Need to stop hitting submit and then getting another idea. I also want to piggyback on the death cool orange fluid. If left in the engine long enough it be comes acidic. 100,000 fluid change my a... and yes that random wrench in the video looks like the best option. Taking the entire manifold off makes the T/Stat 99% easier, but you add the fun of the intake manifold, gaskets and remembering the pushrod order to the mix. There is also the option of the crossover exhaust piece removal but there are gaskets to that as well.

 

I may be wrong, but I think the 1996 has the L82.

 

Looks like it is a L82. Next time I go to the J yard I will look at those cars with those 3.1 I posted to see what years they were.

 

According to wikipedia, the only 3.1 that was available for that gen was the L82. 1989-1993 had the 3.3, and 1994+ had the L82..

The one you posted was the LH0, and was found in:

• 1988–1991 Pontiac 6000
  
• 1990 Chevrolet Celebrity
  
• mid 1989–1993 Pontiac Grand Prix
  
• mid 1989–mid 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
  
• mid 1989–1993 Buick Regal
  
• 1990–1993 Chevrolet Beretta
  
• 1990–1994 Chevrolet Lumina
  
• 1990–1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  
• 1991–1994 Pontiac Sunbird
  

 

Yeah same article. Another link suggest it had a different 3.1 engine as well as the 2.8 as an option. I trust the wiki more(lol) cause I used that to seek 3400 parts.

 

My engine reads: 3100 SF1 V/6. Can I use a multitester (multimeter) to check the connections on the sending unit to use if that is the problem? And if so, what do I connect? Ed

 

I was never good @ electric trouble shooting.

 

Yes, changing a thermostat is a hassle. Maybe when it gets warmer in the Spring, I'll take a go at it. Repair shops want a bundle to do the job. Oh how I long for days gone by, when it was so simple to a job like that.

I like my 96 Century, it rides nice, good mileage, good reliabilty repair record. Why those engineers designed such an engine to make simple maintenance jobs difficult is beyond me. Ed

 

Hi Guys, Happy Thanksgiving !
Before I learned why some things were done the way they were I too had bad things to say about what some engineers did. But, I learned it's not always their fault. The "defect" in the manufacturing lies in the "bean counter dept". When an engineer submits a plan , the bean counter says we can save 2 cents here and 3 cents there so how it gets fixed when it leaves here is not our concern cut this , cut that it will save us 50 cents per vehicle. Multiply that times the number of vehicles produced and the bean counter gets to keep his job. Don't forget there are some engineers that like to repair their own vehicles and they know darn well it's wrong, but there isn't much they can do about it. I had the opportunity to take classes through the local GM plant and watch the dash assembled from the inside out. Pretty easy, but don't try to get at anything from the the passenger compartment side. Time to get off my soapbox.

 

Yeah the resistors in the gauges and the sway bars were blatant disregard. If you ever get a chance, grab the rear sway and shake it.

How often was coolant changed? I still say it could be scale build up on the sensor. If the car isn't overheating and sending engine stays cold too long pending codes it could wait.