Expert: Rob Painter - 4/25/2011

Question
i recently changed the waterpump on my 92 cadillac fleetwood 4.9 engine. after complete noticed there was still a leak. removed and installed new gasket again. still a leak. does not seem to be coming from pump but area behind. is there something i missed during the install, or is a sealer required as it states on sticker by radiator.

Answer
Hello,

Cadillac should have put a big orange sticker on the dash of these cars "Warning, this engine can never be run over 220 degrees f. with coolant and 212 f with straight water, or catastrophic damage will occur to this aluminum engine!"

Of course with this label they would have not sold cars, but instead they have made billions on new engines and parts! In fact, this had all the makings of a class action, but GM went bankrupt so good luck on that!

I think I am going to make a video of a fire. Then I will throw an aluminum can in it to demonstrate what happens to aluminum with heat applied. It takes seconds for the can to melt and that is what happens to these fine Cadillac aluminum engines. The problem is so rampant, that if you go to a junk yard to get an engine that has not been destroyed by overheating, it would be a miracle and then you better play the lottery because you have a better chance of winning that before you find a good engine!

Look in my archives, you will see plenty about these engines and their destruction by over heating. By the time the hot light comes on in the cluster, it is already to late!

Its very common for people to drive this aluminum engine hot until they get the car to a "safe" location and all that time, the engine and components are melting down!

My last answer a couple days ago reflects the poor engineering in the aluminum Cadillac engine that premered in 1982. Even AMC and Renault made a better engine in the 80's. It too was aluminum, but pistion liner kits could be installed making it so at least the engine was not destroyed. The Renault Alliance and Encore engines were engineered better, however it is my opinion Cadillac just wanted to steal billions from the drivers of their fine cars. Cadillac made the money on new engine, parts and replacement cars.

You have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do finding a good engine in the junk yard. 99% of junk yard engines are just that--junk!

A 1992 with the 4.9 also gives you very few options because the 1990 had a 4.5 and I believe the 1991 did as well and in 1993 the 4.6 North star was introduced.

Now, to your question and to what else could be leaking. If not a hose, could be a problem with a freeze plug or more likely a blown head gasket which is never the cause, but the effect of overheating. These engines are so problematic. What you need is for a service center (not a dealer because Cadillac already ripped you off indirectly by making this engine with its lack of prevention to keep the engine from overheating) and have a cooling system pressure test to find the leak. As I said, I am leaning towards a head gasket, cracked head or even a cracked engine block. Hopefully it is not as serious.

There are 2 problems changing a head gasket. You don't know what caused the over heating in the first place unless you know for a fact that the water pump was bad. Maybe you did not need a water pump but a head gasket instead. In that case, you need to fix the reason for overheating before you go driving off or a half hour later you will need another head gasket or two!

The other problem is that after the head gasket is changed if that was the problem, you don't know what other engine damage there is. This has the potential to turn into a money funnel real quickly.

Look at my archives on this site for overheating damage to the aluminum engine in a Cadillac.

I really wish you nothing but the best here. It would have been nice like Cadillac and others did with oil pressure. If oil pressure got to low, the engine would stall. They should have done that for overheating as well!


http://www.autotheftexpert.com

I have owned 20 Cadillacs and I am more familiar than most with these overheating issues.