1999 SLS for $550

[CadiKing]

Good day all,

Well my quest to replace the '99 STS is still on going.

Have looked at and driven many cars...

A shame how many people do not care for their cars

in the least...

Story on this one is it gets hot.

Seller said needle goes over half, but not into the red.

Do not know if I believe much of what he said.

Said it is intermittent, sometimes it does not get hot.

Sometimes it uses coolant

and sometimes it doesn't. (HEAD GASKET??)

Couldn't pin him down on that.

Can drive for a while and it will not get hot,

yet sometimes is does.

Only current code was IPCB1310.

This was recorded after the slew of codes that came

up were erased by mistake... I won't mention

who, (my son), apparently hit the yes button when

asked to erase the codes. Oh well, the amount of

codes to come up was scary...

I drove the car a short distance, didn't want to overheat it

for nothing, and it did not over heat. I floored it a couple of

times. IT SURE AIN'T NO STS! Coolant was a little over full

which makes me suspicious...

Seller claims the thermostat and water pump were replaced,

but he's a bus driver, not a mechanic. He admits he has

no knowldge of the car.

Seller says when it overheats, if you turn off the AC it will cool

down and you can drive it. I wonder about the cooling fans...

Cannot seem to locate IPC B1310 in the list.. any help here?

Get this...

He claims he bought it new on the way to Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland

for a heart bypass. Figured if he didn't make it, the wife would

get a great new car. He made it, leased it for three years, then

bought it off the lease.

What other causes could cause over heating besides head gasket woes?

If it is something else, I will buy it today...If it is a headgasket, I have

no time to mess with it, but $5500 is a bargain price....garage kept...]

Thanks for any help in advance..

jim

[BodybyFisher]

Go to Napa on line and search for combustion, there is a tester that will allow you to test the coolant for combustion gasses. Do the test, if its positive make your decision... Pay $550 and get it time-serted and case half if you like for say $3000 and you will have a good car..

The water pump belt, the purge line a bad stat, less than 50/50 mix or a pressure leak from side tanks, hoses, cap, or tank can cause overheating.

I would be suspect about this one,,, turning off the AC turns the fans OFF too until 228 degrees. The AC allows the fans to run 100% of the time...

[KHE]

The water pump belt tensioner could be corroded up and not tensioning the water pump belt properly - that would result in the belt slipping and poor coolant circulation. Another possibility is the line from the water pump housing to the surge tank is plugged.

A pressure test or combustion by-product test would need to be performed in order to asses the state of the headgaskets.

How many miles on the car? What color, etc?

[CadiKing]

Go to Napa on line and search for combustion, there is a tester that will allow you to test the coolant for combustion gasses. Do the test, if its positive make your decision... Pay $5500 and get it time-serted and case half if you like for say $3000 and you will have a good car..

The water pump belt, the purge line a bad stat, less than 50/50 mix or a pressure leak from side tanks, hoses, cap, or tank can cause overheating.

I would be suspect about this one,,, turning off the AC turns the fans OFF too until 228 degrees. The AC allows the fans to run 100% of the time...

Thanks Mike,

I am torn whether to mess with this car or not.

I will see about the combustion tester, I didn't know

these were available at napa... I wonder if anyone rents them...

after all, I only need it for a minute..LOL

I, too, am suspect since he tried to say it used coolant, but it had

been totally random, and not something tied to the over heating.

I was able to open the pressure tank, after the car had been sitting

for about 15 minutes. The system had pressure, and when I bled if

off, it took a few minutes to relieve. Coolant level slightly high, but

definitely looked like Dexcool. Said all maintainance had been done

per the book, but couldn't produce records.

Thanks for the heads up, I didn't think their was a place to get a meter reasonably.

jim

The water pump belt tensioner could be corroded up and not tensioning the water pump belt properly - that would result in the belt slipping and poor coolant circulation. Another possibility is the line from the water pump housing to the surge tank is plugged.

A pressure test or combustion by-product test would need to be performed in order to asses the state of the headgaskets.

How many miles on the car? What color, etc?

Hello Kevin,

I was able to look at the wp belt, it looked fresh.

Couldn't really get to the tensioner, could be slipping.

Purge tank hose is a good thing to check.

Thanks for the replies...

jim

How many miles on the car? What color, etc?

Kevin,

Sorry, I forgot to say, 113,k miles, red with all options except

moon roof, (he was tootalll).

I see now, I mistiyed the price....$5500 not $550.

jim

[Ranger]

I agree with everyone else. There are many things that could cause this, but it is very suspicious and starting out on the wrong foot. Unless you are getting it for a great price and are willing to go the head gasket route (should that be the case), I'd walk.

[johnnydone]

if iread ths correctly you sre buing a 99 cadillac for 550? thats a no brainer no matter whats wrong

[BodybyFisher]

if iread ths correctly you sre buing a 99 cadillac for 550? thats a no brainer no matter whats wrong

That was my attitude, but he mis-typed, he meant $5,500, and corrected himself further down...

So now its a different story, $5,500 plus about $3,000 = $8,500.... Is a 99 SLS with 113K worth that? What is the blue book for a private sale?

[JohnnyG]

I agree with everyone else. HOWEVER, why would you want to pay 5500 for a '99 with problems? There are no easy fixes, and the numerous other codes have yet to be explored......

This is typical failure mode for head gasket. Find me one person writing on this board that has ever resolved "intermittent overheat" by any of the other methods suggested. I don't remember anyone ever coming back and writing "Problem Solved, it was a bad....." Now I admit, there are a lot of people out there still messing with the problem, but I haven't seen any fixed yet.

I'd give him the $550 if he would take it, and as johnnydone said, you can't go wrong.

[BodybyFisher]

I agree with everyone else. HOWEVER, why would you want to pay 5500 for a '99 with problems? There are no easy fixes, and the numerous other codes have yet to be explored......

This is typical failure mode for head gasket. Find me one person writing on this board that has ever resolved "intermittent overheat" by any of the other methods suggested. I don't remember anyone ever coming back and writing "Problem Solved, it was a bad....." Now I admit, there are a lot of people out there still messing with the problem, but I haven't seen any fixed yet.

I'd give him the $550 if he would take it, and as johnnydone said, you can't go wrong.

Come on Johnny, you are sounding like a gloom and doomer see rollingthunder1994, he had a clogged purge line! Hope for the best, plan for the worst...

I want you to pour a glass half way (with wine preferrably) and start seeing it as HALF FULL and not HALF EMPTY, if you see it as half empty, drink the wine, and do it again until you see it as half FULL.... I gotta work on you man!

[JohnnyG]

see rollingthunder1994, he had a clogged purge line!

OK, that's one, MAYBE. Question is, why did he need a purge line to be open if air or gasses were not entering the cooling system? And don't give me that stuff about there being pockets of air in the system. The line should only be needed after a change or upon factory fill, once the air is out, it won't just magically reappear again for no reason. If it was after a coolant change, I can understand that.

Yes, I'm sounding like gloom and doom, I've seen the same symptoms too many times.

Would you advise he purchase this car?

[Ranger]

The line should only be needed after a change or upon factory fill, once the air is out, it won't just magically reappear again for no reason. If it was after a coolant change, I can understand that.

No, the pump turns at engine RPM and can cavitate at higher RPM's. Thus the need for the purge line.

[The Fred]

If the motor needs a headgasket and you get that done for $3000

Heck you're in $8500 and have almost the same as a brand new automobile

This sucker you're dealing with sounds slippery and broke.

Slippery and broke people are bad to deal with but can be useful.

If he is slippery and broke he's trying to cheat you and it needs the headgasket. Go to him with $3000 in cash and a concealed firearm and see if he will accept it. Go back a week later with $3500 in cash and see if he will accept it.

(As an aside, the firearm is only in case he tries to rob you)

[Regis]

I agree with everyone else. HOWEVER, why would you want to pay 5500 for a '99 with problems? There are no easy fixes, and the numerous other codes have yet to be explored......

This is typical failure mode for head gasket. Find me one person writing on this board that has ever resolved "intermittent overheat" by any of the other methods suggested. I don't remember anyone ever coming back and writing "Problem Solved, it was a bad....." Now I admit, there are a lot of people out there still messing with the problem, but I haven't seen any fixed yet.

I'd give him the $550 if he would take it, and as johnnydone said, you can't go wrong.

Come on Johnny, you are sounding like a gloom and doomer see rollingthunder1994, he had a clogged purge line! Hope for the best, plan for the worst...

I want you to pour a glass half way (with wine preferrably) and start seeing it as HALF FULL and not HALF EMPTY, if you see it as half empty, drink the wine, and do it again until you see it as half FULL.... I gotta work on you man!

My issue turned out to be a $10 pressure cap. I'd say that was about the easiest fix.

[KHE]

I wouldn't pay $5500 for the car but if CadiKing could do the headgaskets himself and the car could be purchased for $3000 or $3500 it would make a very nice car for less than $5000.....

[The Fred]

I tell you another thing when my 94STS is running right I would sell that to you for a good price.

Heck I am mad with the car if you want to buy it right now I would let you slide into it inexpensively.

I need to buy some DVDs (at least 2500) so I could use extra cash.

[CadiKing]

Yes, you are ALL right!

$5500 is too much to pay if it is the headgasket, (sorry for the $550 mis-type).

I thought if it could be something else, or even a combination of things,

I could possibly be on the road for <$5k.

The car was really nice, but with it being an SLS, I really don't want it

for a daily driver. If it was an STS, I would have been much more interested.

Thanks for the replies, I will continue to look and test drive used STS'.

jim

[The Fred]

Mine is an STS... a Z - Rated one.

150MPH and all

[The Fred]

I'm going to want to have $5000 for it or keep it once I get it running right.. darn thing has a new A/C compressor and is a dream to drive

http://affordablecarats.com/newseville/

And it certainly looks alot better than the 1998+ body style

[steve6]

I'm going to want to have $5000 for it or keep it once I get it running right.. darn thing has a new A/C compressor and is a dream to drive

http://affordablecarats.com/newseville/

And it certainly looks alot better than the 1998+ body style

1998 - 2004 is much better looking than the pre 98 styles! both inside and out!

[JasonA]

Obviously styling is a personal preference, yet we often speak of it as fact (including myself). Of course the 92-97 body style is the best looking Seville ever. I thought that was a given.

[The Fred]

Obviously styling is a personal preference, yet we often speak of it as fact (including myself). Of course the 92-97 body style is the best looking Seville ever. I thought that was a given.

Well it sure looks better than the 98+

I'm going to want to have $5000 for it or keep it once I get it running right.. darn thing has a new A/C compressor and is a dream to drive

http://affordablecarats.com/newseville/

And it certainly looks alot better than the 1998+ body style

1998 - 2004 is much better looking than the pre 98 styles! both inside and out!

No sir it isn't

PS: Mr. Cadking-

Never mind about the car.

I broke it yet again over here.

With tap water (

[JohnnyG]

No, the pump turns at engine RPM and can cavitate at higher RPM's. Thus the need for the purge line.

Cavitation does not produce air. It tears apart the molecules of the liquid allowing any entrained air to expand under the sudden vacuum, or the water component to boil more easily. After the low pressure condition ceases to exist (pressure returns to normal) the small amounts of air are once again compressed and "blended" back into the liquid. Some higher vapor pressure liquids tear apart very easily, other liquids with very low vapor pressure (like water) are a little tougher to tear apart. I doubt that a 50% ethylene glycol/water mixture will cavitate in the engine as you describe. Given that the liquid is heated will allow it to happen easier, but still not likely, and certainly not enough to cause overheating.

My plant runs a vapor recovery unit that adsorbs the gasoline vapors from loading (gasoline) trucks, into activated carbon beds. The beds regenerate under high vacuum, around 27" of mercury, pulling the collected molecules of gasoline back out of the carbon and turning them back into liquid. The "seal fluid" for the vacuum pump is 80% ethylene glycol/water mixture......at 27" Hg, the vacuum pump does not cavitate. For it to do so would cause serious damage rather quickly. The process runs at 180° F, so heat is also involved.

We do, however, need to add water from time to time as the high vacuum/temperature comination "boils it off" in the process. I'm certain that if there was ANY other fluid more suitable than this, in other words less susceptable to boil off, it would be in the unit.

[Ranger]

I doubt that a 50% ethylene glycol/water mixture will cavitate in the engine as you describe.

Actually Johnny, that is something that I recalled the Guru say once. I probably should have mentioned that. I seem to recall him saying that was the reason for the purge line.

[JohnnyG]

Actually Johnny, that is something that I recalled the Guru say once. I probably should have mentioned that. I seem to recall him saying that was the reason for the purge line.

I think I remember that too. I doubted it then, but who knows, I could be wrong. I'm not the one with the PhD. Maybe the vent line gives the separated vapors a place to collect and recombine, or more correctly..recondense to a liquid. Most likely we're dealing with the "boiling off" process as described in my example. In the vapor recovery system, it is basically open to the atmosphere, so water is lost. In a closed system, the vapors would be steam caused by high heat and low pressure. When the vapors cooled in the expansion tank, they would once again become liquid. The facts still remain though that air is not PRODUCED by cavitation. So if coolant levels in the reservoir continue to be displaced by vapors from some source....its most likely NOT from cavitation.

[Ranger]

The facts still remain though that air is not PRODUCED by cavitation

I have often wondered about that ever since I first saw it on an outboard motor prop. Thanks for the explanation.