Hello all.

Boy am I glad I found this forum tonight.

Ok my problem is a month ago or so I took my ssei to a lube shop and had them flush out my coolent and change it.Well a few days after that I noticed a weird smell after letting it sit and warm up seein as it is winter.

I just ignored it and thought it was from being flushed and what not...Any ways now the smell is there more frequently and everyday I run the car.I was wondering if after a coolent flush you do not add the sealent tabs that G.M. carries and puts in your coolent will you get leaks that would not normally be there if they had added them?I dont seem to be loosing coolent but there is definatly a weird smell there and it doesnt smell like anti freeze like my 98 gp gt did when it lost the water pump.

Would adding the sealent tabs from gm help and is it recomended to do so?

Did they clean the evaporator exterior when they flushed and changed the coolant? A residual solvent or detergent smell might be expected if so. If nothing other than coolant flush was done, perhaps the heater core has developed a seep and you are smelling the accumulated coating of dust, mold, pollen, etc. on the outside of the core or duct when it is wetted from seeping coolant. Cooling systems are designed to operate at 17 psi. It is possible when flushing to greatly exceed those design pressures and cause damage. An experienced shop would not likely cause harm in that way.

But, I see you had this done at a lube shop - not a Jiffy Lube, I hope. They have a horrible track record. And, did they refill with Dex-cool? Many think Dex is bad stuff and recommend getting rid of it for the newer "mixes with any type or color" extended-life coolant.

A cooling system in proper working order does not need sealing tablets, stop leak, or any other such additives. These break down into a fine powder or slime and accumulate in calm spots in the system. These deposits become sites for corrosion and pitting when the anti-corrosive components of the coolant become depleted.

Check around the bolts for the lower intake manifold, and the injector valleys and see if you see anything that looks like this.



Check the coolant elbows that lead from the LIM to the tensioner, and also around the other coolant elbow, lower left of the tensioner for any leaking coolant.

Also check to see if your valve cover gaskets may be leaking oil. GM does not recommend using the coolant sealing tabs after a flush.

You found the best forum for Bonnevilles on the 'net! Welcome to our club! You may want to post an introduction at the top of the forum.

Yes there is a puddle back by the injectors in the valleys!!!Bad lim I take???

So what now? I need to replace the lim,valve cover,throtle body gaskets and tube going to the egr valve????

How much is this kit from intense?I will have to look.Funny thing is I havent lost any coolent level at all.The puddle almost looks like dirty oil but my valve cover gaskets are leaking also!But it is not a oil burning smell.Also when they did the oil change they convinced me to run a cleaner through the oil system also!So I guess they fricked up my engine with there cleaners and ruined my gaskets faster than they would have gone on there own!!!AWESOME!!!!!!!!

If I can prove this I will sue!!!!!!But still nedd to get this done.I wish I could put up a scratch and sniff link so you all could smell what I smell!!!!!!

It would be almost impossible to prove that they did anything wrong that would bring on the leak. The gaskets have been bad on engines with fewer than 50,000 miles. If you're still running Dex, flush that out and replace with the Prestone Long LIfe "all makes/all models" type.

Get the aluminum framed lower intake manifold gaskets from the dealer, GM Parts Direct or Intense. (I'm not sure which kit from Intense you're talking about.) Get the Felpro supercharger gasket set as it included the coolant o-rings, throttle body gasket, and the two coolant elbows which are available on the Dorman "Help" cards at most auto parts stores. Normally, you shouldn't have to replace the EGR tube, unless you crack it while moving it. Some loosen it at the EGR valve to limit that posibility. Unless there is severe pitting, you should not have to replace the LIM.

The things that BIll Buttermore listed could be a cause of the smell.

What and where are the coolant sealing tabs? Are they something I should be concerned about when I flush my cooling system to change the coolant?

What do I need to do to prevent leaks?

I have an '03 SSEi.

Also, why do I get 404 Page Not Found Error messages when I click on links in older posts that link to other posts?

Thanks.

Dave

Lube shops are scammers. Even if you go in for the $19.95 oil change and tell them to frig off with the up sale or add on services (but not in so many words), (the low price for oil change is just to get you in there), they will still f*ck something up because they are pissed or hope you will hand over your wallet for something else before you leave. Criminals that should be shot. I stopped going to CDN Tire or lube shops. Thay always overfilled with oil and a hour later after parking it in the driveway, I would come out to at least 1/2 a litre all over the ground. Only when I went to these shops though, NEVER when I go to my regular mechanic and pay $40.