Bar's Leak 3800 V6 Question

[jmlangeveld]

Originally posted by Malaclypse:
" The 3800 (3.8 V6) will have more coolant leaks from the upper intake than the lower. This is because two different materials are being used. Aluminum for the lower intake and a plastic/composite upper intake. The difference in materials means that there is a difference in expansion rate between the two. Over time this caouses the Upper Intake gasket to wear because its sliding between two surfaces for each warm-up and cool-down cycle the engine has."

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Is there any possible preventative maintenance that can be done? I am thinking about adding some Bar's Leak (black oily version) addative when I change the cooland out in order to shore up any worn gasket area.
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[ATS-V]

None of those additives are a good idea. Although GM has sealer pellets that were added to these engines from the factory, it looks like mud deposits in the overflow tank.

 

[JHZR2]

GM pellet pack supposedly works.

JMH

 

[T-Keith]

I've seen more lower intake problems because the DEXCOOL destroys the gaskets. Coolant only passes through one point of the upper intake, so material is really a non-issue.

For preventative maintenance, change out the coolant ASAP. The GM tabs are safe and dirt cheap, and most importantly they work.

-T

 

[BIGJ552000]

Originally posted by jmlangeveld:
[QB] Originally posted by Malaclypse:
" The 3800 (3.8 V6) will have more coolant leaks from the upper intake than the lower. This is because two different materials are being used. Aluminum for the lower intake and a plastic/composite upper intake. The difference in materials means that there is a difference in expansion rate between the two. Over time this caouses the Upper Intake gasket to wear because its sliding between two surfaces for each warm-up and cool-down cycle the engine has."

I thought the 3800 series engines were ALL iron with NO major aluminum engine parts.

 

[W.T.McGlynn]

Subject:Barr's Leak

About ten years ago the "Big Three"
used Barr's Leak as a factory fill.
Can't say for sure if they still do.

 

[T-Keith]

quote:

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Originally posted by BIGJ552000:

I thought the 3800 series engines were ALL iron with NO major aluminum engine parts.

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The 3.8 has had an aluminum intake and front cover for over 20 years.

-T

 

[JohnBrowning]

The upper leaks due to poor design. They pass an EGR stove pipe into the intake made out of plastic with thin wall construction next to coolant jasckets. Hot abrasive gas's errode theplastic until it leaks!

The lower on Series II and newer 3.8's seldom fails. The no-leak tab's are used at the OEM level to make up for useing the cheapest poorest cast aluminum parts put on a car! They are very light and have the porosity of natural chalk. They do not cnc finish the mateing surface's either. THe tab's keep coolant from leaking to bad past the aluminumparts until they can corode shut!

 

[lght1]

Hi

Earlier this month, I replaced my plastic delphi UIM with a aluminum one from a L26 Series III 3800.

I compared the 75k mi delphi with a 100k mi Dorman replacement UIM for the same Series II.

The Dorman egr passage was pristine with no sign of deteriation. The delphi however has signs of material degradation in the sides of the egr passageway.

I believe the Dorman replacement UIM and a Ken-Co egr "kit" is the way to go for these Series II engines.

 

[Shaman]

lght1 beat me to it. Dorman UIM or L26 UIM