Really bad day. And thank god for E85

**loosenut** · 05-06-2022, 03:43 PM

So, I am getting my Buick ready for the nationals next week in Bowling Green. I drove it for the first time since Woodward last year. On Friday I took it to a shop to have the front suspension installed and have an alignment done. On the way home I smelled coolant and the temp was a little high. It was blowing coolant from the radiator cap. No biggie, I stop at Autozone and bought a new cap.

On Wednesday my rear sway bar finally showed up and I took it to the shop to have that installed. No problem. I left work early for a Dr. appointment. I'm cruising down 275 and I look down and my temp going between 210-220 and all I smell is coolant. Thats because I have a gallon of it in the passenger side floorboard. Heater core blew. I get off the highway and make my way to an Orileys. I was able to buy the necessary parts and tools to bypass the heater core and get back on the road and get to my Dr. appointment on time.

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I get to my doc office in Novi. While I'm waiting to be called in, I realize I can't find the keys. I go back outside and see them sitting on the center console of the locked car. So, after the Dr. appointment I get AAA out and get me into the car.

I am on the way home and get on to M5 and I get on the boost a little. Didn't hammer it. I look in the rear view mirror and see a huge cloud of white smoke. All the gauges were OK so I kept driving. All the way home to Southfield. I pulled into a restaurant across the street from my house to pick up lunch and I see it smoking from under the hood. I pop it and see my lower radiator hose had exploded. I drove it from 11 mile and Halsted to 10 mile and Telegraph with no coolant in the car.

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If it hadn't been for the e-85 running so cool, it never got over 180 degrees on the highway I never would have made it home and would have probably blown the motor on the freeway right there.

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***CMYZ28*** · 05-06-2022, 04:43 PM

Crazy story, now go buy a lottery ticket since you're due for some good luck!!

**Sledder** · 05-06-2022, 06:37 PM

Did the doc wonder why your blood pressure was high?��

**loosenut** · 05-06-2022, 07:10 PM

And to top it all off…. Just tested positive for Covid.

**1BADAIR** · 05-07-2022, 07:24 PM

Just remember temp gauges measure fluid temp not air temp. If there was no fluid to measure it’s not correct

**loosenut** · 05-08-2022, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by 1BADAIR

Just remember temp gauges measure fluid temp not air temp. If there was no fluid to measure it’s not correct

I’m well aware.

Still has great oil pressure and runs well. I will have parts Tuesday. Planning on compression and leak down test.

**WhiteHawk** · 05-08-2022, 08:48 AM

Wow, rough one for sure! Hopefully car passes compression and leakdown. Hope you have the no-symptom version of Covid too.

Before Covid, I used to go to a Woodward party where they blow a motor on purpose, and people bet on how long it will survive with no oil and coolant in the crankcase. I guess one year that had an old ford van with a 6-cylinder, and the motor ran for an hour and never blew. Somebody bought it and the thing worked fine after refilling all the fluids. Since then I think after they drain the oil they put some water in the crankcase to make sure it goes boom. What I am saying is that old school iron engines like a GN are pretty hard to kill.

-Geoff