My car has an intake problem and to fix it costs $1000. What is the intake and what does it do?

Question

My Grand Am has been displaying "add coolant" once a month since December. I've taken it to the dealer each time; they couldn't find a leak. They even put dye in the coolant and looked the engine over with a black light. Yesterday, they had me leave the car overnight and called this am to tell me the "intake" is causing the problem. I was told it will take from Friday through Monday or Tuesday to fix and the cost will be $1015. I have no idea what an intake is or what it does. If I don't get it fixed will the car stop running or will I just have to keep adding antifreeze every month? Is the cost reasonable?

Answer 1

hi, the intake is what allows air to enter into the engine, more then likely the problem is the intake gaskets, unless its a 3.8, the the intake should be replaced to, this is a common problem on gm's and 1k is fair price.

Answer 2

Take it somewhere else. If a dealer says "intake problem"...that's awfully vague (unless you're not repeating exactly what they said)...

Most likey it would be an intake manifold gasket or maybe a cracked or warped intake manifold. But $1000.00? That seems pretty steep.

I would suggest dumping a tube of "Barrs Stop Leak" in your radiator...I swear by the stuff...it's $3 or $4 and it might hook you up.

The intake manifold delivers the air/feul mixture from the carburator/fuel injectors to the cylinders. It also has antifreeze channels in it. There is a gasket between the intake and the head (where the cylinders are) that sometimes can leak.


Try the Stop Leak...and if you don't want to try that, or if it doesn't work, take the car somewhere else!

Good luck!

Answer 3

Your intake is bolted onto the cylinder head. It channels fuel/air mixture to the valves so the engine will run. I don't know what year your Grand Am is but I would make sure that the car is worth it(book value). If it isn't worth that much than I would suggest getting rid of it. $1000 is a lot of money to spend on car repairs. $1000 also buys a fairly decent used car. It is your choice so choose wisely! Good luck.

Answer 4

Yeah, a 'ninety two for $a million,000 or a '01 for $2,000? i'm going to take the '01 palms down. Grand Prix's have been available with 2 distinctive engines, the three.8L ninety degree V6, or the three.1L 60 degree V6. My selection is the three.8L(3800) engine. the two engines have subject concerns with the intake gaskets leaking. one ingredient to be sure is why does it prefer the intake gaskets replaced. whether that is leaking internally, you will have subject concerns later if the vehicle replaced into pushed for a protracted time with the coolant mixing with the oil. Engine bearings and hydraulic lifters do unlike engine coolant. in my view, if it has the 3800, that could be a no-brainer. i might purchase it. i might go searching slightly extra it it has the 3100.

Answer 5

You have an intake manifold that takes fuel and air from the carburator and distributes the mixture to all the cylinders. You probably have a leak in the gasket or a crack in the manifold itself. Yes you need to fix this - eventually the leak wil get big enough to cause your car not to run at all. To be safe I would get a second opinion. Ask friends about a reputable mechanic.

Answer 6

I just had the intake gasket on my Buick Century 3.1 replaced by a independent repair facility. My cost was 335.00. Dealer wanted 600.00. Shop around and you can get a much better deal.

Answer 7

this is a common problem on gm 3.1/3.4 engines felpro makes a new intake gasket that's called a problem solver for these. make sure this is the gasket that goes back in this thing. also if you look around you should be able to find a shop to do this for 400-600. it's not a real difficult job in the grand am. good luck.

Answer 8

The intake is easy to point out,go to them and ask them to show you!Dont be lead down the trail without knowing what you will be paying for;It sounds like you may have a leaking seal on the intake manifold,BUT, it might be a leaking head gasket instead,The price that was quoted sounds more like the head gasket, In which case,when they change out a head gasket they usually have to also change out the intake gasket !Tie them down to exactly what they want to do.!

Answer 9

If they are not patient enough to explain exactly what an intake is, then take your car elsewhere. Your coolant leak, if it isn't leaking into your engine, is leaking elsewhere-hoses and or radiator. In which case, the repairs would likely be much smaller

Answer 10

i'd be guessing if i answered your question ask the dealer what intake are they talking about e more specific there are a lot of intakes in our cars engine there is the intake valve, intake manifold, oil intake, and a host of others so ask them which intake are they talking about and have them point it ut to you and let them explain what it actually does.