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04 Gr Prix Supercharger leak?


Foxymom
11-13-2011, 10:43 PM
This is my ex-husbands car, I know very little about it but it has started smoking and had my Father look at it and the leak seems to come from the Supercharger, a pinkish color? He thinks it is dripping on something and that is what the smoke is from. I have read online that you need to have the oil changed in the supercharger (did NOT know that) and I know this one has NEVER been changed. Any ideas before I take it to get an estimate? It is a 2004 Pont Gr Prix GTP 3.8L Supercharged V-6. Here are the upgrades that were done on it before I got it:
BORLA CAT-BACK EXHAUST
RANDOM TECHNOLOGY HIGH FLOW CAT
K&N COLD AIR INTAKE SYSTEM
MSD BLASTER COILS, MSD BLASTER IGNITION WIRING, NGK SPARK PLUGS
MODIFIED RAM AIR SYSTEM

I wasn't sure how much information you needed. Thanks for any advice offered, my ex is military and does not live near me to work on the vehicle.
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GTP Dad
11-14-2011, 10:44 AM
Welcome to AF!!

The supercharger oil should be changed periodically but I don't think that is your problem. It sounds more like you have a coolant leak. It could be from several different sources depending on where you see it dripping from. If you could post a picture of where the coolant is coming from that would give us a better idea of what is happening. If not there could be several issues. First, a leaking lower intake manifold gasket especially if you have water in the oil or smoke coming out of the tailpipe. Next it could be a bad water pump if the coolant is from the front of the engine. Another potential is a bad coolant elbow on the front of the engine.

If you take it to a repair shop, get an estimate for repair from more than one mechanic. Costs vary widely from shop to shop and you may get hit with a large cost for the repair. Good Luck!

Tech II
11-14-2011, 03:15 PM
Might be able to see the leak with a coolant pressure tester.....b ut you have to Isolate the leak.....all it has to do is land on the hot exhaust to smoke....

SC'ers usually leak at the nose cone/pulley area....usually more seepage than a leak.....Very easy to check fluid level....but this fluid is not pink.....there is a torx screw that you remove to check level....should be at the bottom of the threads....usually checked every 50K miles...

Foxymom
11-14-2011, 07:45 PM
Okay, I uploaded a couple of images I just took, let me know if this helps and thank you for your help!

danielsatur
11-14-2011, 08:21 PM
Check the little black plastic coolant elbows from the belt tensioner going to the Intake.
If bad, they can be bought in the Dorman section at your local auto parts store for around $2.00 / 1hr repair

Also do AF-> Pontiac->Grad Prix Thread tools search ''Coolant Elbows''

CrazyHorst
11-15-2011, 03:10 AM
I am guessing from the uploaded pictures this actually is the gasket under the supercharger....correct me if wrong but there is coolant going up thru the supercharger casting for the throttle body heat...could also be seals between the supercharger body and the throttle body itself also.

Perhaps if you clean and dry everything up, then start the car, you can diagnose where the weepage is coming from.

Another clue would be the level in the overflow bottle or the radiator neck (checked COLD!!) would be getting lower also.

Foxymom
11-15-2011, 04:14 AM
We have already checked the radiator while the fluid looks kind of the same, it thankfully looked fine. Thanks for your help, I may just end up calling someone to take a look at it, I should have sold the car last year!

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