05 Grand prix GT coolant/overheating problems

[sasquatch094]

The wifes car has been having a weird issue lately. She was on the phone the other day pulling into a parking spot when her car chimed at her to tell her "shutting AC off due to overheating" or something along those lines on the dash. She looked and realized the temp gauge was pretty high and shut the car down. She gave me a call and i told her to buy a gallon of water and pour it in the overflow tank (since it was empty). Then told her to turn the heat on high and head home and watch the gauge.
She made it home and we looked at the reservoir again, it was low/empty. filled it up and the gauge seems to be staying in the normal range the last day or 2. No water in the oil and no leaks that we know of. Pulled the cap off the radiator and found some burnt or brown dexcool on the cap and inside the radiator neck. I gave the car a flush maybe 2 or 3 years ago.

Intake gasket time? anyhelp? its an 05 3800 with about 125000 miles

 

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

If they are still the black plastic ones, I would change them now.

 

[Gpmadness08]

The plastic elbow is a common problem that will leak coolant down back of engine so u won't always see it. I'd check that elbow below alternator to see if its moist. When u replace I'd do intake gaskets as well


~ : Andrea : ~
2008 GP @>~~\~~~
Aka Charlotte

 

[sasquatch094]

plastic elbow? sorry not looking at the car right now to see what your talking about.

 

[Scottydoggs]

standing at the bumper, the pass side of the engine from the lim to the alt bracket is a plastic elbow, theres another one lower down as well.

http://www.grandprixforums.net/how-change-coolant-elbows-49779.html

 

[sasquatch094]

Gotcha, Thank you! Also, i forgot to mention this. Even when the car is hot, there isnt any pressure in the top or bottom radiator hose. meaning theres a leak then?

 

[Scottydoggs]

that sounds about right. when there's a leak the hoses wont have full pressure.

 

[sasquatch094]

Thank you, ill give it another look tonight and order up some parts. Alum elbows are better then plastic for the extra bucks?

 

[Scottydoggs]

your looking at a 6 dollar difference, the plastic cost about 6 bucks, the al elbows about 12.

 

[sseilmnop]

What kind of lower intake gasket you have? If they are black plastic then they should also be changed. If the intake gasket is aluminum your good and just do the elbows. You should be able to tell with a flashlight and a screwdriver by the front valve cover.

What does the coolant look like in the radiator? Is it all slimely? Dexcool turns to slime after 6 or 7 years, it also softens the plastic lower intake gasket.

 

[sasquatch094]

Not sure on the gaskets. ill take a look tho.
I flushed the coolant a few years ago maybe 3 or 4. I guess i left some bad **** in there, but yea its brownish. was all over the cap on the radiator.

 

[sseilmnop]

If the gaskets need done, should do all at once. I use the aluminum elbows.

 

[REDCRAPGP]

If the gaskets need done, should do all at once. I use the aluminum elbows.

This. Do it all at once do a lim job and change the elbows while your there.