pimpen1024

Hi my names Dub I've gotta 3.8 litre 2002 camaro that is driving me insane. I've replaced every part of the coolant system and been through more tstat than I can count. I bought the car used and someone had mixed the green and dexron antifreeze I think I have gotten it cleaned up finally but I now have a leak somewhere. Hoses are brand new and tight. The water pumps fairly new. The radiator is brand new. Lines under intake are only couple years old. The 2 90s that attach to tensioner are brand new and aluminum now. Like I said I'm out of options. Can someone please help I'm ready to light a match n put it in the tank lol

Injuneer

Have you done a pressure test? Has the intake manifold gaket been checked?

"New Member Intro" isn't the best place for tech questions. I'll move this to "General 67-02 F-Body Tech" where you should get more reads. Not a lot of V6 owners here like there used to be.

pimpen1024

Ok thanks I'm still learning this sorry bout that. But yes it's been pressure tested and they tried to say head gasket but it's not showing any signs of a head gasket I have been told by others that the intake would do it I guess only way to know for sure is just to pull it huh? Being as how it's more than likely coming out the backside?

Critter

Signs include milky oil, milky sludge under oil cap, disappearing coolant, and eventually the exhaust will have a sweet almost cotton candy smell to it.

pimpen1024

I don't have any of those signs except the disappearing coolant. That's the only reason I haven't went "internal". That's y I say I'm completely dumbfounded. Exhaust is right the only sludge I had was from the mixed antifreeze and I've bout gotten that took care of I think. Well good as I can without tearing the engine apart. It was horrible and that's a under statement.

Critter

How fast is it disappearing? If they ran a pressure test you are most likely dealing with a blown head gasket. I hope that all of those parts that you have put into it were necessary. Because if all of that was replaced and you have a blown head gasket you just spent 500 bucks for nothing. Pressure test from the start would let a good mechanic know if it were a head gasket IMO.

pimpen1024

I'd say round about a months time I lost a gallon. And that includes a lil 6 hr road trip in there too. If it was a head gasket I should have white exhaust and like you said milky oil wouldn't i? I'm just about to the point of replacing the head and intake gaskets tho I just can't think of nothing else.

Injuneer

The 3.8L V6 is notorius for gasket leaks in the two piece intake manifold.

Fatdog2

I know you said the hoses are tight,but after i pressure checked my radiator,i had coolant squirting out all over the place from the hoses.Tightened the clamps and it fixed it.These hoses where put on by a goodyear store the month before.Hope this helps.

pimpen1024

Thanks for the input I guess once I can get the money together I'll probably plan on pulling the intake. N until then I'll go through everything again and double check that it's all tight I'm pretty certain the hoses are but at this point can't hurt to test

War Engine

Does it ever overheat?

TGGodfrey

Pressure test is required here. While its under pressure you need to feel up each hose joint to look for leaks. Same goes around the heads, Coolant temp senders and your Heater Core.

Basics on a headgasket......Headgasket can blow in a couple different fashions. You can have a fire ring failure where the fire ring around the cylinder CC fails. You can also have the gasket fail in such a way it doesnt affect the cylinder. When that happens the coolant can leak out of the engine or into the oil or both. There is no guarentee the coolant or oil will enter a cylinder. Another sign of a blown fire ring is a cooling system that keep producing air and wont finish burping.

Another thing to check is your overflow jug. Is it cracked, does it hold water? If it doesnt then its going to leak coolant out when the cooling system expanded and pressurizes. Same concept goes for the rubber hose that leads to the coolant overflow container.

The intake gasket as mentioned is notorious for leaking coolant into the engine. You def want to investigate this quickly because bearing failure tends to follow when oil mixes with coolant on the v6's.

Goodluck

Injuneer

"Pimpen1024" seems to have lost interest, and has not signed into the site in more than 5 weeks.