Opinions? Fix or replace car?

[roundhouse]

A decent mechanic can determine inna few minutes of a head gasket is leaking into the coolant

You can also put dye in the coolant and use a UV light to find the leak


If you decide to replace it my favorite cheap car is a 93-97 cougar or thunderbird

Most have a V-8 and finding one with one or two owners and low miles garage kept by an old lady is not too hard
My brother is on his third one
And it’s his most expensive one ever
30th anniversary cougar , every available option , leather , power everything , Second owner ,120k , all records and Maint receipts including the original purchase docs
$1500


The first two were $850 and $1200

 

[harrycalahan]

No surprise if your not making heat. If the cooling system gets low enough to over heat, then you get air trapped in the heater core if its located below the block. You have to burp the system when you refill it. If you dont, it may takes weeks of driving to get the air out. Sounds crazy but its a fact.

 

[mtnsmith]

Thermostats dont eat coolant. They only regulate the temp. So either you have an external leak that you havent seen or its eating/drinking it. Get some KW block sealer and run it theough. Ive used it several times to keep junkers running for years. Dont bother with Bars or other sawdust junk.

He might also re-torque head bolts, and check oil to see if any water, bubles, on dip stick and if oil level increases.

 

[rockyfatcat]

I would have it tested for a head gasket leak. They put a test fluid in a clear cylinder. Stopper on the bottom and pump on the top.

With the engine running put the stopper end firmly where the radiator cap goes. Pump the business end and air from the radiator is drawn through the test fluid, watch for color change of the test fluid.

The test will detect a leak faster than waiting for antifreeze to turn milky. Why? Magic! Let’s just say it works! Quickly too.

 

[olerambler]

Scrap it and get something else.
I would never own a pontiac.
Made after 83

(Or anything made by Chrysler)

I agree no more Pontiac don't make them anymore don't by (DODGE EITHER) LOOK UP DEFINITION OF DODGE IN DICTIONARY

 

[Squiddley]

I have had trouble with my wifes car,the freeze plugs would rust out,I heard the coolant GM used was the cause. this was in buick V6s.

 

[CBH13]

test for leaks with a pressure gauge, you can also look into the radiator to see if there are any bubbles coming up when the car is running. if it ends up being too much of a hassle and you just dont care any more drop an egg in it and see what happens (im totally not kidding btw) . .

 

[DADI03]

A lot of leaks only start when the motor is hot and the pressure builds up on the system. You have to find the leak. Once you get the coolant to hold then you can determine if other parts are failing. Most of the parts require fluid to work properly. How old is the water pump. Are the hoses starting to look dry rotted?

 

[jaf1]

test for leaks with a pressure gauge, you can also look into the radiator to see if there are any bubbles coming up when the car is running. if it ends up being too much of a hassle and you just dont care any more drop an egg in it and see what happens (im totally not kidding btw) . .

We had a guy that worked the night shift at the grocery store with us that put.raw eggs in his radiator every morning as stop leak.Hadn't heard that 9ne until then.He spent enough on eggs to buy a new radiator.

 

[webicknell]

I once sold a car because it had a hole in the muffler... I probably am not a good person to ask