Intake manifold gasket?

[zismat06]

I have a 1998 Pontiac grand am. (3.1) Recently my temprature has been going up more then it should be. I changed the thermostat still didnt go away. Im leaking from the overflow tank and it is gurgaling out anti freeze. Also there is no preasure in the rubber tubing that goes to the engine from what i know there should be plenty of preasure in it. What is wierd is that its at the 3/4s mark on the temp gauage. but some times it goes back where it should be after 10 minutes. I think the fan is not kicking on right. Ive narrowed it down to a coupple of things. Intake manifold gasket. Head gasket. Radiator cap. Or fan not kicking on for some reason.im leaning towrds the intake manifold gasket becuse i know its a very common problem with the 3.1 and 3.4s .Well if someone could help me out with this that would be most apressheted.

[Ridenour]

I don't know if this neccesarily sounds like the LIM gasket. Is there any anti-freeze in your oil?

It actually sounds almost more like a radiator blockage. I would reccomend having your entire system flushed / refilled. That may solve it.

[zismat06]

Well i know that anti freeze hasnt leaked to the block yet cuase i hear thats what happens if the intake manifold gasket get worse over time. And yes when i changed the thermostat i flushed everything. And flushed the raditor too.

[GTP Dad]

I have to agree with Ridenour, this does not sound like an intake manifold gasket. Make sure you got all the air out of the system if it is air locked then it will not cool. Second, make sure the fans work. If they don't that may be why the engine is cooling down when you run it because the airflow increases removing more heat from the system. Finally, if you let it continue to run as hot as you state you will have other problems, like a blown head gasket.

[gmack221]

Originally Posted by GTP Dad

I have to agree with Ridenour, this does not sound like an intake manifold gasket. Make sure you got all the air out of the system if it is air locked then it will not cool. Second, make sure the fans work. If they don't that may be why the engine is cooling down when you run it because the airflow increases removing more heat from the system. Finally, if you let it continue to run as hot as you state you will have other problems, like a blown head gasket.

I agree with GTP Dad, he's usually right on the money, if you replaced the thermostat and didn't get all the air out of the engine you would have this problem, run the car sitting still with the radiator cap / overflow cap off, keep an eye on the fluid. If your not putting a load on the car getting it warm for a few mins shouldn't hurt it, just don't start it and walk away. I think its 220 degree's that the fan should kick on, or if you want to test the fan its self turn the AC on high, that will tell you if the fan motor is good.

[zismat06]

Im very confused becuse when i have the ac on high the fan is just fine and the temp is right where it should be. but when i turn the ac off and the temp gauge is a little less then half the fan is off and it doesnt seam to be going up at all. but i herd that if white exoust is coming out of the tail pipes then that is bad that is not happening with me. But there is liquid coming out of the tail pipe not anti freeze i dont think does any one know what that could be?

[xeroinfinity]

the exhaust water is normal unless you can fill a glasses/cups with it. I also would go with the air pocket. Grand Ams fans usually kick in at 220 deg. and when the AC is on high. So unless its over 220 deg. then the fans should not be on.

Also the gauge in the dash may be off by a couple degrees, thats normal too.

[zismat06]

nope nothing like that coming out of it. and the fan seams to be working just fine. what wierd is that it over heated one day from the overflow. and then o drove it the next day for a while and it didnt do anything.

[xeroinfinity]

ya they do that. Some times mine overflows when it's hot out and especially when I've been running it a little hard. seemed to empty out more fluid than it should from the overflow.
I did figure out though the more this happened the closer i was to replacing the intake gaskets.

[zismat06]

i was told that it is most likly the intake gasket but i really dont know.

[zismat06]

Well i figured out it was the raditor cap (or resiovior cap some people call it) It wasnt holding preasure at all which is why my rubber pipe that leads to the engine had no preasure at all.

[xeroinfinity]

Kool! Thats an easy fix. I hate they dont use 'radiator caps', makes it difficult to fill the system and I think it takes longer to do the job filling the overflow.

[zismat06]

does any one out there still think i might have blown a head gasket. Or would my car start over heating right away if it was a head gasket.

[xeroinfinity]

you could drive on a bad head gasket for a long time, but sooner or later it'll blow.If its bad .Why still overheating?

[zismat06]

Well ill drive it some more and see if it overheats