I disagree, even though I replaced my gasket at about 80k miles other than that it has been a great dependable nice riding car that is holding great with over 140k miles. My interior and body and paint is in excellent condition except for some door dings. Engine still nice and tight too.
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That would be quite characteristic of GM vehicles. They are notoriously good to drive for 200,000 miles with only routine oil changes, and care not to let them overheat. The body does hold up well on them. I do not think they produce junk at all. Your experience is not unique, but it's also not completely the norm either. Many of the 60 degree engines have required gaskets two or three times over their lives. Some of that may be due to gasket material, and some to other design issues.
That's pretty much the way it went Mike. For the first several years, both OEM and after market gaskets would fail after the repairs had been performed. With the evolution of the gaskets, this got better over time, but it took a very long time for really improved gaskets to hit the street. Today's gaskets are far better than what used to be available, but even at that, the after market gaskets are ahead of what GM offers, in terms of reliability. Using new bolts has improved the reliability of the repair also, pointing to movement issues between the parts, that can't simply be laid at the feet of the gaskets.
The shame of it all in my opinion, is that I believe all of the 3.X L engines are great engines, notwithstanding the gasket issues (and the plenum issues in the 3.8L). The 3.1L does suffer from piston slap on cold starts, and that's not comforting, but those engines seem to be quite unaffected by it. If GM had not been so much in denial about the gasket issues, and had tackled that issue head on, my opinions today would be much different.
That is part of the overall process, Aarcuda. Aluminum is not so well protected by this sort of technology. Corrosion of iron can lead to the formation of insoluble organic acid "soaps" that are slimy, shoeleather gunks. And it doesnt take much corrosion to set off this situation.
I dont know who else does. Apparently few to none, since other companies did not have the problems GM did, it seems. The lack of asbestos in those gaskets was claimed to be the main factor for their failure, but of course Ford and Chrysler would have been bound by the same laws. So, that is not the best excuse. The silicone beads are more likely the cause, whether it happens by product quality or installation or even mechanical design. I have opened "good", relatively low mileage, engines and have found those silicon prepped areas to be on the point of failure. I contacted the aftermarket gasket manufacturers about this several years ago, and Felpro did answer that they knew of the problem and were working on gaskets to solve it. I believe, in fact, they came out with the improved gaskets which mitigated the problem.
Whether this was planned obsolescence, bad engineering and materials selection, or just an unlucky star for GM, one expects better from any prime American company. Buy a Yugo, you get a Yugo.
GM has documentably a long history of allowing problems to continue in their line of cars. These are problems or defects they KNOW about, but choose not to do anything about. We have been over them before...You know what they are.
If he can prove that he had the repairs performed, then he would be the person who would be reimbursed, as I read the link. Maybe I am wrong.
But since that is a 1997 car, the time to failure would determine whether he got enough money back to worry with, if any at all.
When my 95 GP cracked the gasket, I thought it was toast. But my local mechanic said it might be able to salvage it. He repaired it, and run 3 oil changes in one day through it with flushing everything. (He used old oil except for the last.) The car was great when I got it back.
Anyway, I had asked him if it was worth it, mileage and all, and if the problem was something I should worry about again. He told me when he first started doing those repairs, they would repeat. Usually at less mileage each time. Then he started getting some aftermarket gasket that I thought he said had more and different metal, but I may be mistaken on that. Anyway, he said since he started using the aftermarket gasket, he hasn't had a single repair come back to be done again.
What color I the sky in you world? Ask any of the Toyota, Ford, Chrysler, VW and Honda etc. owners that had a gasket problems, for years after asbestos was banded, if they think GM was the only manufacturer to suffer losses, because the gasket manufacture failed to meet the vehicle manufacturers design specs for the gaskets they made for ALL of those afore mentioned vehicle manufactures.
You might want to ask the insurance companies, for those gasket manufactured, why they paid 80% of costs for those losses if it was a GM "bad gasket design" that was the fault L
OL
That's funny! You would most likely hate both Hyundai and Mitsubishi if you were buying the crap that they were both selling not too long ago as well LOL
Good point. The fact is most problems surface first among large cooperate and government fleet because the generally run up higher mileage in a much shorter time period. Large cooperate and government fleet receive much better service and things that can go wrong show up in those vehicles sooner.
Our fleet service business, that serviced thousands of fleet vehicles, was one of the first to discoverer problems with gaskets after asbestos was banded as well as one of the first to discover sludge accumulation it Toyota V6 engines that were serviced to Toyota standards. Our higher than average instances of warranty claims was noticed early on by the manufacturers
I just got informed by my dealer today that my 08 G5 GT is under recall for coolant leak. Is this the same thing you guys have been posting about?
For you I am sure it is.
Just imagine all those TENS OF MILLIONS of GM product out there on the road today, just waiting to implode.
Hell, all you Toyota guys that feel the need to come over to the GM group must be getting your rocks off big time.
Just checked my four Gm products in my driveway (don't need but two of them, the other two are for fun), and I feel the upmost confidence that thay will all do what they are supposed to do when I need (or want) them to do.
I think that the millions of GM products on the road today, and those which will be be sold tomorrow will be allright.
As far as the Toyota lovers go:
You guys are the freaking absolute KINGS, when it comes to recalls.
Get your own house in order first.
Stay in your own groups until then.
As I stated earlier, I have four "time bombs" in my driveway right now. Please pray for me in the event that I may need something reliable in the case of an emergency.
Of course, I guess it could be worse.
I could own a Toyota, the God-ordainded super, never failing, perfect automobile, that nowdays, consistantly recalls more vechicles than it sells.
But that is ok, as, what is the term that is used??? Oh, yeah, they do take care of their problems.
Get a grip!
Go back to your Toyota group; stop coming over here bashing the GM product, which is supeiror to the crap you produce, and looks a helluva lot better, to boot.
And while your at it, please,
Take a hike!
Stay in your own groups until then.
I dont believe you direct the traffic here, coachrose ;>)
Ah - more of Mike's irrelevant distractions. So Mike - how long did those gasket problems persist for Toyota, For, Chrysler, VW and Honda? It's no small wonder you stay stuck in the mode of repeating the same mantra over and over again - you really do fail to grasp the points being made by other posters.
It might be. Keep us informed about the recall as you follow up with your dealer. I will find it very encouraging if GM is handling this issue more appropriately than they did the intake gasket fiasco. It would certainly restore some confidence for me.
For you I am sure it is.
Just imagine all those TENS OF MILLIONS of GM product out there on the road today, just waiting to implode.
Hell, all you Toyota guys that feel the need to come over to the GM group must be getting your rocks off big time.
Just checked my four Gm products in my driveway (don't need but two of them, the other two are for fun), and I feel the upmost confidence that thay will all do what they are supposed to do when I need (or want) them to do.
I think that the millions of GM products on the road today, and those which will be be sold tomorrow will be allright.
As far as the Toyota lovers go:
You guys are the freaking absolute KINGS, when it comes to recalls.
Get your own house in order first.
Stay in your own groups until then.
As I stated earlier, I have four "time bombs" in my driveway right now. Please pray for me in the event that I may need something reliable in the case of an emergency.
Of course, I guess it could be worse.
I could own a Toyota, the God-ordainded super, never failing, perfect automobile, that nowdays, consistantly recalls more vechicles than it sells.
But that is ok, as, what is the term that is used??? Oh, yeah, they do take care of their problems.
Get a grip!
Go back to your Toyota group; stop coming over here bashing the GM product, which is supeiror to the crap you produce, and looks a helluva lot better, to boot.
And while your at it, please,
Take a hike!
Time to take your meds, coachrose. Are you related to Mike Hunt ?
Thus spaketh the Traffic Director.
Ok, maybe it's the cold meds talking, but I'm really confused by this settlement.
The site (and this article) say for repairs done within (x) many years of vehicle delivery, but it also says vehicles covered are 1995-2003. So, say I have a 96, just had repairs done last year, I'm SOL? If so, this isn't much of a settlement for those that still drive older vehicles yet only recently had the death-cool issue, not to mention when did (how long did) the "fixed" gaskets (take to) come to market?
Someone please clarify for me, thanks :)
-GV
If you took delivery in 96 and had repairs done in say, 99, you'd get a larger portion that your same 96 model after twelve years of use. Eventually, every part on that car will fail, it is just a matter of time, be it 12 months, 12 years, or 120 years. Don't expect to be covered forever. Dex cool aside, gaskets do fail from the constant heating and cooling of years of use.
Yes I will post back when I know more.
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