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1994 Buick Regal 3.8 - coolant leaking from intake gasket



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 15th 05, 03:16 PM
Mathieu
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Default 1994 Buick Regal 3.8 - coolant leaking from intake gasket

My car is a 1994 Buick Regal Custom, 3800 V6, 240,000km (150k miles).

Since about 2 years, some coolant leaks from the intake gasket. At
first I had to add some coolant once or twice a year, now I need to add
a pint every 3-4 weeks. There is no trace of coolant in the engine oil.

The cost to replace the gasket (with labour) is near 500$. Since my
car's value is about 1000-1500$, I hesitate to have it fixed (and I
wouldn't mind adding some coolant, even if it was every week). I plan
to keep this car for about a year and a half, maximum.

Now what should I do?

Is there a high risk of having coolant in the engine oil in the next
year if the problem gets worst?

Should I try to add stop-leak, or would it clog the heater core (I live
in Quebec and I need my heater to work in winter!)

Or should I just check the coolant level every week and add some when
needed?

Thank you for your help!!

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  #2  
Old June 15th 05, 03:30 PM
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"Mathieu" > wrote in message
oups.com...

> Thank you for your help!!


Perhaps you might consider replacing it yourself. You can do it for far far
far under the
$500 quoted (is that $ Canadian?).

I pulled one down not long ago, and - if I still have the old gaskets - I
might be able to
make some photos available which could show you what may have happened.

Will look, anyway.


  #3  
Old June 16th 05, 02:06 AM
Steve B.
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On 15 Jun 2005 07:16:00 -0700, "Mathieu" >
wrote:

>My car is a 1994 Buick Regal Custom, 3800 V6, 240,000km (150k miles).
>
>Since about 2 years, some coolant leaks from the intake gasket. At
>first I had to add some coolant once or twice a year, now I need to add
>a pint every 3-4 weeks. There is no trace of coolant in the engine oil.


Well you know the leak is getting worse as you are having to add more
and more water. Question is how far away from a catastrophe are you.
The leak will eventually get bad enough that water is going to hit the
oil or, even worse. dump in to a cylinder while the engine is running.
Since water isn't compressible a leak in to the cylinder pretty much
wipes out the engine in one compression stroke.

If you want to try a quick fix I would try the Barrs Leak that comes
in tablets (ginger I believe) or you can get the ac/delco product from
your nearest ac/delco parts house or Cadillac dealer. This product
was required in every cadillac engine from the early 80's (4.1) until
just recently (dropped a few years ago on the NorthStar). It seems to
do ok sealing slow leaks and doesnt clog up the radiator or heater
core as bad. I really wouldn't count on this helping you though as
these products are made to prevent super slow leaks and it sounds
like you are past that point.

History says at 150k you are nearing the end of life on the
transmission in that car and looking at a $1500 or more rebuild. Add
$500 for the head gasket repair and you can probably go find yourself
another one just like it with half the miles. If it were mine I might
try the barrs leak tablets and just keep driving it until it dies or
the leak grows to an unmanagable size. On the positive side if you do
have it fixed and the engine has been well maintained you can get
another 100k out of it pretty easily.

Steve B.
  #4  
Old June 17th 05, 11:17 AM
Ted Mittelstaedt
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"Mathieu" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> My car is a 1994 Buick Regal Custom, 3800 V6, 240,000km (150k miles).
>
> Since about 2 years, some coolant leaks from the intake gasket. At
> first I had to add some coolant once or twice a year, now I need to add
> a pint every 3-4 weeks. There is no trace of coolant in the engine oil.
>
> The cost to replace the gasket (with labour) is near 500$. Since my
> car's value is about 1000-1500$, I hesitate to have it fixed (and I
> wouldn't mind adding some coolant, even if it was every week). I plan
> to keep this car for about a year and a half, maximum.
>
> Now what should I do?
>


Sell it through the newspaper and use the money to finance
a better car.

This is the kind of problem that won't show up in a preinspection
(not that many people buying a $1000 car will be spending the
money on a preinspection) and if you get the engine compartment
steam cleaned they probably won't notice the coolant leak.

Whoever buys it will then be stuck with the problem. Since they
most likely will be doing their own engine work, it will be par
for the course for them for a $1000 used car. (not many
people who don't do their own work are buying $1000 cars)

> Is there a high risk of having coolant in the engine oil in the next
> year if the problem gets worst?
>


Yes. Consider that the second the leak gets bad enough for the
coolant to go into the oil, this $1000 car will suddenly become as
unsaleable as a $10 car. Even the people who work on their own
cars won't touch it then, because there is no way to know if the
leak into the oil just happened, or has been going on for months.

Ted


  #5  
Old June 18th 05, 03:07 AM
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"Steve B." > wrote in message
...

> History says at 150k you are nearing the end of life on the
> transmission in that car and looking at a $1500 or more rebuild. Add
> $500 for the head gasket repair and you can probably go find yourself
> another one just like it with half the miles. If it were mine I might
> try the barrs leak tablets and just keep driving it until it dies or
> the leak grows to an unmanagable size. On the positive side if you do
> have it fixed and the engine has been well maintained you can get
> another 100k out of it pretty easily.
>
> Steve B.


Agreed this is a lot of mileage on this GM automatic. It is may not be
a headgasket, I think, on this 3800 engine. He may be right that it is an
intake manifold gasket. If so, it is not a difficult fix.



  #6  
Old June 18th 05, 04:02 AM
Steve B.
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On Sat, 18 Jun 2005 02:07:13 GMT, > wrote:

>
>"Steve B." > wrote in message
.. .
>
>> History says at 150k you are nearing the end of life on the
>> transmission in that car and looking at a $1500 or more rebuild. Add
>> $500 for the head gasket repair and you can probably go find yourself
>> another one just like it with half the miles. If it were mine I might
>> try the barrs leak tablets and just keep driving it until it dies or
>> the leak grows to an unmanagable size. On the positive side if you do
>> have it fixed and the engine has been well maintained you can get
>> another 100k out of it pretty easily.
>>
>> Steve B.

>
>Agreed this is a lot of mileage on this GM automatic. It is may not be
>a headgasket, I think, on this 3800 engine. He may be right that it is an
>intake manifold gasket. If so, it is not a difficult fix.
>
>

If it is jus an intake manifold gasket then it's a no brainer. I've
got Chrysler 413's on the brain right now and didn't even consider
water in the intake manifold. Fix that puppy!

Steve B.
  #7  
Old June 20th 05, 02:18 AM
dig154
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Default

Now don't you think steam cleaning the engine of a $1000 car is going to
throw up some flags to some people? It sure would me. Might be better to
just clean up any direct signs of the problem and leave the engine dirty...

"Ted Mittelstaedt" > wrote in message
...

> This is the kind of problem that won't show up in a preinspection
> (not that many people buying a $1000 car will be spending the
> money on a preinspection) and if you get the engine compartment
> steam cleaned they probably won't notice the coolant leak.



 




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