All GM-V engines look!

[Matt Attallah]

Haha - here is your complementary blown lower intake gasket! Both coolant passage gaskets are gone - and the lady kept on just adding coolant. She thought it was "normal."

Every GM V-style engine does this. My 1989 3.1 did it and this is from a 2000 3.4 Venture with only 60,xxx miles on it. Please - I urge you - if you have to add coolant/notice the coolant is getting low find out where it's leaking ASAP!! This engine WILL have to be replaced now due to the coolant mixing with the oil.

Happy driving...

[greencactus3]

ew.....

[Jay H 237]

That oil turned into a nice froth! Even if they just replaced the gaskets and changed the oil and flushed the cooling system that motors on borrowed time.

It's also very possible to hydro lock the engine if that got into the cylinders.

Last year 2 of our 3 Saturns (a 2000 SW2 with about 70k, and a 2002 SC2 with 40k) needed the intake gaskets replaced. We noticed every month we had to add coolant to them. The low coolant light would come on at several occasions.

[sanddrag]

Makes me proud to drive a Ford

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Matt,
It would be cool to see some of the bearing surfaces if you get a chance to tear down. Camshaft and crank.
Thanks.

[Elgin Clock]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Makes me proud to drive a Ford

Everything but the electrical problem inclined Focus eh? lol

As for the picture: intake gasket? Is that the head gasket?


Man.. I should really know more about cars at this stage in my life than I do, I have been around them for so long.

[Jay H 237]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

As for the picture: intake gasket? Is that the head gasket?


Man.. I should really know more about cars at this stage in my life than I do, I have been around them for so long.

If the head gasket was removed, which would mean the heads were also removed, then the cylinders and pistons would be visible.

With only the intake removed the push rods (top of photo) and rocker arms (bottom of photo) are visible. Also the intake passages (3 passages at top of photo) plus water passages (antifreeze visible) and oil return holes are showing.

and Matt, don't forget to retrieve your needle nose pliers from the motor!

[Alex Cormier]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Makes me proud to drive a Ford

could also happen to a ford, well everyting does usually happen to fords anyway.

[greencactus3]

Originally Posted by Alex Cormier

could also happen to a ford, well everyting does usually happen to fords anyway.

^^HAHA^^ my gm is runnign strong with 187k miles on it

[team222badbrad]

How often did she add coolant, daily, weekly, or monthly?

Just curious, also how much coolant should be lost over time in a car?

[Al Skierkiewicz]

If you need to add fluids anytime you should find out where they went. In this case a quick check of the dipstick would have shown the color of the muck on top of the engine and it would have smelled like anti-freeze. Losing a few ounces over several months or year is not a lot. Over a couple of weeks is huge. Blown head gaskets manifest themselves in many ways, this is only one.

[Matt Attallah]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

Matt,
It would be cool to see some of the bearing surfaces if you get a chance to tear down. Camshaft and crank.
Thanks.

I'd be dieing for a teardown also - but they just wanted to put in the intake gaskets and see what happens - and that got done - but guess what...

Due to Aluminum heads - ya' got a nicely warped head AND blown head gaskets (Due to overheating) The lady just wanted to save some $$ and not throw an engine at it - but we strongly recommend a Jasper engine or (lesser peferred) and good Junk Yard engine. She wants us to do the head gaskets now...so everything that I did has to come apart. Sometimes people love to beat around the bush...

When we replace the head gaskets - and it still isn't running right - than we will not to anymore work until she gets an engine - than i'll tear it down. I also really-really want to see the bearings too!!

(BTW - when was all said and done for the intake gaskets and started it - it had a nice knocking sound...and she still won't pay for an engine. She wants to put an engine in as a 'last resort.' Hey - fine by me, I still get paid how ever she wants... )

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by Matt Attallah

(BTW - when was all said and done for the intake gaskets and started it - it had a nice knocking sound...and she still won't pay for an engine. She wants to put an engine in as a 'last resort.' Hey - fine by me, I still get paid how ever she wants... )

Knocking doesn't go away with a wish does it?!? What's it sound like to you, a cashed rod bearing or an oil pump?

[kio_chan176]

my god, that is disgusting.

[Cuog]

glad i dont have that problem in my Trans Am, I havent lost a drop of coolant since i soldered the small hole in my radiator.