Buick Rendezvous - LIM Gasket - Ideas?

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Nick1994

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Yeah I know, I'm not a good BITOGer... My mom's 2003 Buick Rendezvous AWD with the lovely 3.4L (139k miles) started overheating last spring. I assumed it was the thermostat stuck at first and told her to run the heater when it starts getting toward the middle and try not to sit in traffic. I then realized the famous lower intake manifold gasket leak was probably occurring, I saw some antifreeze dripping behind the engine, so I had her start topping off the overflow with water. It was going through a bit of water and was running cooler but would occasionally get hot, but not extremely hot. I've changed the oil twice since the LIM gasket has started leaking and each time it actually looked great, no milkshake looking oil. (According to my scientific visual test - Lol). Well I changed it again a couple weeks ago and again it looked great, was a tiny bit low from an oil leak too but not too bad.

At the same time from the last oil change I poured a little bit of a bottle of block sealant in the radiator and the rest in the overflow. She said she hasn't really had to add as much water as she used to to the overflow tank, so it must be working quite a bit.

I know this isn't the proper thing to do, I don't like these magic elixirs in a bottle either but she can't afford right now to have it fixed. We just need to bandaid it for a while. The car is a beater BTW.

My idea- This weekend I was thinking of draining the radiator completely and pouring in a bottle of block sealant since I think most of the stuff I poured in it is still in the overflow, then top it off with coolant (which it hasn't had since early last year). I'd also empty and clean out the overflow.

***What antifreeze should I use? I have a jug of 50/50 Dexcool in the garage that's full and probably about 4 years old. I don't have to use this. Should I use green antifreeze, all makes all models, or Dexcool?


Again I know this bandaid isn't correct and I hate doing it but I just want this beater to keep going for a bit longer. It actually runs pretty good.
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
If you don't know what's in it use all makes all models.
It had the original Dexcool in it mixed with some green from years back when my grandfather and I replaced the water pump. He thought all antifreeze was compatible and poured that in. Genius. But now it's basically all sink water.
 
You lazy bugger! It's not that hard of a job to change the gaskets. I'm not sure of your tool and place to work on situation but that is one thing to get fixed as soon as possible for me. I'm guessing your turning all the coolant to steam and blowing it out the back. I bet your combustion chambers are really clean.
 
I used this with decent results. The good thing about this product is that you don't have to drain and flush the cooling system, (though you do have to drain enough to be able to add the product).

What I do is drain about half a gallon of coolant, add this product, top off with the coolant I just drained, run the motor with the heater on wide open, then allow vehicle to cool and then top off the rad.

It's not a permanent repair, but it will buy you time, especially if it's a beater like mine. Be sure to add the entire bottle to the radiator, not to the overflow tank as it will clog the line between the tank and the radiator.

Good luck
smile.gif


http://www.amazon.com/Bars-1109-Liquid-Copper-Radiator/dp/B002PX91OG
 
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I assume you've ruled out the Water Pump, Hoses, and Radiator. I'd go with the Dex Cool and add some GM Pellets (I always crushed 'em up) until I could tear into it.
 
Originally Posted By: abycat
You lazy bugger! It's not that hard of a job to change the gaskets. I'm not sure of your tool and place to work on situation but that is one thing to get fixed as soon as possible for me. I'm guessing your turning all the coolant to steam and blowing it out the back. I bet your combustion chambers are really clean.


I agree. Replacing the LIM gasket on these cars is really not that difficult if you are patient. I do recommend using the Lisle Valve spring tool to easily remove the pushrods.
 
First of all, use Dexcool. Many say that Dexcool eats gaskets and stuff, but thats purely a myth. Not true. There is a reason they designed Dexcool for the vehicle. Now one thing I do NOT agree with is the PLASTIC lower intake manifold gaskets. That's dumb to put plastic inside an engine. If your going to do this job yourself, do yourself a favor and use the metal Felpro Problem Solver Gaskets. They may be more expensive, but well worth it. I replaced the intake gaskets in my Malibu with the 3100 V6 (same as 3400) I used the plastic replacement gaskets...8 months later and they had failed. Another thing to invest in is a Lisle Pushrod removal tool, which someone above mentioned. I bought one to do my Malibu, and it saves a lot of time, and worrying about if you torqued the rocker arms down properly. One last thing is make sure you DO replace the oil pump shaft O-ring, don't put that off-even if its not leaking, because it will eventually. I think that is it. If your not going to replace the gaskets, I guess its okay to drive with the leak as long as its water, but check the oil every day. The first sign of a milkshake or water mixing with oil...DONT DRIVE IT. Unless you want the camshaft so seize and break in half, or you rod and main bearings to disintegrate and distribute metal to the entire engine and ruin it. Good Luck!!
 
Originally Posted By: ChevyGuy3100
First of all, use Dexcool. Many say that Dexcool eats gaskets and stuff, but thats purely a myth. Not true. There is a reason they designed Dexcool for the vehicle. Now one thing I do NOT agree with is the PLASTIC lower intake manifold gaskets. That's dumb to put plastic inside an engine. If your going to do this job yourself, do yourself a favor and use the metal Felpro Problem Solver Gaskets. They may be more expensive, but well worth it. I replaced the intake gaskets in my Malibu with the 3100 V6 (same as 3400) I used the plastic replacement gaskets...8 months later and they had failed. Another thing to invest in is a Lisle Pushrod removal tool, which someone above mentioned. I bought one to do my Malibu, and it saves a lot of time, and worrying about if you torqued the rocker arms down properly. One last thing is make sure you DO replace the oil pump shaft O-ring, don't put that off-even if its not leaking, because it will eventually. I think that is it. If your not going to replace the gaskets, I guess its okay to drive with the leak as long as its water, but check the oil every day. The first sign of a milkshake or water mixing with oil...DONT DRIVE IT. Unless you want the camshaft so seize and break in half, or you rod and main bearings to disintegrate and distribute metal to the entire engine and ruin it. Good Luck!!


Words to live by.
 
You have some good information here. I have done the job on my in-laws 3400 Alero and offer the following additional information.

I have had had the Dexcool gasket-eating problem with my '97 5.7L Vortex, so I thought the Alero had the same problem when I got it after it had been leaking and overheating for about a year (much like yours). After research, I bought Fel Pro Problem solver gaskets, and the new type manifold bolts. After taking the manifold off, I saw the gasket was intact, but the bolts were backing off (there is a TSB out on this problem). The new bolts have some form of Locktite pre-installed and won't repeat the problem if properly torqued. There was also a big leak coming from the thermostat inlet pipe that is only pressure fitted into the manifold with GM red locktite. Really bad design here, but that problem may have been caused by the overheating.

For the job, I strongly agree with using the Lisle pushrod removal tool mentioned by Chevy Guy and The Eric. It's worth it's weight in gold. I also found I needed a 10mm crow foot wrench socket to get to one or two of the bolts.

Once the job is done feel free to use Dexcool again.
 
get the dex cool out of there flush it ALL out and add green. Too much of that block sealer will also clog everything. put it in run it for 100 miles until it is all sealed then do the flush with water. Those engines can run 300,000 plus if taken care of
 
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Originally Posted By: ChevyGuy3100
First of all, use Dexcool. Many say that Dexcool eats gaskets and stuff, but thats purely a myth. Not true. There is a reason they designed Dexcool for the vehicle. Now one thing I do NOT agree with is the PLASTIC lower intake manifold gaskets. That's dumb to put plastic inside an engine. If your going to do this job yourself, do yourself a favor and use the metal Felpro Problem Solver Gaskets. They may be more expensive, but well worth it. I replaced the intake gaskets in my Malibu with the 3100 V6 (same as 3400) I used the plastic replacement gaskets...8 months later and they had failed. Another thing to invest in is a Lisle Pushrod removal tool, which someone above mentioned. I bought one to do my Malibu, and it saves a lot of time, and worrying about if you torqued the rocker arms down properly. One last thing is make sure you DO replace the oil pump shaft O-ring, don't put that off-even if its not leaking, because it will eventually. I think that is it. If your not going to replace the gaskets, I guess its okay to drive with the leak as long as its water, but check the oil every day. The first sign of a milkshake or water mixing with oil...DONT DRIVE IT. Unless you want the camshaft so seize and break in half, or you rod and main bearings to disintegrate and distribute metal to the entire engine and ruin it. Good Luck!!


Words to live by.


Bravo!
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994

Again I know this bandaid isn't correct and I hate doing it but I just want this beater to keep going for a bit longer. It actually runs pretty good.

Good lord man its an 03 AWD with 139K on it. You live in AZ and not freezing your arse off like some poor bastar.s up here and its an easy fix.
33.gif
LOL
 
Ok I'm going to try the stop leak one more time. My mom filled the overflow today for the first time in about a week and it was empty.

I have:
1 gallon Dexcool
1 gallon 50/50 Dexcool
1 gallon distiller water
1 Bottle of Stop Leak

I'm going to pull the lower radiator hose and let it drain.

**What ratio of Dexcool and water should I use?? It's got only hose water in it now, I'd like a 50/50 mixture but if the motor is full of water and I pour 50/50 it might be about 75/25.

Any thoughts?
 
***Update

I was going to drain the water out of the radiator and fill with coolant and the intake manifold sealant today, but I decided to drain the radiator and fill with water to clean it out before I did it.

I saw it leaking underneath and assumed it was the LIM gasket again then found out it was the water pump leaking, which I replaced about 4 years ago so AutoZone replaced it under warranty and it isn't leaking now. I could see a corrosive stain on the bottom of the water pump when I took it off so it was leaking for some time, the LIM may not even be leaking, I never saw it leaking from the intake manifold, just saw it leaking from the lower control arm on the passenger side on the rear side of the control arm and assumed it dripped down from the intake manifold. The water pump dripped down to the control arm. I'll keep an eye on the water level, if it holds then I'll replace the water with coolant and put a new thermostat in it.
 
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