Thread: 02 Chevy Venture

The video sound isn't that great, but if you listen hard you can hear the strain on the motor/trans? Not sure what it is, but it is getting worse by the day. I need help diagnosing.

Can you elaborate a little more as to what we are listening for. What motor it is etc.

What's that tick? Why is your coolant gauge cold?

i found a vac line disconnected a week ago. It runs into the rear valve cover. I had to get to it by rocking the engine forward like our 3.8's. When i took the bolts out to do so the engine rocked backwards pretty far, but i didn't think anything of it. I got the vac line back where it needed to go and teh van seemed to run better. a couple of days later my wife said that it was running very rough so I took it for a spin. It sounds like there is a lot of stress on the motor or trans when I press on the gas especially going up hills. It hasn't lost any power though. last night i disconnected the vac line to see if it helped any and it did not and now it seems that the van is running rougher every day. i didn't run to rough at idle or coasting, but this morning is started running rough at idle. there are a few things wron with it that i know of, but i am stumped on this one. i was looking at her engine run compared to my 3.8 running and everything seemed ok.

It seems like there's stress on the engine
The engine has all it's power
I notice this going up hills.
I might have bashed something on the back of the motor against the firewall
My wife says it runs rough
The van has issues, that I haven't told you about, cause I keep secrets from the guys I ask to diagnose it for me.

I'm scratching my head here... because I wrote above what I thought you said.

What could I have bashed that would casue it to run rough? the plug wires on the back felt ok.

I trust my wife when she says it runs rough. She drives it every day and i don't.

The AC compressor? pulley is going bad because when the ac is on it makes all kinds of racket. i didn't think this would matter with the engine running roung if the AC is off.

I think there is a wheel bearing going bad too. i think that is everything i know. does this help you anymore?

That's getting there... I'm no van guy..they suck to work on.

Which motor...

3.4

They all have the same 3.4 engine that's in the Grand Am and Alero.

We have one, that's how I know.

just to avoid confusion, that isnt the 3.4 dohc, thats the 3400.

Sorry..I work on 3800's.. know nothing good about the 3400. Sorry..moving on.

thanks Bill

Any codes? Clogged cat? Lim gasket ever been changed?

newer engine. I can't get to the scanner until Friday. will the auto parts store be able to scan and tell me if there are any codes? not sure if LIm has been changed. why would the LIM cause it to run rough?

Lim gasket can cause vacuum leak. Auto parts store should be able to read codes.

maybe I will take it after work and get back to you if there are any codes

throwing no codes. will be taking it to my mechanic and spending money we don't have........................

Have you tuned it up since you've had it?

yep. I had the mechanic do it. New plugs and wires and fuel filter. I just hade the crank seal replaced becasue it was leaking oil pretty bad and had a motor mount replaced.

I'd give you advice if I had any. Truth is.. I know very little about that motor. I know it eats intake gaskets, head gaskets and the pushrods are likely to be different lenghs in exhaust vs intake.

Beyond that..I cringe at seeing one after doing LIM's on my dad's 3100 once. Hate that car. Hate those motors.