GM 3.8L Radiator drain plug

[Drew99GT]

Well, today was a new one. GM and I just don't get along. My mom calls and says her car overheated - she made it home just as it went deep into the red and the car would not run (1999 Olds 88). So I check it out - the frickin drain plug on the rad broke! What a cheesy little pos this thing is - it has a plastic spring loaded tab that snaps into the rad and the drain plug screws into it. Cheesy. Cheesy.

So, I totally mega flushed the system, new stat and rad cap. Let's hope the gaskets and heads aren't toast.

[censored] GM.

 

[The_Jeff]

Recent work done? These things usually jam themselves closed until some numbskull yanks it open for a routine drain and flush.

 

[Drew99GT]

The last time I believe it was opened was around 100K ago during the intake and gasket repair - done at an Oldsmobile dealer (when there still was Olds!).

The actually plug that screws in is about an 1/8 of an inch thick. Cheap cheesy design. I bet it simply failed from thread tension and heat cycling.

Why not put threads in the actual radiator tank and get a big ol plug like normal? Some bean counter probably showed where they could save $.00001 in plastic material cost.

 

[cosynthetics]

The drain plug on my bimmer is pretty much the same. It is a small plastic plug that does a quarter turn to lock in place.

 

[JHZR2]

havent heard that one before. If a freak issue, it could equally as easily occurred on a toyota or honda. The drain plug on the wife's integra is pretty chintzy...

JMH

 

[Drew99GT]

This one is about an 1/8 inch in diameter. The one on most other GMs is about 3 times a thick. Much stronger.

The one on my Toyota is even thicker.

 

[MrCritical]

Mom able to read a temp gage?

 

[Drew99GT]

Dude, my mom was taking my Dad 60 miles to a VA hospital to get an MRI to see if he's had a stroke. No time to [censored] with a tow truck and such. By the grace of [censored], they made it home and took the other vehicle.

Yea, she can read a temp gauge.

 

[mrsilv04]

And HOW many miles does this nearly 10 year old car have on it?

Any car with that amount of age (and miles) on it is going to have things that fail without any warning.

Ever hear the saying that if it is made by man, it'll eventually break?

If the engine is toast, there's plenty of used 3800's out there to choose from.