GM V6 Engine Warning - True Sad Story (Long)

DL · 2003-08-08T15:33:23+00:00

Lesson Learned : Check engine for coolant leak if you own a 1996-2003 GMvehicle with either a 3.1L or 3.4L V6 engine. Your engine may self-destructwithout warning!!!I have a 1997 Venture with a dead 3.4L V6 engine (37,000 mi). Two weeksago, the engine abruptly died while vehicle is running. Prior to that,there was no sign that anything was wrong. No engine overheat, check enginelight, fluid on the ground etc., the only incidence was a lit "low coolantlight" and a re-fill with Dex-Cool. After a tow to the dealer, I wasinformed that I would need a new engine installed for $5200. The problemwas that coolant had leaked into the engine via the intake manifold gasket,which seized up the bearings causing the camshaft to break. I immediatelycontacted GM Customer Assistance, thinking that the mileage is too low tohave required engine replacement and coolant has started leaking long beforethe warranty end. After pleading for help and leaving many messages onun-returned phone calls, I was told a week later that GM CANNOT render anyhelp (even though the 4 yr/50000 mi warranty expired out of time but not ofmileage). The only and FINAL "help" came from the dealer dropping theprice to $4500.I shopped around, talking to local repair shops and did some research. Onerepair shop told me that they did 2-3 vehicles a week with this coolantproblem. Most had intake manifold replaced for hundreds of dollars, butquite a few had engine blow-ups just like me. If you look up this web site( and this ( youwill see the extent of the problem and not be surprised. This problem iswide spread for all GM cars and vans from 1996 to 2003 with the 3.1L or 3.4Lengine. The GM Technical Service Bulletin # 03-06-01-010(http://152.122.48.12/prepos/files/Artemis/Public/TSBs/2003/SB-10001282-8175.pdf) lists the vehicles affected. Because of the problem, currently 3640GM customers have signed a petition ) to recall theseengines, and the number of signiture is growing on an average of 10 a...

Aug 08, 2003 29 Replies

Rate this thread:

WHO?? 22 years ago

whats wrong with a diesel, i have a 1983 buick with a 5.7 liter diesel with

213,000 miles on it, just replaced the injection pump twice, nothing else has been touched, and i have owned it since new......

Vote

Tony V. 22 years ago

I think though what they are saying is that making something such as a

3.4L V6 (or any other originally designed gasoline engine) and trying to make a diesel out of it would probably be disastrous. I had a friend once that had an old Chevy Caprice that was diesel and it ALWAYS ran like complete crap. After researching we found it was originally gasoline. Although the engine was a different one, the computer wasn't. :) I'm quite sure yours is original. I like diesels for some purposes myself. But things that would drive me nuts is noise and smell. That's one of many reasons I hate those Dodge trucks with diesels. To me they are WAAAAAY too loud, even by Diesel standards. I heard one of the new Chevys, wasn't too bad. I was impressed.

Tony

Vote

Tony V. 22 years ago

One thing I overlooked in your post. Yours is a 5.7L. :) Which also comes in gasoline form.

Ooops.

Tony

Vote

Geoff Welsh 22 years ago

My Blazer's 4.3 V6 was once (historically) a 350 V8, I heard it took GM a little while to figure out the "balance shaft" needed to smooth-out a V-6 that was once a V-8 though. GW

Nick Trouns> God bless GM! They *can* actually build an engine with cylinders cut off

Vote

Neo 22 years ago

You're talking about the 3.8 V6, aren't you? AFAIK, the 4.3 V6 has a

60° block while the 3.8, as most V8s, has a 90° one.

What took a while to "figure out" was the crankshaft to make it even-fired. Oh, well, that's what it takes to be a pioneer.

As for the balance shaft, introduced in the '80s, IIRC, is indeed to smooth out vibrations inherent to such designs. FWIW, Audi announced as a major milestone the adoption of such balance shafts in its 90° V6 engines just 3 or 4 years ago. Hype is hype is hype... ;-)

Vote

Bonnevilles R Kewl 22 years ago

Yeah I think Briggs & Stratton makes the balance shafts.=20

The 4.3 v6 is a 90 deg motor as well. It is based off the 5.7 (350ci).=20 Basically the only reason 60 deg motors came about is because of compact=20 front wheel drive vehicles trying to make room. Theres no reason they=20 would of stuck a 60 deg motor in a blazer, the most common thing they=20 stuck them in.=20

Vote

Geoff Welsh 22 years ago

For several years both engines were options in the Blazer. I can't imagine how underpowered those 2.8s were. That's probably why they stopped the option. GW

B> The 4.3 v6 is a 90 deg motor as well. It is based off the 5.7 (350ci).

Vote

Joe 22 years ago

The Iron Duke, 2.5l was half a Pontiac 301. It wasn't the first time Pontiac took such a step. The 61 Tempests featured half a 389, and in that case the engine actually looked like it. It had a V-block with half the V sawed off.

Vote

Nick Trounson 22 years ago

I guess that'd be termed a 'slant four'? heh!

Nick.

"Self-destruct

Vote

Joe 22 years ago

Yes; wierdest looking engine I ever saw.

Vote

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required