1999-2009 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
This is long, I will try to keep it as short as I can.
Car: 1999 Saab Sportswagon 3.0 litre V6 B308E Engine; about 195K on car
May, 2011
Radiator goes; indie mechanic replaces it
September, 2011
Radiator goes again; indie mechanic replaces it; says radiator was rubbing up against engine block which caused the radiator to crack and puts slice of tire rubber between engine and radiator
October, 2011
SID says "FILL COOLANT FLUID"; indie mechanic says I oil and coolant are mixing due to a cracked engine oil cooler; since indie can't seem to make time, I get the car to a Saab dealer; Saab dealer says that he will order a new engine oil cooler, but will have car thoroughly looked at prior to repair to make sure that there aren't more intensive/expensive repairs needed so I don't throw my few bucks away; dealer says they didn't find anything else and proceed with engine oil cooler replacement
November, 2011
Thanksgiving - start car and get "FILL COOLANT FLUID" message on SID; call dealer the next day and they tell me that it needed to "burp" some air out so I just need to top it off with coolant
December, 2011
Week before Christmas, start car and SID says "FILL COOLANT FLUID" again; bring car for appointment on Tues., Dec. 27th where they find that I have a blown head gasket which they say is leaking coolant and ALSO causes oil and coolant to mix. This morning, Dec 29th, the SID says its 28 degrees and I can't get the car out of the lot. It backs up but tough to go forward and I can barely park it (this is noted in a separate post as I don't know if it's a frozen parking brake). But I wasn't sure if that had to do with the brake or the blown head gasket, though the car has been driving mostly OK. I went out a few minutes ago and it seemed to go forward OK, but I'm a bit afraid to take it out and get stuck on a cold day.
My question is, "What do you think of this scenario?" My personal feeling is that it may have had a blown head gasket (or whatever else made the oil and coolant mix. I specifically wanted to make sure that I wasn't pouring money down the drain and I feel that Perrine (the dealer) may have caused exactly what I DID NOT WANT TO HAPPEN. I am waiting for the TERRIBLY FORGETFUL service guy at Perrine to call me back now, as I have had to call twice to get an answer on whether replacement of the engine means that the brand new engine oil cooler just gets tossed.
I WELCOME ANY THOUGHTS AND/OR ADVICE!!!
posted by 69.248.94...
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