Hello and My Car Died! (Story of a Lifetime)

Raz89a · #1 (**permalink**) 08-03-2008, 07:38 PM

I'm a transfer from the PBC.

Just wanted to mention my car is now a honkin metal on wheels!!

Yesterday, I was driving it and I heard this rumble as i was accelerating.. and I guess before I go on I should mention.. My car's UIM was replaced once with a GM model (again) and LIM Gaskets were never changed! and my car uses Dex kill... or better yet USED! Anyways I heard the sound and I was able to stop at the stoplight and wait a few seconds, then the light turned green. I accelerated above the hill and was driving on flat pavement after that. I tried to accelerate faster (attempting a WOT) and that didn't work my car just died, Kapooted! I was able to barely get it to the center (turning lane). I popped the hood and to my surprise (not) my coolant was gone, so I went to the trunk and added some more dex kill, filled the res. up and started my car again.. Well it was still rumbling when accelerating (couldn't get past 10 mph) speeding up like a 1930s tank on 4 wheels. Caseys was right there but if i turned left I could get completely off the road so I did that, up another hill though.. It completely died right there, so I had to park it right in the entrance on a hill..

Ok so now me and my gf are sitting there calling a bunch of people attempting to call the Car Insurance (Steal Farm) well they didn't answer called a bunch of times (emergency number mind you), still no luck so after talking to parents and brother.. my brother came after talking a bit, we pretty much came to the conclusion that my car is using coolant (duh?) and I believe I saw some liquid around the LIM (but not on it). Well before all that when I was trying to get up the hill my car was smoking from the exhaust. Well we had to move the car so here we are, me and my bro moving a what 3800 pound hunk of metal up a hill? Well we found the best way to move it is to use your knee as leverage and lift the back up and push (try it, it really works). Some van pulled up and 3 people got out and helped push it the rest of the way (where were they 40 seconds ago?). So now my car is sitting in some church parking lot (still there). We talked to the Pastor (sp?) of the church and she said it was fine to stay there for a bit..
So now i'm a bum with no car, and it sucks really bad!! Anyone have any idea why it died? My belief.. the UIM and LIM Gaskets and Dex kill finally used their last stroke of the knife to rip my car's life away..

1Hot97 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-03-2008, 08:13 PM

Well, if it's using coolant at the rate you were indicating, you probably shouldn't have driven it any further. With that said, unless you hydrolocked it or cracked the block, you 'should' be able to replace the gaskets and it may be ok. One thing at a time.

Raz89a · #3 (**permalink**) 08-03-2008, 08:18 PM

I dont feel like rereading what i typed, but after i filled the coolant up and got up on the hill the coolant was gone again !!!

1Hot97 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-03-2008, 08:38 PM

Yes, I understand that. You have a blown gasket in the intake manifold. You'll need to replace the upper and lower intake manifold gaskets and inspect the upper intake manifold in the EGR area. Pull the plugs and get the coolant out of the cylinders.

Raz89a · #5 (**permalink**) 08-03-2008, 08:43 PM

thanks for clarifying sir, I'm getting it towed to an auto body shop since it's sittin at a church parking lot, otherwise I'd be doin it...My parents know this guy at the shop, so we can get it done cheap..cheaper then normal.. I'm replacing the UIM with APN, and LIM Gaskets with aluminum ones (not sure brand) probably gm..draining all coolant and replacing it with "real" coolant lol..changing the oil and all the good stuff.. (that is, if nothing else was destroyed)..

If anyone knows of what else to replace, please do tell..
or replace anything else that should be replaced because I'll have the money to do it.. (don't go crazy), everything in the engine is pretty much stock..

camarodragcar2002 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-28-2008, 12:07 AM

u ever get it back together. bet your EGR tube inside the intake went bad. that get bad over time

Raz89a · #7 (**permalink**) 08-28-2008, 12:38 AM

I paid 1800 dollars to find out that it needed a whole new engine... So right now it's getting a new engine...engine has about 30,000 miles on it..way better then my 150,000 mile engine

they're replacing the UIM with the APN and the LIM Gaskets with the Aluminum ones..

BillBoost37 · #8 (**permalink**) 08-28-2008, 01:42 PM

Alex...do yourself a favor. Plug the coolant ports either coming out of the lower manifold or going into the upper manifold. This will cut off the coolant flow into your upper and TB.

GM's latest revision to the LIM was to leave the ports undrilled. Meaning they decided after the motor was done being produced to stop allowing coolant into the UIM. This will keep the possibility of ever having an issue.

And while I'm not a big supporter of any particular coolant, dex isn't necessarily the reason or only reason for your failure. Your best course of action would be to block the ports where the hot gasses frequently expand and contract the UIM.

Raz89a · #9 (**permalink**) 08-28-2008, 03:40 PM

Thanks, but it has already damaged my engine, the engine is FUBAR... I know the coolant wasn't the reason it failed, but it did play a role. The EGR hole in my UIM warped which allowed the coolant to flow through my intakes, and the LIM Gaskets were already bad.