2002 LS vacuum problem

Got this car 30 days ago,nice car.3.8 with 52,000 miles
Last Sat. the wife takes it shopping in KC 1 1/2 hours from home, called me and it was running bad no power, ect. Got on line and read all the posts,
you guessed it, BAD CATILYTIC CONVERTER! Well got a new one put on today at no cost,but they got me for a EGR valve for the tune of
$253.00. Picked it up after they closed and started it up the engine would surge 300 to 400 rpm warmed it up abit, it helped some droped down to 200 to 300 rpms. Drove it home , poped the hood and heard a vacumm leak. Found it on the black plastic plenum a inch or so from the throttle body, a hole under the wiring harness. Put my finger over it and it run fine. Whats that hole for gents, it looks to be there for a reason?
Didn't know if the mechanic, forgot to put something back or broke something off, didn't see anything to plug in, or maybe a backfired blew something out of the hole,
could heat have melted something? Hate to bring it back to the dealer without some kind of idea what goes there or what may have happened.
It really sucks that GM won't make a recall on these junk converters!!!!!!
OH yes heat damaged the EGR valve. They put that on the ticket.

It really sucks that GM won't make a recall on these junk converters!!!!!!
Thats what I love about GM customers..do something for free and they still bitch. :banghead:
Well got a new one put on today at no cost,

GM covers the conveters for 8 years or 80000 miles.
Plus on Impalas, they did do a Special policy extending the warranty coverages on the converter
Special Policy Adjustment 05551 - SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT - CATALYTIC CONVERTER
2001-02 CHEVROLET IMPALA, MONTE CARLO

2001-02 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX

2001-02 BUICK REGAL

EQUIPPED WITH 3.4L (RPO LA1 - VIN E) OR 3.8L (RPO L36 - VIN K) V6 ENGINE

Condition
Some customers of 2001-02 Chevrolet Impala, Monte Carlo; Pontiac Grand Prix; and Buick Regal model vehicles, equipped with a 3.4L (RPO LA1 - VIN E) or 3.8L (RPO L36 - VIN K) V6 engine, may experience a condition where the vehicle exhaust catalytic converter is replaced due to complaints of lack of power or illumination of the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL). This may be due to the front endcone insulation from the catalytic converter breaking away and blocking the front of the first catalyst brick and preventing the free flow of exhaust gas through the converter.

Special Policy Adjustment
This special policy covers the condition described above for a period of 10 years or 120,000 miles (190,000 km), whichever occurs first, from the date the vehicle was originally placed in service, regardless of ownership. The repairs will be made at no charge to the customer.

this is what your "missing. they disconnected the air intake temp sensor, it should be lying right around the area of where you see it in this picture since its attached to wires.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/83900100_0698.JPG

this is what your "missing. they disconnected the air intake temp sensor, it should be lying right around the area of where you see it in this picture since its attached to wires.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/83900100_0698.JPG
It's just on the other side of the throttle body, you have to take the cover off the top the engine pull two wire harness to one side, mine has a 1/8 inch hole there on top of the black plastic , no more than a inch away where the throttle body bolts up.

GMMERLIN You may be correct,but it's hard to say
HIP HIP HOORAY my converter shot craps , because of poor engineering, then you wonder how many things it will effect. egr valve, warped maifold, exhaust valves ect. then you would think they could upgrade the problemed converter or will they?

Found out the the EGR valve made the hole, it ports in
underneth the hole.Heat from the plugged converter damaged the EGR valve. That nice and so called free catilytic converter "that I paid the warranty on" got the intake too. I guess GM didn't have the time or the money to do the job right the first time, so I will have to make time and money to do it again! A afternoon at the dealer $600.00 later and she will be just fine.
Free catilytic converter my ass!!!!!!!

Found out the the EGR valve made the hole, it ports in
underneth the hole.Heat from the plugged converter damaged the EGR valve. That nice and so called free catilytic converter "that I paid the warranty on" got the intake too. I guess GM didn't have the time or the money to do the job right the first time, so I will have to make time and money to do it again! A afternoon at the dealer $600.00 later and she will be just fine.
Free catilytic converter my ass!!!!!!!

Don't blame GM for all your troubles, seems like the dealer didn't do thier job.
First off if the vehicle was properly roadtested after the repair, the technician should have noticed the idle surge and vacum leak.
The proper repairs should have been performed before you recieved your vehicle back.
In cases where a covered repair (converter) causes additional issues, I usually "goodwill" the other repair for the customer.
As far as you returning for additional repairs, I would once again done the repair at no charge to you (once getting back to the mindset of a proper roadtest would have found those concerns and they should have been addressed before you recieved your vehicle back) and offered you a discount on a future service visit or a free oil change for your inconvenience.
What you need to understand is GM dealers are individual franchises and each dealer has there own way of dealing with the public (same as any other business)
It is unfortunate that you had a bad experiance at the dealer you went too.

I just hoped They fixed the problem on the new converter, cause when it happened it was right now.
I did buy a dorman upper intake sat. $128.00 at Advance, $30.00 for 2 gal. of universal antifreeze and a Chiltons. And a inch torque wrench from Sears. $75.00
Looks to be a easy job todo , The fuel rail looks to be hardest thing to remove, got any tips send them my way.