Comments on: When it rains, it pours: GM to owe millions in lawsuits pending court decision

By: inline6

inline6 — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:19:49 +0000

Get Real,

How little you actually know about GM. GM was in its engineering heyday in the 1960s. They brought us solidly engineered turbocharging, V6s, ohc I6s, flat sixes, independent rear suspensions, the timeless masterpiece of a Buick/Rover V8, front-wheel-drive when only Saab and Citroen were doing it at the time, flexible driveshafts, and the list goes on. What GM needs more of today is the swagger and engineering boldness it had in the ’60s. I think the Volt is evidence it’s coming back.

As for why the 3.1 and 3.4 might be affected, and not the fours and V8s, I have a theory. The 3.1 and 3.4 (as well as today’s 3.5 and 3.9) are based on GM’s 60-degree engine family, introduced initially in 1980 on the FWD X-cars. This engine was notorious for cooling issues leading to head gasket failures due to inadequate water jackets. This was corrected over time, but perhaps the Dex-Cool was formulated in such a way that even the expanded jackets on the later 3.1 and 3.4 couldn’t take it very well.

As for the 3.8, which is based on a different, 90-degree engine family (as were the 3.0 and 3.3), it’s an older engine like the 3.1 and 3.4 are. Perhaps its cooling lines and water jackets weren’t up to the task, either.

Of course, this has been rectified with the re-engineering of both engine families since 2004. But still, this isn’t good news for GM.

By: Get Real

Get Real — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:33:36 +0000

Because GM is still in the 1960’s thinking we are stupid.
GM hasn’t learned people have vast access to information and someone complaining about their Dex-Cool dead car in Ohio can find out another guy has the same problem in Texas. They both know it’s not the owners fault…it’s GM’s fault. No matter WHAT the dealer bulls him in the service department.

By: 1c3d0g

1c3d0g — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:58:23 +0000

Over here in the Caribbean this comes as no surprise to us. Dex-Cool is widely known as an engine killer. Once it turns brown it smells real bad too, like dead fish. I still don’t understand why GM keep using this crap after all these years…

By: xyunya

xyunya — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:49:43 +0000

brassmonkey, don’t be rude, be a gentleman!

By: brassmonkey

brassmonkey — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:46:11 +0000

“Turning Japanese” by The Vapors is on the radio now.
-
I have had similar feedback as xyunya did about drinking juice before getting a hummer. Anything to encourage more bj’s, I’m all for it.

By: tripleonefive

tripleonefive — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:31:08 +0000

She laughs at Pontiac salesmen
Fromes Im sure you learned your lesson That is what you get for buying american

By: Fromes

Fromes — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:22:10 +0000

I owned a 2003 grand am GT with the 3.4 V6, the car had about 40,000 on it when I bought in and I ran it for two years..then the thing started leaking coolant all the time and went though two head gaskets, the car was pretty much toast by 70,000 miles, my frenids impala with the same engine had the exact same problem

By: A4

A4 — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:12:39 +0000

“this **** is real bad if it get low in the system”
you sound like quite the respected authority
and your moms a sea turtle

By: injunraiv

injunraiv — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:54:35 +0000

And even better when you realize that if you do have a head gasket (or other) issue that allows coolant into the oil, your block is not toast. It is good stuff, it has just been linked to these problems. I’m not sure whether this case has merit or not, but I do know that GM has changed lots of intake gaskets over the years. Whether it was the gaskets themselves, the materials in the engine, or some sort if interaction with the coolant, I don’t know…

By: C6Racer

C6Racer — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:47:52 +0000

Yes, beatusmongous(sure), they have used it in every vehicle 1995 and later. In MY experience, it’s good stuff.

By: C6Racer

C6Racer — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:45:20 +0000

I find it strange how only the V6’s were affected. My 2000 Sierra with the 5.3L V8 has 153k miles and still has the original coolant. I can drive through stop-and-go traffic all day in 110-degree F heat with the A/C on full blast and my ECT gauge won’t budge from the normal reading; I noticed it move a TINY, and I mean TINY, bit when I drove to Vegas last summer where it was 115 degrees F everyday. I’ve never regretted buying that truck.

By: xyunya

xyunya — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:23:07 +0000

Richard, when I was young, an older woman took interest in my education and during dinner suggested that I drink pineapple juice. She thanked me in a special way after I adhered to her request. Before important dates I was guzzling that stuff and had reputation as a provider of a sweet nectar. Absolutely no relation to GM lawsuit, but good memories. If you implyin some homosexual overtone, I already admitted being a lesbian.

By: injunraiv

injunraiv — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:14:21 +0000

…as do the rest of us

By: injunraiv

injunraiv — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:13:54 +0000

My wife laughs at Honda owners

By: beatusmongous

beatusmongous — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:12:49 +0000

Then drink some antifreeze already, 1115! Get it over with.

By: beatusmongous

beatusmongous — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:12:05 +0000

Xyunya, I was just being goofy and not serious.

I thought it funny that the article seemed to point out that the “Dex-Cool brand coolant failed to protect V6 engines from corroding,” as if the problem only affected the V6, and not any other type of engine. I’m sure they used the same stuff with all engines, not just V6’s.

By: tripleonefive

tripleonefive — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:11:27 +0000

Your wife didnt call it tiny
and I would rather drink antifreeze then own a GM

By: injunraiv

injunraiv — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:03:16 +0000

BTW, as I understand it there may have been a reaction between the material in the gaskets and the Dex-cool itself. Yes, owners are supposed to flush coolant every so often…

By: injunraiv

injunraiv — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:00:20 +0000

^Ignore the Honda owner with the tiny penis…

By: tripleonefive

tripleonefive — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:56:58 +0000

Woah its not coolant that is making the engines break down its the ****ty engine itself
How dare owners of GM cars try and sue, GM’s are not made to go past 100k anyway

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:55:31 +0000

xyunya wrote (No. 12): “… If he would be considered and drunk some pineapple juice, maybe she would not complain and evidence on GAP dress would not exists? …

You seem to have a lot of first-hand knowledge about this issue.

By: xyunya

xyunya — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:53:21 +0000

There are some of us who have trouble comprehending the simple explanation of the merits of the law suit. Try again “Dex-Cool, billed to last five years or 150,000 miles, or more than twice the life of convential coolants, has been used in GM vehicles since the 1995 model year, and the suits allege it formed a sludge that caused coolant leaks, leading to engine failures in some cases.”

By: xyunya

xyunya — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:47:32 +0000

… maybe she did not swallowed because of bad taste? If he would be considered and drunk some pineapple juice, maybe she would not complain and evidence on GAP dress would not exists? The whoe course of history could be different if he would drunk some juice!

By: HemiRoadRunner

HemiRoadRunner — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:47:01 +0000

So there is 20 million people that don’t know how to properly flush a radiator every few years?

By: xyunya

xyunya — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:45:16 +0000

beatusmongous, the coolant did not choose any particular engine. The law suit did. Since GM manufactured millions of V6 during this period of time and had no intentions to manufacture I4 (as it is evident today they have 2 I4 and both came from Europe via Opel) lawyers went for the mass. It was probably impossible to hunt down owners of existing I4’s. I have no explanation on faith of V8, but it is logical to assume, that majority of engines were V6.

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:41:36 +0000

…but much like Bill said he never inhaled didn’t Monica say she never swallowed?

By: xyunya

xyunya — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:39:37 +0000

johnnycanuck, Monica Lewinsky had the same oral sensation for different reason, I believe.

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:29:36 +0000

My sons first car was a ‘96 Lumina that had less than 40k miles on it when we bought it. This explains everything. From day one of our ownership that thing had magical coolant: it kept disappearing without a trace. Eventually it blew the head gasket with less than 50k miles on the odometer. We no longer own that Chevy and much like antifreeze it left a very bad taste in my mouth.

By: howsmydriving

howsmydriving — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:27:09 +0000

This lawsuit will pale in comparison to the lawsuit that I’m about to file against GM: emotional distress from too much Camaro hype.

By: kjohn6812275

kjohn6812275 — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:06:52 +0000

I’m actually studying abroad in Japan right now (I go to UW in Seattle) taking business classes in Kobe, and it’s fascinating that almost every case we study has to do with the growth and development of American car companies. They’re really not snickering when they see stories like this about the US market, and if anything they have a reverence for experience and expertise when it comes to business and industry. My point is this: I’ve never been big into US cars, but for as many times as GM, Chrysler, Ford seem to make the same mistakes, how they react and weather them is seriously studied so that they (Japanese auto industry) can try to avoid the same fate. The Japanese need for smaller cars and America’s affinity for larger ones have certainly put us at a disadvantage this time, but I’m sure they will make it through it and be a better company because of it.

By: corvette

corvette — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:02:22 +0000

damn, can they catch one f-ing break? hopefully this will all turn around soon.

By: xyunya

xyunya — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:57:28 +0000

Thanks god for product liability insurance. GM may have to pay higher premium, but whoever insured them gets the pleasure of writing checks. If only Pulitzer’s laureates at LLN knew how business works.

By: beatusmongous

beatusmongous — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:56:26 +0000

Interesting how this particular coolant decided to single out the V6 engines.