98 Lumina LTZ overheating
 

Ok... Brother has been driving the LTZ while his(my) GP was being fixed. Anyways, GP is fixed enough so he is driving that cause the LTZ is now overheating. He said that the coolent resivior was empty one day and it started to get warm. put more in and it ran fine. it's been parked at home since the GP is on the road. While home, I checked the coolent and the level was still fine. Also checked the oil and it was black as ever, with no signs of coolent in it. The car is leaking oil I know for a fact, and my dad seems to think some oil is getting into the coolent, but I am not sure. Does anyone know where I should begin to look as to where the coolent is going? This is an L36 with 154,000ish miles on it.

Primary coolant loss assuming no UIM failure is the LIM gaskets.

Geoff..it was dry the day we hit the junkyard..and you say it's holding since. Who knows. Til it leaks again. Although if it's overheating, I'd start w/a thermostant and checking the fans.

I agree with Bill on this one... Being that this is an LTZ 3800 II... Either the upper intake is letting you know it about to go or the lower gaskets are degrading.. Keep a very close eye on it...

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i thought the ltz used the 3100?

Nope... The 3100 was used in the base models... I think the older LTZ used the 3.4 twin cam...( or at least thats what the top of the line had )... I thin it was 97 or 98 when the Lumina started using the 3800 ;)

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ive had a few encounters with a bad radiator too geoff, the ends on the radiators are plastic and tend to crack over time, both of the radiators that i saw cracked were cracked on the front side of the radiator on the driver side. just another thing to check :roll:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-Lu...QQcmdZViewItem

Some LTZ's still used the 3100, 3.4 and 3800 were always optional. And the 3.4 was a SPENDY option.

Thats sad...

A 3100 in an LTZ.... I have seen a series of LTZ models with the 3800 series II... Just sad.. :roll: :lol:

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That would be the first and only LTZ with the 3.1 I have seen. Also the only one with the leather bench. This must have been a special order car cause I am pretty sure the LTZ package was the 3.8L motor, bucket fron seats, LTZ styling and badging. at base, the LTZ just had those options. Although, that is a legitimate LTZ, something has run amuck with it. Maybe it's a canadian car.