Looks like the old dependable Bonny is going to be out of commission for awhile. It all started a couple of months ago when I noticed the engine was running at dangerously high temperatures while driving up I-77. Turns out the radiator was almost completely dry- not a good thing at all. So I replaced the antifreeze, but I noticed that the car was using up an inordinate amount of the stuff. Refilling the coolant in your engine every other week or so can get expensive, trust me. Dad and I tried to find an external leak, with no luck. Eventually we did some research, took it to a shop, and decided to take apart the engine ourselves to diagnose the problem.
Apparently, the EGR valve melted/damaged the the upper plenum and gasket, causing coolant to rush into the intake manifold. Which if left unchecked will flood the engine's cylinders with liquid, causing them to lock up. Which is not good. At a minimum we'll need to replace the manifold assembly, which has been estimated in the hundreds of dollars. Not good when I don't have a real job and am basically losing money every month. At least we will save some dough on labor by doing it ourselves. Until then, I'll be driving the parent's cars, which isn't that bad at all I suppose.