2001 Chevy Impala LS, 3.8 L engine, V6, today - after hitting the gas pretty hard a couple of times, I got home, and for the first time EVER - my car was making this bubbling noise, I had just gotten the oil changed last week. I have noticed that people who check my fluids for me, have said that I keep needing coolant. This has happened 4 times in the last 2 months. When I got my oil changed last week, they said I needed water. I was confused and told them I had coolant, if that's the same thing. She said water is fine, and I could always do a 50/50 mix of coolant and water, but she was just gonna fill it up with water. So she did. I've never had this issue before her putting the water in. The temperature outside has been 95-104 in sacramento, ca for the last 2 1/2 months or so. Anyways, I got home, engine was making a crazy bubbling noise. I freaked out, got out of the car, and it sounded like it was getting louder. I park on a very slight incline, but still an incline - and next thing I know, I come outside because I went to check on it after texting a plethora of people asking what the hell is going on with my car. And there was liquid all over, down the driveway from underneath my car. But the bubbling had stopped. I was asked to check what color, and it was clear - it was water. It even evaporated quickly because of how hot it is, and not a trace was to be seen, so it was definitely the water. Someone came over, and they ran a hose through (somewhere, I don't know exactly where), just to see if there was a leak, there is no leak. I was nervous to take it anywhere, but they filled it up with water. I drove up the street to a friend's house. Literally 1.5 miles, it was totally fine. I didn't use the AC because even though I know nothing about cars, I felt like this would make it worse. Got to my friend's just fine. It's still super hot out. Hung out for a couple hours. Then I asked him to come out and make sure my car would make it the 1.5 miles back to my house in the sun. He asked me to turn on the car, he had me fill the rest of the coolant I had left in my car, into the tank for coolant because he said it was completely dry? I don't understand. The last time someone said they were filling my coolant up was a few weeks ago. The girl said she was filling the water up, and I was under the impression that it was in place of the coolant - and would go in the same tank? I don't know where she put it. I just found out today, that the coolant and the water go in different areas? Or am I not remembering correctly? ANYWAYS - i'm just trying to give as much detail as I can to help you help me diagnose this. After my friend sent me on my way, he said the water was fine, and had me fill up the rest of the jug I had of coolant, and told me where to keep an eye on my temperature gauge, he said if that gets past the middle line, i'm about to overheat, and I need to pull over and fill with water and check to be sure the fans are still moving. I made it home RIGHT as the gauge was moving past the middle line - 1.5 miles away from my home. Soooo, what the heck is going on! The person who came earlier after the bubbling issue, who put the water in - said the thermostat needs to be replaced. Now, i'm seeing there are all kinds of things that could be wrong. I checked the oil dipstick, and there was no "yogurt" like substance on it, looked clean - so my friend said it's not the head gasket then. What is it! Please help! I have ZERO dollars to spend on this. I'm on disability and have had so many issues with this car since buying it off a lady when I moved out here in 2015. I'm freaking out. I have no support out here and everyone who works on my car out here, seems to screw me over. Even to the point where someone did my brakes and didn't screw my lugnuts on all the way. What do I do?
Thursday, January 31st, 2019 AT 6:41 PM
