Need advice on head gasket

**loopy smurf** · 10-14-2013

Maybe it's a mystical genie living in the engine, and he gets dusty when the engine is off, and the dust is white. The longer the engine sits without running, the dustier the mystical engine genie gets. The engine starts, and this white dust blows of the genie and through the tailpipes...rev the engine really hard, and it will suck the mystical engine genie into one of the cylinders and the piston will crush him and he will get blown up...problem solved.

Don't know where they came from, but those mushrooms at dinner were AWESOME!

**firstgtp** · 10-14-2013

Yea I am definitely going to do the lim gaskets when I have some money I am currently broke and for the genie I am going to say that is probably false but then again there is something magical about grand prix's jk lol

**BillBoost37** · 10-15-2013

Ok, I'll expand my theory.

IF there's coolant loss.. see part 1 of theory.
Since it's getting cooler in most of the country and condensation happens in mufflers. See normal situation. That's part 2.

**firstgtp** · 10-16-2013

Ok so U thought I was in the clear well I was wrong do you know where this coolant could be coming from I tried cleaning it today and its back as well as my coolant keeps running low

**firstgtp** · 10-16-2013

I meant I thought I was in the clear

**firstgtp** · 10-16-2013

http://s1338.photobucket.com/user/fi...?sort=3&page=1

**02NavyBlue** · 10-16-2013

You just changed the elbows right? Pooling in the intake manifold area is a classic LIM gasket failure. Happens to nearly every 3800 by 100k, many by 80K. Some get lucky somehow though, must have put the miles on quickly.

**firstgtp** · 10-16-2013

Now is the lower in manifold gasket hard to change and will this do anything bad internally?

**firstgtp** · 10-16-2013

And yes I just changed the elbows

**02NavyBlue** · 10-16-2013

I've never changed LIM gaskets (mine came with the metal gaskets from previous owner). Almost everyone on here it seems has, so they'd know. The supercharger and lower intake has to come off, as well as anything in the way like wiring harnesses and the fuel rail. And there are a few things you have to know, like putting RTV in the corners of the gaskets, and using thread sealant on the bolts. I think there's a write up somewhere.

And no, changing gaskets will not do anything bad. Leaving them leaking will, you will lose coolant.

**firstgtp** · 10-16-2013

Ok thanks, I'm just starting to worry I love this car but everytime I do something it bites me in the ass I went and looked at a jeep grand cherokee overland as a trade but it had higher miles and I know that 4.7 will kill me on gas my question is are the lim gaskets a big deal and also is there anything else that could cause that kind of pooling of coolant, because I swear I am going to replace the lim gaskets and then find out it was like a hose jk but just exploring every possibility

**02NavyBlue** · 10-16-2013

No the intake gaskets are very common to go bad, and that's really the only way coolant would get in that spot. And yes, it's a big deal. Our N/A 3800 impala has pooling in the same spot, it's got to be done eventually. It's not burning anything though, just leaking externally.

**BillBoost37** · 10-17-2013

Pooling on the LIM is not a sign of a gasket failure. It's a sign of the sealant on the LIM bolts failing. Coolant is under pressure and pushes up the bolt threads onto the LIM. It's a nusance not an item to really fear, unless it's pooling fast. Seeping is very normal. Once you do the job and have fresh sealant on freshly cleaned bolts.. it'll be clean for a long time.

**02NavyBlue** · 10-17-2013

Bolt hole leaks don't cause it to be burned though. And he did say that smoke was "pouring" out from under the hood. I wouldn't remove all the bolts and re-seal, just replace the gasket and the thread sealant is part of the job since you did mention it is not a little leak.

**firstgtp** · 10-17-2013

What is thread sealant and also I need help with the decision all my friends told me dump the car asap and run because all these problems but I just need some people who actually know these cars will this be the last of my problems for the most part or should I replace the gasket in that case do u guys believe it has a lot of life left in it, I thought the 3.8's were bulletproof lets also remember my friends are really car people or no much about cars is there anyone on here with higher miles and what kind of problems have you had, all my friends said get an f150 because they are reliable but as stated before I love this car and I am just starting to have doubts and need some assurance

**dsmuts** · 10-17-2013

f150's aren't that reliable unless you like blowing spark plugs out of the block. Your grand prix will be super reliable once you get past this one little hiccup.

**primem** · 10-17-2013

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

Once you do the job and have fresh sealant on freshly cleaned bolts.. it'll be clean for a long time.

I'm about to replace the lim gaskets on my 04gtp. So the intake bolt holes are opened to coolant flow? Reason I ask it that my service information says to use threadlocker. If its open to coolant I'll use sealant. Do you recommend the liquid white pipe sealant or gm engine sealant...the gray rtv. thanks

**tms8582** · 10-17-2013

Dude how many people on here have told you the intake manifold gaskets on these 3800's go bad around 70 to 80k? Get the lim gasket fixed and join just about all the rest of us with high mileage 3800's with aftermarket lim gaskets. Every 10 year old car will have something that needs replacing. If you want zero problems lease or buy a brand new car... Even then you will probably need warranty work done in the first three years. Sh#t happens.

**dsmuts** · 10-17-2013

I've replaced stock lim gaskets as late as 260K miles.

**Scottydoggs** · 10-17-2013

my car had 225,000 when i did the lim gaskets, the lim bolts were all hidden by black fluid. the one by the egr on the end that had no well to pool up in looked like it was crying when the car was hot.