realestate11 Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 OK so the 200dts is eating antifreeze and you can smell it on rare occassion in the exhaust. I have looked in the oil (no antifreeze in oil clear and clean). I cannot detect exhaust coming from coolant tank. So we start the car one morning and have a unmistakable odor and cloud of antifreeze from exhaust still no coolant in the oil cant detect exhaust in coolant tank. We take the dts to the dealer and they call saying it is a headgasket and cracked cylinder. I asked how they know its got a cracked cylinder they say its most likely that it does and the tech checking has 25 years experiance. I asked do you have the manifold and heads off they say no. They did inform me that the coolant had HI levels of hydrocarbons (I believe that). Now how many people on this board have had a manifold or headgasket leak and found the cylinder to be cracked also as a result is this common??? I seriously question this without having the heads off especially since there is no coolant in the oil (both me and they agree on that,no coolant in oil). So what have others experiances been??? Best Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 The cracked cylinder is total BS.... period. The engine needs to be Timeserted and a new set of headgaskets and it will be fine. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 STS1993, How many miles on the clock of the DTS? When was coolant changed last time? The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeb Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 cracked cylinder liner means new motor. X dollars at a dealer. how much does a dealer want to only timesert and put in new headgaskets? X dollars minus a little bit. I think both jobs are going to be large dollars. can you find a shop that will put in a used 2k vintage motor? hmm, at first glance, 2k seems fairly new but it really is 6yrs old. do you want a new motor or a used motor. might save a little money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realestate11 Posted August 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 STS1993, How many miles on the clock of the DTS? When was coolant changed last time? 120,000 on the clock, Coolant 10,000 miles ago or so when I had the 100k mile check up tune up. Dont you think that they would have seen fouled plugs at that point!!!!! Best Regards Matt P.S. I expect to get 250K miles out of this thing I am still driving the 93 STS with 260k miles. Yea at this point I will find someone else to timesert and do the head gaskets. I feel that if they do it they will magicaly find a cracked cylinder (self fullfilling prophecy) or some other problem and want to sell me an engine. I do have a really hard time believing this cracked cylinder thing without coolant in the oil and no visual inspection. Thanks matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyG Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 You DO know that the coolant is only good for 50,000 right? How many changes since 2000? This is a good point to remember, any one of us with 100,000+ miles on their POST 96 car should be on their 3rd coolant change. Never underestimate the amount of a persons greed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 You DO know that the coolant is only good for 50,000 right? How many changes since 2000? This is a good point to remember, any one of us with 100,000+ miles on their POST 96 car should be on their 3rd coolant change. Looks like the five-year term was overlooked as well. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realestate11 Posted August 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 Umm being that this car has been brought to the same dealer for oil changes coolant changes tranny oil changes since it had 36k miles when I bought it, every time they sent a maint. card I am pretty sure that if I look in the records I keep in the dash it has been replaced at GMs service interval. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 This kind of diagnosis drives me crazy... So they are telling you that his 25 years of experience allows him to see into the engine and see the crack? He is really good. I might ask him to see into my transmission to see how my ISS sensor looks That is PURE conjecture about the cracked cylinder sleeve.... Run from them and call the regional rep and tell them about your experience... NO ONE can definitively make that kind of statement! Listen to what the others have said above. Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 So they are telling you that his 25 years of experience allows him to see into the engine and see the crack? He is really good. . . . . Run from them and call the regional rep and tell them about your experience... NO ONE can definitively make that kind of statement! Listen to what the others have said above. Mike always gives good advice. The cracked cylinder is total BS.... period. Yup, bogus. I don't think anyone on this board has *EVER* reported a "cracked cylinder." 25 years of experience not withstanding, Mr. WonderMechanic cannot possibly have a legitmate rationale for his "guess" about a cracked cylinder. That would unquestionably require an engine replacement. Were you quoted for an engine repair or engine replacement? Regards, Warren EDIT: Would you care to tell us the name/location of this Stealership? There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realestate11 Posted August 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 I owned a automotive and industrial machine shop we never had any component of an Nstar in, but remember them to have a cast iron sleeve that is cast into the alum block. We also did all sorts of crack inspection ferrous and non ferrous castings forgings surface and sub surface flaws etc etc. I wish I had the Wonder Mechanics X-ray vision would have made that $400.00 hr that we profited on inspection work go through the roof! Well I'll give the Dealer one out I think they did not want to replace head gaskets or the engine too much work, when they have warranty work to do! So off to another dealer that wanted to do the work and welcomed it hmmm weird. I will give the dealers name when it is certain that it does not have a cracked sleeve, after visual inspection. Best Regards Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonie77 Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 First and foremost. The N* does NOT put coolant in the oil until the head gaskets are almost nonexistant. The design of the engine makes it difficult for coolant to get into the oil. The cracked cylinder is not likely...I'd bet most of my life savings on it. The engine needs new head gaskets. Unfortunately it almost surely needs timeserts as the threads in the block are damaged (I'll bet the rest of the life savings on this). The powertrain should come out to do this. It is not overly difficult (many have done it at home) but it is a long tedious job that many mechanics don't want to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realestate11 Posted August 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 First and foremost. The N* does NOT put coolant in the oil until the head gaskets are almost nonexistant. The design of the engine makes it difficult for coolant to get into the oil. The cracked cylinder is not likely...I'd bet most of my life savings on it. The engine needs new head gaskets. Unfortunately it almost surely needs timeserts as the threads in the block are damaged (I'll bet the rest of the life savings on this). The powertrain should come out to do this. It is not overly difficult (many have done it at home) but it is a long tedious job that many mechanics don't want to do. Good info on the coolant and oil! Ya I believe the timeserts we used to do lots of aluminum heads BBC stuff and just helicoiled all rocker bosses and exhaust port mounting holes as part of having them in our shop for machining etc. they were always buggered up! I would love to do the work myself unfortunately I am now a developer/ Commecial builder and have no time. Thanks for the info Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realestate11 Posted September 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 I got the 2000 DTS back today yes the dealer (KEY cadillac minneapolis MN) that told me the block would be cracked was full of *&^%!!!! Head gaskets and 20 timeserts a water pump and motor mounts $3700 not bad I think! Took the car for a 200 mile trip Zero problems so far!! The dealer that did the work was West Metro in monticello MN. Thanks to all for your suggestions Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 Sort of a good news - bad news deal. Mostly bad news for the dealership with the X-ray vision technician. Thanks for closing the loop with your feedback. Future readers will appreciate the followup. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonie77 Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 Considering the extras done that was a good price. Thanks for updating us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 I would make a point of letting the stealership that told you the cylinder was cracked (The X-ray tech) that you had the car repaired at another dealership and that the block/cylinder was NOT cracked and all is fine. I would also suggest writing a letter to the GM Zone rep that covers your area. It is time that unscrupulous dealers are taken to task in my opinion as they are really hurting GM's reputation. I still need to review my letter to the stealership that screwed up the first Timesert job in my '97 STS (for its former owner) with legal council. My hope is that I can prevent them from 1) screwing up someone elses car and 2) prevent them from accomplishing #1 and then screwing them on a new engine.... Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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