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2001 Malibu intake gasket replacment

It's my son's car, 3.1L, under 40K miles, got it from Grandma about 3 years ago, light usage before and since. Slight leak at first, gradually getting worse.

I've googled the problem, seems to be fairly common. From what I've been able to determine so far by looking at where the coolant is appearing, I'm assuming it's the intake manifold gasket issue so many have had. So far, it's still an external leak, I'd like to fix it before it becomes internal.

My question is:

Anyone here done the replacement themselves? I'm dropping my wife's 04 Malibu off at the dealer tomorrow for another issue with that one, I've asked my service rep to put together a parts list of the things I'll need. He said there are some updated parts, obviously the gasket, some bolts/screws and sealant.

Any tips, advice, "watch out for", recommended sequence etc? And before you ask, no I do not have the service manual...

I'm a fairly accomplished (shade tree) mechanic but I really hate working on a tranverse mounted V6 in a tiny engine compartment. Yeah, I know, "cry me a river".

Please reply here and/or use the email address below:

djones LSidaho com

Thanks!

David

Reply to
IdaSpode
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Reply to
Shep

I just did this on a 1999 Lumina with the 3.1. Had no problems. Use a good Torque wrench to correctly tighten the intake bolts. So far so good for us.

We got a head gasket kit from AutoZone for about 65. Had to add Valve Cover, Throttle Boddy (optional can be left on upper intake.), EGR gaskets,

Good luck.

Robert Wynko> Buiggest issue here is to keep the different length pushrods in order.

Reply to
Robert Wynkoop

You were quite fortunate then Scott. Generally the gasket decays and torquing will be ineffective.

Reply to
Mike Marlow

When my '93 showed leakage I just re-torqued the bolts. No problems since and a lot less work.

Reply to
Scott Buchanan

Actually, retorqueing helped me get quite a few months more out of mine - at least it stopped pouring coolant out, and changed it to a slow leak. But now it's time to break down and change the gasket. Torqueing only postpones the inevitable.

- Larry A.

Reply to
Larry A.

What needs to be understood is that reducing these leaks to slow leaks is not as beneficial as people may think, simply because it appears to make the problem *look*smaller. You are still leaking coolant both internally and externally and with every day of leaking you are adding to the possibility of bearing damage. When you take your manifold off you will see that the gaskets are disintegrated and that though you may have seen less signs of leakage externally, you were still experiencing leakage that retorquing could not stop. Yeah - maybe less, but damaging all the same.

Reply to
Mike Marlow

BIG Snip

Oil analysis will tell the tale of letting it go or ''retorqueing'' to slow the leak. That's why you see 'em sitting behind dealers shops with no plates and great looking bodies. The mains/rod bearings got hosed by coolant in the oil.

Reply to
Repairman

My perspective on this is that once I knew I had had a leak, I would never feel right about taking the car on trip of any distance without having repaired it as well as I could (or could afford).

While an oil analysis can tell you if you are getting coolant in the oil, it wouldnt help my feelings at all to pee away money on the analysis, when I could have applied it to a proper repair.

I understand that some people cant afford to get their cars repaired properly, and I am sorry for that, but as long as I CAN, I will not expose my wife to a potential road breakdown.

I recently had a road breakdown, but it was an item that could not have been predicted, and we managed just fine.

Reply to
hls

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