97 SSE w/ Major problem, HELP!
 

First, let me say that I just found the board and it looks like it will be extremely helpful.

OK, 97 SSE 75th Anniversary with 101K miles. I just went on vacation and put 1100 trouble free miles on it, but 2 hours from home on the way back, started getting low coolant lite coming on. Added coolant like 3 times and finally decided to stop and see if I could find the problem. It got a little hot once, about 230 but cooled it right back down. I was at the gas station and the check engine lite came on while I was checking for leaks under the hood. The radiator cap was cool when I was checking. I look back in the car and the check engine lite is flashing, so I cut it off. I check the radiator cap again in about 5 minutes and it is still cool, so I take the cap off and can stick my finger in the coolant(it was cool). The temp was about 200 at that time. I then decide to try and start it back to see if the lite is still flashing, but it won't crank at all. I checked the oil and there is no water in it but it looked over full, but I just thought it hadn't all drained back down to the pan and was picking it up. Well I had to rent a room and get my dad to bring the truck and tow it home on a car hauler. I thought that the water pump had went bad, locked up and wouldn't let the car crank. So this morning I installed a new water pump and tried to crank it over, but it is doing the same thing. I can turn the crank (with a ratchet) less than a 1/2 a turn backwards, and forwards and then it just stops. I turned the crank back as far as possible and then try the key. The starter cranks it till it stops and thats it. I checked the oil again today and it is way over full, but has nothing but oil. I changed & checked the oil before I left to go on vacation and everything was spot on.

Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions? I am starting to think that something is broke in the engine, but I can't for the life of me figure out what happened. When I cut it off because of the check engine lite flashing, I had the hood popped and there were no knocks, rattles, or anything. It sounded just like it always had, smooth and quiet. The low coolant lite was the only thing on the info center.

BTW, the old water pump turned freely and didn't appear to have water coming out the weep hole. I still can't tell where the water was going either.

Sorry so long, but trying to give all the details.

Sounds like the dreaded upper intake failure. You better do some reading in the sticky posts in 92-99. That's where I'm moving this.

If your upper intake did fail (in the EGR inlet area), drain that oil NOW. Don't let the coolant/water mixture rust out the crank or rod bearings!

:?:

Are you enquiring about the 75th? The only difference I see between it and regular sse's is special expensive floor mats and special badges on the rear quarter panels behind the rear doors.


Do you think that the engine is hurt? As far as I can tell, there is no water in the oil, but it is over full. How long before I have damage to the bearings?

I think what he was getting at was the 40th vs a 75th. :wink:

Appreciate the help guys, I'm just glad to here what the problem and the cure is. This site rocks!