confessions of an obsessive antifreeze checker

[eljefino]

So I got a "beater" for some cousins to drive. It's nice and I'm keeping it within the family (brother-in-law wants it) after they leave. 1999 olds intrigue 3.8 with 195k miles.

When I got it, I went through stem to stern. Car needed a thermostat and I also drained and refilled with new prestone "all makes" OAT technology. Pretty good and a great price. I warmed it up until the fans came on and off to simulate heavy traffic.

But, since this happened about 3 weeks ago, I have been completely manic about checking the cooling system. The first week after the change I was checking both the overflow tank and under the rad cap (which you are not really supposed to do.) Finally convinced the cap was working properly and sucking the coolant back as it depressurized I concentrated on the surge tank.

The factory "fill cold" mark was on the rubber tube that goes in the overflow tank and this wasn't good enough for me. So I made my own "fill cold" mark in sharpie. It's well above the factory line because I want that extra margin of... well... whatever.

Sure enough the overflow tank is an inch above my mark when it's warm and goes back down.

But I'm biting my nails here. I find myself wondering if it's still lukewarm inside when the level is at the line outside. I shake the car to make sure the color I see is not sediment. (It's not, it's crystal clear.)

The cousins are here and about to drive their frail grandma to another state so this is my ultimate moment, I've checked and worried about 3 times this afternooon. I find myself wondering if I was standing up or stooping over when I drew that line. (Minor parallax error and all.

)

Oh, and the car hasn't burned a drop of oil in the 1500 miles since I got it.

 

[G-MAN]

I drove one of these back in 99. It was a rental. Had the DOHC 3.5, however. I was impressed with the overall solid feel the car had.

BTW, I think you can quit worrying about the coolant.

 

[JHZR2]

were any of those 1500 miles with the new coolant job and used for a trip length similar to what theyll be using it for? If so, I wouldnt worry.

If you still have your prestone bottle, id suggest buying another gallon, a few bottles of DI water, and making two gallons of 50/50 mix to keep in the trunk... cheap insurance, and in a year you can drain the radiator and refill.

The intrigue was always one of my favorite cars... really nice with a good drivetrain and decent efficiency.

Cars like that would save GM... they just need to be widespread across the divisions. Nobody can argue with a car going strong at 195k miles as far as quality goes!

JMH

 

[Ray H]

Wow - "parallax". You even spelled it correctly. (I notice those things - I'm a retired optometrist.)

 

[Tosh]

Ya, I'd be more worried about your cousins' longer term abilities and attitudes toward checking things under the hood than the actual coolant level today.

 

[m2200b]

Pass along to your departing cousins the likely coolant leak for upper mainfolds on their 3.8 and that checking your sharpie line cold in the morning weekly is real important in early diagnosis of coolant leaks and a weekly check like tire pressure.

On those cars a pint of coolant low is either a intake leak or a weeping water pump. Show them where on the head/ gasket that they may see coolant leaks and the color of your Prestone. I assume they have to take off the plastic cover to see the plastic intake but show them. If you used GMs slick air bleeder the coolant is probably w/o airpockets but usually the first week or two does show a few. I'd bleed it again before they left and adjust the level to you mark or - probably easier to hit the factory mark.

Did you toss in some GM coolant tabs on the change?

 

[m2200b]

You can't check a GM 3.1 or 3.8 coolant level too many times IMO.

That includes oil UOA once a year.

 

[eljefino]

Well the car is back and it's been 1000 miles since I've had to do anything besides checking and of course no fluids needed adding.

The cap builds up a bit of pressure before slurping and a bit of vacuum before sucking. This is maddening to an obsessive compulsive type because it gives the overflow tank a mildly random level for given conditions.

I picked this car because it should be better than most of GM's smaller powertrains on overall reliability... intake gaskets considered. I stick to mostly GM products just because they're what I know.

To have the cousins check levels would be to admit to them (and their grandma) that I bought an "unreliable" car. I was hoping, and successful, in providing a gas-n-go "rental car" experience. That they might pick up a life skill is not really my place, I'm not their dad.

One of them is dating a firefighter

back on the other coast though who on his lunch break took her car for a smog then personally did an oil change and front brake job. So they're in good hands.

I have some bar's leak powder that I was going to substitute for GM tabs but never added it and don't plan to. But it's a nice substance to have on hand and bring in an emergency road kit.