rockfangd Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 Hi all, I am trying to help my best friend out with his 99 Deville Base. 2 weeks ago the check coolant level message came on, he said it took 1.5 gallons. this week i checked it again and it took 3/4 of a gallon. The first time he got the message he lost heat until he added coolant. I instructed him to purchase a coolant contamination kit. I checked everywhere for any obvious leaks, Found nothing. I had him accelerate from 35 to 70mph multiple times at operating temp and The gauge never went over 206*F I feel no hesitation at all. I do not smell coolant inn the exhaust while running nor do I see more than usual smoke. The 3 things that have me quite worried is 1. The upper radiator hose is rock hard 2. where did almost 3 gallons of coolant go unnoticed 3. even after the engine cools the upper hose is hard and there is alot of pressure still in the system. I pulled up the recall for the 99 for the head bolt holes and It is not within the campaign. I really dont know what to do if it is the headgasket. The car has 99000 miles and runs great. He has had not so good luck with cadillacs but like me he has the passion with fine american cadillacs. His first had the torque convertor problem his second had a major blown headgasket And now this problem. I would hate to see a good car get salveged because of an expensive repair. Thanks in advance for any responses on this GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 The coolant is going some place. Typically it leaks under pressure and you can not see it leaking as it vaporizes You should pressurize the system and see if you turn up a leak Things to look at Bad Cap letting go of pressure and coolant at low pressure Leaking heater pipes Leaking hose clamps, dont forget the green hoses Leaking by pass hose Leaking WP body seal Leaking crossover seals Leaking end tanks Cracked tank Leaking WP cover seal 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...
rockfangd Posted February 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 The coolant is going some place. Typically it leaks under pressure and you can not see it leaking as it vaporizes You should pressurize the system and see if you turn up a leak Things to look at Bad Cap letting go of pressure and coolant at low pressure Leaking heater pipes Leaking hose clamps, dont forget the green hoses Leaking by pass hose Leaking WP body seal Leaking crossover seals Leaking end tanks Cracked tank Leaking WP cover seal I am doing a pressure tast on tuesday, what is reasonable pressure to suffice an accurate system pressure test. Also planned on checking the cap, Doing the contamination test at the same time. Didnt see anything obvious for leaks anywhere and no puddle in the parking spot. I was also thinking purging from the overflow hose, but not sure if the cap is not holding or if the sysstem is getting air somehow. Any idea on the 99 how to check the purge hose. I see a hose that has a squeeze clamp to the right of the engine beauty cover near the TB. What Do i have to do to check fr proper flow from that line? GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 I did a search and found this info, after reading it, I think I am going to buy myself a good cooling system pressure tester. I never considered using it as a diagnostic tool for possible head gasket breach. Interesting The first test of the cooling system is done when the engine is cold. A cooling system pressure tester can be installed in place of the radiator cap. Pressure in the cooling system and hot coolant are not something to be treated lightly. Use caution, and never remove the radiator cap from an engine that has been run even for even a short time. After installing the gauge, pump it up to 10 pounds. Look around for leaks if the gauge shows any pressure loss Second Test: Start the engine cold with no pressure indicated on the gauge. The pressure in the cooling system builds to aprox 7 lbs at normal running temps looking around for leaks. But if the pressure builds quickly to around 15 lbs the pressure is coming from one of the cylinders through the inner head gasket. This can also show up as a coolant pressure loss in the first test credit: http://www.benplace.com/pressure_test.htm 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...
BodybyFisher Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 The purge line is part of the throttle body pre-heater circuit, look around the TB for the hose and the 'bolt with a hole' in it. I am pretty sure the 99 is the same. 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...
rockfangd Posted February 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Update 11/12/11 Ok so thursday I replaced the thermostat and surge tank cap. (cap was shot cracked) ran the car with the my purge funnel for about 25 mins. verified coolant level and replaced cap This is what blows me away The upper radiator hose is swelled and rock hard runs hotter at idle Temps do not spike on hard highway accelerations even once engine is cool upper radiator hose is still hard I am at a loss because I dont kow if the waterpump could be the culprit or if something worse is happening. I am going to pressure test the engine tomorrow while engine is cold. local does not sell the contamination testers anymore, dont even list it. All they have is these strips that you dip and ship out and wait for results, Not what I had in mind.. Can anyone please confirm that the purge bolt is sideways on the driver side mounted at the rear of the torque strut. I see what lookss like a bolt coming out the side with a hose coming out of it. Is that it? GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93SixtySpecial Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Are you looking for one of those contamination testers where you can pull the gasses through the blue liquid and if it changes to yellow, there is combustion gasses in the coolant? My local NAPA didn't have one, but 100 miles south of here had one for around $40 and it was worth it. After driving home last night after a 120 mile trip, the low coolant message came on my 99 Deville as well. It was dark so I didn't want to mess with it, but when I got out of the car it smelled quite strongly of coolant. I'm going to check it out today (even though we have 50 MPH wind gusts) to see where it's coming from. At least it's over 45 degrees today! -Dusty- 2006 Cadillac DTS Glacier Gold Tri-Coat with 175,000 miles 1993 Cadillac Sixty Special Gold Mist with 185,000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted February 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 UPDATE 2/26/11 Well he told me it is stumbling on cold starts, still losing coolant, blowing white smoke when engine is cold temp spikes when not moving but normal temps when moving. I hate to say it but I am really starting to think Headgasktet. am going over tuesday to check exhaust smell on cold start and verify stumbling when engine is cold. Any tips GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93SixtySpecial Posted February 28, 2011 Report Share Posted February 28, 2011 UPDATE 2/26/11 Well he told me it is stumbling on cold starts, still losing coolant, blowing white smoke when engine is cold temp spikes when not moving but normal temps when moving. I hate to say it but I am really starting to think Headgasktet. am going over tuesday to check exhaust smell on cold start and verify stumbling when engine is cold. Any tips Sumbling on cold was what did told me it was head gaskets on my 2000 DTS. Did you use a block tester on it yet? -Dusty- 2006 Cadillac DTS Glacier Gold Tri-Coat with 175,000 miles 1993 Cadillac Sixty Special Gold Mist with 185,000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted March 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 in the morning, will post results GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted March 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 UPDATE 3/6/11 car had bad stumble on first start this morning, Exhaust reeks like bad gas. once engine started to warm it leveled out. this afternoon same thing, I pulled the hose off of the bolt with the hole in it and pulled the bolt, gound no blockage and noted strong flow. Note that I just added 1/2 gallon coolant monday and today it took 3/4 gallon coolant. noted something weird. when I filled the coolant this afternoon I had someone start the engine and I swear the smoke that came out of the purge tank smelled like exhaust. It only lasted like 2 seconds though. It also kept puffing slight white smoke from the tank. I feel bad because it is a nice car but he cannot afford to fix it if it is headbolt problem. I am really starting to lean toward headgasket GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 That does not sound promising, but get the block test kit and run the test to confirm it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjb981 Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Sorry to hear that... If the car is in really nice conditions otherwise, maybe someone with the skills to fix it would be interested in buying it for cheap. Anything is better than junking it, if possible. So sad to see these nice cars have to go that route... (This is not to put any blame on your friend - it is obviously not his or her fault that the HG is expensive to repair, and I fully understand that everyone does not have that kind of money to put into a 12-year old car.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeb Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 your car could be worth 1000. throw in 2000 to pay a shop to fix it. you can find a nice selection of cars for 3k. might not be great shape but you could find something nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted March 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 mine cost 3500. dont know anyone around here that will even touch one for much cheaper GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted March 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 well looks like it is headgasket. it is overheating and purging all of the coolant out of the reservoir. also if you start it up it puffs out of the coolant reservoir. white smoke and reeks like exhaust. waiting to see what he wants to do. very unfortunate for just hitting 100000 miles GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted March 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 well confirmed it was . I would like to see exactly what happened. it just hit 100000 miles, he would like to try to at least sell it for a thousand to someone who would like to taake the time to fix it. I would buy it but am currently at 4 vehicles and have no room for anymore3 GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.