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Overheating 1999 Chevy Lumina, Think Mechanic may be shady
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SundayTrain
New User
May 11, 2007, 9:28 AM
Post #1 of 5
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Overheating 1999 Chevy Lumina, Think Mechanic may be shady
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Hi. My car has been overheating and leaking coolant behind the belt tensioner/ Harmonic belt on the side of the engine. I think there is a bad gasket there. The mechanic told me that the car is overheating because the "head" gasket is bad and it will be 1,200.00$ to fix. Is this remotely possible?
The car still accelerates great and the engine does not seem like is is losing compression.
Please Help
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 11, 2007, 9:58 AM
Post #2 of 5
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Re: Overheating 1999 Chevy Lumina, Think Mechanic may be shady
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A leak in the head gasket could leak coolant and not change compression. This needs to be diagnosed for sure without guessing. What if that's a water pump or hose making a fine squirt? Any engine will overheat when coolant gets low and that's to be avoided as a simple leak could end up causing head gasket failure.
If you don't trust this mechanic/shop then it is worth a second opinion but don't be driving around low on coolant.
A pressure check should show just what is leaking,
T
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SundayTrain
New User
May 11, 2007, 10:17 AM
Post #3 of 5
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Re: Overheating 1999 Chevy Lumina, Think Mechanic may be shady
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Great advice! Thank you very much!
After the car runs for about thirty minutes coolant starts pouring out underneath. I removed the front right wheel for a better view. The coolant line goes into something in the engine behind where the belt pulleys are on the side. Behind the pulleys is some sort of cover and and that is where the coolant was coming from. Is this the head gasket? On the side?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 11, 2007, 6:41 PM
Post #4 of 5
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Re: Overheating 1999 Chevy Lumina, Think Mechanic may be shady
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Yes a head gasket could leak there but if this waits for 30 minutes and showers out it sounds more like a water pump but that's a wild guess without seeing it.
Again the pressure test will put the pressure on the system as if it had warmed up and you should be able to pin point the leak. That may require removing a pulley or whatever is in you line of view or use dental type automotive mirrors, compressed air to dry the area and see what shows leaking first, soapy water and so on. I would tear into this without a real good idea of what's leaking.
You didn't say what engine this has but most have the water pump pulley right pointing at the RF wheel and there is a housing behind it called the timing cover which could have a crack or leak and it's the item that you see the hose going to.
If you really think the mechanic is pulling a fast one for a buck here you shouldn't be going there. Hey, this could be a head gasket -- and worse is that it may not be known if the head is ok until it's checked with it off so that part remains unknown till then. Trust is an important issue. If anyone is willing to mislead you into an expensive repair knowing otherwise it's plain theft!
Trust me ---- there's enough legitimate work out there without playing games and anyone who does will get such a bad reputation they will be out of biz in short order,
T
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SundayTrain
New User
May 11, 2007, 7:45 PM
Post #5 of 5
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Re: Overheating 1999 Chevy Lumina, Think Mechanic may be shady
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Took the car to another mechanic. They did exactly what you said and found it was the water pump!
You are awesome! Thanks for your time.
Case Closed 
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