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Chevy Venture Engine Problems

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Comments

  • jhirneisenjhirneisen Member Posts: 64
    For all of you who have had problems with DEX COOL (including me) in Montana engines (and the other 2 GM sister mini-vans, and several other GM cars and trucks), there is a proposed CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT. GM does not admit any problems, but it looks like they will have to reimburse effected owners.
    See this web-site:
    http://www.dexcoolsettlement.com/

    Jack ....in Colorado
  • fleastifffleastiff Member Posts: 52
    Okay, all those bottles of Fuel Injector Treatment helped to diminish the severity of the problem but its clear that the engine is running hot and it is still misfiring and the ServiceEngineSoon light still flashes at me constantly.

    WHAT NOW???

    Can fuel injectors be manually cleaned rather than chemically cleaned?
    Can fuel injectors be replaced or repaired?
    What sort of a task is it? How much would it tend to be?

    I just don't see that "umpteenth" bottle of Fuel Injector Treatment as being likely to work. I've tried half a dozen or more bottles of the stuff already. Wiling to try more ofcourse but at some point it just has to be acknowledged that hi-test gasoline and fuel injector cleaner additives are NOT going to cure the problem.

    What now???
  • 442dude442dude Member Posts: 373
    After the 1st couple of bottles you basically can rule out that it will fix the issue, but its at least somewhere to start...

    Can fuel injectors be manually cleaned rather than chemically cleaned?
    Typically, if you're going through the trouble of pulling them out, its more cost effective to just change them...

    Can fuel injectors be replaced or repaired?
    Replaced, Yes...repaired, unlikely.

    What sort of a task is it? How much would it tend to be?
    I'm not sure of price as I've never had to mess with them...you have to remove the fuel rails to take the injectors out, I don't remember what else you have to remove to get to them.
  • 442dude442dude Member Posts: 373
    Sounds like an internal leak...lower intake manifold gaskets or head gasket possibly...unfortunately a common failure...

    I bet the hot metal smell is the cat converter as its getting really hot due to the misfire issue...
  • rockbazzrockbazz Member Posts: 7
    I'mmm baaackkkk :)
    I just got back from a 2 week travelling trip.
    Prior to the trip, the dealer installed a monitoring capture device that I could enable if I had the problem and get some info to take back.. unfortunately, I didn't have the problem.. I decided to pull the trigger and have the crankshaft sensor changed... I had to do something to see if it would resolve the problem.. All was looking good until my LAST stop for gas on the highway coming home.. it did it again ....arrggg...... :confuse:
    I'll have to let them know that we can eliminate that component as the issue..
    ..it really is just like I don't get fuel to start the thing up.. strange.. I'll keep you posted of any news..
    thanks to fleastiff for the URL on that claim. I understand a similar case has occurred in the Province of Ontario so I'll be looking to see how that progresses..
    Cheers
  • startingoverstartingover Member Posts: 3
    Are you aware there is a class action law suite on many vehicles, the venture included? Can only get like $400.00 or a little more if you can prove over 2k in bills but what the heck better than nothing I guess.
  • fleastifffleastiff Member Posts: 52
    For replacing fuel injectors on 3 cylinders, one guy just gave me a rough estimate of 3 hours of labor, head gasket and fuel injectors. He said he has never had to replace fuel injectors on a 3.8 litre engine. I told him I was getting spark but in fact I don't really know that for sure. Is 3 hours and parts a reasonable estimate?
  • 442dude442dude Member Posts: 373
    Sounds reasonable to me - about $450-550 ?...there's a bunch of stuff that has to come off to replace them...I've never had to replace a fuel injector but it does happen. I'm not sure why he quoted you a head gasket though as you don't have to pull the head to replace the injectors...maybe he meant intake manifold gasket since the upper intake manifold has to come off?

    How did he determine that you had a bad injector(s)?
  • fleastifffleastiff Member Posts: 52
    >How did he determine that you had a bad injector(s)?
    This was telephonic. I told him they were bad simply because all those bottles of cleaner have not worked. And I understand that the "next step" is to replace the fuel injectors.
  • rockbazzrockbazz Member Posts: 7
    Good day..
    A previous person posted that there was activity in one of the States.
    I'm in Ontario, Canada and I just recently heard about litigation that is up and coming.. Thanks!
  • fleastifffleastiff Member Posts: 52
    I was not driving the vehicle at the time but it was described as 'making loud noises' and 'bucking'. For a cold, rainy morning and a short drive the temperature guage was very high. And it seemed to make a loud noise and generate a great quantity of smoke and/or steam. It may have been its death throws, I don't know.

    I did determine that ALL the coolant was gone so there must be some sort of leak and the oil was about a quart low. After these fluid deficiencies are corrected, I intend to attempt a restart and see what happens. Maybe I will be able to resurrect the vehicle. Maybe not.
  • mojolocomojoloco Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I'm a woman so of course I'm gonna try to explain with noises. It kind of jumps? or vibrates at a stop light, it stalls sometimes when starting up a hill but if I mash the gas it turns out ok and doesnt stop. sometimes it makes a wuwuwuwuwuw noise but fast like tires? also, advanced told me i needed a new battery so we put one in today, and it still acts the same. The suggestions I've gotten are : fuel pump, alternator wire and alternator..............from different people. Advanced said the alternator is fine. The battery still reads low voltage. Return Code : VCMMM - Starter test = normal, Charging system test = no problems , Any help please? :(
  • davet_1961davet_1961 Member Posts: 5
    Well, my venture is a 98 model and wasn't making the sound you describe, it was shaking and stalling, losing coolant and idling roughly. If your engine has EVER overheated, I'd suggest having the compression tested to see if one of the head gaskets is blown. Mine blew a head gasket, I had it repaired (about $800 at my local mechanic, probably a $1400 job elsewhere) and now it runs perfectly.
  • fleastifffleastiff Member Posts: 52
    >4. Bad head gasket...
    >but you already said your oil looks good with no coolant in it so I doubt this one
    Well, I think it WAS good, but now the head gasket is indeed blown and all the coolant is inside the engine. Mechanic is saying 900 for "new" engine and 900 for labor. 90 day warranty.

    >leads me towards the fuel injector or the ignition coil for cylinder # 1.
    You were probably right, but all those Fuel Injector cleaning bottled only helped a bit and I guess I delayed too much in getting it to a mechanic to figure out the next step of actually replacing fuel injectors and testing coils and cams.

    Once it lost all the coolant and got hot enough to send smoke/steam out the tailpipe and engine compartment, I figured something real serious had happened.

    I do want to thank everyone for their assistance though.
  • chevygurlchevygurl Member Posts: 1
    When i drive my van i can smell antifreeze and my thermostat goes over the halfway mark not to the red only a ways past half but will go down when i turn on the heat. just wondering if anyone can give me some help
  • vito5vito5 Member Posts: 1
    Does any one out there know how to reach the rear spark plugs on a 1999. I heard the engine had to be dropped down an gotten from the rear.
  • 442dude442dude Member Posts: 373
    If its the same as the 2000:

    Remove top front motor mounts (2)
    Remove throttle & cruise control cables from throttle
    Remove air intake plumbing
    Put trans in neutral
    Use ratcheting strap attached to engine lift lug and rotate engine forward about 20-40 degrees & hold
    Remove ignition coils
    Remove rear plugs
  • rkarchrkarch Member Posts: 3
    Need help determining were the hoses are located for heater core on 2000 venture
    no heat but stll over heating. Changed stat and radiator cap already water pump seems OK

    Thanks
    R.Karch
  • 442dude442dude Member Posts: 373
    Did you bleed the air out of the system when you refilled?
  • rkarchrkarch Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for your help, I did not bleed the air at first but then I did. It did not solve the problem. Anymore suggestions
  • chaseschases Member Posts: 41
    Just a bit of information for those in the 100,000 mile area. Start checking the alignment of the belt.

    The pulley is made in two parts with a rubber piece separating the two. This gets old and the pulley starts to come apart. The first sign of a failure will be wear on the belt.

    This is an easy fix through the passenger side wheel well with common sockets and a puller. Cost FROM DEALER ONLY is around $125.00.

    If you look at the pulley face the two pieces of the pulley that are metal should be even with each other.
  • ckmooreckmoore Member Posts: 1
    this is a 2000 venture i am thinking of buying the owners have said the last time they drove it it over heated.does anybody know why when taking off the oil fill cap the engine stutters and dies
  • davis911sdavis911s Member Posts: 6
    Ok here is my situation

    1998 Chev Venture 160,000 km

    The other night we had a big snowfall (not sure if that matters) I drove home in this and parked the car out front of my house. No problems.

    The next morning I go to start the van, startss running real rough, the check engine light flashes and the oil PRESSURE light comes on. I drive it back to my house (about 200 feet) and the bus idles real bad for about 30 seconds then dies. Oil level is good.

    I started the van this morning and drove it around back and into my garage, ran like HELL and lights still on. I know it wasn't the best to drive it but I need it in my garage not on the street.

    It sounds like an oil pump but man there was no warning, do pumps just GO or do they usually give a warning?

    How can I test the pump?
    Is there anything electrical that it can be? I was thinking something got disconnected or wet or something during the drive in the snow?? Sounds unlikely but one never knows

    What about the timing belt? I have never changed that, if it jumped timimg would it cause these symptoms?

    Thanks I will run a scan on it tonight and let you know the results.

    Shawn
  • davis911sdavis911s Member Posts: 6
    Ok I scanned the van

    I got P0172 and P0300 codes. I then erased the codes and started the van for about 30 seconds and kept it running (gave gas)

    The only code that came back was the P0300

    What can be causing this?
  • russ23russ23 Member Posts: 25
    1. Overheating on this is usually blown cylinder head gasket or the intake manifold. Many of us believe it is the Dexcool anti-freeze. It turns to brown mud (check the radiator cap and inside the opening it will usually be brown mud. The mud is acid that eats the gaskets. Google Dexcool problems and see for yourself, it resulted in class action lawsuit in California.

    2. Cost to fix on a 2000 probably exceeds value of vehicle. If you go for the repair, you need to add in new radiator since the Dexcool clogs that up as well.

    3. My advice to you is RUN, do not buy unless you have capability to repair yourself. I had same problem and landed up changing engines myself. If you decide to go that direction let me know, I have written a how to guide to assist.

    4. As far as having problems related to the oil filler cap, that is one on me. Something else transpired like knocking the PCV valve out of the rocker cover.

    Good Luck Lloyd Ballard Sequim, WA lloydballard@hotmail.com
  • davis911sdavis911s Member Posts: 6
    Ok I have changed all the plugs (the back ones are a pain in the butt)
    Changed EGR Valve
    Changed fuel filter

    Still same symptoms it starts and runs real rough then dies

    What is next step?
  • caperguy4ucaperguy4u Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1997 venture that is heating up on the gauge and sometimes breaks loose and i will get some heat coming out of the heat vents but most times just cold air. I had the thermostat replaced along with heat sensor and radiator flushed. No sign of water in oil and no white smike from exhaust.
  • 442dude442dude Member Posts: 373
    PO172 is engine running too rich

    PO300 is random misfires detected.

    Sounds like a bad ignition control module to me or fuel system issue (injector or system pressure)

    I would start by checking those 2 areas in that order

    Good Luck...
  • russ23russ23 Member Posts: 25
    Troubleshooting the Venture engine is not simple a matter of changing a few components. The factory service manual is several hundred pages long and tough to read. I would first suspect a blown intake manifold gasket or cylinder head gasket(s). If you have oil pressure problems, loss of coolant, and/or overheating that is where I would go before the computer system. I landed up changing out my engine with a junkyard engine. Runs fine now. If you need more email me direct: lloydballard@hotmail.com.
  • rkarchrkarch Member Posts: 3
    Had the same problem. Ended up being a head gasket. Lots of money to fix. I used STEEL SEAL cost me $80.00 and it is still working 2 months later. I average about 400 miles per week on my 2000 Venture. I had no signs of water in coolent or blowing smoke just constant high pressure in cooling system. Hope this helps.
  • russ23russ23 Member Posts: 25
    Could you clarify your symptoms? Think you meant to say no oil in coolant or vise versa? Also what do you mean by high pressure in cooling system? I think you mean the coolant was boiling over? I am tucking your suggestion to use Steel Seal away incase my engine acts up again. It appears to have a small leak that may be triggering a check engine light for a catylatic converter problem.
  • bookmark1bookmark1 Member Posts: 1
    I have had the waterpump, thermostst and headgasket replaced and the engine is still overheating. When I run the heat it does not overheat but the heat will go out and it only blows cold air and the engine will overheat. the van has about 145,000 miles on it. any suggestions welcomed
  • 442dude442dude Member Posts: 373
    I know you just had your thermostat replaced but the symptoms you describe would point to a faulty thermostat. The thermostats on the Venture are really sensitive to oil contamination. If there were traces of oil in the system related to changing the head gasket and they didn't get them all out by flushing the system, the new thermostat may have been ruined and may need to be replaced again after the system is flushed.

    Are you losing antifreeze? The intake manifold gaskets are always suspect on the 3.4 but they might have replaced that when they replaced your head gasket.

    Something else to check: check to see that the air was bled out of the cooling system. There are 2 air bleeders, one by the waterpump and one near the thermostat housing. They need to be opened when you're refilling the system. Maybe you've got some air in there and the waterpump is getting airbound?

    Just some thoughts...Good Luck

    :shades:
  • JimNewtonJimNewton Member Posts: 2
    Can someone help me figure this out? I see there are many heating problems with these Ventures. I am in Vancouver, BC have a 2005 Chevy Venture with 115,000 kms - since Christmas I have been getting some really weird stuff happening - was on the way to my sisters when my daughter had to go to the bathroom - let the van idle and then noticed that the temp had gotten very hot - almost to the red or maybe even in it. Stopped at my sisters for Christmas eve, van would have cooled down, but instead when I turned it on again the needle went past the red and around the corner! No signs of fluid in the oil or low water, or overheating. Maybe a weird smell, but the whole van has been smelling lately due to the wet snowy much we have been having. Just tonight we were driving for an hour or so and the temp was perfectly low, me eyes were glued to it. But I turned the van ignition back on after a couple of minutes of being parked and the needle suddenly went full hot to the point it was clicking because it couldn't get any hotter!!

    Any ideas? :mad:
  • OzAkman03OzAkman03 Member Posts: 4
    03 Venture, 93K miles on it. Bought used and in good condition about a year ago with 80K miles or so on it. Just recently I had my oil changed in a place called MGM Oil in south Jersey. Great place with quick oil change and I used them for years. In this recent oil change yesterday, they told me that they could not find a reading on the dip stick when they were checking for the oil level just before changing the oil. This kind of scared me, I hope this does not mean I have the common problem for this engine the gasket needing to be replaced? I do treat my Venture well, and I do take care of it. I will keep an eye on the oil level, but how can I tell before running into a bigger problem, I never find any oil leaks under the van, the van runs fine.

    Any ideas?
  • bmd2k1bmd2k1 Member Posts: 1
    Anyone know if GM has issued a recall on problems with leaking Intake Manifold Gaskets ??

    Searching the web...there seems to be a TON of complaints about this....

    Thanks.
    -Brian
  • 442dude442dude Member Posts: 373
    Don't freak out...you might be starting to burn a little oil - just keep an eye on the level.

    If your intake manifold gasket was going south, you would have found antifreeze in the oil and your AF level would slowly go down.
  • BantyBanty Member Posts: 1
    Ok.. last fall we noticed we were having to refill the coolant more than usual. My dad said it may be seeping through the aluminum and not really a big deal unless it was over heating or something. Just keep it full. So we did. We could not find a leak at that point. A few months later we noticed it smelled like burnt coolant and it was going through it faster. Also the belt was slipping. After Christmas a leak turned into a puddle, but since it was being flung everywhere we couldn't pinpoint it. We changed the radiator. It seemed ok for about a day but then started up worse than before. Changed the water pump and it does not seem to be leaking anymore but we are still having issues. When we were bleeding the air out the hoses that come off either side of the engine would collapse when the engine was revved. We could not figure out why they were doing that. We got heat out of the vents yesterday when we did this but today my husband said he did not have heat for half of the hour drive into work again this morning. This is what he said happened:

    "This morning the van went into the Red on the temp gauge by the time I passed the fire station on 1/4 mile down the road. I turned around and by 1/8th mile away the temp was back down. The gauge kept fluctuating up to 3/4 of the way to HOT until I got to half way to work. The Low Coolant light was on almost all of the way. When I got on the freeway the temp stayed at the low end of the white bar. I did notice that when I stopped at a light the engine felt like it would stall but kept going.... I looked at the coolant overflow tank when I got to work and it was full to the cap. "

    I am thinking it sounds like the thermostat and that the fan is not kicking on. We used some leak stop during the leak phase and maybe that gunked it up? I really don't want it to be the head gasket, we just can't afford it right now. This is our only running vehicle at the moment! Because of the hoses sucking flat I was wondering if there was a pinch or something somewhere. I plan on having him take it in for coolant flush when he gets home from work to see if that helps.
  • rockbazzrockbazz Member Posts: 7
    Good evening, it's been a while since I've updated my status of this situation and wanted to do so as I'm selling this vehicle tomorrow...
    Not pleased of what I'm getting for it but such is life in this market.
    I needed to update my thread here to state that I only experienced the "no start after running" scenario that one time after changing the crank shaft sensor. So, I would like to think it resolved my issue. Thanks fo 442dude for the perfect diagnosis!! :shades: Even GM wouldn' t offer that as an option for me, so I paid for it myself.. As a going away present of my extended warranty (ended), they redid the gaskets again on the manifolds or the heads.. I don't recall which but that was the 4th time there was activity in this area done on this vehicle.. totally unacceptable - oh and they changed the thermostate..running like a charm again..so lets get rid of this now since the warranty has expired... I've purchased a different company vehicle this time to give them a chance.. Good luck all.
  • AJGWHEELSAJGWHEELS Member Posts: 10
    I have the same problem with my venture , this is what I did to solve the problem,
    after changing the thermostat , coolant sensor , new redesign water pump by GM,
    it was still OVERHEATING , got some information at GM autoshop , and they
    told me that the main cause ( on most cases ) is the INTAKE MANIFOLD &
    the UPPER MANIFOLD ( plenum ) , the INTAKE MANIFOLD is made of plastic resistance to high temp I guess , the kit comes with all four gaskets and the
    HIGH TEMPERATURE SILICON , please get the HAYNES service manual for this vehicle if your planning to fix it yourself . After installing the gaskets, and filling it up with the coolant , I turn on the vehicle , the needle was around the middle most of the time , first day was OK , but the second day the gauge went up to the RED ZONE , What happen is that I forgot to bleed the air out where the coolant circulates , theres two bleeders , one near the water pump & the other near the thermostat. I hope this helps . good luck
  • s10chevybobs10chevybob Member Posts: 6
    We've an '02 Venture with this cooling/overheating problem. Can some one tell me the procedure for bleeding the system. I opened the bleeder on the right and got air out with the engine running. It was more like spitting. Do I need a steady stream of coolant coming out? When I opened the valve on the left I didn't get any coolant but it didn't seem like much for air either. I'm thinking a bad head gasket is pumping air into the system. The intake was replaced a little over a year ago.
  • AJGWHEELSAJGWHEELS Member Posts: 10
    NOP . . . the BLEEDERS are for refilling procedure , and yes , your not suppose to get any coolant coming out . this is the info how it appears on the HAYNES repair manual : REFILLING : install the coolant reservoir , reconnect the hoses and close the drain valve HAND tight. Open the BLEED SCREWS two or three turns and slowly add coolant to the RADIATOR until it reaches the base of the filler neck . Wait a couple of minutes and make sure coolant level is still up to
    the base of the filler neck , if it isnt , ADD coolant until it is . SQUEEZE the upper RADIATOR hose gently to make sure all remaining AIR is expelled , then ADD coolant until the level is up to the base of RADIATOR neck , repeat as necesary.
    INSTALL the radiator cap , then close the BLEEDER screw above the
    WATER PUMP first , then the one on the thermostat housing .FILL coolant reservoir up to the COLD mark . now run engine until it reaches normal temperature , then turn it off , let it cool and re check coolant level.
  • s10chevybobs10chevybob Member Posts: 6
    I just went out and started the van. The outside temp is in the mid 30's. The reservoir was at the right level. It idled for about 15 minutes filling the reservoir. The temp gauge went up to the 3/4 mark and the cooling fans kicked into high. The hoses were both warm with the upper being a little warmer but not so much I couldn't hold on to it. The temp dropped a little at that point but then climbed again to the last notch before the red then it would drop a little and go back up, never going into the red or the overheat light coming on. Then I took it for a short drive. As I pulled to the road the temp stayed steady at the red. When I pulled on to the road and picked up speed the temp dropped to the halfway and lower mark and stayed in that range until I returned home. Once again at idle the needle went back to the red line. The whole time I never got any heat out of the front or rear heater or defroster. Any cyber mechanics have an idea?
  • techexpress510techexpress510 Member Posts: 2
    Chevy Venture vans have defect in cooling system - (intake manifold Leaks) causing the engine to overheat and blow the motor. See here: www.dextcoollitigation.com
  • techexpress510techexpress510 Member Posts: 2
    Hello, The motor in these vans are poop! "3.4L". With that said, I am in need of a replacement and can get it shipped/trucked or whatever... been looking for a replacement for some time - we are in California. If anyone out there knows of a crashed van or the like please let us know. 888-875-3001.
  • hogmohogmo Member Posts: 2
    Funny, I live in the second coldest capital city in the world and in sub zero temperatures, my wifes van overheats. Based on what I've read in this forum, it looks like there are a lot of possibilities: bad intake manifold, bad intake manifold gasket, bad water pump, etc. When she first experienced the problem a few months ago, I immediately had the coolant flushed. The coolant had the characteristic brown dexcool sludge She put a few more thousand kilometers on it without problem after the flush. Today, she experienced the problem again after a half hour drive across the city. She hobbled home and let the van sit for a couple of hours. It started without problem and she took it for a short 10 kilometer drive and did not experience the problem. Given the random yet inconvenient nature of the problem, I'm going to try to manage it by coolant flushes and long rests. After reading the posts, either air is getting in the coolant or the sludge has returned. I'm not sure where the air is coming from or how it can bleed out of the system after a few hours rest, which is why I think that the sludge might be a better possibility. So, when the problem becomes more severe, I'll have to rethink how to manage it. I'll update when the symptoms change and/or I change management strategies.
  • AJGWHEELSAJGWHEELS Member Posts: 10
    your problem is the SLUDGE !!!! DONT USE DEXCOOL !! Theres been some class action law suits about this ( just GOOGLE "DEXCOOL" for more info ) .

    what I did to fix the problem for good was to replace the upper Manifold (plenum)
    and the intake manifold , replace the water pump , by the way the new water pump has been re Design by GM I guess to improve the water flow , its got bigger propellers , also replace the THERMOSTAT , it could be that your vehicle is heavy sludge because of the dexcool . Have it flush with a SUPER FLUSH for half an hour once the vehicle reaches normal temperature , normal reading in gauge is half to 3/4 before the fans turn on, then the needle drops again to 1/2.
    the correct procedure when ready to add NEW coolant is to open both BLEEDERS , one next to the water pump and the other next to the THERMOSTAT
    3/4 turn , add coolant until it reaches the neck of the radiator , wait for awhile , and add again till it reaches the neck, when it doesnt go down , close the BLEEDERS starting with the one next to the water pump , then the other one. also replace the RADIATOR CAP with the original replacement ONLY. AJ
  • s10chevybobs10chevybob Member Posts: 6
    When you talk about replacing the upper manifold and plenum do you mean the gaskets or the parts? Do they warp or crack that causes the air to get into the system?
    I've tried the bleeders but the one on the left takes forever to get the air out. I've even tried patiently adding coolant directly down the bleeder and it still keeps disappearing. I do think I'll try replacing the pump and thermostat.
  • toreantorean Member Posts: 1
    I have a '02 venture (E-motor w/ 4T65-E m15 Tranny) I am wondering if anyone has a list of engine codes that are compatable with this tranny and also fit the motor mounts and space of the venture's engine bay.

    Also are motors with a 4t65-e tranny other then the m15 still work with a m15 tranny.
  • chipper1chipper1 Member Posts: 6
    Is it possible to change cyl. 1 and 2 ignition coil w/out removing air intake, throttle and cruise cables, but just a few inches w/ the ratchet strap?
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