Update on the '04 Custom

[04LeSbre]

Since purchasing on 01/03/15, I have proactively replaced the UIM and LIM gaskets, along with the UIM in its entirety with a Dorman kit on 01/18. The spark plugs, wires, fuel filter, and serpentine belt were all changed about the same time. I also reverse flushed and converted to universal "yellow" coolant, and the spark plugs are Delco OEM spec.

Since that big weekend with the aforementioned, the very next week -- I replaced the blend door actuator. So far, so good there.

The next week went problem free, only for the week of 02/01 to show signs of coolant leaking somewhere. I was having to top off my reservoir daily and had drips on the garage floor. Upon inspecting the belly pan, I noticed it was wet, and wrote the problem off as leaky tank seals on the radiator. So, on 02/07 I replaced the radiator. So far, so good there. After bleeding many times and about 100 miles driven, my reservoir has leveled off it seems.

Yesterday, I changed the transmission fluid and filter. I used "Auto Zone Dex/Merc" as recommended along with a Duralast kit. After a highway drive home, the fluid checked in the middle of the crosshatch zone. It has checked here twice now on two different days. All is well there with no leaks, but the 1-2 shift shudder remains. The 2-3 shudder has improved and is almost unnoticeable. I may, in the near future, change the fluid again to gain a higher concentration of new fluid.

If all stays well here, I have a couple of other problems to address soon -- 1) I have a vacuum leak somewhere -- I can hear it, although I can't find it with an unlit propane torch. I can remove the oil cap and the engine dies. On rare occasions it will stay running, but studder and stammer sharply. 2) There is also a noise when the engine is at operating temperature. It's a kind of a whining, "pump" sounding noise, although I can't identify it with a wooden broom handle to the ear. I may have to hire that and the vacuum leak out to a professional.

Lastly, after the two aforementioned items are addressed, I have found a well-referred professional in my area who removes and reinstalls clusters and repairs bad steppers for around $80. That is the very next thing on the list after my two mechanical issues. A question, though while the dash is out -- is there a way to add an auxiliary input to a factory CD player? I like my factory unit's fit and function very well, although I would like the ability to plug in my MP3 player. If this can be done, I would like to do it the same time the cluster is out so that the dash is only tampered with once.

Since purchase, I have driven this LeSabre exactly 2,250 miles to date. My fuel mileage has been 25.101, 27.511, 24.543, 28.136, 25.713, 26.667, 27.531, and 25.378. The 24's and 25's were times when work was being completed, and there were extended idle times.

So far, I absolutely love this car! I am just hoping for some problem free driving for awhile after these others issues are addressed!

Just thought I'd give y'all an update! =)

 

[DonP]

Any OBDII codes stored that might give an indication as tot he tranny? They usually are hidden and do not set the warning lamp.

How many total miles? Keep an eye on the water pump.

 

[04LeSbre]

After driving a week on the "new" tranny fluid, I can tell a difference at different times. Before the change, it was consistent. Now, the shudders are coming and going. My theory is that with a higher concentration of new fluid, it should solve that nuisance completely.

I can't believe I forgot to post the actual mileage . . . It has almost 194k on the dial.

I have thought about replacing the water pump as a precautionary measure, especially when not having a temp gauge is taken into consideration. I have read up on it some, but is it a very big job? It looks pretty straight-forward. I have changed dozens of water pumps on trucks in my time, but never on a FWD car.

Thanks for your input, DonP!

 

[mrmajikbus45]

[video=youtube;DYFz-6_GJ_g]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYFz-6_GJ_g[/video]

The video may not be exact by year, but it will get you close enough. On mine, the water pump was easy. Mine did not have the motor mount in the way that some of these 3.8L engines do. Whilst you're there, may as well swap the belt out if it looks remotely worn. I'm a one time in, one time out kind of guy though. A new water pump at NAPA is like $65. Took me about 20 minutes to do from belt off to belt on.

 

[imidazol97]

I have a vacuum leak somewhere -- I can hear it, although I can't find it with an unlit propane torch. I can remove the oil cap and the engine dies. On rare occasions it will stay running, but stutter and stammer sharply.

That sounds like the lower o-ring on the PCV valve is missing. Vacuum is being directed into the open engine volume instead of controlled by the PCV. When you open the oil filler, you're allowing a lot of air into the intake manifold and the IAC can't adjust for that much extra air.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k110/imidazol97/95L36PCV-1.jpg

 

[04LeSbre]

Awesome! Thank you, mrmajikbus45! Mine doesn't have the engine mount in front of it, either -- I don't think. Lol. I may attempt that this coming Saturday as a preventative item unless it fails before!

Thank you, imidazol97! I was wondering about that and had to watch a video to figure out where it was. That makes sense, because it had to be removed when the UIM's were swapped and this noise/vacuum issue didn't arise until then, so I will suspect the PCV valve for sure now, especially with your opinion. I'm headed to the parts store now to get one -- I'll let y'all know how it turns out.

Thanks again, y'all!

 

[04LeSbre]

imidazol97, you were right -- there was no o-ring on the PCV valve.

I bought a new pcv valve and an assortment of o-rings. The LeSabre hasn't been started since yesterday afternoon. I took off the MAP sensor and exposed the spring and the PCV valve. There was the big o-ring still in the UIM for the base of the PCV valve cover, but no o-ring around the PCV valve itself or in it's base in the UIM. I took an appropriately sized o-ring from the kit I bought, rolled it up to the base of the PCV valve's mechanism, and placed it back it's home. I then reinstalled the spring, base, and reinstalled and reconnected MAP sensor.

I started the car in the garage, which is about 50 degrees, and let it run for a minute or so. When I removed the oil cap, there was no change in the engine's running as before. The only variable in this theory of the o-ring being the culprit is I've only removed the oil cap when the engine is at normal operating temperature after a 30 mile drive home. Tomorrow when I get home, I will conduct my previous test and report those results.

Thanks so much, again!

 

[04LeSbre]

Update ::

Although not the normal driving I spoke of yesterday, I did roam around yesterday afternoon for about 40 miles, and at no point did I hear the prior "whining/pumpish" sounding noise I had heard prior at operating temperatures. I also popped the hood and removed the oil cap several times with the engine running and not a single time did the engine die or sharply stammer. I think there might've been a "slight" change in the idle behavior, but I am going to write that off as normal.

Thanks again for the great suggestions! I will report back if something changes, but so far -- so good.

 

[04LeSbre]

Update ::

Installing an o-ring on the new PCV valve where the prior one was missing solved the "engine stalling at idle when oil cap was removed" and the funny "warm engine pumpish/whining sound at idle". After several tests and recreating as close to the original situation as possible today after a drive home from work, I have concluded the problem is solved.

Thanks again, everyone!

 

[04LeSbre]

As suggested by you, DonP ... I have kept an eye on the water pump.

With the summer coming on strong and running the A/C, I have had condensate puddles in my garage. I wrote all of that off as normal with the A/C, but I have continued checking my fluids every other day since I've had the car. About a month ago, I noticed a drop in the coolant reservoir level. I put my finger in the condensate puddle, and caught a small hint of antifreeze. I immediately pointed my finger at the water pump.

I stopped the next day after work and bought a pump and some RTV with plans on replacing it that evening, however I couldn't actually see the pump leaking, so I kept it in the trunk. I continued to nurse the coolant reservoir level for the next month or so, as I wasn't losing much.

Last Sunday, I decided to go ahead and replace the pump. The weep hole that was visible under the hood was dry and caked with dirt and grit. The other on the underside looked moist and wasn't caked when I removed the old pump, so I blamed it as the leak. After replacing it and sufficiently bleeding the system, my coolant level has remained the same since the last system bleed. The replacement was performed at 202,644 miles -- 11,326 miles after my reverse system flush.

I have some old issues and a couple of new issues I am about to address:

1) I still need to have my cluster steppers repaired. I just can't find the time for downtime!

2) Talked to a local, reputable transmission rebuilder. He claimed these transmissions were superior units that hardly gave trouble, but if there were an internal problem, considering the time/labor to remove and reinstall, he suggested to "run it till it quits" and rebuild the entire unit if it is in fact the transmission causing the shudder I still feel at times. His opinion was for it to most likely be an engine miss, and suggested (as you guys did) to have my hidden codes checked. I plan to do that soon, along with having the cluster repaired, and will post my findings. He also suggested not to change the fluid and filter if it had never been serviced (which it hadn't), as I would just be asking for trouble. But, so far (fingers crossed), I have had no issues since my fluid and filter change. I plan to perform a pan drop each year to elevate the concentration of new transmission fluid in the unit.

3) Coming back from vacation, I felt a few drips of water on my legs while driving. It was clear and didn't have a scent. Earlier in the week, I thought I could hear water sloshing in my dash, but wrote it off as I was crazy. Considering that sound, the drips on my legs, and the A/C hasn't been that cold and is fully charged, leads me to believe the drain tube is clogged. I searched the forum last night and read it was a 90* elbow somewhere underneath in about the middle of the firewall. I am going to put my car on ramps afterwhile and check to see if I can find it. I will also post those findings.

Thanks again for all of y'alls help and suggestions throughout this time! I am in love with this car for my 70 mile daily drive, although it has been more problematic than my late-80's Sentra. I have worked on this car more in 7 months than I did in two years and 50k miles on the B12, but this LeSabre has many more components and is a far superior ride and comfort level than that old Nissan.

 

[04LeSbre]

Update on problem #3:

Tonight, I put the car on ramps and finally found the "fish-mouth" 90* elbow. I removed it and it was clear, plus no other water "gushed" out. I took my air compressor hose with the blower attachment and inserted the nipple discharge end of it into a 2' piece of rubber hose. I pushed it in the orifice and blew some air to no avail. I put the elbow back on and removed the car from the ramps when finished. I think I have a problem elsewhere.

With the A/C on at times, I hear a rattling in the dash, like at an idle when waiting on a red light. I think it's an actuator. Any tips for diagnosing a failing actuator before it actually goes out? All of my positions work correctly and the A/C compressor clutch activates and runs continuously. I'm starting to think my compressor is "worn out" at 203k miles and isn't compressing the freon sufficiently, but that theory doesn't pan-out in regards to the drips of water on my legs when coming home from vacation. My only thought at this point is to also have this checked when I have the cluster repaired and ghost (hidden) codes checked.

 

[HotZ28]

Thanks for all the fine & detailed information!

I could hear water sloshing in my dash, but wrote it off as I was crazy.

If you could here water sloshing in the dash, you are not crazy!

2) Talked to a local, reputable transmission rebuilder. He claimed these transmissions were superior units that hardly gave trouble, but if there were an internal problem, considering the time/labor to remove and reinstall, he suggested to "run it till it quits" and rebuild the entire unit if it is in fact the transmission causing the shudder I still feel at times. His opinion was for it to most likely be an engine miss, and suggested (as you guys did) to have my hidden codes checked.

Very wise opinion from the transmission shop! You are lucky to have found a trans shop that is in the business of offering good advice, rather than suggesting a rebuild. Hook it up to a fully capable scanner & check for cylinder misfire!!

 

[04LeSbre]

Very wise opinion from the transmission shop! You are lucky to have found a trans shop that is in the business of offering good advice, rather than suggesting a rebuild. Hook it up to a fully capable scanner & check for cylinder misfire!!

Glad to have finally found someone who seems reputible. He rebuilt the transmission in my Grandfather's Ram a few months back. I knew he was different, because the first 3 shops I visited with his truck said Jasper. This guy told me exactly what was wrong, what he could fix only that for, plus what all improvements he could make to the trans should we decide to do a full rebuild, and his initial estimate was spot-on at the time of payment. Not to mention, that automatic Ram shifts like no other Dodge I've ever driven! I sent him a gift card for his no-charge opinion on my Buick and an old NP435 4 speed for my dent-side F150.

 

[04LeSbre]

Another update on problem #3:

Air is no cooler now than before I checked to make sure the condensation was draining. I definitely have a problem elsewhere.

 

[HotZ28]

Have you had the high & low side pressures checked? Low pressure will cause the evaporator to freeze up and restrict air flow.

 

[04LeSbre]

My knowledge on HVAC is slim to basically none, but I would love to learn more about it. I only have a hose with a small gauge to add freon.

Is there a set of similar hoses/gauges to those that are used in residential HVAC for automotive applications? I'm picturing two/three gauges with two/three hoses, maybe 4 feet long? I would love to have a set if someone could recommend me some. I'm clueless in that department.