WH Statesman Issues.

[MetalheadMike]

Hi guys,

So i bought this 2000 model stato off a private seller with 350k on the clock (V6) it over heated afew nights ago (it has a new water pump and radiator), the radiator cap popped off while driving few lights went on and it stopped, tried jump starting, but no good wouldnt turn over, there is oil in the radiator fluid, and a LOT of smoke coming from the drivers side of the motor, just before the car stopped it was making a rattling noise. I have been told that it is a blown head gasket but would like members opinions.

on a side note the previous buyer took out the SLS fuse which he used a 10 amp. It specifies to use a 25 amp fuse, he took it out because for 3 minutes or so after you turn on the car it makes a loud rattling kind of sound, when i replaced the fuse it did the same thing. Also the speed sensitive steering is not working at all, what could be the cause of this and would it cost much to fix?

Cheers,

Mike

 

[EYY]

Considering how many km it's done and what they're worth, it's probably worth cutting your losses and buying something that's done less work and is in better condition. It doesn't sound like its been looked after

 

[devilly]

smoke drivers side could be a split header,oil in radiator could be valley cover gasket.if it also has coolant in engine oil,white smoke and lack of power then could be head gasket.

radiator cap to pop off could just be that it over pressurized and the caps old.

if you are handy with tools and can do the work yourself you may decide to fix it up.if your not handy with tools and have a mechanic to do the work it might cost you more then a newer car.

 

[Vt v6]

Sorry to say mate you brought a lemon and you will learn from this just as I did 4 years ago, you have a blown head gasket, the airbag system will need to be looked at by someone professional and the steering rack will most likely need full replacement, now shaved heads and new guide seals with a vrs head gasket kit you should be able to do it all urself for under 500 bucks, that is what it sounds like to me.

 

[MetalheadMike]

Sorry to say mate you brought a lemon and you will learn from this just as I did 4 years ago, you have a blown head gasket, the airbag system will need to be looked at by someone professional and the steering rack will most likely need full replacement, now shaved heads and new guide seals with a vrs head gasket kit you should be able to do it all urself for under 500 bucks, that is what it sounds like to me.

Well it cost me $1900 and ive always wanted a statesman so im definately keeping it. I guess the first step is to get someone to diagnose exactly what the problem is.

 

[vc commodore]

Motor diagnoisis....Blew a right hand bank head and gasket.....How I came to the conclusion.....Got hot with alloy head, which isn't good....Oil in radiator, which generally means the oil passing through the gallerys in the head and mixing with the coolant.....Check the sump and I'm sure you'll find water in the sump....Smoke from the exhaust.....Water seeping into the exhaust ports and being pushed out the exhaust system...And finally the rattling noise signifying the oil is thinned out by the water mixed with it, not allowing proper lubrication....

2 options....1st price getting another motor and fitting it, or 2nd option.....take the car to the wreckers and cut your losses

 

[EYY]

Motor diagnoisis....Blew a right hand bank head and gasket.....How I came to the conclusion.....Got hot with alloy head, which isn't good....Oil in radiator, which generally means the oil passing through the gallerys in the head and mixing with the coolant.....Check the sump and I'm sure you'll find water in the sump....Smoke from the exhaust.....Water seeping into the exhaust ports and being pushed out the exhaust system...And finally the rattling noise signifying the oil is thinned out by the water mixed with it, not allowing proper lubrication....

2 options....1st price getting another motor and fitting it, or 2nd option.....take the car to the wreckers and cut your losses

They're cast iron heads. Gaskets alone would probably fix it. But then you'd still have to deal with the rest of the cars problems

 

[s_ikari2015]

I'd have to agree it would end up being cheaper finding another Stato with everything working that's wrong with this one. If this one has good parts you could salvage, do it and use it as the donor car for a replacement Stato.

You're talking hundreds more for the speed sensitive steering rack over a standard reco'ed rack, hundreds, if not thousands for replacement self-levelling suspension components, and then there's the engine. Might find serviceable parts at a wrecker.

You could be lucky and get a professional diagnosis for the steering and suspension with a cheap fix like a sensor, and you might also be lucky in that it's only a head gasket without any other damage. But be prepared once that head is removed and inspected, it may not be economical to fix this Statesman.

Similar age Statesmans sell for around $2,500-$3,000. So that gives you a budget, aim for less than $2,000 on all parts and labour.

 

[WHCapriceHBD]

Hi guys,

So i bought this 2000 model stato off a private seller with 350k on the clock (V6) it over heated a few nights ago (it has a new water pump and radiator), the radiator cap popped off while driving few lights went on and it stopped, tried jump starting, but no good wouldnt turn over, there is oil in the radiator fluid, and a LOT of smoke coming from the drivers side of the motor, just before the car stopped it was making a rattling noise. I have been told that it is a blown head gasket but would like members opinions.

on a side note the previous buyer took out the SLS fuse which he used a 10 amp. It specifies to use a 25 amp fuse, he took it out because for 3 minutes or so after you turn on the car it makes a loud rattling kind of sound, when i replaced the fuse it did the same thing. Also the speed sensitive steering is not working at all, what could be the cause of this and would it cost much to fix?

Cheers,

Mike

Oil in the radiator is bad news- likely head gaskets gone, if the rad cap "popped off"...
If it won't turn over, that's also a bit terminal- can you verify if it will at least spin over on the starter? If not, and a fresh battery just makes the starter pinion 'clunk' and engage and the engine doesn't turn, it might be seized up. Rattling noises sort of say that it was low/starved of oil in its last seconds in this world, and it then seized up and died for good.
Speed sensitive steering is a bit of a bugbear. It might be the Variatronic servo that's died and needs replacing off the rack, or the pump may have died too. Hard to diagnose as there are a lot of failure causes in the Variatronic steering.

My question is why did you buy something with 350k on the clock? That's near the limit that a V6 will live, having pulled a relatively heavy Stato body around for that long, they get overworked and it may be the end of that V6 by the sounds of it. I would not have bought the car with that many Kms on it, as there would be (now are) too many issues to fix on a car that's value is not worth the cost of the repairs unfortunately. I'd be looking to now wreck it out or part it to try and recoup some of the loss. You might be able to just find another 3.8 V6 and drop it in and get it running again, but at 350K you're going to have failing wheel bearings, tailshaft centre bearing, whining diff pinion, power steer issues, air con issues... etc as time goes on. So I'd be looking to cut losses and get out of it, unfortunately.

 

[MetalheadMike]

Well im keeping it, ill need to swap out the v6 for another one, does anyone know of any companies that would do this for me? and a rough price?