new to the forums....is my 1998 cooked?
#1
05-25-2010, 07:17 PM
new to the forums....is my 1998 cooked?
Hi All,
New to the forums here.
I've got a 1998 Monte Carlo LS with 177000 kilometres/109000 miles on it. I bought it as a GM Executive car in 1999 when it was just over a year old.
The car has had every service, never missed an oil change, but I'm thinking it's getting ready to conk out on me. I'm trying to decide whether to keep it around or get rid of it. I'm attached to it, but I'm not handy and don't want to throw good money after bad.
Last fall the A/C compressor went. I had it replaced at the end of March. It hasn't been all that warm lately, so I haven't had to use it much. I did notice on the couple of times I used it that it didn't seem really cold. It was COOL, but not cold. Last week we had a turn in weather (hot) and when I put the A/C on, it was blowing hot air. Clearly it's not working.
I've been driving my other car this past week (taking the Monte to the dealership on Friday) as the a/c works. This evening I went to start up the Monte to see if by some chance the AC was actually working (it wasn't) and when I started the car, a big plume of blue smoke came out the tailpipe, then it cleared up. Like when you're lawnmower has been sitting for a couple of weeks, and you start it. I also noted that when I walked up to the car there was a faint gassy/oily smell coming from the back end.
The head gasket was replaced under warranty in 2003. Aside from that I haven't had any major engine issues. Most of the repairs on the car over the years have been to the tie rods, ball joints, etc. I did note over the past year that my mileage has really sucked....especially in the winter, and it wasn't unusually cold. It has gotten better since the spring though.
Any ideas? I'm kind of on the fence as to whether I want to keep this car or not.
New to the forums here.
I've got a 1998 Monte Carlo LS with 177000 kilometres/109000 miles on it. I bought it as a GM Executive car in 1999 when it was just over a year old.
The car has had every service, never missed an oil change, but I'm thinking it's getting ready to conk out on me. I'm trying to decide whether to keep it around or get rid of it. I'm attached to it, but I'm not handy and don't want to throw good money after bad.
Last fall the A/C compressor went. I had it replaced at the end of March. It hasn't been all that warm lately, so I haven't had to use it much. I did notice on the couple of times I used it that it didn't seem really cold. It was COOL, but not cold. Last week we had a turn in weather (hot) and when I put the A/C on, it was blowing hot air. Clearly it's not working.
I've been driving my other car this past week (taking the Monte to the dealership on Friday) as the a/c works. This evening I went to start up the Monte to see if by some chance the AC was actually working (it wasn't) and when I started the car, a big plume of blue smoke came out the tailpipe, then it cleared up. Like when you're lawnmower has been sitting for a couple of weeks, and you start it. I also noted that when I walked up to the car there was a faint gassy/oily smell coming from the back end.
The head gasket was replaced under warranty in 2003. Aside from that I haven't had any major engine issues. Most of the repairs on the car over the years have been to the tie rods, ball joints, etc. I did note over the past year that my mileage has really sucked....especially in the winter, and it wasn't unusually cold. It has gotten better since the spring though.
Any ideas? I'm kind of on the fence as to whether I want to keep this car or not.
#2
05-25-2010, 07:32 PM
I should probably also mention that in the middle of March I had a transmission issue. I was driving the car at the time. Realized something was wrong after driving up a steep incline on the way home. When I got out of the car I saw the trail of fluid coming around the corner. I had the car towed and was told that a line had ruptured. By the time the car got to the garage, it had no fluid left at all (it was all over my driveway). They didn't think any damage had been done. Over the past month or so, the car hasn't felt completely right while driving up the hill on the way home. On top of that, it isn't feeling exactly right when idling either....if I'm stopped at a light, the engine feels a little fluttery....not like it's going to stall or anything, but just not as smooth as usual.
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