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Old 08-22-2011, 07:25 PM   #1
Universalsoul
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Wink My 97 2door grand prix is has four leaks and etc HELP

I've had my grand prix for about six months now. When I first got it the only problem was that I needed a valve gasket cover which I have but had yet to be placed on. I was told the engine was good etc. I've ben keeping the poul changed and all. My last oil change was done by my neighbor 2 months ago. He also replaced my thermostat and put some antifreeze in it. After he did that my car seem to get hotter quicker as oppose to riding at 150 it now would rise to 200 not more than 210 while driving in stop and go traffic. Also when it would get that hot I would hear a whistling/squeaking sound. The rpm meter would jump when I'm idle or in stop and go traffic and it would just cut off. The engine light was also always on. Went to auto zone and was told it could be the air flow sensor purge purge valve solenoid or temperature sensor. I went ahead and got all parts replaced last week. Unfortunately the mechanic who put the parts on messed with the thermostat as well and the car would get hot pass 210 almost to the thermostat symbol. I went back and he stated I needed a tune up so he replaced my spark plugs and wires then told me I need a catylactic converter new muffler and that was the reason I heard those noises. Stated my engine was very good there was no knocking or anything. Next day I went to get an oil change at walmart. Tthey said they couldnt do it because my engine was knocking I needed a motor mount and that a piece of my dip stick was broken. So I drive to work car reaches 260 and I pull over and lite smoke and lots of brown liquid is coming out of the front driver side hood area. I let it cool off and a helper put some water and anti freeze in it. So I began driving once it cooled down then had to pull over two more times within 5 miles of driving. The second time there was brown liquid coming from the hood on the front driver side again. Each time I started the car it went from 100 to 260 within seconds. I finally let it cool all the way down around 7 and didnt drive again until midnight because I had to pick my husband up from work. I cranked the car up and drove about to miles and it went already at 260. I put more antifreeze in it...but the car wasnt hot the meter kept saying it was. So I had to drive about 15 miles before reaching home. We stopped because the car cut off meter was way past 260 but the car wasnt hot. Finally cranked it up and made it home. My hubby put more antifreeze in it and tightened the hose to the thermostat because the mechanic loosened it. The next day we let the car sit put more oil because it was saying low oil level. We never heard knocking just the same whistling squeaking noise with minor pumping and humming noise. the next day we cranked it up and I took him to work car stated it was 210 but as I was driving the meter would go now and when I stop it would go up but never to 260 or pass the thermostat. that was two days ago. Lasr night we tried to do a radiator flush but could never get the white plug to turn and be pulled out...in fact the part u hold to turn broke. Then we realized we had a leak. Last night it was leaking in one spot. This morning after
Driving 20miles and back it now has four leaking spots. Its green and brown liquid. No longer from the hood it now under the car in the middle area next to a bunch of skinny hoses. I dont know car parts but I did make a video.


Can amyone help us...its our only car and we have to drive back and forth from to states daily. Is this something we can fix?
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Old 08-22-2011, 07:51 PM   #2
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Re: My 97 2door grand prix is has four leaks and etc HELP

you need to have someone who knows what they are doing work on the car. It sounds like you wasted a bunch of money on stuff you did not need. It is hard to tell what leaks you may have. if the coolant is leaking from the drain cock then you will get several leaking spots across the radiator bracket. It also sounds to me as if you have a very bad intake leak or a head gasket issue. the overheating sounds like a wrong or improperly installed thermostat along with the system not being bled properly. there is a help and tip section in this forum showing how to do several of the procedures. You should take your car to a very reputable repair shop to find out the actual problem. The other people are just throwing parts at the car hoping it will fix your issue, all while taking your money. good luck
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Old 08-22-2011, 09:03 PM   #3
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Re: My 97 2door grand prix is has four leaks and etc HELP

Welcome tot he forum!

Just like Rick, I'm sorry you had to spend all that money on useless things for your problem.

I would think you rneighboor installed a higher temp thermostat and that caused the temp gauge to stay higher, but still no big deal as that would still be within normal, mine rides at the same temp. But he MIGHT somehow disconnected or pinched a wire during the process. The Idle Air Control (IAC) valve or the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor could be the culprits of the RPM's going up and down, but these don't necessarely need to be bad, maybe the connectors were only loose.

The second mechanic seems to have messed everything up. I would think he didn't bleed the cooling system properly and that caused the rest of your problems.

The whistling sound could have been a vacuum hose leaking (cracked or disconnected). There is a rubber tee at the throttle body going to the Fuel Pressure Regulator (FPR), the EVAP Purge solenoid on the front passenger side of the engine and the transmission vacuum modulator (This depending on which transmission you have). That same hose could have also caused the RPM surging (going up and down) and maybe funny/harsh transmission shifting.

The overheating problem could have caused some engine damage (hopefully not since you've been driving it with no big problems), specially since you mention there was brown fluid coming out. At this point I would think the Lower Intake Manifold (LIM) Gaskets have gone bad because of the high temperature and that they are not sealing properly anymore, that would cause the engine oil to come out from the engine as well as antifreeze. Take a look at the oil dipstick and if you see a 'milky' fluid then you have antifreeze mixed with oil. If that's the case DON'T DRIVE the car anymore, it will cause more damage to the internal parts.

As a final note the temperature sender unit might have been damaged with the high temperature too, I don't know if it's entirelly possible or not, just a suggestion.

In the following link you can see the rubber tee I mentioned, to the left of the TPS. If you have the 4T65E transmission it will look like the picture. If you have the 4T60E it will look like a T and will have 1 extra hose running to the transmission modulator.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=746374

The following links have some good information about the upper and lower manifold gaskets
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=700914
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=701325

Here you can see some information about changin your thermostat:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=652667

Searching the forum with the words "LIM","UIM" and "manifold" will surely bring some important information for you, that way you'll find experiences from other users. I've done the search for you but I'm not sure if it will work:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...archid=3402329

Regards,

Oscar.

PS. Uploading the video you took or taking some pictures of the leaking spots could also help!
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Universalsoul (08-22-2011)
Old 08-22-2011, 09:29 PM   #4
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Re: My 97 2door grand prix is has four leaks and etc HELP

Wow I appreciate the quick responses. Very helpful. Im using my phone to post because I have no pc...not sure if I can upload the video
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Old 08-23-2011, 04:59 PM   #5
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Re: My 97 2door grand prix is has four leaks and etc HELP

Brown and green spots? Mixing Dexcool with green antifreeze?

Sounds like your original problem after the thermostat was replaced, was an air pocket......but driving and overheating it could have caused more problems.....

I know you tried to save money, but when you have people work on your car that don't know what they are doing, can cause more problems than what you originally had....
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