Bought vehicle maybe 2 months ago-of coarse pulled dip stick and other usual checks before buying.Oil looked good and after looking it over took vehicle home.Well less than 200 miles later oil looks like a bad batch of coffee!I heard the 96 vortex 4.3 v6 engines were known for intake manifold leaks after 100.000 miles,how hard is it for a guy whos very handy to do himself?How do i know to replace gasket or manifold itself?Would overheat sometimes so i removed thermastat and loosened rad.cap so pressure wouldnt build.Fugure i had some time to fix.But on first run this way overheated even worse stalled and hasent started since.Is it junk?
2006-12-01 20:40:05 · 4 answers · asked by corey c 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
You have a leaking intake gasket the thing that is bad is the red coolant (dexcool) and oil make a real mess that is very hard to clean. You probaly hurt the engine by driving with this mess for oil. Will it still turn over?
2006-12-02 01:54:32 · answer #1 · answered by goinggreen 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
have the same year..... same engine.....
I can tell you its the intake gasket.... the rest of the engine is fine (its based off the 350. its a 350 with 2 cylinders cut off literally)
And they came with a orange dexcool, not red/pink
The 3.1, 3.4 and 4.3 were known for em..... because that year (96) they made the switch to a new type gasket (plastic upper) and new coolant.... dexcool.
Now... the dexcool didn't play well with the gaskets..... but also the gaskets were just crappy plastic anyway.
dexcool also doesn't like air in the system (why you'll see pressurized overflows on later models) and will turn to brown crap.... if mixed with regular coolant..... or air is in the system..... and stop the cooling system up
Its not the gasket..... its removing all the crap thats in the way.... (the air conditioner compressor, alternator.... etc etc...)
Install felpros (they are made esspecially for these engines, and were tested hard..... and fix the problem ) they are the more expensive also.....
And while all the craps outta the way, new plugs and wires.
that is if it still turns over and oil doesn't look like it could be used as a grinding compound..
Coolant as well all know..... doesn't lube very well..... and also sludges.
You may be lucky.... and find the engines ok, and fix it, and get another 100k out of it.
Mine was leaking on the outside luckily.....
btw, gm has since fixed the gasket problem....
Also keep in mind, these are good little trucks...... if the bodys in good shape.... might want to think about a new/good used engine if the old ones crapped out.
2006-12-04 18:23:30 · answer #2 · answered by 572ci. 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its not hard. It will take about 4 hours. Leaking GM v6 intake manifolds are a major problem. Stop driving the vehicle now. You may be able to save your engine. High mileage engines sometimes survive water in the oil. Autozone has online manual with photos and instructions
2006-12-02 00:50:11 · answer #3 · answered by R1volta 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was not a intake leak, but a blown head gasket. That coffe looking oil means you have water in your oil. If you ran it like that, and overheated it, it's a good bet you fried the engine. Tow the rig to a garage, and have them give you an estimate, if it's possible, or just go out and buy your self another engine.
2006-12-02 00:28:20 · answer #4 · answered by calebhouser99114 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋