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View Full Version : My $2800 Marauder saga...



Yatchsman
02-19-2013, 10:24 PM
New to the forum, but not the panther platform, with a black 2003.

I own a used car dealership and have some keepers that has turned into a small collection. The only comparable car in my fleet is a 1994 Buick Roadmaster Estate woody wagon with the same LT1 as the Impala SS which the Marauder was often compared against. It has taken me to both coasts and I absolutely love it.

Whenever I travel and need a rental, I always opted for the CV or the GM. I occasionally get a few CV interceptors and they usually sell quickly before I can drive them much. Well, last week at the auction I finally came across one that I plan to fix up and keep.

The car was traded in at a local big franchise, and they initially tried to retail it. My guess is one of the managers used it as their demo as it had 300 more miles than what is said on their retail window sticker. Something mechanical went wrong, and it was looked at by one of their techs. The dealer rep at the auction said car has a head issue. It starts and runs fine, though misses a bit on a cold start-up and needs a little gas to start when warm. The check engine light is on for a cylinder 8 engine mis-fire at start up and mass airflow meter. It seems to run rich, with grey smoke out the back. The biggest issue is I drive the car spiritedly, the engine starts to overheat. When I drive it normally, it stays normal. Coolant level is normal and does not change. Oil is clean. No external leaks that I can see. I'm thinking it was misdiagnosed.

The gray smoke could have easily been confused as white. Tie that to the overheating and the mechanic could have just made the assumption. A bad MAF and needing a tune up could cause the smoke and the miss, but it doesn't explain why the car heats up when driven hard.

I'm curious if there's any common issues that I'm experiencing.

The strange thing is I had a mysterious phone call by someone trying to intimidate me out of the car. They said they were at the auction, saw me bidding and wanted to let me know it had a bad motor and I'd never make any money because a used one would cost $3000. He offered get me out of it because he had a motor ready to go in. He would not give me his name though I repeatedly asked for it. It was all a bunch of bull, and I quickly declined. Seems I have plenty of used motor options for around $1500.

The car currently has 147,000 miles. Cosmetically its in excellent condition with fresh rubber and all. I'm very happy with it, even though I have a bit of intrigue.

cj7chris
02-19-2013, 10:27 PM
Have you done a compression check? That should tell you what, if anything is going on with the cylinders.

RoyLPita
02-20-2013, 06:08 AM
Welcome aboard. Enjoy the site and your new ride.

BTW, get ahold of a boroscope and see if the piston is not broken off at the edge.

TFB
02-20-2013, 06:51 AM
Loose valve seat issues are common in # 7 & 8 cylinders... Usually there is some noise and don't remember anyone mentioning a overheat problem when this happens...

Curless
02-20-2013, 07:05 AM
Welcome to the site and the madness!!!!!!

martyo
02-20-2013, 07:31 AM
Let's see pictures of the Wagon!!!!!!!!!!!!

RacerX
02-20-2013, 07:34 AM
I know where you live...

MMcactusflower
02-20-2013, 07:45 AM
Welcome to our family...
I thought not too long ago about buying the Buick four-door sedan with the Impala SS motor in it (one was for sale locally a while back...but in pretty sad shape alas) and turning it into a dechromed, embleless, blackedout, stealth hipo rascal...and still might do something like that at some point.
Good to hear your wagon is still perking along.

DOOM
02-20-2013, 07:47 AM
:welcome: to the site.

Post up some pics! :D

cougar9150
02-20-2013, 08:08 AM
I would try burping the cooling system as air getting trapped after a coolant service is fairly common on these cars. I would post a link but am currently on my phone.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

fastblackmerc
02-20-2013, 08:24 AM
Yep, the cooling system needs to be burped. That will fix the running hot issue.

Here is a link to the how to.
http://www.reischeperformance.com/refill.html

8UWITH6
02-20-2013, 04:31 PM
Where in Kansas are you? I would be happy to help and run the service department in a local shop. Nice score btw.

8UWITH6
02-20-2013, 04:37 PM
Oh, and a bad MAF will cause lots of driveability issues but the overheating you need to figure out quickly. Let me know! :)

Yatchsman
02-20-2013, 07:01 PM
I live in Wichita. I wonder if the dealer flushed the coolant as part of the maintenance and didn't burp it properly. The coolant looks like new clean and at a perfect level, but if there's air in the system why would it only effect the car intermittently.

CBT
02-20-2013, 07:06 PM
I live in Wichita. I wonder if the dealer flushed the coolant as part of the maintenance and didn't burp it properly. The coolant looks like new clean and at a perfect level, but if there's air in the system why would it only effect the car intermittently.
I would burp the system, then go nutty with the MAF cleaner and Seafoam.

Yatchsman
02-20-2013, 08:13 PM
Here's a pic of my Roadmaster:

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/tylerh860/DSC01086.jpg

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/tylerh860/DSC01100.jpg

guspech750
02-20-2013, 08:17 PM
Love me some GM B bodies!!

UncleLar
02-20-2013, 08:43 PM
NICE!
I've always loved station wagons. When I was 17 and bought my first "Magic Bus",a 57 Pontiac Safari,for $125,since then I've had about 6 or 7 wagons,including a 58 Yeoman 2 dr wagon with a Chevy 301 and a 4 speed.That was a running son of a gun and it'd rev like there was no tomorrow.
I was looking for a clean Roadmaster wagon in 2000 and couldn't find one for decent $$$ so I bought an Expedition instead.I still wish I'd have found a good Roadmaster though.
I saw the sticker,are you a Marine?

Yatchsman
02-20-2013, 09:11 PM
The original owner of my Roadmaster was a Marine/ WWII vet. I left that sticker on there along with the NRA lifetime membership sticker. I never met him personally; he bought it new and I pried it from the cold dead hands of his estate some years ago.

Vortech347
02-21-2013, 11:09 AM
Someone really wants the car but won't give you a name? I'd start checking for hidden compartments or something onboard that shouldn't be. haha

Mr. Man
02-21-2013, 01:07 PM
Here's a pic of my Roadmaster:

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/tylerh860/DSC01086.jpg

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/tylerh860/DSC01100.jpgWow Kansas has changed. ;) Welcome aboard.

8UWITH6
02-21-2013, 07:00 PM
Looks like you got a good price on that car. I saw it for sale in Wichita when I was searching for a Marauder. Get her squared away and post some pictures!