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Buick Park Avenue Engine Problems

51 messages,  Last post on Nov 12, 2011 at 6:07 PM

You are in the Buick Park Avenue Forum.

What is this discussion about? Buick Park Avenue, Engine, Sedan

Messages Page 3 of 6

#12 of 51 Buick Park Avenue Engine Problems by joshlin1932

Nov 10, 2007 (2:51 pm)

#13 of 51 1996 Buick Pk. Ave. Engine Problem by joshlin1932

Nov 03, 2007 (9:51 am)

I drove my 96 Buick Pk. Avenue into my garage, turned off the engine. When I came back later on to use the car again all it would do is click when I tried to engage the starter. I replaced the battery and had the same thing. I replaced the starter and had the same thing.
 
I removed the starter again to try to find the problem. I tried to turn the engine at the fly wheel and found that the engine was locked up. It will not turn over at all. Can you give me some ideas as to what could have happened and what I can do to correct it? Thanks Bunches!!!

#14 of 51 Re: 1996 Buick Pk. Ave. Engine Problem [joshlin1932] by imidazol97

Nov 03, 2007 (10:31 am)

Replying to: joshlin1932 (Nov 03, 2007 9:51 am)
Take out all the spark plugs and see if it rotates and coolant comes out. It may be hydrolocked. I don't recall that year 3800 series II have some leaking intake manifold seals that can let coolant leak into a cylinder while the car is shut down and the system is hot and under pressure.
 
Had the car done any missing or skipping before shutting down? Has the coolant level needed refilling in the overflow reservoir?
 
If you find you were hydrolocked, change the oil immediately to get out the coolant. Do not drive it with coolant in the oil; it will corrode the bearings and you'll say bye-bye engine.

#15 of 51 Re: 1996 Buick Pk. Ave. Engine Problem [imidazol97] by joshlin1932

Nov 03, 2007 (5:33 pm)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Nov 03, 2007 10:31 am)
Thanks imidazol97.
 
I have taken out all of my spark plugs and no coolant was present. I put a socket and breakover and an 18 inch cheater pipe on the front nut on the crankshaft and the engine would not budge in either direction.
 
Yes, my water pump went out and the car heated up a little. The guage did not get into the red zone and the idiot light light did not come on, but the engine did steam some.
 
I replaced the water pump, changed the motor oil and filter and the transmission fluid and filter, and drove the car for about two weeks after that (about 1000 miles) and it worked O.K. except occasionally I could hear a noise that sort of sounded like tappets rattling except I did not think it was regular enough to be the tappets. Also, the sound was a lot more tinny sound that a tappet rattle.

#16 of 51 Re: 1996 Buick Pk. Ave. Engine Problem [joshlin1932] by imidazol97

Nov 04, 2007 (8:43 am)

Replying to: joshlin1932 (Nov 03, 2007 5:33 pm)
oooops. You didn't mention the overheating session from before. But the gauge and light didn't make it seem too serious.
 
This is way about my pay grade and skill level. I might not be too serious and could be a disaster. Running right up to shut down and failing to restart sounds suspicious.

#17 of 51 Re: 1996 Buick Pk. Ave. Engine Problem [imidazol97] by joshlin1932

Nov 04, 2007 (10:32 am)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Nov 04, 2007 8:43 am)
I didn't think the heating thing could be relative to this problem because it ran for a couple of weeks and about 1000 miles after the water pump thing. Most of that was highway driving and it did not heat up.
 
Also, it was not hot when I shut the engine down. I had only driven it about 300 feet to get it into the garage out of some bad weather we were expecting.
 
I have seen some mysterious things, but never anything like this. Thanks for your help anyway.

#18 of 51 Change oil soon light ON by mivada

Nov 05, 2007 (3:44 pm)

I have a 95 Park Ave with 130K miles. A few months ago when driving the car, the change oil soon light came on for a few second and the car behaved weird, it wouldn't go smooth but almost like stop-and-go, stop-and-go kind of thing. I have changed the oil twice since then, as well as the battery and it still shows the same problem. The change oil soon light comes for a few second, the car starts doing the stop and go run and then it keeps on running ok. Does anyone have any suggestion what that may be?

#19 of 51 Buick Engine Exchange by joshlin1932

Nov 10, 2007 (2:51 pm)

What all kinds of cars will a BLA 3.8 L engine work in?

#20 of 51 92 park ave, losing oil by krandike

Jan 28, 2008 (6:05 pm)

I have a 1992 park ave with a 3.8l in it. It used approximately 1qt between changes until a recent trip. While on the trip it started losing oil at a rate of about 1qt per 100 miles. It does not smoke, the oil pan is tight, and I looked in the radiator but the coolant looks to be in good condition. I am looking for possible causes for this and I thank you in advance for any help.

#21 of 51 Re: Change oil soon light ON [mivada] by imidazol97

Jan 28, 2008 (7:46 pm)

Replying to: mivada (Nov 05, 2007 3:44 pm)
The first thing I'd check is my battery connections. Turn off all accessories. Turn AC unit to off.
 
remove negative battery cable and check for corrosion. Remove positive cables and if you have the double cable-one on top of the other check between them. Some people recommend slicing into the plastic covering below the connector to look at the copper cable. Funny problems happen when one of those cables doesn't make a good connection.
 
A move remote place might be the ground buss which is inside the car and some functions from the dash ground through it. Are you a in a wet climate where salt and snow and lots of moisture track into the car and the carpet stays wet?

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