98 leaves needs work or 02 taurus,which one?

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Hi all! Have a 98 lesabre,almost one year,replace lower,upper gaskets,but not good enough. Poured lots of copper block dealer in,leave in stuff,basically leaked again soon. i discovered today,small hole in upper radiator.put high temp steel putty over it. Guy at work said he had 3 buicks,over 100,000 miles(mine 116,000) they all developed headgaske t issues. Still have disappering coolant.today,let car warm over 30 minutes running,water came out tailpipe,condensation,not coolant.
Guy down the street from me,selling a 2002 Ford taurus,135,000 miles.only prob ,power steering pulley squeeks,needs bolt tightening.done my research,and seems taurus is known too have bad transmissions,but due too improper fluid changing,seems to be the culprit.
Would,anyone reading this...if you had too choose...the buick,put money into it?or choose the Ford taurus? Wondering what all the gurus and mechanics here,would think and do! I'm deciding whether or not,too junk the buick,or get the ford.
 
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I had a 98 Lesabre, JUNK! Same issues as you and more. DUMP IT!
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I’d take the Taurus. The 3.0 12v will run forever if you just take maintain the cooling system.
 
Buick 3800's DO NOT have head gasket issues, Can you get one hot enough/enough times to blow a head gasket.....Sure you can!

'98 is the first full year of the 4T65E.....Lots-O-Problems with the early versions! The sad part is the unit it replaced (4T60E) was a decent unit in comparison.


The Ford 4X4N/AXOD-E transmissions put in the Taurus are notorious for torque converter failures. IF babied behind a 3.0L Vulcan....They can last quite awhile. The 3.0L DOHC Duratech seemed to kill them frequently as did the 4.6L Intech V8 in the sister platform Lincoln Continental.
 
Well I liked the Duratec engine. Power steering pump was cheap. Transmission problems were more on the Vulcan engine which had the AX4S instead of the AX4N on the Duratec, later they all got the AX4N. I think the spline was weaker on the transmission after 2003 so the torque converter tended to go. Taurus also blew head gaskets, but many people got over 200k, mine was done in by the transmission with over 200k on it. The rare one to get would be the 2005 Taurus, last year they made it with the Duratec available as an option, but if you look for the Sable LS, those also tended to come with the Duratec engine, basically 200 hp instead of 155 with the Vulcan.
 
Originally Posted By: AVB
I would push a the Buick before I drove the Taurus.
+1

But I'd buy an old Camry with a 2.2L 5SFE...
 
Too many unknowns here...so I pick Option C: Just get another car.

the 98- And issue year....you're just going to keep pouring money into it..

the 02- Quite a few issues at 135k-does not sound like it was well cared for...(most are not)
 
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Well I liked the Duratec engine. Power steering pump was cheap. Transmission problems were more on the Vulcan engine which had the AX4S instead of the AX4N on the Duratec, later they all got the AX4N. I think the spline was weaker on the transmission after 2003 so the torque converter tended to go. Taurus also blew head gaskets, but many people got over 200k, mine was done in by the transmission with over 200k on it. The rare one to get would be the 2005 Taurus, last year they made it with the Duratec available as an option, but if you look for the Sable LS, those also tended to come with the Duratec engine, basically 200 hp instead of 155 with the Vulcan.


The Non-Synchronous AX4N is just as problematic as the Synchronous AX4S, Fewer AX4N's on the street getting abused than the AX4S makes it seem like the AX4N is a better unit.
 
Originally Posted By: clinebarger
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Well I liked the Duratec engine. Power steering pump was cheap. Transmission problems were more on the Vulcan engine which had the AX4S instead of the AX4N on the Duratec, later they all got the AX4N. I think the spline was weaker on the transmission after 2003 so the torque converter tended to go. Taurus also blew head gaskets, but many people got over 200k, mine was done in by the transmission with over 200k on it. The rare one to get would be the 2005 Taurus, last year they made it with the Duratec available as an option, but if you look for the Sable LS, those also tended to come with the Duratec engine, basically 200 hp instead of 155 with the Vulcan.


The Non-Synchronous AX4N is just as problematic as the Synchronous AX4S, Fewer AX4N's on the street getting abused than the AX4S makes it seem like the AX4N is a better unit.


It's all relative. I had mine for over 10 years. Lots of other people had both with over 200k. They were worse in the 3rd generation but still had some problems in the 4th. Half the problems that people mentioned in the forums I never ended up having as some of them were rare or just not that common. When they made over 1.7 million of them, a certain percentage will always have problems.

I also can't remember any specific problems the early AX4N's had. People use to claim that they'd fry if you didn't put in a transmission cooler, but I never did.
 
Geesh,cars made 1995 too 2005...most have unreliability,transmissions,headgaskets. Seems cars made worse 1995,way better!but not the Ford pinto of course.geesh,maybe I'll have someone look at the intake gaskets.I've read from others,edmund.com,car problems.com...same car,98 buick...some had unremarkable head gasket issues..had the head shaved,ect,and afterwards,failed after 2000 miles of driving. Plus,some said,the intake manifold itself,warped...and the aftermarket one, forget the common brand,way cheaper,is not as strong or durable,as the th $480 manifold. One person,said the reason the Ford's tranny s went,was their sensitive,the owners never had them flushed at recommended intervals. Saw a YouTube vid,a guy,showing the torque converter spindle for them....their a poor design.
Was 98 Corolla i saw....they bu r n oil,I know.last car i had,was one.from my dad..56,000 miles on it,burned 1.5 quarts in 1,200 miles or less.I have it reg oil changes,better oil,filters,slowed it down,too half a quart, in 1,700 miles. tranny died in it,last year.
Saw a 97 maxima, 160,009 miles,but bad area of town...and saw their alternatives are know ,too burst into flames! Car makers can't make a descent car anymore,affordable no less.
 
Maybe I'll just have a mechanic check the buick out.it had small hol we in radiator,earlier,I put high temp steel putty all over it,sets in an hour.gun na full it up coolant this am. Put bars leak coolant system dealer in...most of it anyways....stop try n plug the intake,radiator leaks. Mechanics,wanted.....$1,200 for the upper and lower intake job! Found one mechanic,poorer area of town,spanish...for$600 job. Can't belive,I called like 3 different plkaces,estimating over $1,000 for those intake gaskets!his done rather.wow. Hence,better too find another car...
 
The problem is that it won't be long before the Taurus is in the same condition as your Buick. It is just a matter of time, at least the Buick is already paid for (I assume). That is also assuming that the Buick is in otherwise decent shape.
 
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Originally Posted By: ziggy
Maybe I'll just have a mechanic check the buick out.it had small hol we in radiator,earlier,I put high temp steel putty all over it,sets in an hour.gun na full it up coolant this am. Put bars leak coolant system dealer in...most of it anyways....stop try n plug the intake,radiator leaks. Mechanics,wanted.....$1,200 for the upper and lower intake job! Found one mechanic,poorer area of town,spanish...for$600 job. Can't belive,I called like 3 different plkaces,estimating over $1,000 for those intake gaskets!his done rather.wow. Hence,better too find another car...

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Originally Posted By: AVB
The problem is that it won't be long before the Taurus is in the same condition as your Buick. It is just a matter of time, at least the Buick is already paid for (I assume). That is also assuming that the Buick is in otherwise decent shape.


Yeah, but intake manifold gaskets were cheaper on the Taurus, I think I only paid around $200-$300 for that, regular mechanic, he took it apart and put it together in just a couple hours, I waited for it. Also had him do the spark plugs and PCV while he had it all apart, gaskets were short money, less than $20 I think.
 
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