KHE Posted October 9, 2006 Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 If it were my car I would pursue the $3000 the stealership collected from you and didn't fix the problem - sounds like you are doing or are about to do that. I wouldn't throw in the towel at this point. I would also have the problem repaired as soon as you can - really, you can't afford not to as you have so much invested in the car as it is. Head gasket failures on the 4.9 engine are rare - not to say they don't fail but the much more likely candidate is the intake manifold gasket. When it fails, it can leak coolant into the oil as you describe. The intake gasket is far cheaper to fix than head gaskets and the work can be done with the engine in the car. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolnesss Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 If you paid with a credit card, call the credit card issuer and dispute the charge. That will get the dealer to react FAST. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 Marika -- you should know that GM has an unconditional 1-year warranty on all work. WOW! I was completely unaware of that. It would appear that lawyers and courts are invenerial (as they so often are ). Regards, Warren 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...
Marika Posted October 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 If it were my car I would pursue the $3000 the stealership collected from you and didn't fix the problem - sounds like you are doing or are about to do that. I wouldn't throw in the towel at this point. I would also have the problem repaired as soon as you can - really, you can't afford not to as you have so much invested in the car as it is. Head gasket failures on the 4.9 engine are rare - not to say they don't fail but the much more likely candidate is the intake manifold gasket. When it fails, it can leak coolant into the oil as you describe. The intake gasket is far cheaper to fix than head gaskets and the work can be done with the engine in the car. I have no intention of giving up, that's for sure. I want to figure out WHAT went wrong. I brought the car into the dealership for an overheat problem. They did fix a whole lot of unrelated stuff and the car no longer overheats but in the process of eliminating the overheat, they gave me back a car that is now losing antifreeze and God only knows at this point where it's going. I'll solve this problem eventually and of course keep everyone informed in the process. Thanks for all your caring and help. If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted October 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 OK. Woke up this morning and found antifreeze on the ground. This is the first time I've found it on the ground. Appears to be toward the middle of the car, not in the front. Opened the hood and put on my UV glasses and with the UV light went under the hood exploring. FOUND THE LEAK. There was tracer dye all dribbled down the firewall near the passenger side. First person to guess where the leak is coming from gets a Tootsie Roll. (Hint: There's small amounts of steam building up INSIDE the windshield) If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve6 Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 mmm heatercore, is the passanger side floor all wet? now where's my tootsie roll!! : I dont have any experince with this car, but heater core on many newer body style cars CAN be huge job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted October 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 mmm heatercore, is the passanger side floor all wet? now where's my tootsie roll!! : I dont have any experince with this car, but heater core on many newer body style cars CAN be huge job. The passenger side floor is not wet, yet. It's apparently a small leak, again, not showing up all the time but by george I found it!! Thank you Tracerline!! Send me a private message with your mailing address, I'll send you a bag of tootsie rolls. If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Hall Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 In post #5 I wrote that it might be a heater core. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted October 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Ed, private message me with your address and I'll send you a bag of tootsie rolls as well. This car has been a *smurf*, that's for sure. It's not even been fun figuring out what's been going wrong with this car. If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Are you sure it's not just the hose connections at the heater core? Also, the heater core leak doesn't explain the tracer dye in the oil. I still think that is an intake manifold gasket. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Hall Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Marika, I'm just more than glad that the problem was found so you don't have to ride the bus. This forum is awesome and I'm glad to help out since I have been helped many times. Your 1992 is the most reliable year and is the least expensive to fix. I hope that your car lasts a long time and do find another mechanic that doesn't charge so much to fix your car. Save the tootsie rolls for yourself of someone else. Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve6 Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 The wetness on the passenger side was because sometimes when a heater core leaks it drips the anti freeze on the passenger side floor, making it moist. It would explain why you could smell it so clear in the passanger compartment. I relize its never fun to try and figure out an issue that is not clear cut, but reading this post and trying to understand it, you also have to relize what a mechanic can go through when someone drops their car off and says , 'My car is broke, fix it' . Odd electrical gremlins, anti freeze leaks that don't happen when you take your car in to be checked, funny noises that happen somtimes, but never when you take it in to be fixed. . Its not always easy for a mechanic to diagnose an issue, especially when their time is worth so much, Fixing one issue that causes another to act up, they can never predict that fixing the rad will make the hose blow type stuff. I am in IT, and sometimes its just impossible to find a problem thats so intermintent it only happens once in a while, but the client wants it fixed 'now'. I spent alot of time trying to figure out why my buick would stall 'sometimes'. And after I figured out it was the fuel pump acting up, and I replaced it, the (used) pump I put in worked great for about 2 weeks, and it also acted up, second guessing myself that the pump was the actual root cause drove me nuts. I wanted to drive that car into a lake at one point. So two fuel pumps later, and dropping the tank about 12 times, its been fine ever since, darn I hate cars (sometimes) If I started to list all the 'odd' issues ive seen in the few years ive dealt with cars, I could type all day, where as I do find it a challenge, but it can also be very frustrating. Good luck with the car. -steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted October 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Are you sure it's not just the hose connections at the heater core? Also, the heater core leak doesn't explain the tracer dye in the oil. I still think that is an intake manifold gasket. I'm not sure that's it's not just the hose connections but I do get bits of steam forming on the inside passenger side windshield and it's coming from the bottom. Regarding the tracer dye in the oil, I had a chat with the Guru, he told me to not jump to conclusions so quickly regarding tracer dye in motor oil since there are many motor oils nowadays that also contain tracer dye in them. He told me to try to get hold of a sample of the oil that the stealership put into the car and see if it reacts to the UV light the same way the tracer dye reacts since they may actually react differently, such as slightly different color, tint or intensity. I've not had a chance to get over to the stealership and pester them for a sample of the oil to check it out. I want my '66 Malibu back!! If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 I would say that the heater core is in need of replacing if you notice steam on the windshield. Get it fixed before it pukes coolant all over the carpet... Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Hall Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Shine your tracer light around the heater hose connections in the engine compartment before you do anything. You can also tighten the hose clamps and see if the problem goes away. The heater core was not a difficult job on my 88 Eldorado. Hopefully it's the same with yours. Also, make sure you have plenty of Barsleak in the coolant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted October 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 I would say that the heater core is in need of replacing if you notice steam on the windshield. Get it fixed before it pukes coolant all over the carpet... Glow in the dark carpet You can see that slowly I'm losing my marbles over this car I've invested too much $$$ in it at this point to get rid of it, plus, I just love the darn thing too much. Oh well. I'm a fool. If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 On April 19, 2006, I suggested using dye and a UV light. JackC suggested it 9/20/2006. The problem as was noted is that it has been an intermittant leak. Pressurization by two shops did not turn this leak up and it held pressure. Maybe its possible that the engine movement was pulling on the heater lines on acceleration and the leak did not show up while it sat and idled. The loss of cooling system pressure would cause spontaineous boiling / bubbling you experienced. That you did not see steam previously could be related to the outside temps. Hopefully, the guru's statement about dye in the oil explained why you were seeing UV emission on the oil filler cap and on the valve train. Odd however that you did not see the same UV emission on the dip stick. Definately, if you have moisture on the inside of the windshield its the heater core. This is probably why you were smelling it. Hard job the HVAC housing under the hood has to be removed. Can't be done under the dash like the later cars. 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 October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Who makes tootsie rolls? Should I buy that company's stock? Marika, I hope this ends your problems. Regards, Warren 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...
Marika Posted October 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Who makes tootsie rolls? Should I buy that company's stock? Marika, I hope this ends your problems. Regards, Warren I wish you were right but I somehow feel this car hasn't even begun to raise its ugly head at me. I'm buying that monthly bus ticket tomorrow. If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 I wish you were right but I somehow feel this car hasn't even begun to raise its ugly head at me. I'm buying that monthly bus ticket tomorrow. Ohhh . . . . 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...
adallak Posted October 28, 2006 Report Share Posted October 28, 2006 Marika, Didn't I ask you to take a srewdriver and tighten all the clamps on heater hoses? The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcirobin Posted October 28, 2006 Report Share Posted October 28, 2006 On April 19, 2006, I suggested using dye and a UV light. JackC suggested it 9/20/2006. The problem as was noted is that it has been an intermittant leak. Pressurization by two shops did not turn this leak up and it held pressure. Maybe its possible that the engine movement was pulling on the heater lines on acceleration and the leak did not show up while it sat and idled. The loss of cooling system pressure would cause spontaineous boiling / bubbling you experienced. That you did not see steam previously could be related to the outside temps. Hopefully, the guru's statement about dye in the oil explained why you were seeing UV emission on the oil filler cap and on the valve train. Odd however that you did not see the same UV emission on the dip stick. Definately, if you have moisture on the inside of the windshield its the heater core. This is probably why you were smelling it. Hard job the HVAC housing under the hood has to be removed. Can't be done under the dash like the later cars. Mike, you can replace the heater core from the inside of the 92 Seville. You just have to take out the glove box and move the PCM a little. The only thing that has to be done under the hood are the hose connections. It's a little tight, but it can be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted October 28, 2006 Report Share Posted October 28, 2006 WOW, that is a big break! Thanks for that info.. 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...
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