Five problems related to gas recirculation valve (egr valve) have been reported for the 1998 Oldsmobile 88. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
Engine using coolant but no evident leak. After a week of adding a little coolant to reservoir engine ran hot and hydro-locked due to cylinders flooded with coolant. Discovered plastic intake manifold had hole in it where the egr tube entered plastic manifold allowing coolant to flood intake. This engine had 84k miles. Also discovered intake gaskets were replaced at 45k miles by dealer. Definitely an engineering defect.
Consumer smelled anti freeze fumes outside of the vehicle, leaking on the plastic intake manifold. Dealership will be notified. The egr piping degraded and caused water to leak into the intake manifold.
Transmission: upper plate gasket went, causing gear slippage at high speeds which gradually became worse in the lower gears. Transmission replaced under warrenty. Transmission was replaced with a rebuilt unit which is now exhibiting much of the same slippage at high speeds (only minorly at the moment) @ 156,000km. Engine: first engine had the egr/exhaust design defect that causes the intake manifold to melt and coolant to poor into the engine. Report from the shop was that entire bottom end was destroyed by the coolant, and a full new engine had to be ordered (complete with accessories, etc. ). The new engine's idler for the serpentine had the bearing cease, knocking the belt off. Since the waterpump was belt driven, the engine overheated. The car was left to idle in the parking lot for a total time of ~ 5-15min. (the temperature out was somewhere around -40c / -40f. ). Brakes: perhaps cronically undersized for this vehicle, rotors have warped like clockwork every 30,000km. They are currently warped approaching 160,000km and will need to be replaced --- again --- shortly. This is not a car that see's much heavy use. Groceries on weekends, ~ 15-20km max. Total daily trip during workdays. It has yet to accomplish an extended road trip (I. E. , north bay -> ottawa or north bay -> toronto, 4 hours (~400km) and 3 hours (~300km) respectively) without the 'check engine' light being lit. Additional recollection: front fog lights constantly filling with condensation as well, have been replaced 4-5 times while under warrenty. No solution was found and now they're just not used.
I purchased vehicle used Mar. 1,2002. At 51000miles ibegan to have a leaking antifreeze problem (of dexcool) and I had waterpump replaced and then coolant thermostatabout aweek later for leaking. . At about 53500 miles,presently,on about Jan. 10,2003. I quit relieing on driving the 98 olds 88 and now this vehicle is at wally mccarthy's service.
While driving, there was an awfull smell inside of the vehicle. Vehicle started to overheat. Mechanic said plastic intake manifold had a hole in it, and was leaking anti-freeze from radiator. Plastic intake manifold had to be replaced. Consumer states that the whole in the plenum was caused by a faulty egr valve, per machanic and gm rep. (car was going to burst into flames)-please see reverse side. Consumer feels that this is a major safety hazard and life threatening, and is greatful for not being harmed, but wants this problem resolved so that people who own these vehicles, wont be in danger. Consumer also feels that, shouldn't there be metal plenums instead of plastic.