Is there an alternative motor for the 3400?

[nette_282]

Can anyone please tell me if there is an alterative motor that I can replace my 3400/3.4 with in my Transport/Venture? Spent $1900 2yr/30,0000 miles ago on all new top motor gaskets and now have a new leak inside motor and out. I would consider a different motor as long as I knew there is one out there that will actually be dependable. If it ends up being the intake gasket I will have it fixed. If it is the head again, I have either got to take it to the junk yard or put new motor in. Thanks

[nette_282]

It was the intake gasket, and it finally broke to the inside to, so first time having antifreeze in motor. I drained the oil and put 4 new Q's in before I drove it to the shop, hopefully saved the motor. Another $750 into this money pit of a POS. I love the van itself, it rides like a dream, plus it is my camper, but damn, what a trainwreck of a motor.

[lesterl]

Make shure they use a good gasket, not the oem plastic crap... Felpro makes their permadry plus gasket that is rubber with a STEEL backing, cost $100 vs the $20 of the other gasket, but shucks if it had been installed last time it would not be leaking again....... Just a thought.....

Just as a sidenote, when these GM engines get some coolant in the oil, they are pretty much done for (more than just a gasket change). You may get some life out of it yet, but who knows how much. Run some good oil and additives into it.

[merc81]

The 3.1 (think olds cutlass for one) should fit, as should the 3.8, both also miserable engines from the failing gasket point of view. The 3.8 was available in the transport van as an option for 90-95 I think. I know it was used in the 92 because I had one. Bad gas mileage, same problems.

I wouldn't go that route. What you want, if you really want to keep the van, is a new rebuilt engine from a quality company. These come with warranties, usually 100k miles and cost around $2k. You install, you save. Forget about new head gaskets for old engines. Manifold gaskets maybe, but you need to catch and repair that right away.

The manifold gasket job isn't hard, just get the right kit like lesterl mentions and do it on a weekend yourself. Plenty of threads about that job on this site.

[nette_282]

merc81, wish I would have known that back in 08 I would have just put a new motor in. Van is in excellent condition and may do that in the future.

lester, I feel pretty confident about the antifreeze in the motor because it was not there the last time I drove it home, been checking the dipstick regularly because I had a hunch something really bad about to happen. I parked her for about a week with the front end jacked up off the ground tires 3 inches off the ground, and occassionally started it to check for that leak, so I think the antifreeze was in motor literally less that a week or evan days.

merc81, you said manifold gasket, it was the intake, and I saw enough for me to know I personally do not want to spend 20 hrs banging on a motor. Are you saying the manifold gasket is another problem to look forward to? Or intake/manifold the same?

[merc81]

I should have said intake manifold gasket, I'm lazy by nature

I learned the hard way when I had heads rebuilt for my old engine. It still cracked the cam shaft and cost me an engine replacement later on. I got about 15k miles on those new heads. Waste of time/money.

Really, you can pull the intake off the engine and have the new gaskets back in place on a Sat. The gaskets can be had for about $65 http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/rafr...arcode=1356937 and you need to replace the bolts too: http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/rafr...arcode=1356937

This is NOT difficult. Read the threads on the process and plan to do it yourself.
Don't take it to a shop--what if they pull the intake manifold and find the heads are leaking too? You either have to pay for the head job or pay for the partial repair when you really want to buy a new engine. Better to discover that yourself at home and be out only the manifold set costs.