89 TTA Burns antifreeze under boost?? Why?

[joraelliott]

I have a 1989 TTA. The car does not run hot nor does it burn coolant under normal every day driving. As soon as you get on the car and boost comes up the car smokes really bad and smells like antifreeze. It only does it under boost condtions. Is the turbo liquid cooled or oil cooled? Do you have any suggestions. Thanks. JohnEmail me please.

 

[mark b]

The turbo is oil lubricated - no water cooling on these.

Is your oil milky looking or high on the dipstick reading?
Does the antifreeze itself look oily?
Doing a compression test on the engine would be a good idea...

What color is the smoke? Leaking seals in the turbo will yield white or blue smoke depending on the side..

Are you sure the antifreeze smell is from the exhaust and not a leak elsewhere?

 

[RobR]

Maybe the head is lifting under boost. I had that problem with my Spirit R/T. Only lost fluid when under full boost.

 

[TClassic]

MOst likely Head Gasket!!! Or the head bolts need ReTorqueing,
Take a Few hours & Pull the heads & Inspect the Gaskets!

**Just as a Side note: ANY Turbobuick/TTA owner needs to AT LEAST have enough time & the few tools (Torque wrench) ect.
to do thier own Headgaskets, especiallt being we'er 14 to 16 model years old and a TURBO car, If you can't do this realativeily simple job yourself **Sell the CAR!!***

 

[mark b]

> If you can't do this realativeily simple job yourself **Sell the >CAR!!***

Please tell us you are not even remotely serious because it obvious ignores people that are physically incapable of doing the work. They still have a right to own the car, unless of course we live in Nazi Germany. Other people have life situations that should never preclude them from owning what they want.

Also, there are loads of TR people that have tons of miles and 1/4 mile runs with no blown a head gaskets. The key is scan tool, tuning, operating within limits, etc. Pushing the envelop is a different story.

IMHO it's a grave dis-service to tell any owner that they have no business owning a car if they can't to this work. Only an over-zealous mechanic would pull the heads without doing some diagnostics; simple stuff like a compression test first.

Although I have heard some people use velcro instead of bolts on their parts because they remove them so often

 

[TClassic]

Mark,

I say this because myself, and the majority of other elders on this board have been racing these cars for upwards of 16 years,
and no matter HOW CAREFUL you are, we all monitor our passes with either Direct Scan or Turbolink, and of course an EGT guage,
you will 'Eventually' most likely take out a Head Gasket, and after you've done the job once you will see its NO BIG DEAL!!
So, unless you ONLY intend to show you're car, having a Basic Knowlege, ALL the INFO you would ever need is in the Archives, doing you're own work is a MUST with our Buicks!! Unless you're VERY wealthy or have a money tree to pay others, in that case suit yourself, and DON'T complain here about SHABBY work!

 

[1987 GN]

Originally posted by TClassic
Mark,
doing you're own work is a MUST with our Buicks!! Unless you're VERY wealthy or have a money tree to pay others, in that case suit yourself, and DON'T complain here about SHABBY work!

I do not do the work on my car and I do not feel as though I am missing out on anything. I may do an oil change or something else that is simple but I don't think that has kept me from being a real enthusiast. Lots of guys enjoy working on their cars every weekend and I am happy for them. Some of us other enthusiasts would rather spend time driving our cars than working on them. To each his own. I think you are way off base telling someone to sell their car if they don't plan on working on it.

That would be like me telling you to get a job where you could afford to pay someone to work on it so it will get done right and you won't have to be under the hood every weekend by necessity instead of choice.

We all come from varying backgrounds and abilities and do not need to criticize others for working or not working on their own cars or paying too much for a professional to do the work.

I also do not think anyone was complaining about shabby work, just a question about what his TTAs problem may be.

Live your life and everyone else will live theirs.

 

[Killa6]

I think telling someone to sell his car because he can't do the work himself is ridiculous. I didn't even see him say he couldn't do it, he was asking what the problem may be. Who said he couldn't do it?

Secondly, I wonder how Jack Cotton would react when he found out all the work he does on people's cars is shabby just because they can afford to have him do it. People from all over the country ship their cars to Cotton because he does a good job. The work is shabby though, just because people can afford to have him do it?

Where do you draw the line on when something should be done by you and when you should pay to have someone do it. You say a head gasket is easy. For you it may be. What if you get to something even you can't do, you have to pay someone to do it. Is it shabby then?

 

[TClassic]

Since the average mechanic is TOTTALLY CLUELESS about our cars, either you HAVE to do it yourself, or bring it to a TR specialist Like Cottons, Rons Custom, ect.. And not everyone is Fotunate enough to have a TR specialist down the block!!

And even then you're going to STILL be paying big bucks!! These aren't 5.0's or Small Block chevies we have here! Go ask you're local mechanic if he can set your wastegate, or check your Idle BLM's!!!!!!

 

[bruce]

Originally posted by TClassic
**Just as a Side note: ANY Turbobuick/TTA owner needs to AT LEAST have enough time & the few tools (Torque wrench) ect.
to do thier own Headgaskets, especiallt being we'er 14 to 16 model years old and a TURBO car, If you can't do this realativeily simple job yourself **Sell the CAR!!***

As a one lunged, heart problemed, back held together by steel rods, individual, I say,

That's about the most narrow minded advise I've ever heard.

While I can't do the physical end of much any more, I do have friends. And you want to know what?. I've developed some real close personal relationships, and am a MUCH WEALTHIER person for being disabled. I took alot for granted when I was healthy, and may have time to time even made statments as you did here, but they were wrong.


As for the original post,
It really sounds like you've just popped a headgasket. It's best to attend to them before you do further damage.

If you mechanically inclined then a shop manual and support from the list will get you thru it. If not, then it's time to try and hook up with folks in your area and see what you can work out. If none of the above, then its find a reputable shop time.
HTH

 

[TClassic]

Bruce, I appologize to yourself or anyone else I may have offended, I've just PERSONALLY saw too many folks get burned
BIG TIME when they took thier mint TR's to a clueless mechanic!

 

[Killa6]

I agree that a lot of guys with our cars get burned by going to someone who doesn't know what they are doing. But, you didn't say that. You said if someone can't do the work themselves they should sell the car.

For those of us who have access to Cotton or other turbo Buick EXPERTS, why shouldn't we take advantage. Why should we have to sell because we have the money and/or opportunity to learn from Cotton. Cotton doesn't just fix the cars, he will teach you too. He lets you stay there while he works on the car if you want. He talks to you about your car so you can learn. He doesn't just present you with a bill and send you on your way. I'll keep my car despite your suggestion. Thank you.

 

[TClassic]

Yes, Jack Cotton is HANDS DOWN - THE BEST TR shop in the country, I buy ALL my parts from Him, as a Side note he is also the BEST PRICE on just about everything too.

And as I said earlier, if I offended anyone..I appologize..

I guess

 

[JRSGN]

Guys,

Please don't take anything this guy says seriously. This is the same guy that sold my buddy a car saying the tranny was rebuilt & it was not & then says He'll pay half & didn't & then says Everyone "Lies" to sell a car.

He's full of it & is one of if not the biggest lier that i have EVER dealt with.
Jim

 

[mark b]

I can't begin to tell you the number of cars Jack C. has fixed that other people worked on first. He's a class enough guy not to embarrass or insult an owner who worked on their car (with or without other friends!), didn't get it right and then brought it to Jack when it was screwed up. From what I've heard, Ron Joseph is cut from the same good thread.

Back to the original post......

A compression test would tell us a lot.....

 

[Chris Rowe]

OK guys lets be nice!!!


joraelliott,
I would be sure to check the oil and AF. If you have mixing in either you more than likely have a blown headgasket.

If you do have one, I would get it fixed ASAP!!!! Like these guys said go out and get a good torque wrench and spend some quality time with your baby.

Like the guy from The Water Boy says:

You can do it!!!!

 

[Razor]

If antifreeze got in the oil...bearing damage may have occurred.

I vote head gasket too..

Compression test should reveal.

 

[Buicksx2]

Originally posted by JRSGN
Guys,

Please don't take anything this guy says seriously. This is the same guy that sold my buddy a car saying the tranny was rebuilt & it was not & then says He'll pay half & didn't & then says Everyone "Lies" to sell a car.

He's full of it & is one of if not the biggest lier that i have EVER dealt with.
Jim

>>>> CHUCKLE

 

[quick85]

anti-freeze

dude, have a tech. you trust, do a coolant leak test.[a tool will put air pressure in the radiator]. i would look at the p/s lower head bolt. way in the back.these bolts need a sealer on the threads and tend to leak under boost. hope this helps.pat

 

[billy 420]

I would bet , most people that can repair these cars properly end up owning more than one . I would also bet most of these cars end up being owned by mechanics because the cost of repairs worked out to more than the cars value at the time . I have recently revived one of these cars for a family member with limited knowledge of the vehicle , had i been charging an hourly shop rate , i would have easily owned the car by now .
Learning the cars systems is very time consuming and confusing , it involves a great deal of reading , searching and hands on practical experience . Most average car owners could not be bothered , but then again this is not an average car .
Ps i dont care how old this post is