supreme_style21 Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 I hate to ask this, I'm sure its been beat to death, but 'search' doesn't bring up much. I just bought a '94 Cutlass Supreme with 110k on it.. low and behold, the intake gaskets are on their way out, the oil is just starting to become all nice and milky... the oil cap is full of gunk. What have you guys paid to have them replaced? I've sold all my cars and this Olds is all I've got to drive currently, so it needs to be fixed ASAP! Otherwise I'd park it in the garage and piddle around on it myself. But I don't have the time to let it sit until I've got time to fix it, so I gotta pay someone to do it... hopefully within the next few days. The next few weeks, I'm out from 6am to 11pm, so me fixing it is purely out of the question. Just curious to see what the 'average' replacement cost is from those that have paid to have it done before I commit to someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HybridZ24 Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 book time is ~6 hours and the gasket list price ~$120 for the old style felpro gaskets (not sure what the new metal ones are worth) ~$150 from GM. so you're looking between 400-500 from a shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted November 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 book time is ~6 hours and the gasket list price ~$120 for the old style felpro gaskets (not sure what the new metal ones are worth) ~$150 from GM. so you're looking between 400-500 from a shop. Thats a GOOD number, as far as I'm concerned. Last time I had it done was an emergency repair and it cost me nearly 1k. Parts-wise, whoever does it is gonna use the revised FelPro parts... I'm not paying for "genuine GM" junk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Cutlass94 Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 I went to GM for the gaskets, and its was $100. I dont know what the labor rate is in the shops around you, ut youll be paying at the least $500 to get it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuntzie Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 i agree about 6 hours to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted November 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 Alright now I'm really questioning whether or not they are shot. I changed the oil last night and it looked like junk under the awful lighting in the garage. I looked at it this morning and it seems just fine.. it isn't milky. The only thing I see is a nice yellow gunk under the oil cap and just along the inside of the valve cover. The oil dipstick top is broke off, so it doesn't seal that tube at all. The old man claims that it's just condensation... but he isn't too familiar with the 3100's. The coolant level is fine (but I don't know at what level it was at prior to me purchasing it). The oil level is fine. The family that owned it before me I am good friends with and he said he'd haven noticed something unusual like that. Is there a way to test prior to replacement? I don't feel like dropping 600 bucks into it if it doesn't need it right now. But again, I don't want to drive it if the chance is there.. I've gotta put on a helluva lot of miles this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted November 13, 2006 Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 If there's gunk on the cap, and inside the valve cover... I wouldn't chance it. You don't want coolant mixing with oil, and 110k is right around when the gaskets would fail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Cutlass94 Posted November 13, 2006 Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 yeah. Id rather spend $600 to get the gaskets done than pay to raplce an engine in a car you just bought.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted November 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 yeah. Id rather spend $600 to get the gaskets done than pay to raplce an engine in a car you just bought.... Right on .. I was leaning towards that. Its just supposed to be a back-up car that I'm never gonna drive, but I suppose for the mileage and shape its in, its worth it to stick some cashola into it. Now hopefully tomorrow I can find someone that can have it done by Tuesday :\ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5speedz34 Posted November 13, 2006 Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 My buddy had them done on his dad's 01 Venture, the shop told us they go at about 60k. So, I would replace them just out of maintenance sake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted November 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 One shop said 250 + parts.. then he was questioning the symptoms and he said he'll bet the gaskets are fine... said it was probably moisture due to the type of oil/lack of detergents, as the gunk is just around the oil cap/just inside the valve cover, and not anywhere else. He said to drive it for a few days and keep a close eye on the coolant level and temp gauge. I've gotta put 500 miles on in the next few days. Does this sound plausible or just risky? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted November 13, 2006 Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 I'd take it to a few shops and see what they say, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted November 13, 2006 Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 sounds like bad oil and contamination. moisture can get into the oil of a vehicle in the form of condensation if it is regularly run and parked before warming up. do an oil change, and then drive it for a few days, and check it regularly. In the event that new evidence appears indicating that the seals are blown, you can always turn the radiator cap to the point where it allows pressure to escape... and drive that way for a bit. Personally, the last time I thought i had a major problem of this nature, oily residue was coming up in my radiator. I removed the inner reservoir seal from the radiator cap.... and the contaminate revealed itself to be transmission fluid. in the form of pink foam over the course of one days drive. do a flush and keep your eye on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted November 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 Well it probably didn't need it, but it went in for surgery this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted November 13, 2006 Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 Before I did mine I got the coolant system pressure tested, and it tested fine (they couldn't tell me anything). As far as the condensation, they said it COULD be moisture, but that was definatly not the case. After having to completly refill the coolant reservoir a second time I parked it in the garage and tore it down. See if they will keep the old gaskets for you to see?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 If you've got the cash, and you need the car to be reliable, preventative maintenance is a good thing, IMO. Do post pics of the gaskets though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SigEpCutlass Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 If there's gunk on the cap, and inside the valve cover... I wouldn't chance it. You don't want coolant mixing with oil, and 110k is right around when the gaskets would fail. Don't you dare jinx me like that...she just turned 110k on the way to work today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5speedz34 Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 If there's gunk on the cap, and inside the valve cover... I wouldn't chance it. You don't want coolant mixing with oil, and 110k is right around when the gaskets would fail. Don't you dare jinx me like that...she just turned 110k on the way to work today... If your gaskets are orginal I would replace then just under maintenance. The gaskets are bound to go, so you might as well do it before you're stranded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Well 396 dollars later, they're changed. I never asked to see the original ones, I was in a helluva hurry to get on the road. Now that I keep an eye on it, I'm still getting a hell of a lot of gunk on the cap. Now its like a whiteish/light yellowish film. Maybe it is just condensation? I might have to run a high detergent oil thru it and see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Mine wasn't completely clean until 2-3 oil changes.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Mine wasn't completely clean until 2-3 oil changes.... Good to know.. I'll change 'er every.. 500 mi or so and see what goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SigEpCutlass Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 Mine wasn't completely clean until 2-3 oil changes.... Good to know.. I'll change 'er every.. 500 mi or so and see what goes. I think that's a good idea. Throw all sorts of shitty oil in there and some oil stabilizer maybe to clean all the garbage out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SigEpCutlass Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 If there's gunk on the cap, and inside the valve cover... I wouldn't chance it. You don't want coolant mixing with oil, and 110k is right around when the gaskets would fail. Don't you dare jinx me like that...she just turned 110k on the way to work today... If your gaskets are orginal I would replace then just under maintenance. The gaskets are bound to go, so you might as well do it before you're stranded. Nope they're not original. They were replaced several years ago before I owned the car (not sure if they were the revised type or not). There's probably 70,000 miles or more on the LIM gaskets in my cutty. I'm moving in a little more than a week, and the cutlass will be on the back of a UHaul trailer, so that's the least of my concerns at the moment. I haven't noticed any sudden or consistent loss of coolant yet, but would the coolant mix with Synthetic oil to create that milky garbage as it does in conventional oil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regal_GS_1989 Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 I would just get a little of the goopy shit on my finger and taste it Seriously, if it tastes sweet, than its coolant. If it tastes pretty bitter, than its just condinsation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Cutlass94 Posted November 22, 2006 Report Share Posted November 22, 2006 After I changed my LIM gaskets ( which just started to blow out, althought I cought it before anything happened ) I did two oil changes just to make sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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