Picked this car up for $800. 108k mi. Needs a little work. OLM was up, was gonna change regardless. Hoping to put a can of head gasket sealer in the coolant. Can’t even see the coolant in the oil with the naked eye, so hopefully can nip it in the bud right now.
2001 Buick LeSabre 3.8L 3800 Series II Unknown OCI & Oil
- Thread starter Danimal1q2w3
- Start date
That's one of my favorite engines of all time. I hope you get her in shp shape and run it for years!
Nix the head gasket sealer. More issues that’s its worth. Just change the LIM gaskets and do it once.
Do the LIM gaskets with the latest design and change the upper plenum and EGR chimney (part of the plenum kit) to repair this. Do not use sealers.
Change the plastic elbows out for aluminum ones but use OE o rings on them. The kit from ATP has been reliable on the ones I have done and have lasted many years without issue. For about $100 and an afternoon its good to go.
ATP plenum
zzperformance.com
Change the plastic elbows out for aluminum ones but use OE o rings on them. The kit from ATP has been reliable on the ones I have done and have lasted many years without issue. For about $100 and an afternoon its good to go.
ATP plenum
Amazon.com: ATP Automotive Graywerks 106001 Engine Intake Manifold: Automotive
Buy ATP Automotive Graywerks 106001 Engine Intake Manifold: Intake Manifolds - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com
Intake Gasket
Factory replacement for the plastic gasket found in the Series II 3800 engine.
zzperformance.com
Could you please elaborate
See TRAV's post. As for 'head gasket sealers' they can ruin an engine really quick, and chances are, teh LIM gaskets are what's causing your coolant in oil on that engine.
Yes, but what kind of problems are they prone to cause? Other than a generic “ruin an engine really quick”?
At a very minimum it's likely to plug the heater core. I had a water pump leak on an 83 Olds delta 88 which was going to be a parts car in the spring. I put some stop leak product in it and the water pump stopped leaking the same day and the heat was gone the day after that. I drove it all winter without heat (I was broke). On that car doing the heater core is like $50 for the parts and an hour or 2 labor if you're slow like me. Most modern vehicles it's a huge ordeal to replace one.
Really appreciate it!!! My last 3800 went to 270k on a 2000 Buick centuryDo the LIM gaskets with the latest design and change the upper plenum and EGR chimney (part of the plenum kit) to repair this. Do not use sealers.
Change the plastic elbows out for aluminum ones but use OE o rings on them. The kit from ATP has been reliable on the ones I have done and have lasted many years without issue. For about $100 and an afternoon its good to go.
ATP plenum
Amazon.com: ATP Automotive Graywerks 106001 Engine Intake Manifold: Automotive
Buy ATP Automotive Graywerks 106001 Engine Intake Manifold: Intake Manifolds - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchaseswww.amazon.com
Intake Gasket
Factory replacement for the plastic gasket found in the Series II 3800 engine.
I know this thread is pretty old but I've got a 2000 Lesabre that turned over 200k. It's been through 2 of those plastic upper intakes and lowers changed with them as well. Well know problem on the series 2 definitely worth a proper fix with that low of mileage.
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- Oct 28, 2014
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Here are instructions for how to replace the UIM and bolt torque sequence. I did not make these up, they USED to come with ZZP upper intakes. Incidentally, if you're going to replace the plastic coolant elbows with aluminum ones (which you'll probably have to do since the plastic ones will more than likely break when you attempt to remove them) a 90 degree pick, a small pivoting inspection mirror and a good small flashlight will do wonders to help make sure you've actually removed all the broken pieces from the lower intake manifold.