SWMBO and I carpooled 45 miles today. She has mini-Javelin with her and the Grand Prix just barfed itself. Apparently it's smelled like coolant for awhile, but she didn't tell me. Family is rescuing them, but the car might be toast. AAAAAAARRRRGH!!!!!
Typical conversation between me and wife when I (infrequently) drive her car.
Me: How long has the (check engine light, weird vibration, noise, pulling, etc) been going on?
Her: Oh I don't know, a while.
Me: Why the F didn't you tell me about it?
Her: I don't know. It's not a big deal.
Me: Cursing to myself as I figure out what/how/who to fix the problem with the car that carries my family around...
Hop in SIL's car and see almost every light on at the dash and low oil warning light on.
Same answer to "how long?"- "Dunno, awhile. I just don't want to spend any money on this POS."
Me-"I don't care if you ever change the oil in this car again, but at least keep the crankcase full!"
Reminds me of a Tim Taylor skit... Something about "and when the oil light came on, how did that make you feel?"
edit: found a tool time segment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMzBaeJqBPU around 2:20
Hungary Bill wrote: Reminds me of a Tim Taylor skit... Something about "and when the oil light came on, how did that make you feel?"
lol I remember a Home Improvement episode where Mrs Taylor was driving the Nomad around, and it came home smoking and knocking. went something like this...
Tim: how long was the oil light on?!?!
Mrs: Oh I dunno, maybe a week or 2
Tim: why didnt you do something about it?!?!?!?
Mrs: well I thought something like a buzzer or a bell would go off...
Tim: WHAT?!?!? 
Why do you think they put that light there?!?!?!
I lol'd
Anyway, Sorry bout the family hauler Jav...it may be something serviceable though...what motor is in there? Ive heard a lot of the v6s are a pretty easy swap, and are very plentiful for cheap.
GM 3800 Series II V6 (a naturally-aspirated GN motor).
Didn't hit high temp until the parking lot, coolant everywhere, squeaking noise.
They're pretty tough: you might luck out.
Never got mine hot, but I drove my Monte Carlo ('98 Z34 with the 3.8) for approx 15k miles leaking/drinking coolant and still ran strong when I got rid of it.
Just last night I got in my wife's van. backing out of the driveway I hear this NASTY clunk. She says "What's wrong" as I walk in the house to open the garage door. I say "that clunk. It sounds like the van is going fall apart". "What clunk?" was her reply. I don't even reply anymore.
I would guess it's the intake manifold gasket and the wonderful Dexcool issues that come with...
The 3800's have fewer intake gasket issues, but they do have a tendency to melt the plastic intake manifold around the EGR tube-which is cooled by antifreeze, and not cooled when the coolant gets low-which then gets sucked into the engine, contaminating the oil and seizing the engine. But thats kinda the worst case scenario.
Just flushed the Dex-Cool 2 months ago and replaced the coolant elbows and t-stat. UIM and LIM gaskets are new(ish), maybe 20K miles. It's never had any coolant issues (we replaced the gaskets pre-failure, one was close).
WOOT!!!
The "new" upper coolant elbow had blown out. As in GONE. 
A quick trip to NAPA for another set, a gallon of DexCool, and $35 of tools I already own (plus a side trip to the grocery store for 3 gallons of water). An hour later and voila! Roadside repair complete! Held temp great getting it from the lot to my work (4 miles?). I'm going to top it back off and drive it to the fam's house (12 miles?). Hopefully all will be well and we'll do the 40 mile trek home...
Keep those fingers crossed...
Javelin wrote: WOOT!!! Keep those fingers crossed...
My wife did the same thing recently. the starter on her G20 died at the grocery store once. She said "Oh yeah it's been having trouble starting recently."
the only thing that makes it slightly better is that I was there and could get it push started. If she was alone, there's no way she could've pushed it. She's so light she can barely push a shopping cart if there's 2 gallons of milk and a 12 pack of mt. dew.
Made it! Good ol 3800...
Asked wife if she checked the oil in her car. "That's your job"
Called two different times, car wouldn't start. She left the car. I got in and it started right up and ran fine.
Told her the battery cable was loose (it wasn't) in order to maintain peace.
Javelin wrote: Made it! Good ol 3800...
I hart that motor!
this blows my mind to. My wife is not dumb, in fact, she's far smarter than me, but somehow things like this just elude her. of course, in the 15 years I've known her she's the only one in her family that hasn't grenaded an engine over some stupid thing like this, so I guess its genetic.
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