96' Lumina with load of Issues

[kyle_]

I just recently purchase a 96' Lumina with a 6 cyl. 3.1l. I can't get any light on the dash, theres a short of some sort, but no idea where to start. Secondly, when the headlights are turned on, the clock on the radio unit goes blank? For some reason the engine coolant well seems to have emptied itself over the process of a 2 week period? I ran the car in park for 30-40 minutes and couldn't see any sign of external leakage? Any ideas? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[jeffcoslacker]

Your dimmer switch is turned all the way down...that's the issue with the dash and radio...or else the switch is bad...try turning it up...

[jeffcoslacker]

Make sure the coolant isn't going into the oil...if so, stop running it and get it fixed right away...

[kyle_]

Is there a visual way to check and make sure its not mixing?

[kyle_]

Also, theres little to no pressure in the coolant tubes.

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by kyle_

Is there a visual way to check and make sure its not mixing?

Usually will show as mocha colored froth on the oil dipstick, or brown discoloring and residue in the coolant resevoir

[kyle_]

Just checked, its a very light color, nothing dark, no milky discoloration.

[richtazz]

On the instrument light issue, check the fuse too. The radio display is routed through the panel dimmer switch when the lights are turned on so it will dim with the dash lights. When the lights are off, the display recieves direct power from the ignition circuit when the key is on or in acc. On the coolant issue, look for nasty sludge around the outermost lower intake bolts (the one nearest the thermostat is the easiest to see without disassembling anything). Any black or orangish goo around these bolts indicates a failing intake gasket, which would account for the mysterious coolant loss.

[kyle_]

Oh alright thanks, I'll check that out in daylight tomorrow when I get back from school, and hopefully find out what the issue is. If worse comes to worse and the intake manifold is the issue, isn't that a job that takes a couple of hours?

[jeffcoslacker]

Better plan on the better part of the day, if you've never done before...

[richtazz]

The 1st one of these I did took me about 6-7 hours, and I have it down to about 4-1/2 now. The best advice I can give you is to keep everything spotless and organized. Don't forget to clean any sludge out of the valve cover baffels if it exists, and change the t-stat, oil pump drive o-ring, and PCV valve while you're at it. If you're not mechanically inclined, leave a weekend open so you don't rush yourself. Buy a good repair manual and an in/lb calibrated torque wrench, and torque everything to spec. Do not use the factory style plastic gasket, buy the Fel-Pro kit (part# MS98004T, includes the valve cover gaskets) or OEM improved design metal/rubber gaskets so you don't have to do it again.