Juat the other day I noticed a few coolant drops under the passenger side of the S-Charged. We put a can of bar's leak just to get me to and from work during the work week. After filling up and getting onto the freeway I looked down and noticed the temp was way high! Turned the car off and coast to a stop on the side of the free way. Steam starts to come out of under the hood. My husband cannot find the issue. I get put, looked under the S-Charged cone and noticed the heater plastic elbow blew! We got it towed home for $50 Thank goodness it was not the intake gaskets.

What I am asking is it easy to replace the heater elbow? I know about taking off the tensioner pully off. Anything else I would need to remove?

 

I know on the non-Supercharged 3800, those elbows are about an easy 30 minute swap. No big deal. I imagine it's not much different with a super charger. Parts are about $5 plus coolant from any parts store.

You should consider flushing the cooling system. You introduced that Bar's Leak to "stop" a leak. That product is also known for promoting coolant problems by clogging radiators and heater cores. Personally, that product (and ones like it) are on my "do not use" list.

Seriously flush the cooling system to hopefully get that junk out of the system if any of it is still loose. While flushing it, use some of the Prestone flushing solution (used to help get rid of scale and gunk in the system).

 

Thanks! I got the heater elbows and a new thermostat and it ran $15. I'll get the coolant and flush kit tomorrow. I have read up in the pros n cons of the Dex Cool coolant and about 90% of people recommend NOT to use any Dex cool products because it damages parts faster. What other coolant should I use? I do have the Supercharged 3800 series II motor.

 

Believe what you will, but my experience with today's revised Dex (which came about I think late 90's) is it's no more harmful then the ol' green stuff. The fear is it eats nylon LIM gaskets. The nylon LIM gaskets in my '94 3100 powered Grand Am have been replaced now twice for the same failure and since I've owned that car in '03, it's used the green stuff to my knowledge since the day it rolled from the factory.

If you still wish to dump Dex, that's fine. To my knowledge the auto parts store has one other option, the ol' green stuff. I'd stick with a name brand (such as Prestone), but I've used ALL brands I think of green Anti-Freeze (in non-Dex cars), with no problems.

 

When it comes to motor oil, tranny oil and coolant, I always but the name brand stuff. Tomorrow we will be doing the coolant flush, replace the broke elbow and replacing the theromstat with one that opens sooner. I was looking at the Prestion anti freez and will pick that up tomorrow.

 

X2 on what he said.

As for anti-freeze, I use the green stuff either Prestone or Peak and have not had any problems with that.

 

Thanks Chevy Commando. We are going to
Do the flush, replace the broken elbow and while we are at it, replace the thermostat and a oil change.

 

Make sure to flush it real good because sometimes when the bars stuff is exposed to air for a certain time frame it can chunk up and harden causing blockage. Make sure to check out your water pump also since your already in the area.

 

Thank you all for the tips and advise. Time to get this stuff done.

 

Hope you dont run into any issues. Remember, if you do have any problems or questions just ask. The only stupid question is the one not asked!