New owner of a 2000 SSEI with a need of some advice

[2000GreySSEi]

I needed some advice on some problems with my SSEI.

1) It has oil buildup all under the Valve covers on top of the LIM & around the supercharger, it seems like it's very old build up that was burnt and never cleaned. I do smell the oil burning when the car gets warm so I know they probably need to be changed. The LIMs seem fine the coolant level is good, and my oil is dirty, but no signs of coolant in it, and I dont see a pool of coolant around the LIM.

2) The car idles decent in reverse or drive, but when its in park it idles kind of rough. Then engine is shaking while it idles. The PO just had the spark plugs and wires replaced. My SES light is on (getting codes ran today), and I am getting a "Check Gas Cap" message could that be related to that?

3)When I started it up this morning. It didn't want to start on the first turn, but on the 2nd on it started right up (My GTP had that same problem.

4) This morning, after running for 10 minutes it was alot of water droplets falling from behind the muffler and tailpipes & when I cut it off it was a small puddle of water in each tailpipe. I smell the fumes it didn't smell sweet and the water smelled fine also. Im guessing that's just condensation. Could exhaust leaks cause alot of water droplets

5) The car's heat also doesn't get very hot. It will blow hot for a few seconds, than it would blow warm.

I think I know the solutions to these problems, but I wanted to get a second opinion. So any help would be appreciated.

Thank
Don

[1fatcat]

You need some valve cover gaskets. Might want to do them soon before your car starts on fire.

Check the fuel pressure regulator and coil towers for the stumble.

The heat problem could be a heater core or thermostat.

[2000GreySSEi]

Thanks for the info, i will check everything out tomorrow 1fatcat.

I put my supercharger belt on today & as soon as I started it was running totally diffrent (by different I mean better). It was idling so smooth I didnt even know it was running. However, there still is a slight stumble in the idle, but it feels much better. I didnt notice a slight gas smell after putting the belt on, but I guess its the PCM putting more fuel in to match the extra air coming in.

The water leaking from the exhaust is coming from where the pipes enter the mufflers. I guess theres a hole there, because it sounds louder than a stock bonnie

I am going to put a new fuel filter on this week also.

[willwren]

I needed some advice on some problems with my SSEI.

1) It has oil buildup all under the Valve covers on top of the LIM & around the supercharger, it seems like it's very old build up that was burnt and never cleaned. I do smell the oil burning when the car gets warm so I know they probably need to be changed. The LIMs seem fine the coolant level is good, and my oil is dirty, but no signs of coolant in it, and I dont see a pool of coolant around the LIM.

2) The car idles decent in reverse or drive, but when its in park it idles kind of rough. Then engine is shaking while it idles. The PO just had the spark plugs and wires replaced. My SES light is on (getting codes ran today), and I am getting a "Check Gas Cap" message could that be related to that?

3)When I started it up this morning. It didn't want to start on the first turn, but on the 2nd on it started right up (My GTP had that same problem.

4) This morning, after running for 10 minutes it was alot of water droplets falling from behind the muffler and tailpipes & when I cut it off it was a small puddle of water in each tailpipe. I smell the fumes it didn't smell sweet and the water smelled fine also. Im guessing that's just condensation. Could exhaust leaks cause alot of water droplets

5) The car's heat also doesn't get very hot. It will blow hot for a few seconds, than it would blow warm.

I think I know the solutions to these problems, but I wanted to get a second opinion. So any help would be appreciated.

Thank
Don

First off, it would have been good to know the supercharger belt was off for your idle symptoms. Why was it off in the first place?

1. Replace your valve cover gaskets when you replace the LIM gaskets with the new aluminum framed design. Flush the DEX coolant out and replace with Prestone 'mixes with any': www.dex-cool.net

2. Your gas cap seal may have failed. Sounds like the supercharger belt may have helped, which doesn't surprise me. Drive it for a few days and see how it goes. What brand and type of plugs and wires are on the car? 3800's are picky, particularly the supercharged motors.

3. Could be any number of things, but it's not critical, so let's clean up some other issues first and see if it fixes itself with something else. Is this mostly COLD mornings?

4. Water droplets from the exhaust on cold startup is normal on all vehicles. If you were leaking coolant, it would never make it that far. If a coolant leak was severe, you'd have major steam clouds.

5. We need more details on your heat issue, but a coolant flush may very well solve this issue (see number 1 above).

[2000GreySSEi]

Sorry, I was putting the info in the first post about the sc belt being off, but I guess it didnt go through. Well the previous owner SAYS he took the sc belt off to replace it, but never got around to finishing it. In reality, I found the tensioner pulley was snapped off. So I bought a new one, and put the sc belt on. The supercharer sounds smooth, no coupler or bearing noises.

1) The coolant looks to be flushed out before with green coolant (radiator & tank), so i dont know if its still DEX-COOL in the car right now. Also the coolant tank looks pretty clean to have high miles. I read your website on Dex-cool when searching the forum. I actually had a GTP that had a LIM gasket leak & dex-cool was the problem.

2) The supercharger belt helped alot the idle smoothed out alot. Po said he put factory replacement plugs in the car (I know you CANNOT run platinums in this car, but he used bosch plug wires :(. Also could dirty coil terminal be the problem. 1 of them had brown stuff on it. I tried to reset the ecu, but the SES & CGC was still on. I took the negative terminal off for 15 mins.

3) Only first start in the morning, other than that, starts right up.

4) When I had it running in the garage it was some steam, but not alot. Exhaust smelled nearly odorless after running for about 10 mins.

5) I added some more coolant to the full hot line & it seem it got hotter, ill drive it today & see.

[myfirstbonnie]

These do not reset the codes with a battery disconnect. You need a scanner to do that. Usually you can get a loaner from most parts stores.

[2000GreySSEi]

Well guys looks like I have a LIM gasket leak. I see pools of coolant around the injectors & im losing coolant out the reservoir tank, though radiator is full.. I dont think its internal yet because oil is not milkskaked & the cap, and the rockers look good, but im going to stop driving it until fixed. Well add that to my list of things to do.

[willwren]

Good catch. I wish everyone that noticed the early signs of failure would do what you're doing and park the car. We'd have fewer replaced motors, and a ton of savings.

[2000GreySSEi]

Update on my maintnance list:

My mechanic is going to change the gaskets for $100. I just need to get all parts. VC & LIM gasket kis are $100 shipped at RockAuto. What other parts do I need Heres what I got so far.

Vc gaskets with grommets.
Aluminum LIM gaskets with injector o-rings & other seals
2 gallons of Supertech (walmart brand) "mix with any" Antifreeze
Supertech synthetic oil & filter.

Anything else? You may say walmart brand is cheap, but I used their stuff in all my car & had no problems.

[00Beast]

You want another change of cheap conventional oil to run right after the LIM job for just 100 miles or so, in case any coolant got into the oil, help flush the motor out, etc.

As long as the filter isn't a Fram, I don't care what you run.

[lunchboxx]

You dont know it yet, but chances are that your mechanic is going to break the plastic coolant elbow(s) off when he removes the LIM. You are going to want to find them at your Local Discount auto (or whatever you have) in the miscellaneous parts section. They are in the HELP! packaging and they come two to a pack. I have yet to do a LIM and not break at least one elbow.

[00Beast]

Definitely need to be replaced. Also need a supercharger gasket and o-rings along with a throttle body gasket.

[2000GreySSEi]

ok Ill be sure to add that to the list. thanks guys. Do u know the part# of the coolant elbow

[willwren]

The coolant elbows are in a package in the 'help' section of your parts store. Typically made by Dorman, but might be from someone else. In the package there are two. The 'shorter' elbow has blue o-rings, the larger has orange (usually).

[Archon]

This is what you'll be looking for.

[2000GreySSEi]

Thanks Ill be looking for that. Oh who would have the supercharger gasket. I check autozone & aap and they didnt have it

[Archon]

Advance has it. Search for plenum gasket set.

Edit - Also ask them for the coolant elbows. They now carry them, but don't always have them out.

[2000GreySSEi]

I just found it. It was under plenum gasket. Is this the wrong intake gaskets part# MS95977-1

[Lanaue]

Whats wrong with fram oil filters?

[00Beast]

I would trust a pop can stuffed with paper towels before I would trust a Fram. Oh wait, the Fram is a pop-can stuffed with glued together cardboard. Much better.

I've seen them cut apart, and had to deal with them on people's cars. They're absolute junk, inside and out. Your oil filter is the only thing between contaminants and the delicate internals of your engine. Don't cheap out.