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Buick LeSabre Timing Chain


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Bart80
New User

Jun 6, 2011, 8:34 AM

Post #1 of 7 (6502 views)
Buick LeSabre Timing Chain Sign In

Hello all, new to the forum but I'll get right to it.

I have a 98 buick lesabre, series 2 3.8 litre, 111k miles.

The car started sputtering a while back, and then just quit running and wouldn't start. After checking that it was getting fuel and fire to the plugs I replaced the timing chain, and both sprockets. Once I finished car started up and ran fine for a day, parked it and now it won't start. I pulled the tube off the throttle body to see if it would start with a little starting fluid and noticed some coolant coming out of the throttle body when I crank it. What went wrong, since it was running fine after the timing chain install? Thanks in advance for any help.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jun 6, 2011, 10:30 AM

Post #2 of 7 (6489 views)
Re: Buick LeSabre Timing Chain Sign In

Coolant coming out throttle body just from cranking! Not good. Hey I'd have to be looking at what where and lots of tests and it seems you have some grip on repair but this needs a pressure check of cooling system and rule out but I doubt it problems with head gaskets - bet you can find a coolant soaked plug now.

Was timing chain even off time before replacing it?

T



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 6, 2011, 3:35 PM

Post #3 of 7 (6481 views)
Re: Buick LeSabre Timing Chain Sign In

Pull off the upper intake manifold. they have a known problem with the plastic manifolds leaking coolant into the vacuum chamber under the intaker and then into the cylinders. The timing chains rarely go bad.
Here is a TSB on the subject.





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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Bart80
New User

Jun 6, 2011, 4:07 PM

Post #4 of 7 (6471 views)
Re: Buick LeSabre Timing Chain Sign In

Tom I initially started with replacing the camshaft position and crankshaft postition sensor, when it first went down. When neither of those got it started I went for the timing chain as it was getting both gas and fire and a few people I asked said it must have jumped time. When it started and ran after the timing chain install I figured that was it. Could the leaky manifold that Hammer Time posted about have been my problem the whole time? Thanks to you both for the responses.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 6, 2011, 4:11 PM

Post #5 of 7 (6468 views)
Re: Buick LeSabre Timing Chain Sign In

It sure could. Remove the spark plugs and crank the engine to see if any coolant shoots out of any of the cylinders.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Bart80
New User

Jun 6, 2011, 4:22 PM

Post #6 of 7 (6463 views)
Re: Buick LeSabre Timing Chain Sign In

Thanks Hammer Time I will try this tomorrow, I have to goto work in a few hours, third shift at a power plant. I did have the number one plug out today checking for fire and looking at it, looked okay. Will keep you posted. Thanks again guys.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 6, 2011, 4:23 PM

Post #7 of 7 (6460 views)
Re: Buick LeSabre Timing Chain Sign In

You may have to pressure test the cooling system first to push some more coolant in there for the testing.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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