In this video I have a look at a Buick Century 3.1 that came in with a customer complaint of overheating. Pretty common issue on these cars.... except in this case. Pretty sure the "computer" is lying to us. Let's find out!
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Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained.
If an SMA Video has helped you out please consider giving using "Patreon" to help support us. The videos take real time to create and pull us away from real work that pays our bills. CLICK HERE: https://www.patreon.com/southmainauto
CHECK OUT OUR "SMA SWAG" STORE! Go on Teespring and get your very own SMA merch!
https://teespring.com/stores/the-sma-store
If you don't like Patreon feel free to use the "PayPal Me" link: https://www.paypal.me/SouthMainAuto
The South Main Auto Amazon Store:
https://www.amazon.com/shop/southmainautorepairavoca
AES Wave Automotive Diagnostic Tools: https://www.aeswave.com/cart.php?m=affiliate_go&affiliateID=2525b91fc8e906e8215984074c9d9e8f&go=https://www.aeswave.com/Miscellaneous-p9347.html
Thank you for all the continuing support!
--Eric & Vanessa O.
Feel like sending some swag to SMA because you love the videos but don't know where to send it?
Just ship it here:
South Main Auto Repair
47 S. Main St
PO Box 471
Avoca, NY 14809
Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained.
You talk too much
so the pipe tape could stop ground for the THIRD WIRE? If i didnt get it past the thread tape? I put i new sensor in. it made a good connection with electrical connector. Dash heat gauge works but is low when its REALLY hot. It gets hotter with the new sensor.
LoL, the (PRNDL) and odometer lights are out, hmm, the same with my 2004 Century. I don't want to remove the dash to get to the resister panel and replace a few resisters (soldering). It's time-consuming, plus i might break something while doing it, shit.
this 3.1 engine has so many sensors is dumb areas
question. i have an 01 buick century. i've replaced the fallowing: radiator, radiator cap, radiator fans, water pump, and heater core. for some reason it begins to over heat while idle. the coolant begins to boil and gets trapped in the overflow container. as soon as i start driving it will finally get sucked out of the overflow and back into the radiator. the next part to be replaced will be the condenser, any thoughts suggestions are welcome. only 142k miles sat in a garage most of its life
edit: the reason for the condenser replacement. it is damaged (gravel) BUT it is holding a charge and isnt leaking any refrigerant.
Background noise makes all the difference.
I drove an old Riviera that had a Cold warning light on the dash. You were to drive slowly until that light went out. I suspect that the second thermistor is for that, and this model did not have that trim level.
I wish I had all of your electrical tools but I'm not a mechanic. But from my experience of replacing the coolant sensor switch i found out that a 19mm deep socket with a small piece of paper stuffed inside to protect the switch from getting crushed with a long extension works perfect getting the switch in and out easy.
Best mechanic of the whole east coast of the USA 🇺🇸 Hands 🙌 up for sure.
So famous that the NEUTRAL DROP brothers recommends Erico for everything.
if you ever have to do one of these again, use a 1/2" deep 19mm socket, universal and a 6" extension and it will fit over the plastic part of the temp sensor and it will come out in a matter of seconds, and go back back in the same way, "easy peezee"
I have an absolute mint 1997 Buick Century limited with the 3.1. Has 125,000km on it. The gauge told me it overheated once. Added some coolant and it hasn't overheated since. I think these engines are notorious for eating intake manifold gaskets, Head gaskets and coolant leaks. But if you have the money ( and you need a lot of money ) to put modern gaskets on the engine and run a coolant that isn't corrosive. I would expect the cars to last 30 40 years if regularily driven and taken care of. I have a 97 sunfire SE coupe with less than 120,000km on the clock and it runs like a top
I know I'm late just FYI gm used this dual thermistor in the 90s over the two separate- one for the dash and one for the pcm. Initially, the green wire reported the dash temp and the yel/blk wire was for the computer. But the computer would switch the temp indicator on through a lamp driver. If the car had only a temp indicator and no gauge then the green wire wasn't used. I ran into this problem on my 96 century with the 3100. One of the thermistor went bad-the one reporting to the pcm. So the pcm thought the engine was overheating it turned on the temp light and put the engine in limp, disabled the a/c turned fans on but the Das gauge showed normal. Hope this helps in the future.
I noticed you said fans are running. So both fans should be spinning while car had reached operating temperature?
Love your style & channel, but on occasion, your audio truly sucks. Ever thought of a Rhode? Keep them coming! 👍
Wat if ur motor knock hard when hitting gas nd is leaking nd not holding oil
Need to talk into the mic
can a bad sensor say it's not overheating when the motor is definitely overheating ?
I had a 91 S10. and one time the coolant Temp sensor went bad. and the ECM was flooding the engine. because it was telling the ECM that it was -40 degrees in the summer time. oh and one time I was driving home in that truck. I heard and felt a thump. and the headlight's dimmed. I figured the drive belt came off. I pull over. find that the Drive belt was still in place. So
In am walking around my truck at night of course trying to figure out what happened. I hear air coming out of my left rear tire. later I find out that a 3/4 inch Allen wrench went through my tire, the long way. that was the thump. I put the spare on. and find out that when i put my high beams on. the engine stalls out. so I drive home with my low beams. No sooner I pull into my drive way. the engine stalls out again. I had to use only my marker lights. to see so i could get my truck out of the way so my dad could get to work in the morning. so I am checking every wire and the alternator. trying to figure out why high loads are stalling out my engine. my Dumb mistake was not checking the grounds. I was talking to someone and they asked if i checked them. then it dawned on me. I looked and looked for a ground. the only one i could find was for the headlights. so i said fine. I had 1 inch wide braided grounding wire. I got a good length of it. and attached it the the chassis, Frame, and the engine block. and everything ran better then when the truck was new. and I still have not figured out how running over that Allen wrench caused this whole thing. I kept the Allen wrench though. sorry for the long comment.
I was raised on MOPAR. When I started driving GMs, I was freaked out by how hot they ran. A good friend, (A Chevy guy) assured me this was "normal". But I can tell you I have changed more thermostats and water pumps on GMs then I ever remember the MOPARS needing growing up. HOWEVER, GMs need WAY less BALL JOINTS!!!! LMAO!!!!
Schalf gut . Ich mag deine videos auf YouTube . Ich lerne neues uber autos und lastwagen
The third wire is for a twelve volt fan from Walmart.
Eric I feel your pain every time you work on a GM product and wonder "why the heck did they design it that way?" I am a machine repairman for GM-Thermal Systems- Lockport, NY. The engineers that design the machinery to make the products are as clueless as the ones who cause you problems!! Can't work on these machines easily due to poor design. It's a GM thing!! Fight on Brother!! Love your channel!!
What temperature laser reader is that?
It's been my experience that the 3.1 is probably one of the worst engines that GM put in a vehicle in the past 30yrs. They have a history of blown intake and head gaskets (if you're lucky) it's not a head or block issue.
Traverse shows 210+ on dash!
Dom torretto jr??……hehe
WHY DID YOU NOT SHOW US THE TEMPERATURE GAGE.????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
i've run this car bone dry in the radiator and i can tell you, when it gets hot enough, it just shuts down. it gets tight, but let it cool down, it will start back up like nothing happened.
160 F coming out of the vents????
Thank you
Is that engine coolant temperature sensor dual thermistor or just dual wire?
Wow Kalamazoo shout out!
Great job and detail.
The car is a thief because its stealing my peace of mind. 🤣
you couldn't use green wire with grnd in harness, you would need to jump connector grnd with the engine case.
yep for all the 3000 and 2.4, 2.2 motors of gm the fans are only programmed to come on at 230f.
the fans will turn off around 190 one some cars and 180 others as well 200 idk why. That's GM for you
I live in Portage/ Kalamazoo and I would be happy to host you and Mrs O any time your in the area!
I usually talk shit about GM but my moms 2001 3100 Malibu went 270,000 miles before dying. Needed a fuel pump, fuel filter, many water pumps, several thermostats, ECT sensors, spark plug wires, a coil, brakes, oil changes, tires, an engine mount, belt, radiator, and a lower intake manifold gasket before she finally got crashed into by an elderly lady at Walmart. If it wasn’t so crushed I think we would’ve kept that one around in the family longer. I was much surprised.
However when she bought it from the dealer at 20,000 miles they had switched out that dexcool entirely. That engine never saw dexcool to our knowledge.. ran straight green stuff.. so I think that’s what made all the difference in the world imo.
"He does not want to be in calmazu " 😆
Anyone else use these vlogs to fall asleep 😆 , i find it easy to drop off listening to mr o as you have that complete reasurance thats its going to get fixed 👌
A thermistor is like trying to make love to a woman , when the temperature goes up , resistance goes down……….
Great info and how to!
Gets me about Ford.. The over temp warning goes off..It stays in limp mode. Till you clear the code even after the repair…
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This video was most helpful 2004 Buick doing 65 just started dropping speed and kinda shut down to wanting to go 35 for about 5 miles while I ran the heater full blast the temp dropped long enough to not cook I got it back to shop let it cool down then added coolant and went and even bought more .
So I checked temp after I got back from 2 hour drive. I let the engine cool between hours and made sure it was topped off with coolant at least 3/4 full which it was at when I just checked so it kept that amount of fluid on a 2 hour trip the car temp started to climb so I turned it off let it cool down and then checked levels brought that up to 3/4 and drove an hour back and it was cool the entire trip and even after cooling down the car ran at idle cool here so it makes me think two things This happened to me before on another car and removing or replacing thermostat fixed the problem. That and temp sending unit to be able to see temp correctly. my Son asked how did you see the temp go up I said the car just started slowing down and the wheel did not lock up which is a blessing so I could get it to the feeder and limpit back to the shop, Ive since had oil changed new filter ect so it did run great on the 2 hour trip but it wanted to climb temp wise at idle so I cut it and let it sit . So Temp sending unit AND Thermostat and inspection all at the same time would be wise so they can know ive got to get bonded title from DPS and its a 3,5 hour drive if they inspect it again for the trip there especially if im stopped or bothered with I can show inspection and Bonded title inspection apt ect . With those things done and the mechanic knowing what the reaction of car was he will be better able to pinpoint it. Ill at least be able to explain ive watched this and do the temp gun trick and show them what its at then they should figure thermostat and temp sending just to know its not those. Fingers and toes crossed that car has been a good car dont want to roast it.
🎵oh lord stuck in lodi again🎶
I have a 1998 buick century custom, low coolant on dashboard, I do not detect any leaks, but my reservoir is always low. Damn I'm frustrated! What do you think is my issues? I check the dipstick, oil cap and all. I don't see any milky color, looks normal. My car doesn't over heat.
or 3rd wire was for 3.1 that used light instead of guage
Cheers for the Video! Excuse me for chiming in, I am interested in your thoughts. Have you ever tried – Trentvorty Safe Vehicle Theorem (should be on google have a look)? It is a good one of a kind product for discovering how to repair your car the simple way minus the hard work. Ive heard some super things about it and my best friend Jordan finally got excellent success with it.
It's nice to see proper diagnostics and full understanding of what is going on. Strange third wire. They even included the wire and terminated it at a plug. I Wonder if another model used it as a separate temp guage? and other models link it to the data bus.
That crows foot looked a bit clumsy. It looked to me like there was enough room for a deep socket and 3/8" extension.