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Post by rocketman on Dec 15, 2005 19:47:26 GMT -6
Well our '01 (45,000 miles) has been smelling like antifreeze lately and I noticed coolant under the front exhaust manifold when I was changing the oil this weekend. I have found no sign of a leak on top of the engine or the face of it.
Took the car to the local Buick dealer and he said it is leaking "from under the throttle body". I had told him to watch out for the water pump. Anyway, they called me and said they had no idea how to work on the car since it is a Northstar. So........I have an apointment at a Caddy dealer an hour away tomorrow. My guess is the thermostat is leaking again or the water pump is shot.
Anyone have any suggestions? Looks to be similar to the other coolant leak post.
I'll post results tomorrow.
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Post by 95mushroom on Dec 15, 2005 21:37:01 GMT -6
yep, sounds like a thermostat or water pump. I'd advise them to check those first.
If a Buick dealer doesn't know how to work on a N* by now, I guess every V8 Lucerne owner is SOL.
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scottydl
Super Moderator 
There's nothin' like an American V-8...
Posts: 7,373
Staff Member
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Post by scottydl on Dec 16, 2005 8:35:03 GMT -6
If a Buick dealer doesn't know how to work on a N* by now, I guess every V8 Lucerne owner is SOL. Yeesh, no kidding. If the dealer really said they "have no idea how to work on the car" then they are a bunch of idiots. I mean, c'mon.. the dealer is supposed to be the premier professional mechanics! But they make it sound like if it's not the same car/problem that rolls in every single day, they don't want to touch it.  |
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Post by Wacko on Dec 16, 2005 9:14:26 GMT -6
Rocketman, it could be the same thing I have, a leaking water pump gasket. However, there is a crossover manifold that ties the two cylinder banks together. This carries coolant to each bank, I believe. This houses the water pump and the thermostat. There are gaskets on each bank as well as gaskets for the water pump and thermostat.
Personally, I'd rather have a dealer admit they are not familiar with my car/engine than to BS me and do a hack job.
Update: This manifold also encompasses the throttlebody at one point.
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Post by Aurora40 on Dec 16, 2005 9:51:16 GMT -6
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Post by rocketman on Dec 16, 2005 14:39:15 GMT -6
4.0
I took the manual out last night and observed what you mentioned. There are 4 gaskets to the block that could be bad too.
I thanked the Buick dealer for their honesty and quickly picked the car up. I don't want anyone working on a Northstar that does not know what they are doing. BTW, this same delaer replaced a thermostat gasket last year. I think I got the rookie mechanic and service writer again. Just my luck!
As of now, no update from the Caddy dealer.
MTC
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Post by rocketman on Dec 16, 2005 16:10:54 GMT -6
Just got the update - bad waterpump.
They also are replacing the steering rack ( I tried to get them to replace the ISS). I'm sure the rack is more money in parts and labor!
Now I have to wait 'til Tuesday to get it back.
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Post by Wacko on Dec 17, 2005 14:12:03 GMT -6
What's up with the rack? What symptoms?
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Post by rocketman on Dec 17, 2005 15:33:04 GMT -6
It was really wierd. We had the ISS lubed the day before. When we went off to the Caddy dealer, the wife said the steering was stiff. She had not complained about ti earlier. I had them look at the ISS to see if they would replace it so I could stop lubing it all the time and to see if the Buick dealer screwed it up somehow. They came back with the rack.
Typically a rack will get harder to turn or make noises when it starts to go bad. Usually happens in colder weather first.
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Post by Aurora40 on Dec 17, 2005 16:48:08 GMT -6
It's not something simple like the MagnaSteer being set to a firmer level, is it? I believe it has three settings it can be adjusted to (via a Tech 2).
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Post by rocketman on Dec 18, 2005 7:10:23 GMT -6
I'm not sure about the adjustment setting. It is wierd that it happened overnight after the ISS was lubed though. Since I didn't drive the car before and after, i can only go by what the wife says. What the hey, let them replace it now under warranty.
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