Just bought an '03
#1
08-05-2012, 09:53 PM
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Odessa Tx, soon to be Springfield MO!
Posts: 17
Just bought an '03
They there everyone, I am new to the forum and a new Monte Carlo owner. I just bought an '03 with a 3.4 liter sporting 76,000 miles. The water pump was recently replaced last year according to the service records. I have heard about the intake manifold gasket failures on these 3.4,can anyone tell me what signs i should be looking so that i can catch it before it happens?
#3
08-05-2012, 09:55 PM
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#7
08-05-2012, 10:06 PM
Welcome to the site!
There's nothing that you can really look for, just change the coolant away from the original crap that GM put in there (i forget what it is). You can check the oil to make sure it's not milky, if it is milky you can tell that there is a problem somewhere, doesn't necessarily mean that it's the LIM gasket, but you can tell when the LIM gasket is leaking if you look around the bottom of the LIM, you will see oil/coolant leaking.
It's really inevitable, but a pretty easy fix once it does go bad.
There's nothing that you can really look for, just change the coolant away from the original crap that GM put in there (i forget what it is). You can check the oil to make sure it's not milky, if it is milky you can tell that there is a problem somewhere, doesn't necessarily mean that it's the LIM gasket, but you can tell when the LIM gasket is leaking if you look around the bottom of the LIM, you will see oil/coolant leaking.
It's really inevitable, but a pretty easy fix once it does go bad.
#8
08-06-2012, 12:30 PM
Welcome to the site. LIM gaskets aren't too big a deal. I would just keep an eye on your fluid levels and watch tour temp gauge if you have one. If it does go bad shop around, I have seen shops in our area doing the repair for about 300 bucks.
to the forum!