1996 Buick Century problem areas?

[Whoaru99]

Might have found a new daily/work driver car.

1996 Buick Century, 51,xxx original miles. It was one driven by a little old lady, literally.

I'm assuming it has the 3.1L V6, but I'm not positive. Going to check on that after work.

Besides the infamous intake gasket leaks on the 3.1L, any ideas on other area I should examine more closely than usual?

[Whoaru99]

Might have found a new daily/work driver car.

1996 Buick Century, 51,xxx original miles. It was one driven by a little old lady, literally.

I'm assuming it has the 3.1L V6, but I'm not positive. Going to check on that after work.

Besides the infamous intake gasket leaks on the 3.1L, any ideas on other area I should examine more closely than usual?

FWIW, confirmed 3.1L (8th digit VIN = W)

[Jeremy airjer W]

Serp belt tensioner, wheel cylinders leaking, Rusted brake lines, worn front end parts, a/c compressor, cracked brake hoses, leaking P/s hoses, condition of radiator.

Those would be the normal things you would see on those models.

[Whoaru99]

Maybe it's been discussed before, but what's up with the rusted brake lines? Off-spec batch of parts?

I've got that problem on my '94 LeSaber too.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Minnesota!

[Whoaru99]

Huh?

I have older vehicles driven in MN that don't have severely corroded brake lines.

No doubt MN winters are hard on vehicles, but this seems like there is more too it.

Oh well...I just keep a roll of brake line, nuts, and a bubble flare tool on hand. Gets sorta spendy though when you can't reuse those rear proportioning valves 'cause the brake line nuts are permanently corroded into them.

[Jeremy airjer W]

O.k you got me Its the combination of MN and GM/Chrysler!

[Scott K]

lol....

[RuKiddingMe]

If it has the 3.1 or the 3.4 run as fast as you can away from it, they are notorious for intake manifold issues and in my opinion the worst engines ever made.

I had a Chev Lumina - 3.1 intake problem and then blew the head.

My wife has had the 3.1 in a grand am and then the 3.4 in a newer grand am, intakes done on both, when we finally ditched the 02' grand am it need the intake done again, 1.5 years later. Can't forget the mysterious over heating problems, or the fuel pump....

Mother in law has a lumina same thing...

Safe bet we will never own one of those engines again. Much less a Chevy I think if I recall the larger V8's 350 and what not also had intake manifold issues.

RUN AWAY from the 3.1... You'll likely be hearing nickles and dimes if you buy it.

just my .02