95 at the end of her rope... :(

You really can't properly clean the injectors unless you have a bench flow meter. Best way is to send them out to someone like Mr. Injector for flow test and cleaning. They provide before/after flow data and also replace the rubber o-rings for each. Well worth the $100, imo.

For the coolant, the gunk is probably more a result of oil getting into your cooling system. Mixing the different coolants really isn't the cause of sludge like some say (at least that's my understanding). Whatever the case, yours is dirty and needs to be changed out. I would drain and replace with a 50/50 mix of distilled water and your coolant of choice, probably use green stuff since the Fel-Pro gaskets are not aluminum. Then after a few miles I would drain it again and replace with fresh. There's going to be some residue in there the 2nd time around. This is easier to do in the summertime since you can use 100% distilled water for a few quick flushes, then put in the antifreeze.

That radiator is nasty. As well as the reservoir. I would ask would I be better off to buy the flushing chems, flush it once, and refill, or just draining the coolant and replacing it a few times over the next couple of months? Do you think clean 50/50 would do the trick and it would work itself out? Especially if it is oil in there, I would think some kind of solvent would be needed to break it loose. I was told the flushing chems only cost around $10.

Of course either way there are several radiator drains and fills in my future. Haha

I guess my issue is : I'd like to get all that crap out of my cooling system asap but at the same time, I don't want to put some chemical in there that doesn't belong and have it cause rust or ruin my water pump. There's also the fact that if I break all that gunk loose at once I could cause all sorts of issues associated with a clogged cooling system.

I guess I'll just drain and replace with clean 50/50 a couple of times and see if it works itself out of there that way. If I don't see improvement within a week or so I'll have to look for an alternative.

Or you could have a radiator and water pump ready, use the chemical cleaners, then replace these parts. There's probably no way you'll ever get all that gunk out of the old radiator, and I agree about your concern with the water pump when chemicals are introduced.

Just a trick we used on heavy truck systems that worked quite well. Dishwasher detergent run through the system with water for a few hours then flushed well. Got almost all the crap out with no ill effects. I can't say how it would work on a car but they are not that different.

My biggest concern would be opening up potential leaks in the system, and stressing the water pump to a point of failure. Your idea might work, just be prepared in case the radiator starts to leak, or the pump goes. Not kidding, less than 24 hrs after I changed the radiator and put fresh coolant in the system, the water pump failed. Luckily I had one on hand and fixed it on the spot.

Noted. I'm not going to put anything but 50/50 in it to try and flush it for now. Once I get at the least a spare water pump on hand maybe I'll try and flush it out with something else.

Thanks guys.

What do you think caused the extra stress on the pump in your case, Aaron? Are you saying the better flow could stress a pump that is used to a gunked up system? I understand what you mean about opening potential leaks though.

Sorry I didn't update you guys sooner. Got the LIM job done including injector orings, oil change, coolant flush etc etc and she's still not running well. No change at all actually. I'm afraid I'm going to have to part ways with the ole riv. It was my way to work and back so I'll be on the hunt for a replacement. Wish me luck.

I am idly wondering if your running problem is electrical, an issue with the ignition module, the wiring to that module, or the big connector at the firewall (prone to having conductors break inside the insulation).

Hmmm... Would a simple visual inspection tell me or would it involve replacing parts in order to tell?

I would get all the grounds checked and have someone trustworthy run some diagnostics on her. I know the feeling of wanting to bail but stick it out! Rivieras are well worth the investment.

Haha. I appreciate the encouragement. One thing I didn't mention. When I bought the car it was over-filled with oil a little over a quart. Could that have possibly damaged the head gaskets slightly and they're just now failing on me? Its been over 2 years since but I've heard of over-filling causing some gaskets and seals to fail.

Also, only misfires while in drive. I forgot that impeccable detail. I can rev it all day long in neutral with no issues... :/

A miss under load would make me suspect wires and plugs. Try misting the wires at night with someone you trust gently power braking it and look for arcing wires.

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What do you think caused the extra stress on the pump in your case, Aaron? Are you saying the better flow could stress a pump that is used to a gunked up system? I understand what you mean about opening potential leaks though.

I don't know for certain, but fact is, the OEM water pump, which lasted 236k miles, gave out about one day after I changed only the radiator, coolant hoses, and fresh coolant. That has to be one of the biggest coincidences I've ever experienced.

Read more about it here: https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t7317p30-write-up-radiator-replacement

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Got the LIM job done including injector orings, oil change, coolant flush etc etc and she's still not running well. No change at all actually.

Just so we understand, you are still seeing the white smoke and massive coolant consumption described in your first post? If so, you could be right about the head gasket. The misfire issue is new, and could be completely unrelated. Ignition wires for example can cause this.

That is correct, Aaron. No worries anymore. I bailed on her guys. Sold it for $1000 which is amazing if you wouldve seen the body. And man oh man, you shouldve seen the cloud of smoke when that guy peeled out of here. You couldn't even see the rear end of car... O.o

Edit : I just need a new DD. Don't have the time or $ to keep messing with it. Got a good price so I took the cash and ran. Twas a sad day, and I will miss the ole Riv. We had a good run.

By the way, the plugs were fouled and covered in oil. Which means oil is getting into the combustion chamber. Yet another sign of a bad head gasket, no?

Got a steal on a new ride this morning. '89 toyota pickup, 2.4L, 4 speed manual, 118k miles, with a solid frame for $500! O.o Rusty but trusty! I'm pumped!

Thanks again for everything guys. Sucks I had to bail on her but it seems to have been for the best.

Cheers

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By the way, the plugs were fouled and covered in oil. Which means oil is getting into the combustion chamber. Yet another sign of a bad head gasket, no?

Possibly the head gasket, but no way to be sure without further testing. I had deposits on 2 of my back plugs from a bad LIM gasket, confirmed by oil analysis. If you didn't change the plugs after running with the bad LIM gasket, they were probably still fouled from before. If you did change them, could be a few things. Rings, valve guides, incorrect plugs, even an ignition issue can cause fouling. You mentioned hesitation.

The guy you sold it to knows what isn't causing the smoke, so he's probably going to do a compression test, then fix the issue some Sat afternoon. Or, he'll get lucky and find a simple fix like plugs & wires. Maybe he has a 3800 sitting at home ready ready to drop in!

Congrats on the truck. Should run a pretty long time.