Transport woes continue

I may have wasted my time and my money. The Buick had a very lean mixture and everyone kept saying it was the lower intake. Now a few years ago when the car was gifted to me it had an internal coolant leak, the infamous UIM/Plenum stove pipe melt issue. Normally it would be an expensive fix but since the car was free; I did have to pay the taxes and title transfer fees, and I could do the labour it was just the price of the parts. I manged to get a new Dorman plenum for half the cost and the lower intake gaskets for a good price. Tore it down, replace the gaskets and plenum and it ran like a champ for a year. Then last year it started having other issues. One was a bad MAF; manage to get a Dorman for half price; like I said in another thread, I know how to be frugal and I hunt for bargains. It fixed the issue of the car wanting to "buck". However the lean bank issue continued. There was a bow in the Droman plenum where the throttle body mounts and you could see the gasket; not normal. Took me three months but I convinced Dorman to send me a new one at no cost; not even shipping. I got a set of Magnum lower intake gaskets for $58; not bad. So this past week I torn the thing down again, replacing the lower intake gaskets because techs kept saying that was the likely cause of the vacuum leak. Today I did road tests and the car is the same. So, it was not the lower intake gaskets or the plenum. Now I had done searches on the net for the trouble codes and lean mixture and most pointed to the same, intake, either lower or upper. Today I decided to do some different searches and I got a new result that I had not seen before. EGR pipe to lower intake. I ordered a new Dorman, $27.75 with free shipping. No time to wait and see for a cheaper one, I am tired of this issue. So I probably wasted the money for the lower intake gaskets since that was not the issue, not counting the hours replacing them. I had techs looking over histories of repairs and no history showed up for the EGR pipe in their database; yet, I found where there was a history of the EGR pipe causing the lean bank 1 code. I do careful work, which is why it takes me longer but it is always possible for a gasket to be damaged in installation. Let's just hope the new EGR pipe fixes this problem and I can enjoy driving the car again.

 

That would be my feet and the Old Girl.

 

Does the Buick have the 3800 engine?

 

I think that's a foregone conclusion.

A friend had one, a series 2, in a mid 90's Buick 88.

GM supposedly repaired these under a "recall" that wasn't really a full recall, but I keep seeing instances where many in fact were not fixed under this by GM.

I would say in most of these situations, the original owner of the car, when still a fairly new vehicle figured " it runs fine, I won't take it in for recall".

Then it becomes a headache for the people that bought it used. That's what happened to my buddy's. Nickel and dimed him and then started leaking gas. He ultimately junked it as he had other running vehicles.


Let's hope this $27 part fixes it.

 

From a certified Master gm tech..


"The key to a permanent repair is the new aluminum LIM gaskets from GM or the top shelf felpro (yes there is a less expensive version that is plastic frame like the ones that let go) and an ATP upper plenum.

Ditch the Dexcool after the repair,before it doesn't help much as the poor gasket design itself is one of the reasons for the failure,the Dexcool just speeds things up a little."

And...

Quote:
Has GM ever corrected this problem?


"Yes and no. GM did develop a highly revised LIM gasket for this repair,it took them over a decade to get it right but it works great.
The Felpro PermaDryPlus is an excellent gasket also,both work very well,retail price is similar.

The other major issue with these engines is the upper plenum.The EGR chimney burns through the plastic plenum.GM didnt fix this as well as the aftermarket did.

ATP makes a superior replacement #10611 with a metal shield around the chimney and a new chimney of slightly reduced diameter,this cured the burn through issues.The reduction in EGR flow from the reduced diameter is very slight if any and causes no running or CEL issues."

 

I was just thinking while reading this, sounds like a good place to tuck a piece of chimney liner insulation...the stuff with the foil backing...some git 'er dun right there, I tell you what

 

It would be up to NFPA code then too.

 

Yes, it does. Good engine but over the years a few stupid ideas by GM. GM discontinued the 3800 a couple of years back; bad decision if you ask me but they didn't.

 

I used Felpro the first time but the Felpro quality seems to be deteriorating. I examined the Magnum and talked to a company rep so decided to try them and the price was good. As it turned out, the LIM was not leaking. I used a Dorman UIM which has the reduced stove pipe but no shield. I also switched from the Dexcool. I would not have gone back into the engine but it had a vacuum leak and I could not locate it and everything pointed to the LIM. If I had known about the EGR pipe that would have been what I would have tried.

 

The 3.8 is one of the best engines ever produced.
The factory intake is what should be in the car with felpro gaskets.

Dormant sucks period.
I would take that pos dormant maf off ASAP. If you change the Lim again put the gm piece back in! Lol.


If you give me the part number I might have a gm maf laying around.

Use break cleaner to spray around the egr tube its where chainsaw guys get the idea from. See if idle changes. Make sure you have vacuum tubes and connectors hooked up and leek free.

I have a few years experience hot rodding and working on these engines they are infamous for eating the competition and pooping out mustangs!

 

fixed it for ya...

 

Thanks for the un-usefull unrelated criticism!
Ignorance is bliss ain't it?
Your the type of mustang guy I'd do a rolling burnout passing ya!

The 3800 is a descendant of the buck grand national. Google the grand national.
They dont share much but displacement.
They are unbreakable at street trim power levels. Zzp went into the 8s on stock bottom end components.

My gtp ran 14.6 bone stock my brothers 99 ran 14.1 bone stock.
No mustang of the era could hang on. They were stuck in the 15s lol. About where NA 3800s run.

On street tires my gtp as it sits edges out new 5.0 yotes. The track on slicks it obviously a different story.(haven't run it in a few years gave up on it after buying a house)
I got mustang wheels tho!

 

Dude, chill! I was just funnin with ya. (notice the winky?) This is FHC, we have a lil fun here from time to time.
I know full well those things can run, I have a buddy with a 3800 SSEi in a Transport van...and it still scoots! And as far as GNs, yup, got those here in Ohio too...

How was my joke critical?
And as far as useful...your "my car is faster than yours" post helps Kimberly how?

 

Is it? I don't recall seeing a year/model posted. I was assuming it is a 3800, which I really don't have any real expertise on...but my question was posted mainly to bump this thread back to the top for all the Sunday morning traffic to see, so hopefully someone with some background with this engine would reply...seems like it worked

 

Yes, I have heard others tell me that Dorman quality has gone down hill. I went with the Dorman based on a forum thread; they did not mention any other brands that had a fix for the UIM/Plenum. The second one did not have the bow at the throttle body so maybe. It came with the tabs that holds the gasket in place broken; only one hanging on and the holder for the PVC sensor was broken so had to use the old one.

This is what RockAuto lists for the MAF; AC Delco is $166.00 and Dorman around $78 and I purchased mine from a guy on eBay for $58.00.
ACDELCO 2134338 {#19179716, 213301, 24505519} GM Original Equipment

My Buick is a 98 3800 engine, LeSabre body. The car is in good shape and my sister gave me the car and I fixed the coolant leak. My sister had done other work on the car, replaced the crank sensor, had replaced the hubs, replace the idler pulley, replace the starter. I had put new coils and ignition module on the 93; they were same for 98 so I swapped them so also new coils, and ignition module. Last year I put new platinum plugs and ignition wires; got a really good buy on the wires off of Amazon; high quality wires. The AC is not working, leak in the receiver which means pulling the dash so I just use the windows.

 

No, it has the original LIM; if it is the cause of the leak then it must be warped or something. So I was looking at new replacements and see Dorman is the cheapest but if you say no, then I need to rethink. I did not take the LIM to a shop to be checked, I was here without transport and all the shops are too far to walk; I guess I could have asked my neighbour but he just recovered from lung cancer and I did not want to impose on them. On the advice of a mechanic I torque, in stages, the lower intake to 140 in-pounds; the GM spec is 132 in-pounds; which is a low torque compared to the older engines; that is 11 foot-pounds.

 

My Dad was a mustang guy. I helped him rebuild my sister's mustang, not sure the year, maybe 66. That car was fast. She made the mistake of selling it to our brother and he gave it to his son who quickly destroyed the car; he came out OK but the car was total, What a waste. Beautiful car, all original except the paint. yes, what a waste.

 

I have nothing to add but this made me