Possible Bad LIM gasket?

[tgarison]

Hey Forum,

We just had our first freeze of the year in Texas and I went out to start my GPGT and when I did the Low Coolant light turned on and would not go out so i just added some coolant to it. Well now it's done that every time i've started it with the engine "cold", so I checked all around the engine and there is wetness all around the outer lower edge of the LIM. I'm thinking the plastic LIM gaskets are failing. And to save you all the trouble of asking I checked and the coolant is not mixing with the oil surprisingly enough. Also my engine temp gauge isn't reading the same as what the computer is seeing the computer for example is seeing 205 degrees and the gauge is showing 170. Any thoughts?

[machinegunsquid]

Well, if it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, and feels like a duck, it's prolly a duck.

If you can see and feel the coolant leaking, then yes, there's a leak. Make sure to upgrade with the aluminum gaskets too, dont get more of the plastic ones (even tho they are cheaper)

As for the difference in temps, it might be because there is air getting into the system via the coolant leaking out, creating pockets. Or the temp sensor could be going bad.

Dont wait until the gasket gives way, go ahead and replace it asap.

[FordMan77]

I agree. Time for some LIM gaskets, injector orings some bleeding of the cooling system FTW!

[tgarison]

Will do,

I also just noticed today right after i started it for the first time there seems to be coolant getting into the cylinders I know that HG's blowing are very rare, could that be caused by the LIM gaskets crapping out? Also I heard the UIM manifolds ain't much good after you take them off due to cracking issues will the UIM from a L26 fit on my L36 engine with or without some minor adjustments?

Thanks in advance,
Tgarsion

[tgarison]

Well I thought I would give you all an update I have ordered the parts from rockauto.com they will be here in 2 day's, anyway I noticed when the weather warms up outside say above 40 degrees for a high the leak seems to go away without me touching it. Also when it does leak coolant I noticed a sweet smell coming from the exhaust like coolant was getting in the cylinders I am wondering if a LIM gasket can cause that? I have heard the head gaskets are pretty much bullet proof so i don't think that's the culprit. Any thoughts?

[BillBoost37]

I'm going to rebutt the quackers and agree with you. The UIM doesn't magically go bad on the L36, but what happens is when you remove the TB, there's a tube coming up in a hole in the manifold. Taht's the EGR tube. It heats that area in the UIM and over many heat cycles it'll crack the UIM. Well there's a coolant jacket on the other side of that plastic and it'll leak into the LIM and fill it. In the meantime, you'll burn some coolant. Well...when that crack lets go and coolant pours into the motor, you'll hydrolock.

It's a good idea to change the UIM when you do the LIM. It's also a good idea to block the coolant passages going into the UIM for the future. That way this can never happen again. See the How to on modding a LIM.

[tgarison]

Thanks BillBoost,

Well the parts finally came in and i got to work putting it back together with the new parts i got to the UIM and it had a metal sleeve around where the EGR tube enters the UIM makeing it almost impossible to get on i ended up having to use a hammer to get it to sit on there right, well when i was tightening all the bolts in sequence i apparently got one bolt a little to tight and it cracked my brand new UIM that really ticked me off and i started to take the bolts back out to install the old UIM but when i got the new UIM off the EGR tube came out with it! My question is can i just reinstall it without that EGR tube going into the UIM?

Thanks for any info you can give me,
Tgarison

[TheOtherNick]

You need to take your old egr tube out of the lim and install the new one that the plenum comes with. Sounds like you pouned the new one over the old one.

[cornflake]

You need to take your old egr tube out of the lim and install the new one that the plenum comes with. Sounds like you pouned the new one over the old one.

This. You will notice the newer egr tubes are designed to be thinner and thus farther away from the plastic of the UI in order to avoid the warping that the old design caused.

[tgarison]

Hey all,

Well i finally got it all put back together and running right, thanks for all your collective help.