2001 Grand Am 4cyl - New Owner

[david-b]

Hi from the Eclipse/Talon section.

I am in the process of buying a 2001 Grand Am 4cyl 4dr from a good friend. I'm getting the great deal of $250. Since my DSM is always being worked on, getting ready for a motor swap, and makes for a terrible winter car, I couldn't pass on this deal.

A little about the car.
My buddy was driving it the other day and just out of nowhere it shuts off and doesn't start. Cranks very nicely, but won't turn over. He took it to a mechanic and said there was low compression and that the head gasket was shot. After reading the forum, it seems like a common problem. The car has 125,000 miles on, and no one knows if the timing chain or the other components including the head gasket were ever replaced. The car is also leaking coolant. Buddy thought it was the radiator, but after I looked at it, it's dripping on the ground from behind the block, closer to the firewall, which makes me think it the head gasket is so bad that the car won't start, that's probably where the coolant is coming from. Also needs a new O2 sensor.

I've got quite a bit of experience on cars thanks to my DSM, so tearing down a motor is no problem. I'll be buying a Haynes manual this weekend and doing some reading. Replace the entire head on mine in 2 days the first time I did it, just because I was taking my time and learning along the way. Is there a tutorial on line of tearing down the block and setting timing?

What else should I know about these cars? I'm keeping it totally stock except for a radio and an alarm. Maybe a CAI for some better MPG, but it's my winter and DD car, so it HAS to run at all times. Car has new tires and battery.

Any help is appreciated!

[xeroinfinity]

I'd about bet nothing has ever been done with the engine.
It's pretty straight forward pulling the head. Not sure if any of the torq specs were updated recently, I might be able to locate that data.

I would line up the timing marks before you pull the head. And I would also replace the timing components, since you'll be in there.

[3100]

ask him if the windshield is fogging up as soon as the engine warms up? if yes then coolant near the firewall leak = bad heater core

also you might consider buying short block instead of tearing down the block and installing new components since it is not just walk through the park. It involves a lot of precision measuring and at the end remanifactured short block can save you a lot of money, time and stress. But if you really want to learn it is a perfect time to try.

manuals from autozone are good enough for that job, and if you get somewhere stuck ask here, we can give you more details and specs.

[david-b]

Was supposed to pick up this weekend, but weekend was a drunken mess. Picking up tomorrow now.

Motor is 100% stock, which is nice. It looked pretty simple just from looking at the motor and I'm really not too concerned about the difficultly of it. Like I said, I'm buying the manual and getting all the reading done. I'll be replacing all the tensioners and the chain. Still seeing what else has all been done and then what to replace.

I will not be buying a crate motor for the car. Totally not worth it for the price of the car. I understand it is a lot of work and 'precision' work. Again, I do have block building experience and done head gaskets so I'm not thinking it'll be too bad. If it's more work/money then it should be (ie need machine work), I'll just scrap the car. No biggy.

I thought about the heater core also. But correct me if I'm wrong, there should be no coolant flowing to the core right at that specific time, right? It was crank crank crank, coolant dripping pretty good around the back. I'll check it out again obviously when I get the car, but it seems it shouldn't have coolant at the core that early.

[david-b]

Also, where can I get a head gasket for this car? Not really seeing them? Would Autozone carry them?

[3100]

Why not? even when you are just cranking water pump will still push coolant but slower and wherever it finds opening it will leak. Coolant is constantly circulating through the heater core even if you have ac ON. It is the ventilation duct work inside of the dash that closes and opens small door to direct or bypass blowing air to or around the heater core. Original heater cores are 50% plastic and are very common problems on this vehicles.

[david-b]

Cool. Good to know. I am picking it up this evening at 6:30 so will try to get some pics of it and hopefully start diagnosing some problems. It's hard to figure stuff out when the car doesn't start and sitting on the street that won't even be in front of my own place.

I'm hoping on getting this running this weekend so hopefully everything falls into place good.

Also, what's the engine model on this car? I seen i referred to as a LS# and seen couple other models. (Again, it's the 2.4L) Thanks!

[3100]

There are two heater core hoses that are going through the firewall and connecting to the heater core under your dashboard. What you can do is find the small drain pipe (looks like an elbow pipe pointing down) in between the two mentioned hoses so look carefully around the middle of the firewall. If you see coolant leaking from there, that means that the heater core is leaking on to the black plastic tray that collects the condensation from the condenser. Condensation from the cold condenser accumulates inside of the plastic tray and starts to leak through the small elbow looking pipe mentioned above. And water dripping under the car that you normally see when engine and AC is running is normal. However, if you see coolant then your heater core is cracked. (About $40 part). Again I am not telling you that it is the heater core but it could be one of the things. And your have only one head gasket and it should be easy to check around the head and block to see if you have any external leaks. Then you can remove plugs and see if there is coolant on them, that will tell you if you have internal leak. Check oil cap or dipstick if it is milkshake looking oil that is your biggest sign that you have internal coolant leak. Ask him if the exhaust was steamy all the time. If you get stuck, come back here and we will try to help you..

[david-b]

Ok sounds good. I'll check it all out when I get a chance.

I picked her up last night and straped her to the back of a pickup and towed it home. It was already too dark to do anything, and my camera was dead, but best pic I could get off my phone.


I'm hoping to get her to my parents garage this weekend and start tearing it all apart.

[david-b]

Just wanted to give an update on this. This is where the car stands now after about 4 hours of work on Saturday. Everything is pulled off except the timing chain and head.


Does anyone have the model of the under drive pulley puller or some way to get this off easily? Tried doing the old, pry bar and breaker bar with no luck. Haven't been towards Autozone to get a manual yet so not sure what model it is.

It looks like it is the head gasket. When I drained oil, it had a bad mix of coolant in it, and the leak for sure looks like it's out the back of block and NOT the firewall or heater core. Sweet.

Besides that, ordered all the parts and should be here this week and hoping to have first start up by Sunday. Car's at my parents so I can't work on it all the time.

[3100]

not exactly sure what pulley you are talking about but the only one that requires special tool is for crankshaft balancer j38122-a, and j24420-b

[david-b]

I was talking the Crank Pulley that the accessory belt is driven off. It has a big 20mm bolt if I recall correctly.

[3100]

got it, the same thing that I was thinking go here

http://cache01.voyageurweb.com/otcto...g/AutoSpec.pdf open page 120 this is otc company I guess they have their own numbers but on the bottom of the page you will see crankshaft puller for GM, you can rent it in Autozone I am sure and when you are done they will give you money back.


7912 is the number for otc

[david-b]

Looks good. I'll rent one this weekend when I get all my parts in.

[david-b]

Well the center bolt still have to come out beforehand though. Any tips on this? When I turn it just turns the whole motor.