Coolant Elbow, into intake manifold

[Bonneville since 1984]

I have driven Bonnevilles since 1984. I have really enjoyed the 3800 and in 2000 switched over to buying SSEIs, only. When I am done with them, I have sold them to the many boys who run with my sons. My youngest son owns a 2002 SSEI that he bought last February. He had the coolant elbow fail and replaced it with a new one that he bought at NAPA. I am a NAPA fan and have know the locale store manager for over 25 years.

The new elbow failed at the seam and dumped all of the coolant. My son got another elbow under warranty and just yesterday it failed again, and in the exact same way. I talked with the manager at NAPA and he check his records and found only a few warranty claims, my sons claim being on of them.

Other than the obvious "Product Defect", has anyone else experienced a series of failures in the elbow. Is there any installation "Errors" that can be made which would cause a failure. The elbows that I have changed in the past went in easily and I have not experienced any failures. I am sure that I bought these elbows from NAPA.

Any Thoughts?

[haro1225]

Dorman makes metal elbows now.

http://www.dormanproducts.com/mobile/p- ... make=BUICK

[01bonneSC]

Dorman did have some claims on their plastic ones for a few years I guess. That's why they just came out with metal ones. Not sure about NAPA having them but RockAuto.com has them now.

[Bonneville since 1984]

Thanks for the response. I may look into the metal ones before I do the intake manifold gasket. I use this car for my business and I do extensive travel. I am a "Trained" auto mechanic having gone through the Mo-Tech Automotive School back in the late 70's. I know that things have changed since then and I tend to stick to what I know.

However, good mechanical practices never go out of style. Using good quality products and paying attention to details during the installation will always give long term service and wear. I have always uses the Fel-Pro product for gaskets. Has anyone found a better brand for the intake manifold set that I wil be using shortly.

By the way. I did pick up an OEM elbow from the locale Buick dealer. The difference in the material that was used in that elbow as apposed to the one from NAPA was very noticable. The cost at the Dealer was a little more than $ 13.00. The cost at NAPA was $ 4.00. The cataistrophic failure of the NAPA product was beyond pricing. I will be pointing that out to my Manager Friend at NAPA when we return their elbows for warranty.

I like this forum.

[01bonneSC]

You should get the GM aluminum framed LIM gaskets.

Read through this a few times before you start your work....

http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... c3591.html

[smokinssei02]

You should definitely shell out the extra money for the aluminum gaskets. It is an updated design and less likely to fail. Also, replace any dexcool with universal green coolant for prolonged life. Unless you plan on taking them off together, if you're doing this to a SSEi, get the supercharger gasket too. Mine came off in pieces and some of it had to be scraped off even. It wont be called a supercharger gasket though, I had to look it up as intake plenum gasket for my SSEi.

Also, if you're due for spark plugs and wires, when you have all that stuff off will be the easiest to reach the rear ones.

[Bonneville since 1984]

Thanks for the update on the Gaskets. I have been "On-the-road" all week and did not get a chance to look at this post.

I will definately use the aluminum. I planned on the Supercharger Gasket too. But, I see that it may not come with the set. That's a good "Heads Up".

I believe that the 2002 was the best year for the model and interior design. I do miss the seat control in the arm rest and some of the adustments have been lost. But I tried to buy an "04" SLE and found that the seats had little or no support. I also looked at a GXP. The seats were great but the information that I saw regarding the "North Star" was not what I wanted to get into.

To bad they didn't use the Vet motor Ala the Cadillac CST-V. That would have been a great combination.

My "02" has the Granite Metalic over Gray interior. Sorry, Black has never been my favorite. To hard to keep clean.

Thanks for all of the direction. I will let you know how the work goes once I get the time to stop and do it.

[smokinssei02]

Black is a real PITA to keep clean, but when it is clean, the color depth, clarity, and reflectiveness are just crazy!