View Single Post
  #21  
Old 03-07-2017, 11:21 AM
Captainclock Captainclock is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Elkhart, Indiana
Posts: 1,189
Quote:
Originally Posted by mgross0 View Post
Had two of these 3.8L Buicks in the family. Never actually had a cat fail on one of these pigs, but it is always possible. Both cars had the same issues that would trip the idiot light: bad O2 sensor, bad gas cap, and broken vapor return/emissions control lines at the gas tank. The rear O2 sensor is a bear to change, but hit it with PB Blaster and let it sit for a day. It should come out, unless the car is rusty. If not, heat it (very carefully) with a torch to break it loose. It should go without saying that a fire extinguisher is your best friend when doing this.

Also, the front motor mounts are prone to breaking. These things run DexCool in the radiator, so don't mix your antifreeze types. The power windows are crap, and you will replace the regulators every few years (or pay the shop $500 each when they fall down).

Did I mention that I have really come to hate Buick?
Sounds to me like normal wear and tear issues to me (except the window issues), my family is normally a Mopar family, but since Chrylser got bought out by Daimler and then later Fiat the car designs were crap, and the kind of Chrysler I wanted (which was either a 300 or a Charger) were both rear wheel drive I thought I'd take my chances with GM since my first car was a GM and I didn't have any issues with it for the most part.