First off, great looking forum people! I came here in search for collaborative help with my deville. It is an 89, has the 4.5 with about 180,000.

Problems started with factory radiator leaking, and replacing it with an aluminum performance one. Then it would STILL overheat, and the radiator shop says there may be "current" going through it. WTF?

Other than that, it just needs new gaskets, as it leaks from the rear main.

What motors if any can be swapped into this thing? Could I keep my tranny?

All the local shops told me they would not rebuild it as there is WAY too much aluminum. I NEED HELP!



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Email notification....

 

Almost forgot...sorry, not trying to spam the forum. But the new radiator, developed holes quickly, (hence the current theory), and the heat does not work! On a side note, the ac clutch engages when the heat is turned on. HMM.... I love my car, and want to fix it right!

 

Assuming you are talking about the engine (they would not rebuild it as there is WAY too much aluminum), this is a easy one.

Find a Cadillac 4500 under 75000 miles and ask the salvage yard if one of their employees moonlights installing engines. Going rate is around $400 to install, 4500 engine should be between $200 and $500.

There must be about 10,000 such engines available in the NW, being sold off as scrap metal.

now ..

I am not sure you even need one ...
why does it overheat? you didnt explain that.



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Ok, thats a good thought in terms of getting a used one. Not sure why it overheats as heres all the symptoms, and I do not understand....

coolant overflow would be full, and car would be overheating. I would stop the engine, and every time, it would go back into the radiator after sitting for a little while. HMMM

NO coolant in oil, and although oil leaks from the rear main, It does not seem to have a blown head gasket.....

Water pump seemed to be sucking coolant down with the radiator cap off, and revving the engine.

HERES THE BIG ONE, A BRAND NEW PERFORMANCE ALUMINUM RADIATOR, SLOWLY DELOLOPED A NUMBER OF PINHOLES! The radiator shop thinks that it was grounding out on something!

Thanks for the response! any thoughts? IM stumped

 

Condition is way out of the normal with electrolysis as the cause. Radiators are insulated in rubber except for trans cooler lines/pipes when they are 1 piece. Check main ground at block add ground clamp to trans cooler line. See what ph is of coolant if it is acidic, flush coolant.

 

Where are you located, I assume the United States somewhere

 

Walla Walla WA !



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elelctrolysis...yes. thats the term he used. Good old wallla...yep. It seems all my auto issues are lilke this, and not conventional....I WISH it was a head gasket.

 

I must wonder what the "radiator shop" did .. what they do***ented .. what they told you.
At this point, due to the pin holes of the radiator, I would assume that the system is running a corrosive mixture. I believe that if electrolysis was present, there would be surface corrosion concentrations or "whitish dust" at or near the "mounts" or "contact spots", not all over .. As to checking for electrolysis, simply disconnect the battery, and using an ohmmeter, check the resistance of the radiator to the engine and then to the car frame - you should see near 0 Ohms.
As slowroll stated, there should not be ANY metal contact between the radiator and the car.

Now, if you got both scenarios, coolant system with a corrosive coolant & electrolysis, what you are seeing is but the tip of the iceberg .. eventually the freeze plugs will also go & the headgaskets of course would also be in danger .. take care of it fast, really fast.

If it was my car, I be flushing within the hour after reading this and then adding a fresh 50/50 mix.
Then testing with a meter, then checking all grounds.


an intelligent quote ...
" using a chemical flush .. .. if you leave the additive in, it will eventually eat up your metallic seals, radiator, freeze plugs, etc. that is why one should flush with clean water at least twice to make sure you remove all of the additive (and sludge / scale) from the coolant system before you add the new antifreeze and water mix .."

A typical (and wrong) misconception of ignorance .. just cuz a shop does the work, it doesnt mean they know what they do ...
" .. the tech at the radiator shop i worked at said the Prestone Flush it no more harmful then coolant or Dexcool.." wrong .. wrong .. wrong ...


as to the overheating .. the system is a simple concept ..
to avoid overheating one needs:

1. plenty of proper coolant (100% fill w/o air)

2. circulating coolant (pump, belts, hoses)

3. heat exchanger with air flow (radiator, heater core, fans)

4. a semi-sealed system ( compromised headgaskets violate this one as they allow exhaust gases into the coolant system)

Please read our FAQ on coolant and overheating .. there is a lot of technical info there.