Hello all - Looking for some experienced help.

My '02 SSEi gets a burning oil smell after driving for approx 10 minutes - to the point it gets really strong inside the car. I don't see any oil on the ground, but it does smoke from the top end.

I washed the engine, completely dried it, then drove around and snapped a few pics. Does this look like a valve cover issue to you guys? Could it be something else?

Front . . .


Rear (best shots I could get . . . )

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2002 SOM WS6 M6 Trans Am Convertible
ASC#5164 13.44@105.2MPH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mycrqrNT9ro
2002 Bonneville SSEi

I have exactly the same problem, but mine doesn't smell inside the care like you say yours does. I am going to the shop tomorrow to see if they think it's simply valve cover gaskets. I do get a few oil spots on the garage floor overnight. I'll post back with what they say.

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2001 SE
130,000 miles. All but 11,000 are mine.
Want to drive it another 130,000! Any tips are welcome.

It is your valve cover gaskets that are leaking. Great picture of it. With your permission, I will add your photo to the Techinfo article. If you want to change them yourself, or see what is involved, take a look at this Techinfo article (not exactly the same for your car as my '95, but pretty close) Change Valve Cover Gaskets

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1998 3.8 Dodge Caravan 214K
2000 3.3 Dodge Caravan 175K
1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe 4-dr sedan 25K (needs some work!)

Thanks - and no problem on posting the pics. As I do the job, I'll actually take a bunch more.

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2002 SOM WS6 M6 Trans Am Convertible
ASC#5164 13.44@105.2MPH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mycrqrNT9ro
2002 Bonneville SSEi

Yeah, I had the same issues with mine, oil seeping out, and the smell. I changed my gaskets during the LIM job so I'm good to go. If you haven't replaced the LIM Gaskets, it's SO much easier with the S/C off to do it then.

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Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

Just left my car at the shop. I have a leaking LIM gasket that has to be replaced. I am wondering if I should go ahead and replace the UIM gasket and valve covers gaskets while in there. He will do all of them, parts included for $700 and change. What does everyone think?
Thanks,
Bill

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2001 SE
130,000 miles. All but 11,000 are mine.
Want to drive it another 130,000! Any tips are welcome.

I'd like to know this as well. I don't think my LIM/UIM gaskets are leaking - so should I bother. Where I'm from - if it ain't broke - don't fix it.

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2002 SOM WS6 M6 Trans Am Convertible
ASC#5164 13.44@105.2MPH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mycrqrNT9ro
2002 Bonneville SSEi

Your supercharger is your UIM, so you don't have to worry about that, but you DO have (most likely) OEM Nylon LIM gaskets and DEX.

It's broke and you don't know it.
www.dex-cool.net

Or it can cost you a motor AFTER it fails.

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Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers

How can we tell if we have Dex or Non Dex in our cooling systems now?

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2001 SE
130,000 miles. All but 11,000 are mine.
Want to drive it another 130,000! Any tips are welcome.

Your car came from the factory with Dex-cool

Dex is orange
Old phosphated coolant is dark green
Above two mixed is brown often with slimy or caked precipitates
New formula "mixes with any" coolant is light green or yellowish green

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1998 3.8 Dodge Caravan 214K
2000 3.3 Dodge Caravan 175K
1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe 4-dr sedan 25K (needs some work!)

Mine is yellowish green, so I'm good to go, right? So they still make DEX?

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2001 SE
130,000 miles. All but 11,000 are mine.
Want to drive it another 130,000! Any tips are welcome.

Re coolant, I would say you are good to go.

However, I would recommend you watch the coolant level carefully and change the LIM gaskets to the aluminum frame style at the first practical opportunity.

Yeah, they still make Dex.

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1998 3.8 Dodge Caravan 214K
2000 3.3 Dodge Caravan 175K
1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe 4-dr sedan 25K (needs some work!)

I'm having the LIM gaskets changed in the morning. If my UIM and gaskets look ok, I'm putting that off a little longer (low$$$) also checking valve cover gaskets while in there. This stuff isn't cheap to get done is it?

This board is a great thing to have for us Bonneville owners. What are we going to buy when these wear out eventually? Nothing is like a Bonneville.
thanks for your help.

Bill

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2001 SE
130,000 miles. All but 11,000 are mine.
Want to drive it another 130,000! Any tips are welcome.

First, please read this Techinfo article: viewtopic.php?f=53&t=1061

Understand that when the mechanic removes the UIM to change the LIM gaskets, that he will need to replace the UIM gasket. That gasket alone is going to cost you $40. If he removes the throttle body in the process, you will pay another $5-10 for that gasket. He should replace the fuel injector o-rings when he does the LIM work as he will have had to unseat them from their bores. They cost $10-20.

You are about to spend $55 - $70 for parts that are included with a new APN UIM kit that includes a reduced diameter stovepipe and a heat shield for the vulnerable EGR passage and costs $115 delivered to your door. If you value the stovepipe at $20, that is like paying $40 for the best replacement UIM you can buy.

If you replace the UIM now with an APN, it will cost you about $60 additional in parts from what you will pay for just the LIM work.

If you wait to do it, you will pay $115 plus the labor to change out the UIM - probably about 3 hours at $70 = $210 more - total $325.

$60 more to do it right now. $325 to do it right later. Five times the cost to delay the work. I realize we don't always have the money to do what we would like to do, but I wanted you to understand how much more it will cost you to delay the work.

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1998 3.8 Dodge Caravan 214K
2000 3.3 Dodge Caravan 175K
1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe 4-dr sedan 25K (needs some work!)

bilberry, I'm getting confused here, so let me clear the air (you should stick to your topic if you can).

YOU have an L36. 32.....started this topic has an L67 and a different set of issues.

Your plan of attack as it relates to HARDWARE is slightly different, but with DEX, it's the same. Whether you have DEX now or not, it WAS in there from the factory, and has already done untold damage.

_________________

Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers

It is quite difficult to tell whether the UIM is really okay or not. The EGR bore typically becomes caked with shiny black petroleum coke that looks just like shiny new plastic. Often they look fine and fail soon thereafter. To evaluate the condition of the UIM the EGR bore should be probed with an awl or a dental pick, or other strong sharp instrument to determine to what extend the nylon has softened due to exposure to heat.

My advice is to call the shop right when they open and say STOP! Wait to do this work until I can get the APN kit shipped to me in a few days. And, make sure you are installing the aluminum frame LIM gaskets. That will get you the best results at the lowest price.

If you cannot do that for some reason, the next best option is to install a new Dorman UIM. It does not have a heat shield for the EGR passage like the APN UIM, but it does come with a UIM gasket, fuel injector o-rings, throttle body gasket and a reduced diameter stovepipe. The Dorman kit sells for about $150 and should be available off-the shelf at most parts stores. Because of the value of the parts provided in the Dorman kit, additional cost to you to replace the UIM will be less than $100 additional as there will be no additional labor fee.

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1998 3.8 Dodge Caravan 214K
2000 3.3 Dodge Caravan 175K
1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe 4-dr sedan 25K (needs some work!)

Thanks. That's exactly what I am going to do.

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2001 SE
130,000 miles. All but 11,000 are mine.
Want to drive it another 130,000! Any tips are welcome.

OK - now that I'm really confused - If only my valve cover gaskets are leaking, what do I NEED to do vs. what else COULD I do while I'm in there?

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2002 SOM WS6 M6 Trans Am Convertible
ASC#5164 13.44@105.2MPH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mycrqrNT9ro
2002 Bonneville SSEi

Need: Replace valve cover gaskets. Very easy job and I believe there is a techinfo article on it.

Should: Replace Lower Intake Manifold gasket with aluminum framed one.

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2000 SE: 17" Chrome Grand Prix GTP wheels, Pirelli P-Zero Nero Rubber.
180,000 miles and running smooth

Sorry, we should have asked billberry to start his own thread. He has a non-supercharged engine and needs to do UIM/LIM gasket work. My replies to him have confused this thread. My bad

320F32, for supercharged engines, the metal supercharger takes the place of the plastic UIM used in non-supercharged engines. So, there is no problem with UIM failure in supercharged cars. But the engine can be as easily destroyed by failed LIM gaskets used in both supercharged and non-supercharged engines. In fact, I would guess that LIM gasket failure (especially in cars running DEX) is the most likely cause for severe engine damage in supercharged engines. To minimize this risk, the LIM gaskets in supercharged engines (especially those running Dex-cool) should be changed as the engine nears 100,000 miles. This problem is more common in Series II supercharged engines, (96 - up) as they were shipped from the factory with Dex which is believed to accelerate the failure of the factory installed plastic-frame LIM gaskets. The same aluminum frame LIM gasket used for the non-supercharged Series II L36 can be used for the supercharged Series II L67. LIM gasket failure occurs less frequently and at much higher mileages in Series I supercharged engines built from 92-95 and shipped with the older green coolant.

So, what you need to do is monitor your coolant level carefully to provide early detection of an internal coolant leak caused by failing LIM gaskets. If your mileage is over 100k, plan to replace the LIM gaskets when it is convenient, but before they start leaking and damage your engine bearings.

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1998 3.8 Dodge Caravan 214K
2000 3.3 Dodge Caravan 175K
1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe 4-dr sedan 25K (needs some work!)