Daily Driver

[Goose]

Here is a pic of my '96 Monte Carlo Z-34. It has the 3.4l double overhead cam engine with about 96500 miles on it and still going strong.

Just change the coolant (silicant free orange stuff) and oil (mobile 1 synthetic) and themostat. It's running much better now, I think the thermostat was stuck partly open. But the full synthetic oil is nice. It feels a little peppier on the highway and winds up easier. It's 5W30 as apposed to the old 10W30 conventional.

Anyway, I know at least one other person has a similar car, anybody else?

 

[Twiz]

Not here, but I love the body lines on those cars, best lines since the '67 camaros. I don't dig the new montes, too edgey for me. Didn't they change them for NASCAR?

Twiztid

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Twiztid on 03/28/01 05:55 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[CaptCrunch]

Just some advice for a few miles down the road Goose... Ditch the Dex-cool crap. One it costs a lot more then the good ole green stuff and GM has already sent out TSB's on the coolant. It is known to gum up the engine and has even caused water pump failures and engine failure. Gotta flush it every 30,000... so I'd guess that w/ that milage, when the water pump goes... flush her real good and filler w/ regular antifreeze.

1987 Chevy K5 Blazer- 350 TBI

 

[Blaze]

Very nice! Here's mine:

Is that the factory rear spoiler on yours? I've been thinking about putting one on mine.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www4.ncsu.edu/~brschoch>http://www4.ncsu.edu/~brschoch</A>
My truck beat up your SUV

 

[Steve_Chin]

Toyota has a superior long-life antifreeze to the Dex-Cool stuff. It's purple and costs a little less $$$ than the Dex-Cool antifreeze. It's only available from Toyota dealers.

FWIW, I haven't heard of any water pump failures specifically related to Dex-Cool, but it isn't beyond the realm of reality for there to have been some. I know the stuff got reformulated (silently) a few times.

 

[Twiz]

I haven't heard of any problems related to dex-cool, checked tsb and one related to filler cap, checked with heayliners, no problems reported. Whare did the Cap.Crunch see this tsb? Wa it a bulitin put out by the A.M.? The only dex-cool product that meets g.m. specs is made by Havoline. I'll check again, maybe I missed something.

Still diggin those lines on the monte carlos. Again, didn't they change the car for NASCAR? better down force I thought.

Twiztid

 

[Blaze]

They designed the Montes for NASCAR. The ones that we have were designed for NASCAR too. I heard that they redesigned them to make them look more like the old Monte Carlos. I don't see why they would want to insult the old Montes like that! The new ones are ugly as sin and slower than our Z-34s - even the SS models are slower than our Z34s!

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www4.ncsu.edu/~brschoch>http://www4.ncsu.edu/~brschoch</A>
My truck beat up your SUV

 

[DMK]

Also not aware of any failures related to dex cool. And at autozone both anti freezes are the same price. Also gm recomends dex cool on this car so if you put green stuff in and have a failure could end up paying for it. If you still have any warrenty left. My .02

 

[Twiz]

Z34 are out, the over head camed 3.1L are no longer in production (bummer, they did fly, not that I would know

) 3.4L cam-in-block are now the top of the hill in the monts.

Twiztid

 

[Blaze]

Actually the pushrod 3.4L is the base motor and the 3.8L is the top-choice in the new Montes. Don't see why they make less hp than the 3.4 DOHC, but they do!

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www4.ncsu.edu/~brschoch>http://www4.ncsu.edu/~brschoch</A>
My truck beat up your SUV

 

[CaptCrunch]

We recieved a letter from GM stating problems with the Dex-cool when left for over 30,000 miles. I'll check to see if they put the TSB # on it. I can definetly see it happening, but haven't had one in our shop yet. Every time you take the cap off it is all gummy in alot of them. If you can find a place with both of them at the same price cool... just flush it as normal. Izuzu (because they are pretty much hooked up w/ GM ..

) makes a dex-cool that we have been getting for cheaper then Havoline. Not aware of anyothers that meet GM standards.

1987 Chevy K5 Blazer- 350 TBI

 

[Goose]

Interesting about the dex-cool. I used Prestone brand silicate free and also changed the radiator cap and put the vegetable sealant tabs in as specified by my owner's manual. I didn't realize Havoline is the only non GM brand that meets GM standards. The owner's manual calls for dex-cool or a 'silicate free' antifreeze. Never seen anything that I would call 'gummy' inside my radiator cap. Have seen some slight residue that was a little oily, but very little. I did a complete flush when I changed the antifreeze.

I have the 'secondary air injection pump' going out on my monte. Can you tell me where it is at. Can't find it in any manual, but GM dealer tells me it's a $200 part and who knows how much labor it would be. It blows the fuse and of course my service engine light is on. I would replace it myself if I can find the stupid thing.

What's this about the 3.4l making more ponies than the 3.8l. That is weird, but my manual does show the 3.4l at 215 horses. Probably not as much torque. Too bad I have a 115mph speed limiter.

And can anybody explain how I just put 18.5 gallons of fuel in my 17.1 gallon fuel tank!!?? I can understand a little difference, but 1.4 gallons? I usually get the tank as full as possible and have run fuel out on occation even after rocking the car to get as much in as possible and never got more than 16.8 in before. I was below "E", but wow! The good thing is I was getting about 250 mile per tank, and now have 387 on this tank and am about 1/4 full still.

Changes since last 250 mile tank:
New antifreeze, radiator cap, thermostat
New synthetic oil, filter (both Mobile 1)
Lowered tire air pressure from 41 to 35
Been driving lots more highway
Took MAF sensor out and cleaned off oily buildup

 

[Goose]

Blaze, the spoiler is a dealer option I do believe. Inside the trunk lid you can see where it was drilled out and screwed on. Not a real 'factory' look, but it works I guess. It looks nice from the outside anyway. I have seen at least six different styles of spoilers, so it seems that different areas of the county had different suppliers. Mine came from Arkansas and now I'm in Kansas and haven't seen one just like mine yet. Personally, I like the small, flush mount style.

Nice ride btw. I need some window tint on mine with the black leather interior and all.

 

[Blaze]

Yeah, I haven't seen one like your either. I want to find one of the NASCAR spoilers - kinda like the ones on the old Trans Ams. I like the look of those. I'm gonna get my windows tinted too, but just a light smoke tint to set off the dark paint. I take it that you didn't get that Crown Vic that you were telling me about before?

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www4.ncsu.edu/~brschoch>http://www4.ncsu.edu/~brschoch</A>

 

[Goose]

No, the crown vic fell through. The City decided to keep it but transfer it to a different department. So the head of the waste water treatment plant or something like that is cruising around town in his city vehicle....a very fast crown vic. Dang!

 

[Blaze]

That sucks! They do the same thing around here. They keep putting new engines and stuff in them until no one wants them except for taxi cab companies. Too bad you couldn't snag that one.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www4.ncsu.edu/~brschoch>http://www4.ncsu.edu/~brschoch</A>