My life is officially cursed, I swear...

[phoenix6]

On the way back from getting my new beater inspected (it "Passed" inspection too) Im stuck in a line of stop and go traff for 5 mins. Coolant light comes on, remember the damn sensor or something is broken, the gauge wont tell me how hot the car is, then I see smoke. The overflow tank was trying to spit coolant. No idea why, how or what! I didnt do this on the way there, ran FINE, perfect. No stop and go traffic either though.

So what could it be? Thermostat? Sensor? Both? HG? Radiator?

I stopped it at a shop guy comes out and writes it off as a BHG, I said but theres NO smoke anywhere from the car. He said sometimes there isnt, its just blocking coolant to get into the block and its heating and boilig... is this true?

How can I find out? Is it worth it? Trash it? Im pissed and almost in tears, everytime something good happens to me lately, something worse comes of it.

Its a 94 Corsica, v6. I left it there 5 mins down the road, Im debating whether or not to pick it up and drive it home...

 

[daledoe]

Your first probly was getting a Corsica :biglaugh: :biglaugh: :biglaugh: :biglaugh:

 

[ChadMKIII]

Sorry to hear, you were so happy about it just a day or so ago.

No real advice here tho. I'm sure you could sell it on craigslist or something as a mechanics special for at least 4-500 ish. Then get an old cheap dd like a Civic or something slightly more reliable than a 90's GM car--which would be any car out there lol.

 

[phoenix6]

If its a sensor or a T-stat Ill fix it, I need a car to drive. It only overheated in stop and go traffic, so whats up?

 

[jtamulis]

sounds like the water pump, or fans are bad. Which would explain it overheating in stop and go traffic, but not when moving.

Jeff

 

[phoenix6]

There was a box for a brand new water pump in the trunk, so I believe he replaced it. The fan is on ALL the time, hotwired.

 

[supra90turbo]

hmm... he replaced the water pump, hotwired the fans, and there was a bottle of empty stop leak in the trunk...

Sounds like a recurring problem, eh? Check those intake gaskets yet? when they get all gross and leaky, the car will overheat.
The 3.1J/3.4E is no stranger to headgasket jobs, either...

 

[daledoe]

.
The 3.1J/3.4E is no stranger to headgasket jobs, either...

No thay aren't!!!! Not to easy eather.

 

[johnathan1]

pressure test the cooling system.

 

[phoenix6]

Just got it home, it didnt overheat but I drove it fast to get it here, I popped open the hood the second I pulled up and stopped, the upper radiator hose was huge, looked like a baseball was inside it. I believe now its a stuck thermostat, I got a new one tonight and a new coolant temp sensor, Ill put them in tomorrow. These things are notorious for Intake gaskets fuckin up too, but would that cause coolant to back up like that?

 

[ForcedTorque]

Well we know one sensor is working correctly. It knew there was a MKIII driver behind the wheel, and instant ::bhg::

JK....I feel your pain! Seems like when something goes wrong, it always snowballs the harder you try.

 

[phoenix6]

My shits been snowballing for 4 years, shit doesnt end for me. Hopefully its just the TS. If its a BHG Im gonna take this car to an open field, run it like theres no tomorrow and watch it burn when I torch it... whos down?

 

[Doward]

Replace the thermostat.

I doubt, SERIOUSLY DOUBT it is a BHG. The 60 degree V6 engines are NOT AT ALL prone to blowing head gaskets (12psi of boost on a STOCK GASKET here, with NOTHING extra done to the head to clamp it or anything)

BUT - the lower intake manifold likes to leak. Look for white crusty shit around near the thermostat, on the front of the engine.

Also, swollen hoses = no no. Replace the hoses. Pressurize the system (you can rent the tool @ Autozone, and they will refund your money after you are done with it and return it) to check for other leaks.

Unless teh guy before you SERIOUSLY overheated it (warped the aluminum head), I wouldn't be looking at a BHG just yet.

 

[phoenix6]

dude theres a turbo kit for this thing?....

SORRY I read the rest, I really appreciate that, helps me. THere were ALOT of coolant cans in the car when I got it, scares me but I think its ok. Drives wonderful. Ill look at it tomorrow when I replace the t-stat and sensor.

 

[boost fiend]

+1 to doward!!!

gm engines like the 3.1, 3.4, 3.8 are known for intake gasket issues.

if, and if, the hg is bad, (which i highly doubt.) it can be removed and ya can use the intake to hold it all together if ya do it right. kinda tricky, but it can be done.

 

[phoenix6]

u mean NO HG at all....? If thats what your sayin, WTF lol... never heard of this.

Ill keep u all posted, gotta get some ZZsss

 

[Doward]

2.8/3.1/3.4 are all the same family.

The 3.8 is a different beast entirely.

No, you can not hold it all together just by the intake.

No, you can not cut the head without cutting the intake, because the valve cover overlaps onto the intake manifold, so that the intake's geometry MUST stay even with the head.

Yes, they leak between the block and the very bottom of the intake - you must use a small bit of black silicone on the block itself to seal the area.

No, you can not replace the lower intake manifold gaskets without pull the pushrods, and resetting zero-lash.

Yes, the 60 degree v6 is a tiny ass motor.

Yes, you can bolt on a set of heads + intake manifold from an '01+ 3400 for about 30 wheel hp gain from your '94 setup.

No, turbo kits are custom done, but the rear mount is popular on them.

Yes, the rods are forged, and the bottom end rated for 7000+rpm from GM.

Yes, the 60 degree v6 is a HIGHLY underrated little motor Look up the '89-'90 Turbo Grand Prix for proof.

 

[phoenix6]

Talked to the guy who sold it to me, it WAS the water pump before, he fixed that and forgot to tell me they didnt install ANY t-stat after that, it might need a new upper rad hose and the system wasnt bled he thinks....

I got a new T-Stat, gonna do all this today... any suggestions on something I need to know I might overlook?

 

[Allan_MA70]

if its blowing the upper hose up like a mofo with no t-stat its a major BHG i would say

 

[phoenix6]

Blowing the upper hose? It just swells from the pressure or lack of coolant maybe I thought, dont tell me BHG, car drove like a champ, drives like achamp, Im gonna check it all in just a bit.