98 S-10 (4.3L) Cooling System

Question:

Thanks again gentlemen.  I assumed most of what y’all said but wanted to get some better opinions.  I do appreciate your time… Seems that all I can do is wait it out and see, keep an eye on it. Hopefully the guys in Birmingham did a decent job.  Did they most likely use distilled water in the mix or do they have a choice?  Seems like the "$tealership" would probably use tap water based on it being cheaper than distilled water, but I don’t know…  Maybe I’ll drop an anonymous call on em and ask… I probably will at least lodge a complaint with GM for documentation purposes so that if I continue to have issues at least there’ll be a paper trail. Later, Stew

Response:

> Doc, thanks for the info.  Sounds like the Dex-Cool is more of a > problem than a solution in some cases.  I can only hope that the guys > in Birmingham did a better job.  Love those technicians…

Arrgh! > At any rate, looks like I’m going to be forced to eat it huh? > Including the heater core when it finally goes.  But will it > inevitibly go if the guys in Birmingham did a good job?

Yep, you’re eating this one.  If the heater core isn’t too clogged and they backflush the hell out of it, it might be salvageable. > I’m almost tempted to run it through and go back to the green stuff. > I’ve read about chemical flushes that allow you to revert back to the > good ole days of green stuff and flushing the system every year or so. >  Maybe I’ll wait for the heater core to go first…

If the directions are followed, Dex isn’t all that bad.  Unless you get ALL of the old Dex out, the green stuff will cause MAJOR problems in your system <turns the whole mixture into jello>. > Any suggestions?

Keep it running Dex.  Flush and change religiously every 4 years.  Use ONLY distilled water, keep an eye on the resevoir every week or so, and replace the rad cap with the new GM part <forget the number, sorry> every time you flush and change the coolant. > Thanks, > Stew

You’re welcome, Doc

Response:

Doc, thanks for the info.  Sounds like the Dex-Cool is more of a problem than a solution in some cases.  I can only hope that the guys in Birmingham did a better job.  Love those technicians… At any rate, looks like I’m going to be forced to eat it huh? Including the heater core when it finally goes.  But will it inevitibly go if the guys in Birmingham did a good job? I’m almost tempted to run it through and go back to the green stuff. I’ve read about chemical flushes that allow you to revert back to the good ole days of green stuff and flushing the system every year or so.  Maybe I’ll wait for the heater core to go first… Any suggestions? Thanks, Stew – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Stew, > They probably didn’t use distilled water and didn’t properly air-bleed the > system after the initial repair.  These two things <tap water and air in > cooling system> are bad news if you have DexCool <the orange stuff> in > there, which you do.  They cause slugde buildup and clogged components just > like you’ve described.  There is NO way you can prove this, unfortunately. > Regards, > Doc

Response:

Stew, No wonder people hate $tealers. $250 to R&R that water pump is rape. Anyway, Doc is right, any chance of this being taken care of under warranty is unlikely. There is a problem resolution procedure in the back of your owner’s manual if you want to go that route. Best bet is to find a decent independent mechanic and have him go through it. Take a copy of your post, which is an excellent description of the problem, and give it to him. Basically, the system needs to be pressure tested, flushed, including opening the block drains and cleaning the recovery jar, new coolant and distilled water, and verifying that you have the proper type radiator cap. If you do so, you should have no further problems. Dean – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Real quick I’ll describe my problem.  I’m looking for anyone who’s > experienced similar issues and how they were resolved with regard to > warranty, lemon laws, or just eating it…  Any replies are > appreciated, comments/suggestions and/or just thoughts, thanks… > 98 Chevy S-10 (4.3L) Cooling system problems: > Bought vehicle October 16, 1998 in Slidell, LA.  Around June 3, 1999 > and mileage at 8579 it started overheating.  Brought it to dealership > in Springfield, VA. (where I was at the time) for repairs.  Repairs > (under warranty) included new radiator and thermostat as well as flush > and recharged cooling system. > Service manager said that they manufacture the engine prior to > production run on vehicle.  Engines are stored and preserved using a > compound to deter corrosion of engine prior to production run and > installation into vehicle.  He stated that apparently they’d not > gotten all of the preservation compound out of the engine’s > cooling/circulatory system prior to installing it into the vehicle and > the left over "crap" had circulated through my cooling system and > "clogged" portions of it.  So they replaced the radiator and did the > other work to include "blowing out" and recharging cooling system. > Advised me that the dex-cool coolant was 150,000 mile coolant and no > maintenance was necessary after that. > November 25, 2002 and mileage at 65209, water pump starts leaking in > Birmingham, AL (where I was at the time).  Stuck on side of interstate > and no resources (tools, parts, Haynes manual, etc.) I’m forced to > "limp" vehicle to nearest dealership where I’m properly screwed for > $550.  $250 labor (seems high), $185 for pump (with part warranty), > $40 for coolant/radiator cap/thermostat, $48 for new belt (at my > request)… > When I initially took off the radiator cap on the side of the > interstate I noticed a buildup of material adhering to radiator cap. > When I asked the service manager in Birmingham about what caused the > water pump to go he stated that the system hadn’t been "flushed" > periodically as needed and hence there was a buildup that caused pump > to go.  Flushed periodically?  I’m thinking at 150,000 miles I’ll need > to deal with this. > After I got it fixed and left Birmingham I noticed that my heat wasn’t > working.  Called the guy and he suggested I bring it back in when I > passed back through.  Upon bringing it back in they told me my heater > core was clogged.  Said they were able to "blow out" material in > heater core but that it would probably need to be replaced as well in > due time. > It sounds to me like this is all based on my initial problem that was > supposed to be dealt with under warranty when it was fixed at 8579 > miles. > Any comments would be appreciated at this point.  What should I do? > Who should I contact?  Do I have a legitimate gripe? > Thanks, > Stew

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Real quick I’ll describe my problem.  I’m looking for anyone who’s > experienced similar issues and how they were resolved with regard to > warranty, lemon laws, or just eating it…  Any replies are > appreciated, comments/suggestions and/or just thoughts, thanks… > 98 Chevy S-10 (4.3L) Cooling system problems: > Bought vehicle October 16, 1998 in Slidell, LA.  Around June 3, 1999 > and mileage at 8579 it started overheating.  Brought it to dealership > in Springfield, VA. (where I was at the time) for repairs.  Repairs > (under warranty) included new radiator and thermostat as well as flush > and recharged cooling system. > Service manager said that they manufacture the engine prior to > production run on vehicle.  Engines are stored and preserved using a > compound to deter corrosion of engine prior to production run and > installation into vehicle.  He stated that apparently they’d not > gotten all of the preservation compound out of the engine’s > cooling/circulatory system prior to installing it into the vehicle and > the left over "crap" had circulated through my cooling system and > "clogged" portions of it.  So they replaced the radiator and did the > other work to include "blowing out" and recharging cooling system. > Advised me that the dex-cool coolant was 150,000 mile coolant and no > maintenance was necessary after that. > November 25, 2002 and mileage at 65209, water pump starts leaking in > Birmingham, AL (where I was at the time).  Stuck on side of interstate > and no resources (tools, parts, Haynes manual, etc.) I’m forced to > "limp" vehicle to nearest dealership where I’m properly screwed for > $550.  $250 labor (seems high), $185 for pump (with part warranty), > $40 for coolant/radiator cap/thermostat, $48 for new belt (at my > request)… > When I initially took off the radiator cap on the side of the > interstate I noticed a buildup of material adhering to radiator cap. > When I asked the service manager in Birmingham about what caused the > water pump to go he stated that the system hadn’t been "flushed" > periodically as needed and hence there was a buildup that caused pump > to go.  Flushed periodically?  I’m thinking at 150,000 miles I’ll need > to deal with this. > After I got it fixed and left Birmingham I noticed that my heat wasn’t > working.  Called the guy and he suggested I bring it back in when I > passed back through.  Upon bringing it back in they told me my heater > core was clogged.  Said they were able to "blow out" material in > heater core but that it would probably need to be replaced as well in > due time. > It sounds to me like this is all based on my initial problem that was > supposed to be dealt with under warranty when it was fixed at 8579 > miles. > Any comments would be appreciated at this point.  What should I do? > Who should I contact?  Do I have a legitimate gripe? > Thanks, > Stew

Stew, They probably didn’t use distilled water and didn’t properly air-bleed the system after the initial repair.  These two things <tap water and air in cooling system> are bad news if you have DexCool <the orange stuff> in there, which you do.  They cause slugde buildup and clogged components just like you’ve described.  There is NO way you can prove this, unfortunately. Regards, Doc

Response:

Real quick I’ll describe my problem.  I’m looking for anyone who’s experienced similar issues and how they were resolved with regard to warranty, lemon laws, or just eating it…  Any replies are appreciated, comments/suggestions and/or just thoughts, thanks… 98 Chevy S-10 (4.3L) Cooling system problems: Bought vehicle October 16, 1998 in Slidell, LA.  Around June 3, 1999 and mileage at 8579 it started overheating.  Brought it to dealership in Springfield, VA. (where I was at the time) for repairs.  Repairs (under warranty) included new radiator and thermostat as well as flush and recharged cooling system. Service manager said that they manufacture the engine prior to production run on vehicle.  Engines are stored and preserved using a compound to deter corrosion of engine prior to production run and installation into vehicle.  He stated that apparently they’d not gotten all of the preservation compound out of the engine’s cooling/circulatory system prior to installing it into the vehicle and the left over "crap" had circulated through my cooling system and "clogged" portions of it.  So they replaced the radiator and did the other work to include "blowing out" and recharging cooling system. Advised me that the dex-cool coolant was 150,000 mile coolant and no maintenance was necessary after that. November 25, 2002 and mileage at 65209, water pump starts leaking in Birmingham, AL (where I was at the time).  Stuck on side of interstate and no resources (tools, parts, Haynes manual, etc.) I’m forced to "limp" vehicle to nearest dealership where I’m properly screwed for $550.  $250 labor (seems high), $185 for pump (with part warranty), $40 for coolant/radiator cap/thermostat, $48 for new belt (at my request)… When I initially took off the radiator cap on the side of the interstate I noticed a buildup of material adhering to radiator cap. When I asked the service manager in Birmingham about what caused the water pump to go he stated that the system hadn’t been "flushed" periodically as needed and hence there was a buildup that caused pump to go.  Flushed periodically?  I’m thinking at 150,000 miles I’ll need to deal with this. After I got it fixed and left Birmingham I noticed that my heat wasn’t working.  Called the guy and he suggested I bring it back in when I passed back through.  Upon bringing it back in they told me my heater core was clogged.  Said they were able to "blow out" material in heater core but that it would probably need to be replaced as well in due time. It sounds to me like this is all based on my initial problem that was supposed to be dealt with under warranty when it was fixed at 8579 miles. Any comments would be appreciated at this point.  What should I do? Who should I contact?  Do I have a legitimate gripe? Thanks, Stew

Response:

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