3.8 Head gasket leaks

You might want to figure out whether it is simply leaking oil, leaking coolant, or leaking the coolant into the oil, or leaking the oil into the coolant.

If you are concerned about the possible oil in the coolant, then it can be tested. Using a turkey baster or coolant tester, you get an ounce of dark coolant scum out of the reservoir tank. Rinse that in water, and all of the coolant should rinse out. Then for the residual scum, dry it on a piece of filter paper and then rinse it in denatured alcohol. If it is an oil scum, then it will dissolve in the alcohol. If it is something else, like something related to the coolant, it probably will not dissolve. The oil scum dissolving is what you hope you don't see.

---Bob Gross---

There is no head gasket recall on the 3800 engines that I'm aware of. We certainly don't have any problems with them....can't remember the last 3800 head gasket that was replaced for leaking on any kind.

Ian