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Need help kinda quick! Elbow let go.

R

Randall Carlisle

New member
I need some help kinida quick. I say kinda because I gotta run a short trip for work and then will be able to get back to the car. I flushed cooling system last night, new t-stat (Stant superstat w/o little hole), new cap and new hoses. Drove home last night no issue, but hoses still didn't feel pressurized, but they have felt softer than I thought for 2 days. Was driving to work this morning, pulled out to pass and looked like the motor blew. Limped to safe place to check and when refilling found that elbow on pass side has cracked open - may have been the issue all along?

So I got to fix that. need to know pretty quick what threads to look at and what issues to address. Have seen enough here to know that UIM and LIM and elbows are common issues. Got part #s off another thread. Torque values? I am 3.5 hrs from my shop manual - may have to buy another just in case.

The gasket at block (LIM?) appears to be orange. Will I need to replace it? I see an orange gasket at valley. I am staying with relatives who don't have internet right now, so need to find everything and print before I return to their house.

Help if you can and a big thanks for all I've learned so far and all you guys can help. In pine level, NC, if anyone would like to help do this to learn how to do it.

Can email me at [email protected] directly if you;d like.

Going to look at a few more pages, then go run my trip - be beack in 4 - 5 hrs, around 3 pm EST.

Thanks
Randy
 


so the coolant elbow blew?

i wouldn't be driving the car at all without a new one on there -- make sure you bled the cooling system fully so there's no unnecessary pressure.
 
I'm not driving it. My uncle is going to pick it up on his trailer later today and we'll try to fix it tonight. Sounds good. Is there chance I won;t need to change intake gaskets if all I did was blow elbow? oil looks good and no other signs of failuer that I can see.

Thanks
Randy
 
the orange part isn't the part to look for.

Right where the LIM meets the head, not the block. Rather, pieces on angles, not parallel to ground.
 


Cool, thanks - will look. May fix the elbows first so I can get around on my own and go from there. But def something to look at. We may have had them changed already - wife supposed to be checking records. Seems like they did something to it already.

Randy
 
@Billboost

Thanks - you are da man! And you guys are SuperQuick! If I can get parts, should be rolling again soon. Hope that fixing this doesn't lead to another problem, as fixing the other parts might have... ugh?

And it will take me longer, I'm sure - I'm pretty slow and methodical. I hate to do things twice, if it can be helped.

Randy
 
Randy.. literally , you need to disconnect power, pull the alternator, pull three more bolts. Pull the crusty old elbows out. Lube and slide the new ones in.. and .. put in a few bolts.
 
Yep - guy at advance store said he did it in abt 20 min to his wife's car a couple weeks ago - they only have plastic in stock. Once again the net helps a person out. Any torque values that are critical on re-assembly?

Talk to all ya'll in a few hours when I get back.
Randy
 


Only real way on this to make things worse is to have a 96-98 with the metal lower elbow. If you gank on it side to side instead of front to back, you'll break the timing cover. Which is why.....I know some of the guys here are going to hate their aluminum coolant elbows when they get them in and go to mod. GM had reasons for making both plastic.
 
Well it is done. And the cooling system seems to be working correctly for the moment. Only really tough part was remembering how the belt routed. We didn't draw it and it slithered completely off by time we were ready to reassemble. no manual and no internet access. Finally figured it out, and just confirmed we did it correctly. You guys are great - hopefully I can help someone else sometime.

So... if I have no modding plans, would it be better to go to aluminum elbows or just keep the plastic? I'm also considering buying a 1997 Bonneville for a commuter car and it will have same issues. but for future maintenance? The OEM plastic lasted nearly 10 years.

Did the bleed valve til it sprayed, made sure overflow was filled, test drove, needed coolant in overflow, added. Added again this morning. Less this time. I'll keep check, but do I need to do another bleed?

Thanks again, to everyone, for the quick help. I was nice and toasty this morning.
Randy
 
97 Bonneville is the best vehicle ever made. Feel free to ask me anything you can think of. (I hope it's an SSEi though). On the 97... you want to be aware of the aluminum elbow that is part of the alt bracket that I mentioned. You can break a timing cover doing this on it if you aren't careful. You won't like doing the belt the first time w/o the tips and tricks you'll ask me for directly. Don't listen to anyone unless they have done it....PA and Riviera are way worse.

You should be good on bleeding.

Belt routing trick. Route is how it seems logical w/o using the tensioner. Lift the belt up off the water pump and put it on the tensioner.
 
Cool, thanks. So there is a slight difference in the engines from 97 to 2003. Going to look at it again in a lilttle bit - I drove it like 8 miles and everything there checks out pretty well. Has 122K on it, a few interior things, headliner drooping in a few places, carpet pulled out from under trim. Pass mirror has been "epoxied" or something, dr mirror shakes more than a motorcycle mirror.

What really bugs me a wetness on belt end of engine - going to look at that further - dealer says he had a valve cover gasket replaced, but I want to look at it a little more. That could be bad. The battery tray is in poor shape, too. But i smelled no oil or coolant in the test drive, whihc was mix of interstate - runs up to 80 smoothly, may have a tire a little out of balance.

And it's an SE with bench seat. But I need it for the practicality - not a lot of hot rod plans. Actually I just looked and it says SOLD so never mind. I'll run by and see if it's really sold or what. Dang - the search begins again...

Thanks
Randy
 


The Bonneville is sold for real. What about a buick regal with 190K on it for $1200? I think it's too many miles, but then again, car looked reasonable. Didn't look at it up close tho. Not even sure of the year, but similar to the 97.

Randy
 
Regals were all the same basically from 97-04. .... ask me how I know everything about Regals you'd ever wanna know.

I've had 190K Regals.. I've had 130K Regals.. a 3800 and 4T65 is a 3800 with a 4T65.. you know they'll go high mileage. Question is..when are you going to have to work on them?
 
"Question is..when are you going to have to work on them?"

EXACTLY my thought on it. I CAN be mechanical, but don't necessarily seek out things to repair for the sake of having something to repair. And this week has been enough. I think I'll let that one slide and keep a looking. May post up on here that I'm looking. I found my motorcycle same way - posted on an enthusiast forum and found a great bike for great price.

Thanks
Randy
 
You should know..I'm not selling you my Regal and the Bonneville was sold a year ago. Just so we are straight.

If you do get either, I can show you endless mods for them. .... Stuff that makes GP lovers drool.
 
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