prepper

My son has a Grand Am, 96 model I think that the lower intake gasket leaks on and I know you all are aware of this problem with this V6 engine from GM where the gaskets deteriorate on the corners around the water ports and have to be replaced.

His was leaking on one end and is leaking on the other now and engine is missing a little, sometimes, and he's getting a little water in the oil. My main question is can the coolant get into the oil from the lower manifold gasket leaks or not? Some say yes, some say no. If it can't then he's obviously also got some sort of head\head gasket problem?

Anyone have any experience with the Thermagasket product with how it well it works on head gasket problems? I don't suppose it would do any good on the lower intake gasket leaks would it?

Thanks for any help,
Terry

corning_d3

Coolant can mix with the oil with a faulty lower intake gasket on the 3X00 engines. Coolant can also leak into an intake port and get burnt in the engine, which will ruin O2 sensors and maybe the cat. converter. If coolant is leaking into the engine, it can wash the oil out of the cam bearings and snap the weak, hollow shaft cam. The bottom end is next to go. I highly doubt you have head gasket problems unless it's been severely overheated, and even then I've never seen a failure. If it gets that hot, the valve seats will fall out of the head before the gasket fails. Better get that intake leak found/fixed ASAP, it WILL ruin the engine in short time.

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2007 Certified DaimlerChrysler Service Technician...
True blue GM at heart.

xeroinfinity

I'd agree with the intake leaking. If coolant is leaking into the cylinder(s) that will cause it to miss out.

I hav seen head gaskets get the same corners being eaten away and cause a leak.
A while back I had replaced my lower intake, but was still loosing coolant into the oil.
Changed them a few times before I pulled the heads, and the coolant jackets were deteriorated bad.
All the cylinders had great compression tho and held it for hours. What a nightmare that was

I bought a GT which had a leak, it leaked into the exhaust and out from under the TB.
So these engines do variey in where and why they leak.

That Thermagasket is BS !
If you hav a blown gasket it going to need replaced.
That stuff is like putting a bandaide on a leaking radiator hose, thiers going to be problems.

Good Luck and Welcome to AF !

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1999 Grand Am SS 3.4 OHV

storeton

Overhere in UK I have used Thermagasket twice
1 Renault Clio Diesel
2Peugeot 2.0 litre petrol
In both cases there was a problem with cracks in inner block causing water to leak into bore.
The tratment even though exspensive at £50 each was very successfull and would not hesitate to use again especially on blown headgaskets
cheers and good luck

xeroinfinity

storeton, welcome to AF.
I wouldnt suspect a crack in prepper case.

These V6's are notorious for intake leaks

Renault & Peugeot are in a totally differnt class, they last longer anyways.

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1999 Grand Am SS 3.4 OHV

storeton

Well, the bore in the renault needed bailing out so much water, used thermogasket and got it running on all four