Overheating Buick sabre 3.8l
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Engine Repair
Forum Discription: Engine problems and solutions
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37212
Printed Date: October-07-2024 at 2:23pm
Topic: Overheating Buick sabre 3.8l
Posted By: mikestoner93
Subject: Overheating Buick sabre 3.8l
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 1:24pm
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I know right? First post and its messed up. Got a cc Skylark with Buick engine. Right off the bat checked impeller. 3 out of 12 blades still on so replaced it and flushed with hose for a bit. Checked Compression 120-130psi so we're mostly good there. Also checked thermostat and its good as well. What is going on now is i assume i have bits of impeller left jammed up somewhere probably the check valve. But my fear is since this thing got Hot >230F (got her in before touching 240) it melted some bits up somewhere.... haven't checked the water pump i have assumed it is a normal automotive one not sure if its worth diving into yet but might as well now. It stays cool at idle and with hose, but when you run it she spikes up. Seems to be a clog or low flow somewhere. Already checked the idiot stuff like the pick up valve made sure it was already open. Any ideas or tips would be appreciated. Looking to get her back on the lake asap. ~Stone *Edit*~ Just ripped it apart, Thermostat housing and water pump are clear, flushed the engine with the hose all the flow seemed good, no particles or anything came out. All this i think points towards to the pickup being slightly obstructed. Had to take a break Florida sun too hot today haha. ------------- I tried to be awkward once... Just to see what it felt like... |
Replies:
Posted By: Dreaming
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 3:06pm
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Mike - welcome to the forum! knowing your engine marinizer might help, as would some pictures of your boat and cooling system. I would guess that you may find bits of impeller in several places that would be hindering your water flow. check the transmission cooler, and the hoses on the outet of the water pump, and you may end up getting all the way to the manifolds before you find the missing chunks. If you got the water as hot as you said, you might find that the exhaust hoses now need attention. some of these engines have a tricky cooling system that bypasses the t-stat during warmup so that the exhaust does not over heat while the engine comes up to temp. you'll need to check those passages/hoses as well. Have fun, this is a good chance to check and replace hoses too :) |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 3:37pm
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Our very own Marty Mabe has a Skylark with a Buick. He found out the hard way that you must use a oem Sherwood impeller. Quite a few of us witnessed it first hand. I believe he had some new Sierra replacements that just would not pump. Put in a oem Sherwood on Art Cozier's recommendation and it worked. So if your having trouble with it cooling check that. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: mikestoner93
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 3:45pm
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Thanks, yeah the marinizer is Universal, I don't have any good pre-tear-down pics but ill try to get them up in a moment. It does bypass the t-stat with use of a check valve. i tried putting positive pressure on it by plugging the holes and it seemed to operate fine. I defiantly have to replace a hose from the water pump to the t-stat housing. Its got a rusted out spring to keep its shape.... I expected to find impeller bits clogging it cause all the rings were collapsed but there were none. I need to run to the parts store get more gasket material and plumbing, going to button it back up and try the bucket method after i try and see if there's an obstruction in the pickup. EDIT**** I am using a sierra Impeller with Sherwood pump... now ill contact and get a new impeller ------------- I tried to be awkward once... Just to see what it felt like... |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 3:53pm
Here is a sherwood impeller,see the ridges on the sides of the blades,that is what is missing on replacement ones.  ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: mikestoner93
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 3:54pm
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10 turned to 30 as usual Gary you have a part number for that bad boy?   so i think we know where the problem lies ------------- I tried to be awkward once... Just to see what it felt like... |
Posted By: mikestoner93
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 4:38pm
Old Impeller.... I was suprised it was even staying cool for the last couple weeks   ------------- I tried to be awkward once... Just to see what it felt like... |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 6:05pm
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The sherwood number is 09959K Mike. Look for a impeller for a sherwood g21 pump. I don't think that is the pump you have,but it is the impeller to use. If Marty sees this Im sure he can fill you in any info you need. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: mikestoner93
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 6:11pm
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Sweet thanks, And those ridges make all the diff? seems strange but i"ve seen a far share of that. ------------- I tried to be awkward once... Just to see what it felt like... |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 6:13pm
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Only difference that we could tell. Must help it seal and seems to be more important on those engines and pumps. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: mikestoner93
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 6:15pm
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Yeah i guess little things must add up ------------- I tried to be awkward once... Just to see what it felt like... |
Posted By: Morfoot
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 6:54pm
Beautiful boat Mike ....I REALLY like that blue top deck!  ... Welcome to CCFan. Glad you found us. I'm one of those witnesses that Gary is talking about. If memory serves ....Marty was having the EXACT overheating problems that you are describing a few years ago when the crew was down forour yearly long weekend on the St. Johns. I'm pretty sure he changed the impeller TWICE ( both Sierra imps) before Art said try using OEM....I'm pretty sure I got one in the truck....He did and it fixed the problem. Double check the hoses and make sure they are tight with a socket and not a screw driver. ANY airleaks will add to the problem. Using a screw driver just doest cut it in most cases but don't over torque it on thin walled connections. Or transmission cooler if it has one. Not too familiar with Buick motors in CCs and Marty is the only guy I know who has one... Keep us posted with what ya find and again......Welcome to Correct Craft Fan! ------------- "Morfoot; He can ski. He can wakeboard.He can cook chicken.He can create his own self-named beverage, & can also apparently fly. A man of many talents."72 Mustang "Kermit",88 SN Miss Scarlett, 99 SN "Sherman" |
Posted By: AAM196
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 7:34pm
| Lol... I remember opening my pump seeing blades all chewed up after a certified PCM mechanic said she was perfect and seaworthy the day i purchase from dealer! Others here might say you should get 600 hours and 10 years out of an impeller and your don't change till your gauge says you are running hot but common sense should tell you spend 15 mins and just inpsect it before you end up with issues. And go OEM as they are like 20-28 bucks each. |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 8:02pm
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Mike, Welcome to CCfan. Love the boat! The Universal V6 was always and is one of my favorites. Great power to weight ratio. Don't let running on the hose fool you. The water pressure from the hose will mask problems. Check all your hoses and tighten them. Sound like the RWP is sucking air. Yes, there is a proven difference between the OEM impellers and the junk Chinese Sierra's. Go with that # Gary gave you.. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: mikestoner93
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 9:26pm
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sweet guys thanks a lot. Yeah its a velvet drive not sure bout it having a cooler. thats for tomorrow to find out. will prob find a spool of radiator hose to replace all of it... sure theres dryrot somewhere i cant see. Short story its my grandfathers and due to some job troubles now renting an room from him on his property and the fam has just neglected and tore this ole girl up and hardly any maintenance done whatsoever... now i have the time and not so much money I commandeered her and doing what i can to get her or lake worthy haha. Will need to be painted soooon, got bad spider cracks all along the bottom  ------------- I tried to be awkward once... Just to see what it felt like... |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 10:51pm
Mike, Please don't paint the boat. It's a cheap back yard way of covering up old gel. The proper method for a restoration is gel coat. The boat is a classic so it's worthy of a true restoration. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
mikestoner93 wrote:Posted By: mikestoner93
Date Posted: August-30-2015 at 8:29pm
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Welp..... Just got back inside....found the trans oil cooler.... Bad news is its a chocolate milk factory inside the trans.... T___T I know some crazy people use motor oil to hydraulic fluid in these things but this has debris and sludgness.... Couldn't tell you how long its been like this. So rebuild kit on ebay is like 120-450 depending on how in depth i want to get.   I have half a mind just to pull the motor trans and all the trim and go ahead and fully restore the thing slowly as per funds So so far the water flow is routed like this: pickup - oil cooler - impeller - tsh < water pump/engine > tsh - exhaust And if you also notice the leaky fuel line you get bonus points  ------------- I tried to be awkward once... Just to see what it felt like... |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: August-30-2015 at 10:13pm
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It's doable, http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31189&title=1968-mustang-restomod-jax-fl" rel="nofollow - here is a recent thread. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: MartyMabe
Date Posted: August-31-2015 at 12:22pm
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Hey Mike, 3.7 liter I think. 2-BBL right? It has different exhaust manifolds than mine. Yeap- Junk Sierra Impellers ! At least for Our Classic Correct Crafts  I'd change the fluid a couple times in that tranny--- These things are like tanks--- hard to destroy them. Maybe check the tranny cooler to make sure it hasn't burst- or insides trashed.. SkiDim has them .. PCM Impeller RP061015... Only Sierra item worth anything- Sierra 18-3140-9 Gasket.    E-mail me mtmabe@northstate.net GO VIKINGS !  ------------- 66 Skylark http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=5041" rel="nofollow - 93 SN If you're not living in NC, you're just camping out! |
Posted By: mikestoner93
Date Posted: September-01-2015 at 8:54pm
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FINALLY GOT IT!!! Definitely was the brand of impeller, picked it up this morning and installed... Now to flush the trans and fix more little stuff haha Thanks guys for the advice and knowledge! ------------- I tried to be awkward once... Just to see what it felt like... |
Posted By: juniorwoody
Date Posted: September-09-2015 at 12:24pm
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I have been fighting an overheat situation for a while now. just the port head fore mostly. Funny thing is more water flow out the port exhaust than the starboard. I looked up the info on the impellers I bought and they are made by Johnson. Perhaps time to look and see if thats my problem. Wonder if it could do it on one side only? Sorry for the hijack. ------------- The value of money spent on new adventure far exceeds the value of money saved for the future |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: September-09-2015 at 2:13pm
Jack yours will be one of those smack yourself forehead moments when you figure yours out  When I got my Mustang with only the crank mounted pump if starting cold I could not idle off. If I brought it up to temp first then I could idle all day. I ended up replacing everything inside the pump anyway and that solved it.------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: mikestoner93
Date Posted: September-09-2015 at 3:34pm
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Jr even though mine was just the brand of impeller, try just going through all the plumbing anyhow... to about 30 mins for me to and i found way more problems than initially was trying to repair... But that's 40+year old boats for you :P what you can try to do is see if you can source whether water is making it to the exhaust, put it on a hose without running it and disconnect the plumbing till you find out where the flow is reaching or not reaching. might have a clog somewhere. ------------- I tried to be awkward once... Just to see what it felt like... |
Posted By: juniorwoody
Date Posted: September-10-2015 at 10:03am
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Thanks for the input gents. Pretty much lost the summer for this boat cause or this stupid problem. Whereas I can hold my own woodworking, I am a novice at troubleshooting the plumbing. Have spend many hours to no avail and I agree Gary it is probably something simple. Sure takes the fun out of the whole deal. ------------- The value of money spent on new adventure far exceeds the value of money saved for the future |
Posted By: mikestoner93
Date Posted: September-11-2015 at 2:05pm
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Hey dumb thing I did when i first started messing with it. Make sure your raw water intake if it has a valve on it make sure its open. It tricked me once ;) ------------- I tried to be awkward once... Just to see what it felt like... |