Head gasket, 97 malibu

I'll assume your Malibu is a V6. If it's an L4, disregard this.

The bad news is, sounds likely the shop mis-diagnosed you problem and replaced the lower intake manifold (not head) gaskets. This is a very common failure with these engines, so somebody may have jumped to a conclusion about your problem.

The good news is, those gaskets were almost certainly going to fail at some point anyway, so you could call all that money spent 'preventative maintenance'.

If the shop claims the frost plug failure was 'co-incidental' with the gaskets, well that's up there with the tooth fairy tale & the finger in chili story.

Up to you what to do about it.

Regards, Al.

I would dispute the charge with you card Co. sit down and talk to the SM. I"ve never seen a head gasket leave a "large " puddle under a car, tell him you feel they need to prove to you the problem was not that to begin with, plus the intake gaskets were usually the problem, this all applies to the

Not all engines are the same. What engine is in your car?

"user" wrote: > Henker wrote: > > > > Dear all, > > > > Last Monday, we noticed a big puddle of fluid or oil under > our 97 > > Malibu. > > After investigation I noticed that the coolant resevoir was > empty. > > The dealer told us to get it towed to the shop. After 40 > minutes they > > allready called me and informed me that the head gasket was > blown and > > that this needed replacement. Anyway, many expensive dollars > later, I > > could pick it up. That night when I picked it up I noticed > some fluid > > under the car. Presuming they cleaned the engine I did not > worry > > about, untill today. Another huge puddle of fluid under the > car as > > well as the coolant light that came on. > > Towed back to the shop and there they now told me that the > "frost > > plug" had come out. > > Can anyone give me an indication if a headgasket does show > exactly the > > same problem as a broken frost plug? > > Thanks for your help > > Henk > > Not all engines are the same. > What engine is in your car?

Dear all,

Thanks for all your responses. Whenk I received the car back on Saturday, i happen to run into the tech that did the 2nd repair. He showed me that he replaced a hose, not a frost plug. Well I will have a talk with the SM and see what he can tell me. I?m afraid that it will be very or impossible to prove that they made a wrong diagnoses. By the way, it is a 6 cyl.

Thanks again

Correction, two bad diagnoses and I would make that clear. This hose is obviously very bad if you are leaving puddles. How could they change the gasket, fill the fluid, let it come up to temp, test drive it and check for leaks and miss a hose that leaves puddles? They could most likely hear the pressure escaping.

Whatever your outcome, I wouldn?t take my car back to them unless they get rid of that initial mechanic. Yours can?t be his first botch job. It?s one thing to pay dealership prices, it?s another to pay dealership prices for this level of service.