infamous805187 Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 I was driving to work, pulled into the parking lot, in front of a group of female co workers, very attractive, and my 93 sts began making a clunking sound from under the hood. Then just as I pull around the corner, in the middle of the parking lot, It dies....It takes four tries to get the car to turn over again. Well it turned over, but didn't stay on for longer than a second. It finally started up, the females cheered, and I pulled out of there. The car hummed beautifully before today. I took it to pep boys to have them swap my rims, and now Im pretty suspicious. What happened, anyone have any ideas? Now whenever I start the engine it makes this loud clunking noise like it is about to explode right next to the engine and belts. There is also black soot on the engine that wasn't there before. It wasn't ever smoking or anything, and wasn't very hot. I did get it up to 120 earlier today, but Ive done this before without any negative effects. I changed my oil not four days ago, had plenty of gas and coolant, even kept my winsheild wiper fluid topped off at all times; however, I haven't had time to take it in to have the r-12 recharged. This shouldn't have happened!!! why me?...lol.. should I drive this home or have it towed? I did a search and found a thread saying that this noise can be ignored and the car can be driven, but this noise sounds horrible.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAC Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 Check for Trouble Codes first. The link will provide all info you need. To enter diagnostic mode: 1. Turn ignition "ON." 2. Depress the "OFF" and "WARMER" buttons on the Climate Control Center (CCC) simultaneously and hold until the segment check appears on the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC). If you see any codes go to the Trouble Code List which will explain what they mean. Let us know what you find, if anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL T Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 Have you checked your diagnostic codes? Have you checked the belts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infamous805187 Posted August 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 took it to a shop, need new engine, this sux. apparently the oil wasn't lubricating the engine. I just got an oil change at jiffy lube not four days ago. oil was black...called jiffy lube...said they weren't sure if they changed the oil or not.....told them I was sure I paid for an oil change.... refusing to reimburse me the 7400 for the engine and the 1400 for the labor...now I have court in the near future...a little rant about my day.... i am not sure why this didn't apear on the onboard computer, did jiffy lube somehow reset it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 Oh boy, this one is going to get interesting. Sorry to hear about this. Keep us updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazglenn3 Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 After reading stories like this over and over again, I can't believe that folks still take their Cadillacs to places like "Jiffy Lube". But, if you insist on doing it, at least check the fluid levels and condition BEFORE you drive away from the place. I would look at the oil filter to make sure they changed AND tightened it, too. Charles Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epricedright Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 What was your oil level on the dipstick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 What was your oil level on the dipstick? Yeah, that's what I was going to ask. Besides, as a Northstar owner you should have been used to frequent oil service (adding 1qtr in 1000 miles is not something unheard). Have you done it? And do not blame the goodlooking coworkers! LOL The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAC Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 took it to a shop, need new engine, this sux. apparently the oil wasn't lubricating the engine. I just got an oil change at jiffy lube not four days ago. oil was black...called jiffy lube...said they weren't sure if they changed the oil or not.....told them I was sure I paid for an oil change.... refusing to reimburse me the 7400 for the engine and the 1400 for the labor...now I have court in the near future...a little rant about my day.... i am not sure why this didn't apear on the onboard computer, did jiffy lube somehow reset it?? You said you took your STS to Jiffy Lube. It sounds like you believe Jiffy Lube failed to change the oil, which caused the engine to fail? Frankly, that would be a tough case to prove. Anyway, did Jiffy Lube change the oil or did they simply charge you for an oil change which they failed to perform? Did the mechanic tell you the oil wasn't lubricating the engine?” If so, is the oil pump working or did the mechanic tell you the oil was so dirty that it wasn’t circulating through the oil pump and through the lubricating system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infamous805187 Posted August 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 The oil level was fine, maybe even too much, it was just filthy, the oil pump was actually the first thing the mechanic checked, assuming it went out causing the whole problem. but it was fine. I would have changed it myself, but I was driving up from LA and needed it changed, lived 45 minutes away so I stopped real quick thinking I would take care of it before I made the final stretch. Got home fine and was fine for a few days, but then ka plump. The negligance is going to be hard to prove, because the previous owner did the oil changes himself. Jiffy lubes response was that there must have been major sludge already in the engine, and the oil change loosened it up. I figured that the oil change should have removed this or at least diluted it, but they told me an oil change alone wouldn't have removed the sludge. The car would purr before....well once i changed the belts.... but no engine issues at all. It has 142,000 on it, jiffy lube told me their records say it has 242,000 which is absurd. I called the dmv and the previous owner bought it with 80,000 miles on it in 02 i doubt he drove it 160,000 miles in four years, that being over 100 miles a day. Put bluntly I hate Jiffy Lube. Any one have any suggesstions? Think I have a case. A rebuilt engine was quoted at 7400 and the labor 1500. Should I pursue jiffy lube for these costs, or just give up on the car? O yeah, the mechanic, a guy Ive been going to for a while, told me he didn't think they changed the filter either. He actually called me at home to tell me that, is this important?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regis Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 Personally I think the oil issue is receiving too much attention. Perhaps if you (curtis) severely neglected an oil and filter change repeatedly it might be an issue. You stated that the oil level was fine and that once the car started it ran fine? Then it seems that the difficult start up and clunking noise are your issues....not the whether the oil was or wasn't changed. The Northstar isn't exactly a fragile engine and on the contrary needs to be flogged often to perform properly. And a mildly overdue oil change here and there is hardly going to damage such a beast of an engine. I believe some of the members here can give you better and more detailed information on the Northstar's validation concerning type of oil, hours run on, etc......it's impressive. I don't want to call into question your mechanic's integrity, honesty, and knowledge but it's something to think about. Trust is a double edged sword. Sounds to me that you might have a pulley (dry worn bearings) going south real fast. Also inspect the serpentine belt for wear (be sure to check the grooved side also). I'm certain others will chime in with other possibilities. I didn't know one could still get R-12 in California nor pass inspection without "upgrading" the system to R-134a. "Burns" rubber " I've never considered myself to be all that conservative, but it seems the more liberal some people get the more conservative I become. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 Could they charge for an oil change and do nothing? Yes, because they know that half of the customers won't even find the deepstick. Would it cause a catastrophic engine failure? I do not think so, unless the engine was about to fail anyway. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 As long as there was oil in the crankcase, it is going to be very, very hard to prove negligence on Jiffy Lubes part. As far as sludge goes, I think the term is a carry over from the 60's & 70's. Todays oils are so much better than they were even 20 years ago. They just don't sludge up like they used to. That is one reason that we can get 12,500 miles to an oil change with a 100% safety factor built in. My guess is that if whatever happened was Jiffy Lubes fault, you'd have never made it home, and whatever happened was probably inevitable. Only a tear down and thorough inspection will determine the cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 BTW, your mechanic may dramatize the situation, particularly if you mentioned Jiffy Lube. Geta second opinion, and do not tell them anything about Jiffy Lube. Furthermore, the latter most likely has nothing to do with the engine issue. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve6 Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 took it to a shop, need new engine, this sux. apparently the oil wasn't lubricating the engine. I just got an oil change at jiffy lube not four days ago. oil was black...called jiffy lube...said they weren't sure if they changed the oil or not.....told them I was sure I paid for an oil change.... refusing to reimburse me the 7400 for the engine and the 1400 for the labor...now I have court in the near future...a little rant about my day.... i am not sure why this didn't apear on the onboard computer, did jiffy lube somehow reset it?? What did your mechanic actually say was wrong (besides the 'its broke'? If you are still driving it, it makes me wonder what he thinks is wrong, and why it needs a totaly NEW/Rebuilt engine...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infamous805187 Posted August 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 I was told there was too much oil in the engine, and it was too runny. The car didn't sound like it could go any further, It started up fine after that one incident, it just made that horrible noise. The noise sounds as is somone the mechanic at firestone thought it was coolant and metal shavings. Firestone talked to jiffy lube who said they would pay for repairs, but refused to do anything for liability reasons (didnt even want to do an oil change) the damage was too severe and at that point. Jiffy Lube didn't want me to go to the nearest Jiffy Lube because they "Are franchise and therefore not at all associated with each other." At the next shop each of the technicians said the engine was gone, and thus I left it there now being repaired. They also talked to Jiffy lube and told them everything they saw. Oil and filter hadn't been changed and the engine was toast. There was shavings of metal in the oil. I always changed the oil myself, never letting the computer read below 30 got its oil life. The previous owner told me he also maintained it with frequent oil changes that he performed himself, except for once in 02 when he took it to jiffy lube. I googled the whole ordeal, and aparently this happens pretty frequently with this place. I am now in contact with a group that is filing a class action suit agains them. If anyone else has had issues with them feel free to email me. Im going to have my engine examined after it is torn out of the car. See what really happend. It should be ready by tomorrow. On a more positive note, how awsome will it be to have a rebuilt engine? Should I expect less performance or like new performance? Im somewhat exited about driving it around again, sorry about the price I paid though. If my engine was failing before, as someone earlier posted, than it sure as hell performed like it was living its last life to the fullest. Will this rebuilt engine be even better? I cant believe that this would happen all of the sudden, without any previous signs or warnings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epricedright Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 I've heard of horror stories w/ Firestone as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 Something is wrong with this story it does not make sense at all... The oil and filter were not changed, could they have not drained the oil and just put an additional 7.5 quarts in overfilling it? VERIFY how much OIL is in this engine if you have 15 quarts, Jiffy Lube messed up by overfilling your crankcase and effectively hydrolocking your ENGINE from the bottom. Someone confirm this line of thinking with 15/16 quarts of oil in the crankcase. I would go immediately and see how much OIL is in it 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...
GreenMachine Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 guess you'll either change your oil yourself or have your trusted mechanic do it. The rebuilt engine should perform on par or better than the old engine. Just adhere to their brake-in procedure, something like the first 500 miles for a new engine, don't run it one speed for that 500, and don't do any full throttle either. Change the oil early in the cycle to make sure any thing from the rebuild process doesn't wind up in there for an extened period of time. The Green's Machines 1998 Deville - high mileage, keeps on going, custom cat-back exhaust 2003 Seville - stock low mileage goodness! 2004 Grand Prix GTP CompG - Smaller supercharger pulley, Ported Exhaust Manifolds, Dyno tune, etc 1998 Firebird Formula - 408 LQ9 Stroker motor swap and all sorts of go fast stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 Something is wrong with this story it does not make sense at all... The oil and filter were not changed, could they have not drained the oil and just put an additional 7.5 quarts in overfilling it? VERIFY how much OIL is in this engine if you have 15 quarts, Jiffy Lube messed up by overfilling your crankcase and effectively hydrolocking your ENGINE from the bottom. Someone confirm this line of thinking with 15/16 quarts of oil in the crankcase. I would go immediately and see how much OIL is in it 15 quarts of oil is not enough to hydrolock the engine - The easy fix when the pressure relief valve sticks open due to a piece of debris on the '93-'94 Northstars (which results in no oil pressure) is to overfill the crankcase by 8 quarts - that puts the oil level higher than the oil pump forcing it to prime and blows out the offending debris in the pressure relief valve. The extra oil should be drained out immediately as the engine will be smoking a lot. If Jiffy Lube didn't drain the old oil, he would have known it as it would have been smoking like a mosquito fogger... Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenMachine Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 to me it almost sounds like they might have put something else in there, and they know something considering they have agreed to pay for the repairs. The Green's Machines 1998 Deville - high mileage, keeps on going, custom cat-back exhaust 2003 Seville - stock low mileage goodness! 2004 Grand Prix GTP CompG - Smaller supercharger pulley, Ported Exhaust Manifolds, Dyno tune, etc 1998 Firebird Formula - 408 LQ9 Stroker motor swap and all sorts of go fast stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epricedright Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 I was told there was too much oil in the engine, and it was too runny. Maybe they think the oil level is too high due to coolant being mixed in the oil due to a cracked block or head gasket. Firestone talked to jiffy lube who said they would pay for repairs, but refused to do anything for liability reasons (didnt even want to do an oil change) the damage was too severe and at that point. I don't understand that statement. They said they would pay for repairs, but they're not going to for liability reasons? If Jiffy Lube is determined to be at fault somehow, just have Jiffy sign an agreement to the effect that they will pay for the repairs out of "good will", but will not accept fault (for liability reasons). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.