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Message #1229 and #1230 also refer to a faulty intake manifold gasket.
See www.oldsmobileforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8233 posting by 442much. This gives details of class action lawsuit against GM in Canada after CTV Whistleblower report that reveals in detail this same problem in millions of GM vehicles.
My mechanic in Iuka MS told me to check the underneath of oil cap; if it has yellow gel, that means the intake may have a leak. I checked this before I bought the Trans Sport; and, it does not have that.
I am in SW MI.
The engine oil is not overfull; but 1/2 gallon extra may not be enough to change the visible level on the stick,
The actual mileage is 180,145. It would seem that someone would have had to have changed the OM gasket before now. Maybe it went bad again.
The plastic engine coolant reservoir does not have a full hot marker, only a full cold. There are 2 small holes drilled in the top; one has a black plug in it. The other hole is open.
I deeply appreciate all replies. If this ends up to be an inexpensive repair(under $100), I will be a happy camper.
Hope this helps...
.
Replaced the head gaskets and remanufactured heads and have gotten another 25000 miles of it and still going strong (172K to date). Rear side of the engine is a bear to work on though but I was able to complete the job (first engine top end rebuild). The shop manual is almost required if you are going to do it yourself.
Good luck
The obvious overheating culprit is a hole in the plastic end of the upper right side of radiator(gets air filter wet).
Radiator and labor costs about $450.
IS THERE ANY AVAILABLE SUBSTANCE THAT I CAN ADHERE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE RADIATOR AT THE LEAK? ITS WORTH A TRY.
After spending $1450 for vehicle, $450 for title, plate, and insurance, and $100 for mechanic, I am trying any possible, cheap solution first.
If I have to have the radiator changed, should I have a universal coolant and reinforced metal gaskets put in, or keep as is(Dex Cool)?
Lets hope the intake manifold gasket and head gasket are okay.
Thanks a lot.
If this is your daily ride (and needs to be reliable), I'd make lots of phone calls and price a new rad replacement. And buy a new rad cap as well. Call around, then drive to the store to buy it. I'd then install the new rad and new hoses myself. If you aren't "good with a wrench", invite a few wrench monkeys (LOL!) over and give them beer AFTER they installed and tested your van's new rad.
For main RAD cooling fluid, I'd install what the owner's manual calls for. For example, university antifreeze or DEX-Cool stuff. Sometimes, the rad's overflow container will state on the outside what to use as well. If you do switch to other fluid, you'll need to flush the system multiple times. I hear one cannot mix both fluids - or lumps will form.
Also... I hear today's Dex-Cool formula is much better then pre-2003 formula. Today's version is friendlier on gaskets and water pumps. Still, I'd change Dex-Cool fluid every 4 years (same replacement schedule as normal universal anti-freeze).
Hope this helps...
.
With a new thermostat installed, the visual water gauge shortly swings over to hot, and then back to normal for the rest of the ride. Also, the air filter doesnt get wet now.
I had ordered a new radiator(crack in plastic cap end) but it never came (out of stock).
Thanks a lot.
Have had a new radiator/radiator cap installed. Overheating probem is sooner, worse. The mechanuc who installed the radiator in 2 hours, gunned the engine for about 45 minutes(on and off, mostly on). This frightened me. After I left and went to Walmart, it overheated 30 mintues later. I took the Trans Sport back to mechanic. He released the pressure with a tool, and spent about 5 minutes on vehicle. He said all it needed is to be burped to get air bubble out. Driving home, it still overheated. I stopped at another service station and asked him to burp it. Mechanic there said head gasket is blown.
I have tried all kinds of ways to burp the radiator(cap on and off, adding coolant, etc.) in the driveway.
After first mechanic replaced cracked end radiator, vehicle now sends out white smoke, and oil is showing higher on dipstick.
How do I know if the problem is intake manifold gasket or had gasket?
Please help me.
After engine is cool (sitting 24+ hours), remove its rad cap, let engine idle and "warm up" on its own (say 10-15 minutes), then look down its rad cap opening. If you see a bubble of air floating to the top, then its most likely a blown head gasket. That's how they detected blow head gasket on my previous vehicle.
Being a 12+ year old van, I'd seriously think about trading in or selling for parts. Replacing head and intake gasket (do both at the same time) can cost from $2K to $3K. Especially if heads need to be plained down (to remove warp) as well. If wondering, I had to "dump" a previous GM vehicle that had a head gasket leak. It wasn't worth fixing either.
Hope this helps....
Thank you
Gordon
i wasn't too far from home thankfully, when the heat gauge went way up and the temp light came on, i had no power in the motor ( barely made it up the hill ). pulled over to the side of the road and threw on my hazards. (dangerous spot to have to stop but had no choice).
lots of coolant in the resevour, let it cool down for about an hour, drove it back home and parked it. this morning i started it back up to see if i could find a problem now my oil light is on and the oil life says it is at 0. just had the oil changed last month at the dealer.
has anyone else had this sort of problem and could you please tell how to fix it? this is my only vehicle and i use it daily as i am moving.
thank you for reading my post :sick:
Good luck.
thank you for responding :sick:
If this is done, should I start the engine in the driveway or leave well enough alone.
I am willing to sell the minivan for $1800.
Pleasae help!
I dont have a mechanic I can trust so I am having it at least winterised in the driveway.
Until I can afford/want to spend more money, this is how it has to be.
The snow will get plenty deep all around the minivan; will this hurt anything else?
Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.
Do I need to have the oil/water/coolant mixture drained from the motor? The stick shows reddish liquid above the full line.
This is in Michigan.
Yellow-handled dipstick (short): Engine oil. If dark brown, I'd change the oil before storage although perhaps not necessary. It should be between the low and high marks when off and cold. If it is a soft grey color or has milky streaks, it is still contaminated with water-coolant mixture from the blown head gasket and definitely should be changed.
Also, I feel that sometimes the body electronics will act up if the battery goes completetly dead and/or is removed, as when buying a new battery.