Help! 94 Buick Skylark 3.1 overheating issues
Mclarendag
02-23-2007, 08:37 PM
I have a 94 Buick Skylark Custom 3.1L V6. It also has 217,000 miles. Motor feels strong. About a yr ago I had the heater core replaced and got the air out the system. Hooked my fans up to a machine and tested the fans. Ever since then, in the mornings on the way to work, my temperature gauge will go up to about ¾ a couple miles from the house and will drop back down to where it is suppose to be and never go back up the rest of the day. “No problem” A half a year ago I replaced the waterpump and belt.
A couple weeks ago, I was on the interstate and notice it went up to 3/4, then down, and then back up 2 more times to ¾ before I stop. When I stopped, it was really hot, so I let it cool down “10 mins” before cranking it back up and adding warm water while running. So I returned back to the interstate,” 2 exits away from work, 10 at night, Chevrolet Dealership” and the temperature gauge shot the RED. I got off a exit and left the key on the to work the fans. I finally made it to work and called for a ride.
Next morning I pulled it in the shop and another guy and I found a crack in the side post of the radiator. I took it to a radiator shop and they put 2 side posts on and it looks really good when I got it back. We installed it back on, changed the thermostat, and PVC Valve” It was dirty when I pulled it out and looked at it”. But after I change the PVC Valve, I broke the hose replacing it, and had to purchase a whole vacuum kit just to get the whole hose I needed for the PVC Valve. After I change the Valve, and hose, and plugged it in the back of the engine the car then sounded like it had a vacuum leak when idling. I could get it the car, and it would putter when I gave it a little gas until I got going down the road. I made sure everything was as tight as I could. The hose ran from the PVC Valve, middle of intake under a bracket, and then plugged in behind the cool packs and intake. I believe it was the middle of the plugs. Could the engine sound like this due to a blown head gasket?
I drove it home that night on the interstate and I had to pull over like 5 times before I made it home, because it was still overheating. The gauge would go up and down, but it was getting hot too. Same thing the next morning as I was going back in to work. When I would turn my A/C on, my fans would turn on for like 10 secs and turns off. I then left it parked at work till I had a head mechanic take a look at it. He came back with “A BLOWN HEAD GASKET”
I then asked another manager that was there while he was looking at it, how he was able to tell for sure that it was a blown head gasket without doing some kind of pressure test or something. “ I don’t know the answers, this is my first blown head gasket and I clean cars” so I ask all I can. He replied and said that smoke was coming out of the exhaust, “ I never did see it, but I was never behind the car.”
I checked the oil and white stuff was caked inside the cap, “But just a couple of days before, it was not there”
We then get my intake off, and the whole underside is solid white! Water in the oil, I think? Then we get my 1st head off, close to me, and as far as the head gasket being blown, about ¾ inch was missing from the side middle of the head gasket. The piston on the far left had antifreeze on it “ just a little puddle” and that piston was cleaner than the middle and right pistons.
Then we got the back head off, the head gasket was all-intact, but I believe each of the pistons had antifreeze on them somewhat.
My heads are ready to be picked up from the machine shop, cleaned, valve job, check for cracks, $170. $125 for cylinder head gasket kit www.rockauto.com (http://www.rockauto.com/) “cheapest place I could find it. I am also getting new head bolt, Ac Delco wires and plugs. And hopefully getting it back together this week.
From what I have discussed, does this sound like I did have a blown Head Gasket?
Does it sound like I have a vacuum leak or could having a blown head gasket make it not idle correct?
Does antifreeze sitting on the piston mean the piston rings are still holding compression?
Since I have redone the upper part of the engine, will it put pressure on the bottom end of the engine and cause the engine to maybe blow or eventually loose compression in one of the cylinders due to doing the upper half and ignoring the bottom end.
Would it be a bad idea to have this guy to rebuild my lower end with a re-ring kit? “Cam bearing, main. Gaskets and it be all right “without” taking it to a machine shop for testing, and seeing if it needs to be bored .30 over and having to buy pistons for that too. Or is this a stupid idea?
Does anyone have and suggestions or comments on what I have talked about. I am worried about the lower end, especially with 217,000 miles on it.
I know I had everyone read a lot, but I wanted everyone to know everything that I have been going through and done. I have been reading these forums for weeks, and they have helped me out so much, and I have also learned so much from reading other people problems. So I wanted to give back and decided to write about the problems I am having, in hopes it helps someone else.
A couple weeks ago, I was on the interstate and notice it went up to 3/4, then down, and then back up 2 more times to ¾ before I stop. When I stopped, it was really hot, so I let it cool down “10 mins” before cranking it back up and adding warm water while running. So I returned back to the interstate,” 2 exits away from work, 10 at night, Chevrolet Dealership” and the temperature gauge shot the RED. I got off a exit and left the key on the to work the fans. I finally made it to work and called for a ride.
Next morning I pulled it in the shop and another guy and I found a crack in the side post of the radiator. I took it to a radiator shop and they put 2 side posts on and it looks really good when I got it back. We installed it back on, changed the thermostat, and PVC Valve” It was dirty when I pulled it out and looked at it”. But after I change the PVC Valve, I broke the hose replacing it, and had to purchase a whole vacuum kit just to get the whole hose I needed for the PVC Valve. After I change the Valve, and hose, and plugged it in the back of the engine the car then sounded like it had a vacuum leak when idling. I could get it the car, and it would putter when I gave it a little gas until I got going down the road. I made sure everything was as tight as I could. The hose ran from the PVC Valve, middle of intake under a bracket, and then plugged in behind the cool packs and intake. I believe it was the middle of the plugs. Could the engine sound like this due to a blown head gasket?
I drove it home that night on the interstate and I had to pull over like 5 times before I made it home, because it was still overheating. The gauge would go up and down, but it was getting hot too. Same thing the next morning as I was going back in to work. When I would turn my A/C on, my fans would turn on for like 10 secs and turns off. I then left it parked at work till I had a head mechanic take a look at it. He came back with “A BLOWN HEAD GASKET”
I then asked another manager that was there while he was looking at it, how he was able to tell for sure that it was a blown head gasket without doing some kind of pressure test or something. “ I don’t know the answers, this is my first blown head gasket and I clean cars” so I ask all I can. He replied and said that smoke was coming out of the exhaust, “ I never did see it, but I was never behind the car.”
I checked the oil and white stuff was caked inside the cap, “But just a couple of days before, it was not there”
We then get my intake off, and the whole underside is solid white! Water in the oil, I think? Then we get my 1st head off, close to me, and as far as the head gasket being blown, about ¾ inch was missing from the side middle of the head gasket. The piston on the far left had antifreeze on it “ just a little puddle” and that piston was cleaner than the middle and right pistons.
Then we got the back head off, the head gasket was all-intact, but I believe each of the pistons had antifreeze on them somewhat.
My heads are ready to be picked up from the machine shop, cleaned, valve job, check for cracks, $170. $125 for cylinder head gasket kit www.rockauto.com (http://www.rockauto.com/) “cheapest place I could find it. I am also getting new head bolt, Ac Delco wires and plugs. And hopefully getting it back together this week.
From what I have discussed, does this sound like I did have a blown Head Gasket?
Does it sound like I have a vacuum leak or could having a blown head gasket make it not idle correct?
Does antifreeze sitting on the piston mean the piston rings are still holding compression?
Since I have redone the upper part of the engine, will it put pressure on the bottom end of the engine and cause the engine to maybe blow or eventually loose compression in one of the cylinders due to doing the upper half and ignoring the bottom end.
Would it be a bad idea to have this guy to rebuild my lower end with a re-ring kit? “Cam bearing, main. Gaskets and it be all right “without” taking it to a machine shop for testing, and seeing if it needs to be bored .30 over and having to buy pistons for that too. Or is this a stupid idea?
Does anyone have and suggestions or comments on what I have talked about. I am worried about the lower end, especially with 217,000 miles on it.
I know I had everyone read a lot, but I wanted everyone to know everything that I have been going through and done. I have been reading these forums for weeks, and they have helped me out so much, and I have also learned so much from reading other people problems. So I wanted to give back and decided to write about the problems I am having, in hopes it helps someone else.
RockSolidNova
05-17-2007, 09:17 AM
Yes, it does sound like a blown head gasket. It is possible to get antifreeze into the cylinders without getting in the oil. Install a new head gasket and make sure the bolts are torqued properly. Remove the thermostat and do a cylinder compression check and check for bubbles rising in the coolant. Do an oil change but use two bottles of Slick 50 in place of two quarts of oil. If all of that checks out, replace the thermostat with a new one. Before running the engine, jack the front end up, fill the coolant system but leave the cap off. Start the car and check for coolant flow (squeeze top hose to radiator – you should feel the flow). Run the engine for 15 minutes with the heater on vent and full heat, all the while keeping the coolant tank topped off. Let the engine cool. If this does not fix the problem – drive it to the nearest auto salvage yard, get your $150 and go buy a new car.
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