1998 Pontiac 3400 V6 anti freeze in cylinder *PROBLEM*

The dealer tells me I have antifreeze in the #2 cylinder and I need a new motor! After searching many websites it seems that the upper and lower manifold gaskets should be replaced to fix the problem. The motor still runs, not too smoothly, but starts and runs and can be driven. I can supply few details as the dealer only removed the #2 sparkplug to determine "I need a new motor!" Any suggestions?

Reply to
bubbad
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The manifold issue will cause coolant in the crankcase, not in the cylinder. I don't know what they've seen, so I cannot tell you whether their diagnosis is correct, but so far I find it believable.

Reply to
hyundaitech

I would agree with "hyundaitech". From your description, the problem is either head gasket, or possibly some sort of crack in the cylinder. The intake gasket issue cannot allow coolant into the cylinders.

I think that I would want the engine torn down before the decision to put a new motor in is made. Having said that, often, once you get that far, you are pretty much over a barrel. It's hard to back out once you have spent

6 hrs of labour taking the engine apart.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_Kai

I'm no expert on Pontiac intake gasket issues, but the one failure I do have personal experience with certainly did allow coolant into the cylinders. The plastic upper intake developed cracks (the manifold itself, not the gasket) near the coolant passages which circulate through the throttle body. This allowed coolant to be sucked through the throttle body and into the intake/cylinders. Engine in question was a 3800 Series II. The leak was bad enough to prevent the engine from running.

Steve

Reply to
SSTEIN2

Completely different engine. Kind of like comparing oranges and pears.

Reply to
=?x-user-defined?Q?=AB?= Paul =?x-user-defined?Q?=BB?=

There is no resemblance between the 3400 and the 3800 engines.

Reply to
Neil Nelson

Yes, this is a big problem with the 3800 GENII engines. It is quite a different engine from the 3100/3400 engines.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_Kai

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