HOW TO: Identifying LIM Gasket Problems

[sicc]

Engine Oil Fill Cap:
http://www.alteredimaging.com/shared/ga/screwed/EngineOilFillCap.jpg

mmm... coolant + oil... i love my 3400!

Here's 2 videos of what my engine sounds like right now. sounds like its running w/ no oil.

Right click / save as.

http://www.alteredimaging.com/shared/ga/screwed/engineNoise1.mpg

http://www.alteredimaging.com/shared/ga/screwed/engineNoise2.mpg

There are other symptoms, so feel free to add your pics if you have them. there is a spot on the outside of the engine that sometimes will have a puddle of coolant. that didnt happen to me this time [2nd time this has happened], but there are pics around here somewhere.

[Braves299]

that sounds scary as hell man! its like a machine gun! im sorry.. hope it comes out alright.

[kamikaz16]

I'm actually in the middle of fixing this problem now. I had a HUGE engine failure last night on the highway.

I noticed last week that oil was leaking from the LIM, but it wasn't a large amount, and I was planning to get it fixed this weekend.

Well....driving down the highway, my temp spikes above 260. I shut down the motor and coast to a stop, and 4-5 hours later, I've got my car at my club's garage. I started work on it today- got the alternator, coil packs, intake, and all of the electrical/vacuum hoses out of the way, so tomorrow I'll be diving into the intake to start the open-heart surgery.

Sucks. Spent nearly $100 on parts today.

[Glowin02Alero]

Also, if you look underneath the TB on the side of the manifold where the upper and lower meet....if there's any trace of coolant running down the side or what appears to be like run marks where coolant has run down...or in the case of my sister's 3100 Malibu...if there's STANDING coolant pooled up, then that's a good sign your LIM gasket is shot.

[Blackrider]

Mine never sounded like that

[PontiacGT]

that's what happened to mine right after I bought it, except it was a LIM crack.....not a simple gasket. But, so far so good ever since

[Dr. Anthony]

I'm losing coolant.. but I cant tell where its from yet. I know i get a lil' coolat on my belt, and it squeeks a bit.
so I know its on the pass. side.

[rckrzy1]

I'm losing coolant.. but I cant tell where its from yet. I know i get a lil' coolat on my belt, and it squeeks a bit.
so I know its on the pass. side.

9 times out of 10 that would be a water pump leak.

[Dr. Anthony]

yeah it was my water pump. I swapped it out.

[Skullrot]

Here is what led me to my LIM leak. My normal op. temp is 200 to 205. It started creeping up to 210 to 215. A day or 2 later and the external leaks started. I haven't seen anything like this yet, so I threw it in.

[thomask131]

I have been loosing coolant, but only when my heat is turned on for a while (like 10 minutes or more). My serpentine belt also makes a lot of noise...is it possible that the water pump is shot??

[sicc]

I have been loosing coolant, but only when my heat is turned on for a while (like 10 minutes or more). My serpentine belt also makes a lot of noise...is it possible that the water pump is shot??

Yes, that is most likely the problem. Mine did this, and when I opened my hood the belt was shooting coolant everywhere. Replacing the pump is not that hard either, just get a haynes manual. It will save you some $$, and you will need it later anyway.

[MonoChrome83]

Great, mines doing the same thing, looks like I'm in for some fun.

[ArcticGT]

A leaking lower intake manifold gasket is not a item that you should hold off doing, it can have great conquencies for not being taken care of. There was recent a thread where someones engine fried due to a mixture of coolant and oil running through the engine, now its got to be rebuilt. So do not take this issue lightly. Im on my 4th LIM gasket with 47K miles on my car.

[cals400ex]

mine seems to be leaking out a little bit at the base of the head on the passengers side. does this sound right? i think that is where it is coming from but i don't know these engines too well. my resevoir will be low after a couple months. maybe i should get this fixed soon??

[ChrisB]

Ok...I'm absolutely blown away by the horror stories I've been reading about this issue. I bought my 2002 GT with about 15k miles on it and the dealer described the LIM problem up front, told me he was pretty sure my car had the gasket replaced because there were signs of it on the boltsa and red gasket stuff apparent around the seem. He told me that once the gasket's replaced with the NEW one, it shouldn't re-appear...Obviously there is a problem here...what the hell is causing the gaskets to blow out like that? I'm **** scared.

[Passn'U]

A common blown gasket problem with a motor isn't uncommon (no pun intended)

I also have a 1991 mercury cougar with a V6, and they are also notorious for blown head gaskets...in fact I bought it off of a guy that had changed everything he knew how to, because the car kept overheating, and now he just wanted to get rid of it...I paid $500 for it, and $600 for cyl head machining, had the crank turned, one bad injector, and overhaul stuff (changed everything except piston rings) and vola, brand new motor :D
I was quite lucky in that instance because when I peeled off the main bearing, imo, it had about 100 miles before it would have seized

the causes of these situations are one of two things, 1) too cheap of a gasket 2) poor engineering
the reason it is important to fix a blown gasket as quickly as possible it because anti-freeze will eat your rod and main bearings very rapidly

[alva269]

Hey guys... I got a 2002 GAGT and I have about 90,000kms on it. When it is really cold outside... ( Canadian weather, between -10 to -30 ) i can hear the same kinda sound produced by the engine. Right now... It doesn't do it anymore for some reason. But I have noticed my car asking for more coolant water, and more often. Any guys would have any idea what it could be?? My warranty is gone.. :( :( How much could it cost me to repair it, if it's a problem?!?! thx guys

[badboy2451]

well my car makes that sound sort of, but definitly not that loud....i always thought of mine as a piston slap of some sort.


its about a 10th as loud as that noise...could it be the piston slap??

[JohnWayne]

i just bought a 1996 grand am gt and its making this wierd noise like a bearing going out. and its somewhere om the passenger side of the engine compartment. what the hell is this? has anyone had this problem before? i like my GAGT.... help!

on the flipside, i found this sight today and i just wanted to say that it rules.

[Landon]

How much would replacing the LIM gasket cost it you took it in to a shop? Anyone know? How about doing it yourself? Also, how much further do I have before my warranty runs out, i got a 2004? I dont know GM's warranty crap, miles and months.

[99GApunk]

you should definitely know your own waranty....

my lim fix cost 500 bucks, that with with a new thermasta and an oil change and some other small things... but i dont think thats an average price

[Landon]

you thinks that abovenormal or below normal? also, know where I can get a copy of warranty? I know some of the basics that they told me, but not the specifics

[99GApunk]

if you bought it from a dealership, call them

500 is below normal to pay i beleive

[jdiamond]

ok, so i have a '95 Quad4 GT. Iknow this is a very common problem on these cars but is it likely to happen to the Quad4 or no. i also have a weird knock coming from my trans area, anyone know anything?

[GalaxySilver]

Mine does it and the tensioner pulley goes NUTS.

[xdiego16x]

Hopefully the LIM Gasket problem isn't that common on the Quad 4's :eek: