Using anti freeze

[wattsie]

Hi Guys

Need help. think I have a head gasket going. 1997 deville north star engine 175000 km. using anti-freeze but not going into the oil. If head gasket is gone oz whats the cost of replacement and how much work????

[Ranger]

Cost is around $3500. The drivetrain has to be dropped and all 20 bolt holes need to be Timeserted.

[Cadillac Jim]

If it's not overheating when stressed at highway speeds, it's not a head gasket. I would have the radiator water tested and, if it passes, start looking for leaks. In particular, look at the radiator side tanks and the water pump.

[wattsie]

If it's not overheating when stressed at highway speeds, it's not a head gasket. I would have the radiator water tested and, if it passes, start looking for leaks. In particular, look at the radiator side tanks and the water pump.

Car is not over heating, or running hot , runs good, lots of power. Haven't checked for leaks. What about the water pump what should I be looking for. No water in oil.

[Ranger]

Northstars rarely put coolant in the oil when a head gasket goes. If you're not overheating, why do you think your head gasket is bad?

If the water pump is bad, it will usually leak at the shaft seal. You'll need an inspection mirror and flashlight to see it.

[JohnnyG]

There are many potential sources of leaks on the Northstar, mostly hoses of course. The toughest one to find is the little green hose that someone wrote about a few months ago. I think its on the back head, and you can't see it unless you have the car up on a hoist and looking up under the back head. I hope you can find a leak somewhere, by parking or running your car on a known clean surface, then trying to find out if it is actually dripping out somewhere.

[Cadillac Jim]

There are two hoses that go across the engine bay between the engine and the firewall. There are neoprene hoses on both ends but the hoses themselves are metal. If you run with a motor sopport out, they can get banged up and get tiny cracks. The pellets from your dealer or Bars Leaks HDC can fix minor cases but if the cracks get long or big they must be replaced.

If you are losing large volumes of coolant, like a quart a week, I would suspect a loose clamp on one of the larger hoses to and from the radiator, or a cracked end tank on the radiator, or a water pump seal.

[wsolman]

Someone earlier mentioned a small green hose. There is one that runs from the black heater pipe into the crossover near the EGR valve. It is a pain to get to. It can be replaced without removing the crossover (I removed the throttle body and EGR-makes it easier) by using a little persuasion on the heater pipe, but not too much-you don't want to break it. Mine was the source of a very slow, annoying leak. It never left any puddles but you could smell the coolant. Took about 10-11 months for the low coolant warning to come on. Check that hose. Mine had dried up coolant on it which was the tip off (finally). No problems since. You may try snugging up the clamps on it first though.

[BodybyFisher]

Someone earlier mentioned a small green hose. There is one that runs from the black heater pipe into the crossover near the EGR valve. It is a pain to get to. It can be replaced without removing the crossover (I removed the throttle body and EGR-makes it easier) by using a little persuasion on the heater pipe, but not too much-you don't want to break it. Mine was the source of a very slow, annoying leak. It never left any puddles but you could smell the coolant. Took about 10-11 months for the low coolant warning to come on. Check that hose. Mine had dried up coolant on it which was the tip off (finally). No problems since. You may try snugging up the clamps on it first though.

We had someone else have a problem with the green hoses, try getting it from the bottom also. I just replaced mine when I did my crossover gaskets and made sure the clamps screw head was facing an open area just in case