Anyone know where to get advice about 2001 Impala's?? I took mine to a shop for a reset of a "check engine light",(due to a slow pressurize of oil system at a oil change) and they said I need a complete cooling system overhaul! (They just so happen to specialize in Radiator work) uh huh!
They want to:
Overhaul the radiator($95)+ 2 hrs labor,
Install new thermostat @ 2hrs labor (book rate)
Install new hoses, Completely flush system of Dexcool, etc.
They say $900 + to do this!!! NO WAY !!! (???) ANY IDEAS?? They do not like Dexcool and are using it's trouble to make some "preventative maint" $$$ in my oppinion. They say it's turned to mud inside. I don't have an overheating problem, but they are saying the radiator is plugged !!! Man,....I don't know....
They also say I can use regular Ethlene Glycol in it after it gets completely cleaned out of Dexcool. (I just bought the car 2 months ago)
What do you experts think??? Or can you steer me to a good forum like this for Impala's/etc.(newer cars) I don't have that kind of dough!!
I'm thinking I may just get it flushed out good and put in new something and see what happens. They are also trying to say I have a head gasket starting to leak, and something about the intake too. I wonder if they are just trying to rape me. (I do have some antifreeze escaping somewhere-I put in a gallon since mid dec. No drips on pavement)
Thanks
Blown away in WA. :(
(I moved to WA in Nov) ;)

It's second opinion time... I have a 2000 with 50K on the odo. The GM V6 (both 3.4 and 3.8) has a bad intake manifold problem that causes loss of coolant. Also early on the radiators had a manufacturing flaw in te mouth of the radiator that caused pressure to blow off under the cap. The rad problem was resolced by smothing the inner lip of the mouth where the cap sealed with a bit of wet dry sand paper or emory cloth to remove the flaw. The gasket is another issue and you may get dealer help if that is the problem you are really having.

We had another cooling issue come up about 4 months after the gasket problem was resolved. The heater core started leaking...

Here's a list of links to pages I found looking into my cooling problems...

http://www.alldata.com/TSB/10/001019GN.html
http://www.impalahq.com/TSB/TSB01-06-01-007A.html
http://www.impalahq.com/
http://www.impalaclub.com/naisso/forum2002/default.asp

I'll get you another site tomorrow I have it written down at the office.

Yup. DEXCOOL sucks.

I vote for the second opinion myself.

two more...

http://www.impalahq.com/HowTo/CoolantLeak.html
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?GMcnsmrs

I've got 196K miles on my 96 Jimmy. Been cooled by Dexcool (well the Prestone equivalent of it anyway) for the past 7 1/2 years. Never had any radiator blockage, or any other issues with the stuff.

I've replaced 4 heater cores, but none of them were plugged with any crap, they just leaked. The radiator looks brand new inside. If you keep air out of the system you will never have a problem with the Dexcool stuff. If you get a crack in your radiator recovery (overflow) tank and it dries out and sucks air back into the system your screwed. Same thing if your cap fails to vent and purge properly.

I have a 2002 Impala with 36k and it had a big glob of Dexcool mud right at the cap. I think I got it in time because it seemed to flush clear pretty quick with a flush treatment and plain water. Maybe you should try and flush it yourself with some Prestone flush treatment approved for your system. I was reading on one of the treatments where you actually drove the car around for a couple of days with the treatment in the system. That sounded like it would loosen that stuff up. Good luck.

If you have Dexcool, you have problems. Just ask Blazer owners of the mid-90s. It turns to brown sludge and clogs up your radiator. Mine was so clogged that GMs flushing technique developed for this problem would not work. They had to take the radiator out and have it completely disassembled, cleaned and reassembled. From then on I had to get it flushed once per year to keep the cooling system clean. The dexcool ate through my heater core and thermostat housing. The insidious thing about is that it plugs the line to your overflow tank thus it always looks like you have a full radiator! Get rid of the Dex Cool!!!!!!!!

I'm inclined to agree dexcool isn't the best product, not because it doesn't work but because of the rules that go with using it. The majority of folks out there running it go 100's of thousands of miles without problems. Air in the system or mixing the green with it seems to be what set the stuff off.

As long as you don't have a pressure cap go bad or bad hose or intake gasket, as long as the quikie lube guy doesn't top off your system with the wrong stuff you won't have a problem with dexcool.

The thing is, any of the problems that cause the dexcool to go bad don't get discovered like a flat tire does. Even with the low fluid warning lamp you add fluid and drive for a couple weeks before it comes on a second time. Then you top it off and start looking for where the leak is. By the time you figure it out you may have been driving the car with air in the system for a month and the trap is set.

I have one of those mid 90's blazers and at 196K miles I've had no Dexcool issues. I've had heater cores go but I doubt that that was caused by the Dexcool since the insides of them were perfectly clean, they just sprung a leak. All two out of times (yes, I'm getting pretty good at pulling the dash of my Jimmy) the leak was in the center of one of the cross tubes, once it was at the juction between the waterbox and the tubes.

You just need to look at the undeside of your radiator cap every month or so. If you start to see some brown goo forming, find out where your air leak is, and flush the system out as soon as possible. Don't ever switch from Dexcool to the green stuff unless you've had the entire cooling system acid flushed. Just draining it and refilling or using an over the counter radiator cleaner won't work, and you'll be replacing most of your cooling system within 6 months. And don't try to eek 150K miles out of the coolant like it says on the bottle. Replace it every year, or every other year if you want to stretch it.

Wow Thanks so much you guys, Camaro owners are the best dudes in the world !!
I'll take all this under advisement!!

Now as I had it out of shop they say the codes from the check engine light are from 1) a oil pressure sender and 2) EGR valve.

So, The oil press sender puzzles me. I have been getting a clatter upon starting up the engine from the lifter area. It does go away upon warm up but worries me. I changed oil to Mobile 1 - 10W-30. just before this all happened. Shop said they would put 20-50 in it. (Is this too heavy?? - I'm in near seattle and it doesn't get much below freezing at night.)
The ERG thing - the shop said I might try cleaning it out as they "get stuck in the open position sometimes". (?) May take it off and look at it.
I have dummy lights for oil pressure light so I think I will install a real gauge. Would like to SEE what's going on there. They said I had good oil pressure.
I was so upset in the beginning about all they said was wrong I just took the car and ran. I did have them flush out the cooling system first and put in new Dexcool. The Check engine light still on............It won't be fixxed untill the pressure sender fixed and the EGR valve fixed too.
So I may have alot of work to do.
OH YEAH, they also said I had stuff in the coolant that told them there was a head gasket starting to leak.
my my- maybe I should have bought the Taurus instaed.???

Well, now I look at some service bulletins that someone has steered me to. It looks like there is an ongoing problem with the intake manifolds on these v-6's.
http://www.impalahq.com/HowTo/CoolantLeak.html
http://www.pe*****iononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?GMcnsmrs
I have 65,000 on the car. According to the others who are having problems, there is water getting by the intake and getting into the oil, thereby causing the clatter, also causing problems with the cooling system too. Cams bearings spun, cylinders going bad, etc. The service bulletin is for the 3800 v6, am checking into the 3400 v6 that I have with Chevrolet Cust. Serv. (good luck here)
Thanks for any help.
Parked for now -getting out the old 84 Chevy Pickup!!
ps - I just changed to Mobile 1 10W-30 in Jan. and thats when I started to hear the valve clattering. Is this too thin?? It is what the book recommends (without all the other problems) I Know, I know.............

I just replaced the green stuff in my 92 GMC pickup with Dexcool because I thought it was better stuff. Oh well. I'll have to flush it out and put the green stuff back in.
Jim

Hugger, 20W-50 is alittle thick. My wife's 02 Impala, 3.4L V6 has alittle clatter at startup and goes away when operating temp is reached. Her car does lose alittle coolant every month, ie, half a pint. Oil still looks clean, no milkiness yet, could be its hot enough to burn it off. When she comes back from the road, hoses are tight.

EGR valve will probably need replacing. Its feedback signal to the PCM is telling it the valve is not closing all the way. Same with the oil sending unit, it may have an open spot in its range.

You have to think OBD II, can't reset the codes/PCM until the problems are fixed, then, it resets itself.

The only benefit I have over you guys is her car is a company car. I don't have to work on it, Thank God !! But, I do check the sticks and fluids just to be safe for her, and maybe a brownie point for me.

I just had the intake gaskets replaced under warranty on my wifes 01 Alero 3.4. GM has a (Courtesy warranty) for the 3.4 and 3.8. They replace the gaskets with an better designed updated gasket and they also replace the pump seal while they're in there. The dealer told me they would fix it under warranty providing it was below 50K miles and four years old. All you have to do is go in and complain of leaking coolant and a smell of antifreeze. Don't know if it will work for you but that's the advise the dealer gave me.
Jim

After reading all the stuff above, I just have to ask some more questions about some problems that I’m having… I bought a 2001 Z28 about 2 months ago and it has the Dexcool brown stuff in it. I’m also having trouble with the heater in the car. When I turn it on, I get no heat from it. The air seams to work just fine. So I’m starting to think that the heater core or the valve (to turn it on) is all plugged up with the Dexcool stuff. What do you all think?
Next, what would be a better alternative to Dexcool? Regular green stuff w/ a bottle of Water Wetter? The radiator is aluminum and it is a LS1, so what do all the racers use with all the aluminum that they would have in there engines?
Thanks.
Mark (A.K.A. Z28 Mark)

Dexcool is orange, if you have brown Dexcool you need to flush it out immediately. When it turns brown its moving into its sludge buildup phase. Usually happens when air is mixed into the heating system. Somehow your getting air into your cooling system either through the radiator cap, or a leak in your overflow tank. Check the bottom of your radiator cap, if its collecting a brown slimy sludge you need to clean it off and make sure it seals well to the radiator.

I took the car into a local radiator shop with my list of problems and they want to check it out. I insisted that they do not refill the system with Dexcool. They offered to flush out the heater core separately to see if this could help to unplug / solve the heater problems that I’m having.
Wish me luck…. They said it could be as much as $160 for a really good / complete flush and fill with good old green stuff.
Mark (A.K.A. Z28 Mark)

MarkC, with your suggestion of brown vs. orange, I went looked at my wife's 02 radiator. Being its a black plastic tank, it looked dark. I siphoned some out into an empty water bottle and I was thrilled, it is orange and clear.

Thanks for the tip.

I just picked up my 01 from the radiator shop and it’s not as bad as it seems. The Dexcool is not all slugged up (they have seen worse) and my heater problem is a cable from the control panel to the heater box ”door” and is only $32 from Chevy. Total after they flush and refill with Dexcool…. yes Dexcool is just under $160. Now if they were to flush and refill with green stuff… he said he would want to do it the right way (to cover his a$$) would be around $500 plus (all new hoses, remove the radiator for flush, etc.) He said that you can’t add water to the system, and if the level goes low, add more Dexcool and then find the problem… QUICK.
Mark (A.K.A. Z28 Mark)

Originally posted by GMJim:
I just had the intake gaskets replaced under warranty on my wifes 01 Alero 3.4. GM has a (Courtesy warranty) for the 3.4 and 3.8. They replace the gaskets with an better designed updated gasket and they also replace the pump seal while they're in there. The dealer told me they would fix it under warranty providing it was below 50K miles and four years old. All you have to do is go in and complain of leaking coolant and a smell of antifreeze. Don't know if it will work for you but that's the advise the dealer gave me.
Jim Jim You don't know how fortunate you are. My wifes gasket failed at about 40K miles and a month after the 3rd year was up. I went to the dealership and asked them if there were any servive bulletions or recalls and they told me no. I didn't get this in writing from them, why would I? Next, I asked how much to fix a leaky intake gasket, was told about $1000 max. Didn't get that in writing either and when I got a second price quote that was much less than the dealership I didn't go back to the dealer. Go figure, would you? Then I found out about the service bulletin and that many dealers were doing a courtsey 50k mile or 4 year and fixing the prob at no cost I went back to the dealer. They said take it to the factory rep. I then heard about folks being re-embursed for having their car fixed at other than the dealership so I called the 800 number and got a rep that told me to shove it, that I didn't give chevy a chance so tough luck... Ya she told me where to go and got very rude. Then she got fired and a new area rep took over. Much better mannered but upholding the decision made by the rude rep!! Now I have a complaint with the Calif BAR and it doesn't look like it's going anywhere.

It seems each case is being delt with one by one and no two are getting the same. Some are getting the full job done, others are getting a discount. Those going elsewhere are sometimes being paid back, some half some full and most none!!

Start on the pages I linked early on and do a few web searches, you'll see this effects every GM V6 that came from the factory with dexcool in it. There is no gasket or antifreese problem unless a rad cap fails or a hose or heater core leaks. IE no air in the system. Because of this GM isn't fully accepting of being at fault.

Well I visited my local MR GOODWRENCH team today. They don't know anything about a recall or were they very willing to look for it. The Service greeter dude did look at something on his PC and said there wasn't anything about one (3.4L) He gave me some ideas on what to look for. Said to check the oil pressure. Went to Schuck's and got me an oil gauge to mount in car. I have the idiot lights factory. I suppose routing the little oil line will be fun. Is there a small grommet I can use that's already there? I haven't looked yet. Is a Sunday project. I bought a tee to tee off the original sender to the dummy light.
My main worry is to mount it underdash so it looks good,(in the middle) would like the door pillar mount but haven;t found one for the newer Impala's.
Well if all else fails, a new engine complete is only $2500. To just install the intake gaskets they want $500-800! :eek:
Oh, I did check on those gaskets at Chevy parts, he did say they had changed the gasket for that 3.4. It was now the 3rd different style they've put out for it. (tells you something is amiss!!!) :confused:

Sunday I'll drain the oil and look for coolant. The serv. rep said the dexcool won't be real visible if it is there, not like water would be. Will also put in Castrol 10-40 a heavier oil and see if the clatter/knocking goes away.
Anybody have a set of 2001 Impala Service manuals cheap?? :(
As I looked at the prices of the different services on the wall at the Chevy service dept. I can see why they sell the new cars at such a small margin, Cause they make up for it in the service department!!!
more later graemlins/clonk.gif

Dennis
Sorry to here about your trouble with GM. I checked with my dealer and they told me they do 3 or 4 of these warranty repairs a week with no trouble from the reps. Some dealers have a very high warranty rate and the reps will deny them any further claims. Check with another dealer. I'll see if i can get a bulletin and send it to you. I was told as you were, that this repair would cost about $1000.00 with all the taxes and stuff added up. I know some people who have paid a deductable and I have heard of some being denied any help at all. I guess it depends on the dealer. It's tough to figure out sometimes. When I worked for GM, warranty was warranty. Not the crap that happens tody. One thing you can ask is if it's not GM's fault, why is there a new updated gasket and a service part number applied to it!!?? It's because the production gaskets are not doing the job.
Jim

Thanks Jim,

Tried other dealerships already and it seems all around here go straight to the area rep for approval because we had the work done already. The rep has a long history on our car on file because we have been persistant in our dealings with this for almost a year. The minute our name or vin is typed in the "Sorry there's nothing we can do for you" is all we hear...

The last we heard is Chevrolet is telling the CA BAR rep assigned to our case only cars sold in Canada are being honored...

I guess GM's Canadian warranty fund isn't broke yet. I have to say that I'm disappointed in GM in general lately.
Jim

I work for a very large company so I try to keep things in context by department. I have no qualms with GM as a whole. I have had very good sales relationships. Parts counter experiences run hot and cold and the service depts all seem to have a large turnover and most service writers are ok until they have to go to the area reps who IMO have far too much power over the consumer. By that I think it's good they are impowered but if the customer isn't sasitified it's almost impossible to get beyond them. If you do get further along the next level doesn't like getting involved and backs the rep without delving further. So you see I'm not completely happy with the one aspect of GM I'm dealing with. If I choose to buy a new truck in the next year or two or replace the wifes impala it could influence my decisions and I have 4 GM vehicles in my driveway right now...

I know how you feel. I too have had a long relationship with GM, hence the nickname GMJim. I still feel they're better than the rest but customer satisfaction should be better at the service department. Afterall It's the service department that sells the next vehicle to the customer.
Jim