Mobil1 5-30 3500mi 2001 Chevy Venture

[DirtMover]

I'd noticed that the Antifreeze was needing topped off a couple of times over the previous year, with no visible leaks, so I sent an oil sample off to Blackstone.

Blackstone Comments:
Quote:
These 3.4L engines are known for lower intake manifold gasket issues, and that's probably what you've got here. The excess copper, lead, and tin show that the coolant is doing quite a bit of damage to your engine's bearings. Your engine should recover once the issue is addressed but you'll want to do something sooner, rather than later, to avoid spinning a bearing. Suggest going no more than 2,000 miles on the next oil and then resample to monitor. Caution! Antifreeze and poor bearing wear!


Code:
Make/ Model: GM 3.4L V-6 2001 Chevy Venture Van



MI on Oil: 3,493

MI on Unit 66,502

Sample Date 05/08/11



Universal

Averages

ALUMINUM 16 3

CHROMIUM 1 1

IRON 43 14

COPPER 100 12

LEAD 25 4

TIN 25 1

MOLYBDENUM 64 58

NICKEL 1 0

MANGANESE 6 1

SILVER 0 0

TITANIUM 0 0

POTASSIUM 359 12

BORON 37 32

SILICON 19 14

SODIUM 648 32

CALCIUM 2420 950

MAGNESIUM 19 96

PHOSPHORUS 689 652

ZINC 794 797

BARIUM 0 0



SUS Viscosity @ 210°F 61.2 56-63

cSt Viscosity @ 100°C 10.55 9.1-11.3

Flashpoint in °F 395 >365

Fuel %
Antifreeze % 1.30 0.0

Water % 0.0
Insolubles % 0.5




Sure enough, lower intake manifold gasket leaking.
The bill was about $1200....not quite what the entire vehicle is worth.

 

[daves87rs]

Ouch...good that it was fixed though...

 

[chubbs1]

Sorry to hear that, but at least you caught it. That is one good reason to get a $25 UOA every once and a while. Especially if you notice anything with the coolant level dropping.

 

[tig1]

I know several people that have owned this type of engine, and it seems all of them have had this problem. My sister drives Buicks, and both of them had the LIM gaskets replaced, but the cost wasn't near what you paid.

 

[margaret26]

1200 to repair a lower intake manifold gasket leak? That's too much. The gasket will cost you around $200 - $300. Then just add a couple more bucks for labor.

 

[addyguy]

IMO, stupid move. Like you said, repair was worth more than the vehicle was. Also, coolant does severe, long-term damage to an engine - you'll really kick yourself when in 30k this thing lunches the bearings...then you're on the hook for a $2-$3k engine replacement, on top of the intake work!

Good luck!

 

[ltslimjim]

Did the OP overpay for this job? Probably so. My dad needs the lower intake manifold gasket replaced on his Chevy S10 4.3L; and the highest quote we've received is $550 parts and labor. We can get the parts and have the job done for around $405 elsewhere for the best 'deal'. So, 2.5x that for a smaller engine of the same year? Overpaid. Lame, but oh well.