2005 Series III 3800 intake gasket

[ls1mike]

So verified, this 2005 had plastic gaskets. Intake has never been off, 130,000 miles. Took me a little less than 4 hours start to finish with 30ish minutes to eat and feed my kids.

Looked pretty decent in there, but the plastic gaskets were done. I replaced the upper intake plenum as well, didn't need it but a GM one was under 100 bucks.

Used the Fel-Pro metal framed intake gaskets.

I think it was like 30 fasteners total. I used 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, and 15mm sockets/wrenches.

It is one of the easiest intakes to replace. I think I am 300 bucks in the repair with new plenum.
Here you go.

The passages filled with grime/dirt dead head to the bottom of the intake, so
all the ones I have done have a bit a build up there.

 

[ls1mike]

Just took it for an hour drive, ran really nice, but had a weird stumble, idle. I pull the oil cap while it was running...HUGE vacuum, car shuts down...
Well, here is your bonehead move of the day. When I swapped the upper plenum, I swapped everything over but the PVC valve...Went and got it out of the old intake, put in the new one. So nice. Fixed those oddities.

 

[71Chevyguy]

You did it right, so you will never have to do that again. I had to take off those metal gaskets after 85k of use to swap the lower manifold on mine (it was dorman and leaking). They looked like new and looked good enough to re-use, not that I did. I truly believe that is the real fix and won't be an issue again. I have the plastic upper, so it got a new one since they are known to warp. The car has been flawless for the 85k I have already put on it. Looking forward to many more comfortable miles. Good luck with yours! If you just got it, look into putting in a transgo shift kit, you won't regret it.

 

[ls1mike]

You did it right, so you will never have to do that again. I had to take off those metal gaskets after 85k of use to swap the lower manifold on mine (it was dorman and leaking). They looked like new and looked good enough to re-use, not that I did. I truly believe that is the real fix and won't be an issue again. I have the plastic upper, so it got a new one since they are known to warp. The car has been flawless for the 85k I have already put on it. Looking forward to many more comfortable miles. Good luck with yours! If you just got it, look into putting in a transgo shift kit, you won't regret it.

TranGo kit came in the mail today. My kid will drive this one. This is my 5th 3800/4T65E car, most of them were supercharged. I will do the shift kit, fluid and aux cooler next weekend.

 

[clinebarger]

No other unit benefits as much from a Gil Younger SK kit as a 4T65E!

 

[R18Civic]

I'm gonna have to do this to my 09. It looked like it had plastic LIM gaskets on it too. I've got the plenum and china wall gaskets in my car, just never got around to putting them in. Plus I don't have a pan to catch the coolant.

 

[R18Civic]

Friggin gasket beat me to it. Went out and caused my bearings to bite the dust. Just purchased a 2005 lesabre engine with under 100k so I'll just swap over the intake, oil pan and accessories.

 

[AZjeff]

That hurts. Never do today what you can put off until something fails...

 

[14Accent]

Does it have a plastic upper intake? No Series III that I've ever heard of came with a plastic upper OR plastic lower gaskets...

 

[ls1mike]

Does it have a plastic upper intake? No Series III that I've ever heard of came with a plastic upper OR plastic lower gaskets...

This one was an 05, intake never off, 130,000 miles. Plastic intake gaskets. Aluminum intake. Series III

You probably were not asking me.

 

[Trashman]

Does the shift kit help with the longevity of the 4T65E? I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a Series 3 car as I've heard those engines are solid, figured I may as well gain a bit of knowledge from folks with experence. Thank you

 

[ls1mike]

Does the shift kit help with the longevity of the 4T65E? I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a Series 3 car as I've heard those engines are solid, figured I may as well gain a bit of knowledge from folks with experence. Thank you

Maybe Cline will chime in, but the short answer is yes. Helps with hard shifts, up the line pressure so the clutches don't slip as much. You get a firmer shift with less clutch slippage so the don't wear out as fast.

 

[Trashman]

Maybe Cline will chime in, but the short answer is yes. Helps with hard shifts, up the line pressure so the clutches don't slip as much. You get a firmer shift with less clutch slippage so the don't wear out as fast.

Thank you for the info, I appreciate it. So it sounds like a pretty standard shift kit? I have heard that the 4T65E is somewhat weak so I wasn't sure if there was a reason specific to that tranny or not. I drive like a granny so I am definitely easy on my trannies. I like to change the fluid and filter every 30,000 miles or so.

 

[ls1mike]

Thank you for the info, I appreciate it. So it sounds like a pretty standard shift kit? I have heard that the 4T65E is somewhat weak so I wasn't sure if there was a reason specific to that tranny or not. I drive like a granny so I am definitely easy on my trannies. I like to change the fluid and filter every 30,000 miles or so.

That is good regiment. The shift kit is very easy to install.

 

[Duffyjr]

The shift kit is very easy to install.

How long would it take a tranny shop to install the kit, hour wise? Or could a mech do it?

I see they are less than $50 for the kit, if I'm looking at the right one.

https://www.amazon.com/Wellington-Parts-Corp-T84167G-Transgo/dp/B008XO9ATC/ref=sr_1_1

 

[ls1mike]

How long would it take a tranny shop to install the kit, hour wise? Or could a mech do it?

I see they are less than $50 for the kit, if I'm looking at the right one.

https://www.amazon.com/Wellington-Parts-Corp-T84167G-Transgo/dp/B008XO9ATC/ref=sr_1_1

So, they will charge a pan drop, filter swap, and oil fil. The kit maybe another hour.

 

[clinebarger]

Thank you for the info, I appreciate it. So it sounds like a pretty standard shift kit? I have heard that the 4T65E is somewhat weak so I wasn't sure if there was a reason specific to that tranny or not. I drive like a granny so I am definitely easy on my trannies. I like to change the fluid and filter every 30,000 miles or so.

The TransGo kit is proprietary in the fact that it reduces the range of the 2nd & 3rd Accumulators thus shortening the 1-2 shift & 2-3 shift.
The most common problem with the 4T65E is a P1811 which is usually caused by a upshift that took too long to complete.

I won't normally install the TransGo kit without also replacing the Pressure Control Solenoid which requires removing the Side Cover, Low Line Pressure can also cause the P1811......It sucks to have to install a PCS for free after the TG kit didn't 100% fix the unit.

 

[Duffyjr]

So, they will charge a pan drop, filter swap, and oil fil. The kit maybe another hour.

Tranny has 90k on it and I'm not sure of the service history, is there a chance changing the fluid/filter could create issues I'm not having or is that only a tranny with higher mileage?

Mech says the fluid appears to be in good shape as of last April. It's not shifting hard or slow and no codes are present.

 

[ls1mike]

Tranny has 90k on it and I'm not sure of the service history, is there a chance changing the fluid/filter could create issues I'm not having or is that only a tranny with higher mileage?

Mech says the fluid appears to be in good shape as of last April. It's not shifting hard or slow and no codes are present.

I would think if the fluid is still good it has been serviced. I do mine every 45,000 in everything. I have always been told if you are over 75,000 and it has not been done don't do it. I don't believe that. I have done a few 4T65Es with mileage over 100,00 and horrible fluid, installed the kit and had no issue. I would ask cline what he thinks.

 

[clinebarger]

I don't believe that.

I don't believe that either, If fresh fluid kills a unit.....It was going to die anyway!!