Hi everyone, within the last couple weeks or so I have noticed a coolant leak coming from where the intake manifold mates to the block (somewhere on the driver's side of the engine, on the inclined portion going up towards the rear valve cover gasket, although its probably leaking elsewhere along ...

Hey everyone, I've got an issue. I just realized that my 1994 SSEi's ATF level is a full quarter inch below the crosshatch :eek2: . Now, I'm freaking out because I just figured out that Dexron III isn't even MADE anymore and I'm hearing mixed reviews about Dexron VI in our cars! So basically, can I ...

hi, if you love your car, you will do an oil analysis for coolant contamination
you can do a budget one yourself........

get an old spoon
put some oil in from oil change in spoon
get torch and heat the oil from bottom
if there is bubbling/spitting: there IS water contamination.

I would put stop ...

I'm betting it's your vacuum modulator on your transmission. Mine leaked on my 94 and did pretty much exactly what you're describing.

It seeps trans fluid into the vacuum line and the engine burns it on first start up. It's a pretty cheap fix if that's what it is.
What would trans fluid smell ...

I'm not sure what the clicking is at the beginning but that metal noise being in the accessory side of the engine makes me wonder if it's a bad supercharger coupling. If you take the belt off and move the pulley back and fourth, there should be no play before you feel it moving the rotors.

Either ...

By the way, I checked the PCV valve the other day and it was completely fine, rattled and everything. Not looking too good :/ I'm going to try and see if I can have the LIM gaskets replaced some time this week.

Judging by the limited amount of replies, you guys don't know either... Anyways, here's a better clip of the noise:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pabi7mM ... 0111573153

Now, I'm not sure if this is the same noise (it sure sounds like it), but this is the noise I hear when the engine threatens to die when I remove either the oil cap/dip stick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q08AWhvu7qc&t=4s

It sounds like metal touching. No idea what. Putting the engine in drive could move the engine enough to make it worse.

I did notice that my exhaust heat-shield bolts literally all snapped so it is resting on the muffler. That makes a different noise though. This noise sounds like it was coming ...

Can someone tell me what this noise is? My guess is spark knock since it only happens when the engine is under load (I put it into reverse to do this) and it will also do this when the oil cap is removed. Also: are spark knock, detonation, predetonation, preignition, and Low-Speed Pre-Ignition all ...

Knock can be bad. How do you that's what it is?

Milkshake would probably show up on the dipstick if it has been run recently, or under the oil fill cap.
I don't exactly know what it is to be honest. In the video I linked, the engine makes that knocking sound when I remove the oil cap. I just ran ...

If there's no coolant in the oil and not overheating, it's ok to run.
Good to know haha. If the oil did have coolant in it though, would I see milkshake immediately (lets say I run it for 10 minutes) or does that take hours of normal driving for it to look like that? And if it is getting that ...

nos4blood70 wrote:For what it's worth, my LIM gaskets failed at 60k miles.

What symptoms did you have? The same that I'm having or were they different?

BAD LIM GASKETS see #s 13 and 19 here
[url]https://www.facebook.com/GM3800Tips/posts/551818071634026?__xts__[0]=68.ARCQiE5GJ7VBAD-NJHVIifDKGktpImfaAY-ZpianunYUIfa5P5HPBmskqo3IWSf_vOIpWt4EVrLj7PcpqVNfGdSG_1elr_1IRgf5r752I6F0FVydPlaPVpuGrPf1yadhuv67rIP3giG ...

By the way, I fixed it! The Cooling Fan relay bit the dust! Now, I've got more, major issues to take care of that you can find in the other thread that I've got going.

You may have a stuck pcv. Super cheap and easy to replace. High vacuum at idle should pull it closed and prevent such a problem like that.

I have a theory that your tb gasket is leaking. It's a high point so it may not leak when the engine is off and get coolant to the oil, but with some pressure ...

Forgot to post the link to the video I threw together a couple days ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q08AWhvu7qc

My suggestion would be to change the oil frequently until you can get the LIM gasket and manifold replaced to stop the coolant getting in. I'm not
clear if you're driving it or it's just sitting in driveway and you're starting it, but I'd change the oil out that is contaminated with coolant and put ...

Most likely the LIM gaskets are leaking. Head gaskets are a possibility, but not likely. Or maybe the throttle body gasket.
Ouch. Well, thanks for helping me narrow things down. I have heard that most 3800s do end up experiencing intake manifold gasket failure at 80-100k miles (I’m sitting at 106 ...

Just uploaded a video of what's been going on onto youtube (I had taken this video originally to complain how it doesn't like starting on the first try with the remote start, but as you can see, it became much more than just that :thumbdown:). Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v ...