Blown gasket on buick century 1995 with v6 3.1 engine?

Question

Here I have a 95 buick century with 90,000 miles. Never had a problem except for replacing a fan belt. Suddenly the engine block started smoking like crazy; heat indicator needle went to maximum in five minutes and stayed there. Turned off the car. Tried to check radiator, but radiator top seems stuck--one of those locking jobs with a pull-up lever. It's stuck. Only way I can figure pulling it open is with a claw hammer. Added some coolant to overflow tank. Nothing changed. Car is worth maybe $750 in good condition. I'm figuring why bother even having it towed to a shop and losing a half-days' work. Just get to work, donate the car, and buy a new one (which I've been meaning to do for a couple of years now. Worth getting an estimate? Or can AAA do an on the spot test?

Answer 1

A lot of times the cap is just stuck to the rad and doesn't want to turn. The lever shouldn't have anything to do with it being stuck (it is just to release the pressure). You will have to use a large pair of pliers to turn it or there is also a specialty tool which is made just for this for not too much money.

You would have to fill the rad and warm up the car (with the cap on) to see where it is actually leaking. It could be not as bad as you think. But if it is the intake manifold gaskets, which are a common problem with these, then ya you might just want to replace the car.

Answer 2

Carl Scheel is correct. The intake manifold on my 1995 Buick Century went and I'm looking at $1700 to fix it. But and this is the kicker trying to find anything here under $3000 is next to impossible and you don't really know what new problems you will be getting.

Answer 3

I own a 99 Grand Am with the 3.4 liter V6. It's basically the very same engine as the 3.1 Liter with few changes. The 3.1 Liter engine hasn't got the best of reps out there. I, like some of the other answers on this topic had to change the intake manifold gasket. One of the easiest ways to see if your head gaskets are blown is to just pull out your oil dipstick and see if there is water (coolant) mixed with the oil. If so then yes, it's the head gasket. If you plan to do the work yourself then it may be worth it to fix it and drive it or sell it. But if you take it to a garage you're probably looking at a bill well over the $750 that the car is worth. But to look at it another way is to figure that even if you do get it fixed and it costs you even $1000 to fix it, you can't find a decent car for $1000 anymore. If you do find one at that price, you'll just be buying a whole new set of problems. Besides, 90,000 miles really isn't a lot of miles by today's standards. Cars are built to last much longer than they used to be. My Grand Am has 173,000, and my Acura has 114,000 miles on it. For me, whenever I have a car problem, I find out what the job will cost, then decide if I could buy another with that same amount of money. If not, then I just get it fixed. If you know of a garage that would allow you to give them say 1/2 of the amount up front, then pay him weekly or monthly or whatever they would agree to. I know that's a long shot but it never hurts to ask. I hope you get your issues with your Buick resolved. It sucks not having wheels.

Answer 4

Buick Century 1995

Answer 5

you have to push down on the cap and turn at the same time before it will come off. check the oil to see if antifreeze is in it and check for white smoke coming out the tailpipe. don,t get smoke and steam mixed up. smoke will linger in the air and steam will disappear fast. it don,t have to be the head gasket, it can be the intake gasket also. that,s not too many miles on a 95 unless it,s been turned over and has 195 thousands instead of 95. if you can afford another car then at least get up into the 2000s. that car is getting pretty old and after awhile it will be hard to find body parts for it because most junk yards crush the older cars.

Answer 6

if the car is only worth 750 i say ditch it because let me tell you if an engine has blown a gasket such as head gasket and overheated that badly its a major overall im thinking at least a thousand dollars to have a certified mechanic overhaul it im speaking from my knowledge of mechaniching if you have any further questions feel free to email me at [e-mail]

Answer 7

YOU NEED TO PRESSURIZE THE SYSTEM WITH A PUMP AND GUAGE SET TO SEE WHERE COOLENT IS GOING

Answer 8

Donate it!

Answer 9

you're right, its not worth it, junk it