9lumina6 Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 Got the brand new WP all put in....buttoned everything back up...double checked everything. I go to fill up the radiator before starting the car to fill the system...and as I'm walking to start it...I hear a leak. I look under and it's pissing out all the coolant I just put in on the back passenger side of the motor. Same spot as I always got the various leaks from in the passed. I did notice the day I (thought) I blew the WP that there was a puff of white smoke behind the car when I gave it some throttle in town.....and The oil level looks low (just changed it a month or 2 ago). A good buddy of mine who is a mechanic at a local shop immediately told me it's probably a head gasket from what I described to him. I'm kinda stuck here.....It's not something I want to even touch. My buddy did say that him and our other buddy (who's a GM tech at a local Chevy dealership) would do the head gaskets as a side job for alot cheaper than the shop would charge. I'm just kinda getting these thoughts in my mind...."top swap"? "L67/L32 swap?" Idk....just kinda pissed at this point and wouldnt mind opinions/suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhatTheFehl Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 I say just replace the headgasket on the L36 and drive it for another 130K or whatever is on it now. Isn't one of the main reasons you bought it for the fact that you wouldn't have to run premium in your daily driver? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9lumina6 Posted July 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 I know....It's just hard not to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alec_b Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 Sure it's not a coolant elbow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9lumina6 Posted July 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 Thats what someone had said.....but unfortunately it's too dark to get under the car and pinpoint it right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted to eaton Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 Id check that first head gaskets are a pretty uncommon problem on the 3800's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9lumina6 Posted July 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 Update** So it's NOT the head gasket....and it's NOT the lower elbow. It's in fact the upper elbow that's pissing it all out. I decided fuck it I'm just going to do an entire LIM gasket job this weekend and put the good metal gaskets in it while I'm at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted2bass Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 Does it have that elbow made of shit plastic? That went on my Park Ave. The replacement one from the dealer was metal. They should have just done it that way in the first place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9lumina6 Posted July 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 I've never seen metal ones before. I did replace both of them by taking the alternator bracket off....filled up the system and made sure I got as much air out as possible. runs fine now. The old upper elbow was literally split right down the middle.....no wondeer it sent coolant all over the pass side of my engine bay last weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alec_b Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 Another elbow fixed up! Good to hear she's fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 You had me worried as fuck, glad its something simple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 Update** So it's NOT the head gasket....and it's NOT the lower elbow. It's in fact the upper elbow that's pissing it all out. I decided fuck it I'm just going to do an entire LIM gasket job this weekend and put the good metal gaskets in it while I'm at it. Wanna come up and to the Lumina while you're at it? It's not bad, but I'd like to keep it that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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