INTAKE GASKET MAIN PAGE, PLEASE POST Q'S&A'S HERE!

[Patrick8475]

Thank you so much for the advice, it is helping me so much. I pressed down on the inside of the lifter, and it is definatley not popping back.

[Landrew109]

Hi,


1st post here.


I noticed on a routine check of the Van when waxing it one night some yellow sludge under the oil filler cap. Verified with more yellow sludge inside the cover, and some external oil leaking also. I was aware of the intake gasket history before I bought 3.4l vehicle so here I go with the job.


I'm going to get the dealer gasket (89017279). Is this the best one available? Also in reading all these posts what is the consensus on the 8 bolts used during this job? Should I replace them all or re-use them and add threadlocker?

If it's worth anything I had G-05 coolant in there but may go back to "green" when I'm done. Did most of you go back to standard coolant?

Thanks in advance.

[rhandwor]

I would wire brush the bolts and clean the bolts then use some locktite. I used green coolant. I would look at a felpro gasket and the dealer gasket and go with what you think is best. I think the plastic gaskets were a bad decision by GM.
Make sure the gasket surface is good and clean.

[phipps]

When I had my van repaired the mechanic flushed the system good and went back to green coolant.

[Huney1]

Gasket: I understand Felpro now makes the gasket and it won't rot like the older ones. Clean the bolts and load them down with the lock-tite that looks like wood putty. Definitely go back to good old Prestone and rock on. I gave you the same info as rhandwor but just confirming it for you.

There is a TSB for the gasket replacement with a parts list so use the forum search engine and you'll find it. Or, swing on by your ringy-dingy-doo-dah-day Chevy dealer and ask them for a copy of the TSB.

['97ventureowner]

If you replace the intake gasket with the new revised one you may continue to use DexCool coolant in your cooling system. Just replace it every 2 to 3 years and 30,000 miles with a good flush. The DexCool is silicate free and better for some components in your engine / cooling system. I replaced my intake gasket back in July 2002 with the revised gasket and continued with using DexCool, changing it out with the new guidelines and the van has gone just as far on the new gasket without any problems.

[Huney1]

It's just not the DexCool rotting the gasket, if the stuff contacts air then it turns to jelly. My cousin had a radiation repair shop and a used Chevy truck and the first thing he did was switch to Presetone because he said he had seen to many cases where the DexCool jellified and caused one hell'ava lot of problems. Don't believe me? This article is from consumeraffairs.com so please do yourself a favor and read it because if you do I bet you will flush that crap out and put in some good Prestone. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/autom...m_dexcool.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news0...m_dexcool.html

And what *really* gets me; GM is still using that crud! I mean, like, is that the biggest DUH you ever saw in your life, or what? OH! But we have fixed the problem now. Yeah, right. Wait five years down the road then see what happens. It's your 'thang so do what you want to do, and if you don't watch out, GM will stick it to you too. UUHH Baby! Gim'me another shot of that DexCool and lets get smashed. Look, your car is the second biggest inverstment you will ever make, (your house is first). so why would you gamble on your cars engine and use DexCool? Why not do the sensible thing and use tried-and-true Prestone or some other green stuff.

No Sir, I flush and change Prestone anti-freeze in our Taurus and Marquis every three years at Christmas time along with an ATF fluid change and we keep rockin' on down the road. Punkin' Head is coming on so have to run. BOO!

['97ventureowner]

One reason air is getting into the cooling system and causing problems is defective radiator caps. These caps should be replaced on a regular basis as they are a "wear item" and will not last forever as they are subjected to hot and cold temperature variations and pressure. For the small cost of a replacement cap it's a wise investment. The biggest mistake was GM saying that the coolant doesn't need changing for 5 yrs/ 150,000 miles. If you change the coolant and flush your system on a regular basis, you shouldn't have the problems associated with long term change intervals. I've used DexCool for years and have not had the problems others have had, maybe I'm lucky, maybe it has to do with my regular flush & refill of my cooling system. Many components nowadays are "maintenance free" such as batteries or are extended service life, and consumers are expecting that they don't have to do as much as in the past to their vehicles, which in some cases is not true. GM should cover their "as*es" and have a publicity campaign to educate their customers as to the proper change intervals and procedures of the DexCool coolant. Yes I did have a problem wth the intake gasket on one of my Ventures, but I have travelled the same amount of mileage and the same amount of time has elapsed since the replacement gasket was installed and I have not had any further problems, and I still am using DexCool. In fact my new 2006 Chevrolet Uplander has DexCool in it and I don't plan on switching, just keep an eye on the level and change it regularly. I treat it like I would any other coolant I have used in the past.

[Landrew109]

I will be buying the gasket at the end of the week when I am back in town. The Fel-Pro and the dealer ones are similar price. Which one is the best?

[Huney1]

Get a FelPro gasket and be done with it. I THINK FelPro makes gaskets for GM but not sure so don't take a chance.

Bad radiator caps allow air in the system: Sure they do, but it shouldn't cause the anti freeze to jellify like DexCool does. DUH? Over the years, how many problems has Prestone caused any engine? ZERO, period, end of story and I rest my case.

[rhandwor]

I would also buy a felpro gasket. The green is cheaper and if you flush it every 60,000 you will be ok. Why pay extra for a product that caused problems.

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by Huney1

Bad radiator caps allow air in the system: Sure they do, but it shouldn't cause the anti freeze to jellify like DexCool does. DUH? Over the years, how many problems has Prestone caused any engine? ZERO, period, end of story and I rest my case.

DexCool has a different chemical makeup than Prestone. DexCool is a OAT (Organic Acid Technology) containing a different set of corrosion inhibiting additives, and contain organic acid salts. It's also less alkaline than other coolants.It is also silicate free.
Prestone is an ethylene glycol based, or propylene glycol based (less toxic version). It also has a different set of corrosion inhibitors. One reason why air causes the DexCool to "jellify" is because of it's different chemical makeup. It's like comparing two prescription medicines that treat the same malady. While they may be similar in the way they appear,and treat the problem, their different "chemical makeup" which makes them unique can cause different and varying side effects, just as air affects the DexCool, but not the other brand coolants.

[Landrew109]

So I bought a Fel-Pro from Canadian Tire. What is odd is that they advertise a 5 piece Fel-Pro intake kit with the regular gasket and a 7 piece Fel-Pro intake kit (includes valve covers) with the PermaDry Plus gasket.

Do I "have" to get the PermaDry Plus gasket, is the "standard" one no good??

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by Landrew109

So I bought a Fel-Pro from Canadian Tire. What is odd is that they advertise a 5 piece Fel-Pro intake kit with the regular gasket and a 7 piece Fel-Pro intake kit (includes valve covers) with the PermaDry Plus gasket.

Do I "have" to get the PermaDry Plus gasket, is the "standard" one no good??

You probably don't "have" to get the PermaDry Plus gasket set, but if the cost isn't that much more, wouldn't it give you a little "extra" piece of mind?
A salesman told me about these gaskets. The PermaDry line is made of a premium rubber that is molded. You can use it in place of OEM gaskets when you repair or rebuild your engine. It is supposed to provide a more even clamping surface to ensure a better seal. It is always better to spend a little bit more upfront on quality replacement parts when repairing your engine than having to shell out more later to re-fix the repair. The standard gasket set is still made to specification, but if you are planning on keeping the vehicle for awhile, I'd opt for the premium set.

[Landrew109]

Thanks again to all that contributed here.

The job went over 4 evenings. I had 2 small radiant propane heaters keeping me warm. The hard parts were definitely the rear coil pack bolts and the passenger side rear alternator bolt. I made the mistake of thinking I would automatically know which bolts went where upon reassembly – I had to re-do about 5 bolts because of that. A few digital pictures beforehand would have helped out. I also did the plugs and some wires, as well as the oil pump shaft o-ring (that was a pain to pull up and out). The cooling system sure takes a lot of that time to flush and fill/bleed.
After a day of driving and going from sub zero to hot on purpose I see no more leaks. I did put in a cooler thermostat since I figured I cover the rad with cardboard anyways and when we tow in the summer it will help. I think though that is causing me to have a temp gauge that displays odd. I have a http://scantools.net ElmScan OBD-II and it said I was at about 80C when the gauge was still not even at the beginning of the cold line – it was a few millimeters away. I will have to monitor it from cold on a trip that brings it up higher with slow crawling or idling and see how the actual and displayed temps are. I suppose now I know that changing the thermostat is a slow 1 hour job but I had had enough for the month!! – I’ll watch it and see.
For the price of under $100 us it sure has been handy when that engine light comes on. It told me the camshaft position sensor had an issue when it displayed the check engine light after this job. All I did was disconnect and connect the plug for it and it fixed it. Other wise I would have had to pay the dealer here anywhere from $40-$70 just to read the code.
Again without all this info here I would have been going into it blind with just the manual.
Thanks.