Changed out the water pump, coolant elbows and coolant level sensor yesterday in the '01 SS. The front most coolant elbow had a small piece break off in the block....its only about the size of a wedding band. Will this hurt anything? My buddy says its unlikely to cause any harm. My thinking on it is its plastic and will probably break up further but will it "float" anywhere and harm anything OR plug up anything?

Next question my VIN is: 2G1WX15K919238967 I had to swap out the driver door with another and couldn't get the door lock replaced. If I buy a keyfob is that all I need to do to get remote keylock to work? Will I need to get it programmed at the dealer? I have an aftermarket Kenwood stereo.

Thanks guys.

 

The only concern I would have about the broken piece would be blockage of the heater or radiator core tubes. The water pump will probably grind it into small pieces if it makes it that far. In any case, it's gonna be pretty had to find and retrieve now so I wouldn't worry about it unless you have a problem.

As for the door locks, assuming the remote locks and old fob worked before, there should be no programming or fob replacement necessary since that coding is controlled by the BCM. If you didn't have a fob it'll need to be programmed with a Tech 2 scanner, or I believe some sites sell fobs with programming instructions included that suposedly don't require a Tech 2.

 

Thank you plumbob. I thought the elbow piece probably wouldn't cause that much of an issue.

I bought the car used and was not given a keyfob so I'm not sure if it originally had one I'm just going on the fact that it was an SS and probably had one? The only concern I have with programming it is I think (and I could be wrong) that you have to have the original factory stereo to program it right? If not I've read where a garage can do it for me. So if I can get the keyfob cheap enough I'll just go that route.

 

OK. I see from your VIN you have a gen six, and I'm pretty sure they all came with remote entry. I know some gen. 5's did not. I have a Tech 2 and do them myself. I can also tell you from experience that it doesn't pay to go too cheap when you buy a fob. I recently bought an aftermarket one that worked a little too well. The thing would work from 75 feet away, but if you barely brushed one the fob buttons it would activate. I was constantly having to close the trunk lid, sometimes in the middle of the night because it would set the horn off. I have since then replaced it with a brand new OEM/GM one I bought on eBay for $20. I think some of these sellers can program them from the VIN# so it's ready to go when you get it. Keep in mind if you have more than one fob they all have to be programmed at the same time. A dealer charges $100+ just for the programming which is a total rip off. Many lock shops can do the programming too.

Here's a link to the place I got mine on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281655167272...3AIT#vi-ilComp

 

Thank you sir....good advice.

 

Get that piece out of there! Use a little 90° pic and it will come right out. If you leave it in there either the new elbow won't go in the whole way or you will push the old piece further in either way can cause a leak or a clog!

 

I was under the impression it was already gone. If it's not, I agree with Turbo... get it out.

 

Unless the '01 Monte is different then my '04, you can program the fobs via a menu in the factory radio (I believe the manual explains it). It's been a while since I've done it (so I might be incorrect), but basically you put the key in on position and hold the display button, eventually a menu system appears (it's the same menu system you can use for resetting the tire pressure system and oil life).
Most GM's require the TechII, but the Montes/Impalas got fortunate in that market.

And I agree with Turbo on that elbow piece. Leaving it in runs a risk of a problem. They break and are stuck in the intake almost every time you go to replace the elbow. It does not take much to spin it around and pull it out of the intake.
Plumbob is right the water pump will probably grind it up, but if it were my car, I would not run the risk. That could obstruct flow in the coolant bypass, a part of the heater core, radiator or any small passages in the engine.
And if it's still in the intake (and not just floating in the intake), then odds are pretty good that the new elbow is not properly seated (and will either push out and/or leak).

 

There is no way to get it out of there at this point....it was a small piece of the plastic elbow that broke off in the block unless I wanna tear the engine apart and that's not gonna happen. I replaced it with the aluminum ones from Autozone. So there is no way that little piece can force the new aluminum elbow out or have any bearing on the new elbow not seating properly or fitting properly. The water pump pushes the water into the block....in one direction so it can't enter back into the new water pump....unless it travels past the T-stat and through the radiator and back, which I doubt it will do.

I seriously doubt if its gonna plug anything up and if it does I'll deal with it at that point. If it was that brittle to begin with to break apart I would imagine its not gonna last long.

P.S. I don't have the factory stereo to program the keyfob. I have looked up other instructions though on how to remove the mall/pgm fuse.

 

Regardless of aluminum or plastic elbows, if they don't seat right, they can come out. I had a friend who forgot to check for that little ring left behind, put the engine back together and first start found the elbows did not seat properly as that ring was still in there.

For the record, the coolant elbow does not go into the head or block of the engine. It goes into the lower intake. Pending you have attempted to run the engine, odds are you can easily fish it out. If it's still in the hole on the lower intake, just remove the elbow and get it. If it just fell in and has not moved beyond that point, I am sure you can still get it. Worst case is that you remove the lower intake and refresh the lower and upper intake gaskets (which I feel on the 3800 is far quicker and easier to do then the 3400).

The plastic may be small and brittle and may chew up easily, but if the o-ring is still on that little piece, that may be another story.
If it were my car, I would not take the risk.

Hopefully nothing happens, but we've at least cautioned you with our concerns.