Rough idle

My sister bought a 99 alero a few months back, the car has run well for her until now, when starting the car the idle is very rough and white smoke is coming from the exhaust, smells as if it were coolant or antifreeze, the idle settles but the smoke is still present anyone know anything about this, it is a 2.4 liter 4 cyl

That would be an EGR valve. That white smoke that you are seeing is due to the engine is burning lean, that means that the engine is not getting enough gas. If you see black smoke, that means the engine is getting to much fuel. You will need a new EGR valve. It should be by the throutal(sp)body.

will the egr from a 99 grand am or a cavalier 2.4 work in the alero?

Last I knew (unless something changed) is that the Quad 4 engines don't have EGR valves....

The egr system is built into the engine. There is not a valve that needs to be replaced.

Jeremy

No i disagree, it is not built in the engine. it sits on the throutal body. if it was built in the engine, then you can not replace it, and the engine would be no good! think about it. Trust me, its where i told you it would be!

And I will disagree with you. I have a 99 Alero with a 2.4L engine. There is no EGR valve built into the throttle body. There's a MAF sensor, throttle position, etc built into the throttle body, but unless someone popped my hood and stole my EGR valve, your information is incorrect.

Quad 4 engines have never had EGR valves - they were able to meet emissions requirements without them. Go to any auto parts website or open any auto parts catalog and look for an EGR valve for a quad 4. I'll bet you'll see "not applicable".

Since the original post mentioned "white smoke" that "smells like coolant", I would probably suspect a head gasket issue. Engines that run lean usually don't produce white smoke, at least if they are tuned up correctly. Generally the only things that can cause an engine to run excessively lean are faulty coolant temp sensors or MAF sensors.

After doing some checking, apparently there are EGR valves on the 2.4L motors - some parts suppliers list them, others do not. I will stand corrected. The 2.3L motors did not have EGR valves - I assumed that was the same in the 2.4L motors. Going rate seems to be in the neighborhood of $175-$200. Not something I'd try replacing unless I was damn sure it was the problem.

Regardless, I still don't think that an EGR would cause rough idle and white smoke.

the egr valve controols how i agree w/ what you said about the head gasket, but if its not the head gasket, its the egr.

Sound like a head gasket to me
and if memory serves me correctly the 2.3L quad 4s had headgasket issues.

its the 2.4 and the 3.4 have the issues. head gasked issues. its from the dex-cool.

I've never heaerd of the 3.4L having head gasket issues. Maybe the 3.4L DOHC engines but not the one's that come in Aleros

I strongly disagree, all the aleros have this prob with malabos and inpalas. even ask ANY GM DEALERSHIP!

I strongly disagree, all the aleros have this prob with malabos and inpalas. even ask ANY GM DEALERSHIP!


Before the bumper to bumper ran out on my '02 Alero GL2 3.4L V6,
the local GM dealer changed all possible defective gaskets per GM Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs). They changed the intake manifold gaskets. No mention was ever made about defective head gaskets nor is there a TSB out on that issue.

It is not to say that you may never have a head gasket issue arise but it is not a common failure item on the Alero, GrandAm and other GM models with the 3400.

I've never had any issues with running Dex-Cool either. I own 3 GM "W" bodies and one "N" body ranging from 1997 to 2002 model years.

Every dealership and every ase, i have spoken to, have said this is a common prob.now, im not saying there was a recall or anything, but ask people that have 50,000 mi on there car and they/ most anyways; they will tell you that they had to replace the gaskets. Like anything else, dont fix it if its not broke.

Every dealership and every ase, i have spoken to, have said this is a common prob.now, im not saying there was a recall or anything, but ask people that have 50,000 mi on there car and they/ most anyways; they will tell you that they had to replace the gaskets. Like anything else, dont fix it if its not broke.


I'm sorry but this where we part in philosophy. The facts do not support your erroneous conclusion. Plus you contradict yourself. I know lots of 3400 owners and none had a head gasket issue as you mentioned. Maybe intake manifold gasket which is covered via a GM TSB not a recall and free if under warranty. Many times the dealer will split costs 50/50 if out of warranty and if you complain enough.

If every dealer and ASE you talked were that sharp or truthful they would have advised you and others of the TSB and taken appropriate remedial action way before an actual failure or expiration of the warranty.

When I get 50K on my Alero I'll see if the head gaskets arbitrarily blow and be the first to let you know.


'02 Olds Alero GL2, V6 3.4L, (42K miles), ASE ECU, Granatelli MAF, Hi-Flow CAT, MSD 8mm wires, K&N filter, Monroe Reflex Struts, Yokohama Avid/V4 P225/50R16 tires.

it is the head gasket, there is no egr for this engine, anyone know the proper torque for the head? BTW this is a 2.4L 4 cylinder, thanks

...Maybe intake manifold gasket which is covered via a GM TSB not a recall and free if under warranty. Many times the dealer will split costs 50/50 if out of warranty and if you complain enough...

I wished I would have known about the 50/50 split when the intake gasket began leaking on my wifes 99 Alero 3.4L at about 50K. If you google dexcool you will find sites dedicated to these head gasket problems. Also lawyers trying to piece together class action's. We paid $800 to get the intake done which sucks for 20yr old known problem. I guess like one of the previous posters said, not enough of them go to force a recall???

I wished I would have known about the 50/50 split when the intake gasket began leaking on my wifes 99 Alero 3.4L at about 50K. If you google dexcool you will find sites dedicated to these head gasket problems. Also lawyers trying to piece together class action's. We paid $800 to get the intake done which sucks for 20yr old known problem. I guess like one of the previous posters said, not enough of them go to force a recall???


We were fortunate that our Olds dealership was also a Caddy dealership.
So the Caddy owners already had set the bar on Customer Service. They don't take any B.S. so it trickled over to the Olds part of the house. It suprised the hell out of me when the service manager informed me that a TSB had been out for quite some time on the Alero 3.4L intake manifold gasket problem. Our wasn't leaking nor were there any problems such as overheating, leaking antifreeze, etc. But they did the work at no charge. Another friend with an Alero GLS had 46K miles which was outside of the bumper to bumper warranty and they split the labor cost and included the gaskets at no charge.

As to any possible recall via NHTSA I would not hold my breath. No one has died from the Dex-Cool or the intake manifold gasket issue, at least to my knowledge. Best way to re-coup damages is by your state's lemon or deceptive trade practices laws but in the end the manufacturers fight this type of litigation tooth n nails and who winds up with all the money
.....the lawyers.

LeBuick,thanks for backing me up! It causted me only 400bucks, but most inportant, nomatter how much you spent, it was fixed. you saved your engine!

LeBuick,thanks for backing me up! It causted me only 400bucks, but most inportant, nomatter how much you spent, it was fixed. you saved your engine!

$400 bucks for what? The head gaskets or intake manifold gaskets. Which is it now?

head gaskets. there were 3 of them. my bad!

head gaskets. there were 3 of them. my bad!

What kind of English or grammar is "my bad!" What exactly are you trying to communicate. 3 head gaskets on what?

Three head gaskets on a V-6. No wonder he had so many problems with his car.... Someone at GM must have installed an extra cylinder head - that's why it's leaking. Call the NHTSA and have it recalled.

OK, I'm done now. Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

What kind of English or grammar is "my bad!" What exactly are you trying to communicate. 3 head gaskets on what?

Ok, now there are 3 gaskets, 1 on the frount of the engine,2 on top, and the one on the back, above the sparkplugs. 1...2....3! Can we count??? i guess you cant!

Ok, now there are 3 gaskets, 1 on the frount of the engine,2 on top, and the one on the back, above the sparkplugs. 1...2....3! Can we count??? i guess you cant!

Evidently not. Based on what you are saying above 1 + 2 + 1 = 4
and are you referring to intake gaskets or head gaskets?

Sometimes you just can't win, no matter how hard you try.

head gaskets, i replased them. Now, that worked for me and there were no leaks, but im not saying it will work with yours. i have heard it could be either ones. now i would replase the one that is leaking. i had 3 leak on mine.

head gaskets, i replased them. Now, that worked for me and there were no leaks, but im not saying it will work with yours. i have heard it could be either ones. now i would replase the one that is leaking. i had 3 leak on mine.

OK...vamc. Thats makes sense. Everyone has their own experiences. Good job!

Thank you sir! :-)

What kind of English or grammar is "my bad!" What exactly are you trying to communicate. 3 head gaskets on what?

Ok, now there are 3 gaskets, 1 on the frount of the engine,2 on top, and the one on the back, above the sparkplugs. 1...2....3! Can we count??? i guess you cant!

Dude no offense but if your replacing gaskets above the sparkplugs your not replacing a head gasket. I think your getting confused. The lower intake manifold gasket is place between the head and the lower intake manifold but it's not a head gasket. The head of the engine has to come off to replace the head gaskets. And since the intake manifolds on these cars have 2 parts (an upper and lower) there are 2 sets of gaskets that are replaced. The 2 (1 on the front and 1 on the back)that go directly on the head and then 2 (the 2 on top) that go between the upper and lower manifolds.

And I've personnally owned 3 60 degree v6s all go over 250000 miles and never had a head gasket go bad. I'm also part of a forum that has over 2000 Alero owners and not a single one of them with the 3.4L has had a headgasket problem. (At least none that have mentioned it)

Sorry about the confusion. if you go onto google, and type in head gasket leaks on aleros. you will see what im talking about.

ok, anyone know about the proper torque for the head on the FOUR cylinder 2.4L Alero? Anything i should be aware of before tackling the job? thanks