Help!!! 1999 Bonneville SE 3800 issues

[camaroman]

My 99 SE was stranded. My son and I were able to get it home today. The issue seemed to be Battery cable corrosion.
Pulled every thing apart cleaned it, both bolts were replaced (slightly stripped).
Every thing seems to be fine, so I took it for a bath. Hood was never opened. Drove it for about 2 hours after that.
Came home and it sat for about 45 minutes. I went back outside and started light interior cleaning. It was recranked to move it and I noticed that it sounded like the water pump might be a little noisy, popped the hood. While it was idling it just died, and will not restart. Even to the point of really dragging the battery(new) down.

Very disappointing and disheartening because I really have began to love this car that I neither really needed or wanted. I bought it from my brother because he needed the cash.

Any Ideas!!

[Bing]

Did you cut back the insulation on the battery cables?
There is a problem with these cars having corrosion in the wire itself. You need to cut the insulation back from the terminal ends to be able to see what I'm talking about. If its fine just tape it back up with some electrical tape.

Has the car been running or idling erratically lately?

[1oldman]

I've replaced all the battery cables on our ole car about 8 or 9 years ago (IIRC). We were having similar problems. Also had to replace the starter. - BC

[camaroman]

Guys,
I think that my engine is gone... maybe blown head gasket...
Anyone know the price range of replacement engines and will a
Northstar straight swap or does it need need engine mounts, computer,
etc?

[Bing]

A blown head gasket is a rarity in the 3800.

What are your symptoms besides the "no start"?

Is the coolant level low?

What does the oil look like?

We need more info before drawing conclusions.

[91NinetyEight]

Head gaskets rarely go on these, but the lower intake gaskets will. The upper plenum will also crack around the EGR passage due to heat. Check your oil and see if there's any coolant mixed in with it, if there is, don't start it and drain the oil right away or you risk damaging the rod bearings.

You can also pull the spark plugs and check to see if they're wet with coolant, then crank the engine with the plugs removed and see if it spits any coolant out of the cylinders. If the intake gaskets or upper intake have failed, the motor could have hydrolocked.

[92BonneSE]

While it was idling it just died, and will not restart. Even to the point of really dragging the battery(new) down.

Alternator? The water pump noise you heard may of been the bearings on the pulley. And another one of your issues being it draining power I would look straight at that since it doesn't seem to be keeping the battery charged.

I would double check all the connections including the ones on the alternator and then get the alternator tested at a parts store (free testing at most) if you can bring it up there

[1oldman]

Head gaskets rarely go on these, but the lower intake gaskets will. The upper plenum will also crack around the EGR passage due to heat. Check your oil and see if there's any coolant mixed in with it, if there is, don't start it and drain the oil right away or you risk damaging the rod bearings.

You can also pull the spark plugs and check to see if they're wet with coolant, then crank the engine with the plugs removed and see if it spits any coolant out of the cylinders. If the intake gaskets or upper intake have failed, the motor could have hydrolocked.

If there is coolant in the oil, when 91NinetyEight sez drain the oil, that means Now as in ASAP, or you could wind up having to put in another engine. - BC

[Bing]

Guys we still haven't heard from the OP.

Right now all were doing is grasping at straws until we get further information.

[camaroman]

Sorry for the silence guys long days at work... I will try to answer the questions about the oil/cylinder this evening after work. All of those comments are along the lines of my fears...

[1oldman]

Sorry for the silence guys long days at work... I will try to answer the questions about the oil/cylinder this evening after work. All of those comments are along the lines of my fears...

I think it goes without saying, no one on the board wants you to have to rebuild or replace your engine. - BC

[allanb]

you really dont want the problems of a northstar either. i had considered it for my car and decided against it. l67 100 times better motor. northstar pos. in my opinion

[camaroman]

you really dont want the problems of a northstar either. i had considered it for my car and decided against it. l67 100 times better motor. northstar pos. in my opinion

Thanks for the input...

[allanb]

sounds like it could be a starter or power supply issue or a pully on the drive belt could be locked up. just a couple of possabilities

[camaroman]

Have any of you experienced a Crank Sensor/Harmonic Balancer failure. Does it have a Fail Safe that kills the engine to save the crank.
A guy at work claims that he had this happen to his 96 SSE. It happened concurrent with a Harmonic Balancer failure.

[Bing]

A bad crank sensor can give you no start issues and can kill the motor randomly also while driving. I'm not sure if a balancer gone bad will take out the crank sensor, though it could be a possibility.
There is an easy way to check and see if your balancer is still good. Take the belt loose and grab a hold of the balancer, if you get any free rotation out of the outer ring it's bad.

[1oldman]

Have any of you experienced a Crank Sensor/Harmonic Balancer failure. Does it have a Fail Safe that kills the engine to save the crank.
A guy at work claims that he had this happen to his 96 SSE. It happened concurrent with a Harmonic Balancer failure.

I've had a harmonic balancer fail to the point that it sounded like somebody ringing a bell. It didn't damage the crank position sensor. I don't know if that was luck that the CPS wasn't damaged or if that was 'normal'. - BC

[Bob Dillon]

Check out the balancer for failure as above, by removing the belt and seeing if it rotates.

I had a non-start that I was able to cure by squirting the back of the balancer with a garden hose. Apparently, sometimes crud accumulates there and causes a problem that mimics a crankshaft position sensor failure. Also, remove the electrical fitting and fill it up with dielectric grease, then plug it back in.

Which remind me-you did use dielectric grease on the battery cables, right?

This is if, of course, you don't have a UIM failure as asked above, in which case you have larger, but quite repairable, problems.

Good luck,

P.S. any codes or CEL on?

[camaroman]

to answer some questions... Yes, I used DG on the battery cables... Check engine light has been on twice in the last two weeks... AZer said it was a code related to the gas cap no being tightened... both times was following a fill-up by someone other than myself. I do have a check gauges light... on after the Die, while attempting to crank.

[camaroman]

OK
To bring this back to the top... had the Bonny taken to the GM dealer where my Brother works... He got it running but the bottom end sounds horrific is bad

I am planning on a crate GM rebuilt unit (3 years/100k warranty)...

May not be the right palce to ask but here goes...
What is the largest tire on the 16x7 factory wheels that will go under the bonny with no mods ...
glennn