bendix electronic fuel injection system was offered as an option, and it pumped up output to Convert|215|hp|kW|0|abbr=on. The 500 was exclusive to the Eldorado until 1975 where the powerplant was available in all Cadillacs except for the Seville, which was powered by a fuel-injected Oldsmobile 350.

LH2

The Northstar was designed originally for transverse front-wheel drive applications. It was modified substantially in 2004 for longitudinal rear- and all-wheel drive use in the SRX and XLR, as well as receiving variable valve timing. The RWD (LH2) Northstar produces Convert|320|hp|kW|0|abbr=on and Auto lbft|315. An increased compression ratio of 10.5:1 enables most of the increase in power from the L37 and LD8 Northstars.

upercharged LC3

A Auto Lrev|266 supercharged Northstar is used in the 2006 Cadillac STS-V and Cadillac XLR-V. The bore was reduced for increased strength and improved head gasket sealing. Variable valve timing is used on both the intake and exhaust sides. The STS-V engine produces Convert|469|hp|kW|0|abbr=on at 6400 RPM and Auto lbft|439 at 3900 rpm with 9:1 compression and the XLR-V engine produces Convert|443|hp|kW|0|abbr=on at 6400 RPM and Auto lbft|414 at 3900 rpm.

4.4 L

The 4.4 L versions were all supercharged, exclusive to Cadillac's V-series. The present STS-V engine, since 2006, produces Convert|469|hp|kW|0|abbr=on and Auto lbft|439 under the SAE certified rating system.

The 2006 - 2008 XLR-V uses the same supercharged Northstar V8 as the STS-V, though output is down somewhat due to design changes made to accommodate the model's more limited underhood space. For the XLR-V, the SAE certified output is Convert|443|hp|kW|0|abbr=on and Auto lbft|414. The supercharger and four intercoolers are built into the intake manifold.

The bores were reduced in size to increase block strength, increasing the safety margin under boost.

4.0 L

This is the Oldsmobile Aurora variant, never installed in a Cadillac. The Aurora's cylinder heads had lower flow characteristics to match the engine's reduced size. The 4.0 L engine produces convert|250|hp|kW.

=See also= From the 1950s through the 1970s, each GM division had its own V8 engine family. Some were shared among other divisions, but each respective design was engineered and developed by its own division:
* Buick V8 engine
* Chevrolet Small-Block engine
* Chevrolet Big-Block engine
* Oldsmobile V8 engine
* Pontiac V8 engine

GM later standardized on the later generations of the Chevrolet design:
* GM LT engine — Generation II small-block
* GM LS engine — Generation III/IV small-block
* List of GM engines

References