Intake gasket leak (?) Now With Pictures

[Ned Flanders]

I had the Buick in the shop to fix a busted hose (happened when I was away from home) and they said oil was leaking out of my intake gasket. They then quoted me 950.00 to fix it. I've noticed the engine's become a little gunky, but the oil level doesn't seem to be dropping and I'm not smelling anything burning.

 

I'll get a picture tomorrow. I have a friend who does shade tree work (I have nowhere to work on a car and it's my DD) and he seemed stunned at the price, and the diagnosis. Does that seem a little high to anyone else? And wouldn't it be coolant, not oil? Because the oil looks nice and clean.

 

I had the plenum gassket replaced a while ago and it wasn't this much. I'd sell the car but you know how it is.

[1990lumina]

It's possible - maybe they are talking about the oil pump drive O ring as well..

 

It's not uncommon for the 3100 to leak from the lower intake manifold gasket - but that price to repair it sounds quite high.

[Ned Flanders]

Thank God for country mechanics! Labor rates here go up all the time. If they'd even said 600 bucks I would have said no problem. Yikes!

[w-bodys_are_the_best]

I paid $400 to have mine done when I first had my 94 Cutlass back in 03, this price also included him pulling the heads off and checking the head gaskets out.

[Addicted To Boost]

Do it yourself, it should cost less than $150 in parts.

[mfewtrail]

Do it yourself, it should cost less than $150 in parts.

 

I have nowhere to work on a car and it's my DD

 

 

[Euro]

Seems about the going rate for city shops for LIM gasket jobs. I took a peek at the 3x00 LIM job's that have been done to my family's past/current cars and that's what the invoice came out to be(not paid...warranty ftw)

 

When mine were done on the old motor it was like $830 something(not paid...warranty savior)

[Ned Flanders]

I llive in a snotty ass town and you can't really get any good deals. I'll either have a friend do it or suck it up and pay the money. Another shop quoted me 850, so all I have to do is wait for my tax $$$. But the advice has been helpful and looking at the tutorials I know what parts it'll need.

[w-bodys_are_the_best]

Jeez, for $850 they should throw new head gaskets on while they're in there, but I guess mine were done 5 years ago, and I live in a small town. Oh, and I don't think anyone has said this yet, but make sure they use the Fel-pro Permaseal gaskets, if IIRC that's what they're called, they'll outlast the car.

[Ned Flanders]

Lots of people have recommended those gaskets. I haven't trucked with cheap ones since I had my Malibu. You learn quick with things like that.

[Ned Flanders]

Passenger Side (I'm pretty positive this is PS Fluid, has always leaked)

 

 

 

And here's what I think they're talking about, on the driver's side. I dumped coolant all over the place earlier this week - this is one of the areas that got sloshed.

 

[Ned Flanders]

And another question...since I have to wait for my tax return t fix this, would some Lucas Stop-Leak additive be a good or bad thing?

[carkhz316]

Any stop leak for any system sucks. Just my .02. Like fixing arterial bleeding with a bandaid

[Addicted To Boost]

Stop leak is generally a bad thing to use.

[Olds W31]

Has anyone here ever tried retorquing the intake every so often? I know it might not help if the gaskets have failed, but when I had the upper plenum off of mine, I thought "I wonder how tight these bolts should be?" how about FINGER TIGHT! That's right, I got at least 2 turns out of 4 of the lower intake bolts with a socket, an extenstion, and my fingers. I am NOT a gorilla. This is likely the effect of alum heads and alum intake, and expansion rates, multiplied over years.

 

I am thinking that every year I will pull the upper intake, and visit all of the lower intake bolts with a torque wrench....I will let you know in 5 or 10 years if it works....

[w-bodys_are_the_best]

I know the mechanic that did mine told me the torque specs on the lower intake bolts were very low, so many inch-pounds, he said they were basicly just past snug, he thought they should be tighter, but he said he just torques them to what the book says.

[TIE1-ON]

Do it yourself, it should cost less than $150 in parts.

 

I have nowhere to work on a car and it's my DD

 

 

 

I did mine myself last weekend, and it's my daily driver. Started last Friday after work and finished on Saturday. Replaced both upper and lower intake gaskets, plastic water connectors, water pump, valve cover gaskets, radiator cap, spark plugs and wires, and had the coolant flushed. I have a garage, but it could have been done outside. Total cost under $400 for all that. Sure beats the labor cost of a shop and I got way more done.

 

You need basic set of tools, time, and a torque wrench.

[Ned Flanders]

Yes, I think a friend and I are going to replace it in his garage and do the PS pump at the same time. I'll just buy the parts, use his tools and give him some cash for his time. If it takes a few days, I'll just walk to work or take the bus.