Hi! I'm mouse, I have just got a 2001 MC SS. I didn't get a manual w/ it or anything. The car shows signs of abuse so I want to take care of her as much as possibe.
I am working on the coolant, I have no idea what was in it but there was some Dex in the trunk. Do I just add the good 'ol green? do I flush? In the 'ol cars if you flushed a old engine it'd leak like a sive. B/c it's all alum does it make a differance?
Thanks!!
Mouse

 

The 3800 engine is an iron block, not alum.

Dex-cool and green DO NOT MIX!

Dex-cool is a coolant that is designed to be used for 5 years / 100k miles. That really isn't true because it breaks down. But because of that sticker most people neglect their coolant system. When this happens you get the brown, sludge, and because the block is iron, you see the rust color as it circulates. This continues to break down and get more sludge-like.

Your best bet is going to be to completely COMPLETELY flush this engine, run a quick cleaner product through, and completely flush again. Keep doing this until the water is coming out super clean.

Then fill back up with Dex-Cool, 50/50 mixed. I believe 2.25 - 2.5 gallons?

 

i was never a fan of dex cool Mine always ends up looking like crap. . . even when i add the "works with any color" stuff

 

That's probably because the gunk is still in your system after a flush. Then the new stuff just picks it up.

 

I am with Chibi on this. Dex is fine. I would not mix green stuff with Dex (which any anti-freeze you buy that claims compatible with all colors/types is green) is it will discolor far worse.

Flush the system, get the crappy stuff out. If you want to switch to green, flush the system REAL good (possibly a couple of times) and you should be OK. So far, I have stuck with Prestone with Dex-Cool.

But you have to keep on top of it and flush regularly.

 

Thanks for all the info! Now some more questions.
1) What flush would be the quickest?
2) Where can I get a manual?
3) Why doesn't this site have a "repair" section?
4) Is there a place where I can find out all the recalls?
5) Did I buy a POS? I hear a lot of complaints, are they just a select few?
6) Will my divorce be over soon? lol
Mouse

 

You can open the radiator drain ****, then run water through it for a while until it's clear. Close that up, take out the block drain (I forget if it is the knock sensor or not) and run water through the system so it drains from there, close everything up. Fill with Water and a cleaner like Prestone Super Flush. Let that run through your system (go for a drive) then drain everything and flush with water.

Then you should be pretty cleaned up to fill with a 50/50 of dex. Make sure you get all of the air out of the system, the next day try to bleed again, and the next try to bleed again. These 3800s can be tricky getting all of the air out.

Owner's Manual? You can probably find a PDF online and download it. I've done that for cars that I didn't get a manual with. For basic maintenance go pick up a Haynes Manual.

We have a How-To section which shows a lot of how-to things. Change your USERCP settings to show ALL THREADS and not just threads that are X amount old. We might have a bunch of helpful threads that are hidden to you because we haven't talked in them for a while.

Call up your dealer, give them the VIN, and have them run a recall check. If the work was done it should be in their system.

People complain louder than they praise. I wouldn't say you bought a POS, if people neglect the coolant system, this happens. The fact that there was a bottle in the trunk means they probably just dropped some in every now and then instead of trying to fix the problem.

Ask your lawyer

 

one more question. When I hit 50-55mph I have a shaking in the front end.Steering wheel moves side to side about 3/4". The traction light does come on @ times, is the hub replacement I've been reading about? or wheel bearings, it's the same right?
Mouse

 

Sounds like a wheel hub is starting to get bad. Do you hear a growl at speed too?

If an ABS light comes on also, that should store a code and tell you which hub.

 

Not sure about the growl but it shakes bad in a turn, if I hit the breaks it stops. I was under the car yesterday and felt the drive shaft, it had some in and out play but it has to right? it was only a 1/4".
Mouse