Thank you for the vid! It gave me the balls to do my wifes 02 montana..Just kept over heating and tons of air in the coolent.. I found lower intake gasket was crushed and both head gaskets were shot and someone put stop leak in and cloged all ports in the block....It took me about 20 hrs to do but it runs AWESOME now. I cant thank you enough for the vid!
This comment just might give me the motivation to attempt this on my 01 Grand Am. I have k seal in my system, but my mechanic says I need new head gasket. Wish they replaced it back when I got the intakes replaced years and years ago for $1000+
I'm facing an identical job on my Rendezvous and I was going to give this video a thumbs down based on the fact that nothing was shown to be done, the video just cut to it already done. THEN I saw the heads out with the manifolds still attached and that idea made my task A LOT easier. It never occurred to me to do it this way. Priceless.
Between your two videos (this one and the LIM gasket replacement) plus another awesome tutorial on the GrandAmGT forums - I was able to overcome my hesitation (- nay, overwhelming fear) and successfully do my head gasket replacement. Thanks man - your vids are invaluable!
Thank you, VT247, for taking the time/effort to do this on a van. I don't have 24/7 to do this, so, taking pics and labeling the connectors is my only add. I spread my repair work over weekends. :-)
It's a long arduous process. But you're doing it right, label all the parts and put them in an order you can remember. Do keep in mind that the pushrods are of different lengths for the intake and exhaust. Bolt the rocker arm downs to the correct torque specs, may have mentioned the wrong torque specs. VT247
I have to say this is a good tutorial on the 3.4. Your commentary is quite listenable. ....if that's a word ? I have retired after 50 years, man and boy in the trade and am SO glad I am not doing this any more. Well done that man !...apart from the use of the word "Issues"...You have problems, not 'issues' !
Thanks for making this video! I am currently doing this to a Buick Rendezvous. Your video has been extremely helpful. The hardest parts for me were: 1) unhooking the exhaust mani from underneath was a pain and I broke one of the bolts. And 2) that dang bracket above the A/C compressor!... That sucked! Mine was stuck or rusted on or something. I put a hammer to it and it finally broke loose after ab 50 wacks.lol. Thanks again!
The LA1 3400 ("E-code") was a bored-out version of the 3100. It retained the OHV layout of the previous engine, and was first utilized on the 1996 U platform minivans Applications: 1996 Chevrolet Lumina APV 1997-2005 Chevrolet Venture 1996-2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette 1996-1998 Pontiac Trans Sport 1999-2005 Pontiac Montana 1999-2005 Oldsmobile Alero 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala 2000-2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 2001-2005 Pontiac Aztek 2002-2005 Buick Rendezvous
Your a mad lad bud I’ve done this job before. Just watching for the electrical routing because I had one come in already tore down to the block. I can confirm pulling the heads together with the cross over pipe is NOT an easy task especially going back together
Should have just cut the bolts holding on the exhaust. But figured I could heat them up and they'd come loose once out. Nope, broke nearly every single one, they were pretty rusted on. But, in the end, it all got fixed and ran for years after this fix. Should have done the timing cover too at the same time, because it eventually failed too. Not sure why they made such bad gaskets for these 3400's. Eventually, the timing cover, the intake and head gaskets all fail. VT247
@@Vacationtime247 awesome!! I’m glad it ran for a long time for you. But I think they fail so much because that are aluminum heads and iron block. Also the the engine mounts on the head closest to the front of the car. The engine mount thing is just speculation maybe it doesn’t affect it at all
I did get new head bolts when I did the head gaskets. It's recommended that the intake bolts get changed too but I didn't get those new. Good luck on the fix and hope this helps. VT247
You can reuse those rubber intake manifold gaskets. I originally did just the intake before biting the bullet and then doing the head gaskets. It's not really that difficult, just time consuming. With the oil dipstick tube, I just cut off tab and left it in. Pulled both heads at the same time with the exhaust crossover still attached. A thin layer of RTV on the water jackets on the head is a good idea too. VT247
Thanks, I was looking for this and how to bleed out my Venture's system. It's had air pockets in the past with various work. I started working on it on my own to save money, but couldn't get all the air out. Will be doing a test drive to the gas station later to make sure all the air is out and it isn't overheating anymore. And my friend's gag gift of pink tools actually came in handy... (And quick/easy tips on fixing gas gauge would be awesome.)
Just found your video and I am hoping this puts us in the right direction for repairs. My pontiac montana has all of a sudden had heating issues, would be hot at first then go cold. When it goes cold the temp jumps up. Then a few minutes later the temp goes back to normal and heat works again. We changed thermostat, water pump, flushed everything out. And still having the issues. After seeing your video I think I have convinced the husband to change the gaskets. Let's hope this is the only problem and it hasn't caused any other damage.
From the symptoms you've described, it certainly sounds like the head gasket. It's not a terrible job, but it is time consuming so be patient with him : ) VT247
pt2 work and money well really did not spend a lot of money but it was time and effort trying to trouble shoot this cooling issue so I sold it traded it just to find out later from the person who bought it they found the prob the only cooling system component I did not replace ,it was the damb fan clutch can u believe that shit guy had it replaced no more cooling issues thank God I did all the work my self it wood have been 3 4 thousand dolars in labor costs sob.thanks great vid
good, informative video! it helped me doing the head gaskets on my 2002 3400 Monte Carlo. A side note - the gaskets are much cheaper through Summit, if you can wait the 3 days. NAPA wanted about 190 for them, Summit was only 112.
Air compressor alarm at 18:00 hahaaa we have the same thing happen at random here...effing brown note :) TY for the video! I may take time and put a timeline list together for the order of when parts are removed. Like pulling the power steering pump is tricky on a 99 Pontiac Grand Am if u do it before pulling the back fuel rail..or both rails with intake in this case. Had to jack the engine up for support at that point and then during pump removal had a pull and twist the entire pump CLOCKWISE a little (maybe to 1 or 2 o'clock) during removal for clearance. No we didnt support it first think I know lol but yeah little tricks to learn and add for the next mechanic ;)
Don't feel bad. I spent hundreds of dollars trying to fix a transmission issue on a Durango once. Come to find out it was a simple wire. Wasn't getting 12 volts to the transmission, making it only work in limp mode second and 3rd gear. A free wire fixed it. This after replacing the computer, solenoids, pigtail, etc. Sometimes it's the one thing that's overlooked. : / VT247
It's kind of a pain to do. I used a combination of a 3/8 & 1/4 drive ratchet and 10mm long socket and swivel / wobble extension piece. That and a 10mm wrench. Had to inch it off slowly with the open end and the boxed end. Takes some time to do, but it can be done. I just had to do this job on my other red Aztek after doing it on my black one. Obviously a common problem with the 3400 engines. Be patient and set the car/van/suv on stands, you'll be bent over the engine bay for a while. VT247
i agree. my brothers 2004 grand am 3400v6 he just bought started every now and then it would get a lil too warm to where he would have to pull over. done that a couple times then we said well maybe its the thermostat, then were thinking well these engines are bad about intake gasket problems. then were like well were not going to do the intake gaskets and not do the head gaskets. good thing we did. the front head was junk, had very deep corrosion and im sure it was leaking. runs great now.
Same exact thing happened to this Black Aztek! The exhaust bolt broke, had to get a new one after taking it to the muffler shop to remove what was left. The other problem was getting that stupid bracket off there. What a pain! Kept having to jiggle it loose and pull. A little lubrication helped too. VT247
I left the rear manifold on. Just unbolted the 2 bolts holding on the exhaust. One broke and had to take it to the muffler shop to heat up and remove. Got an extra bolt from Fastenal. Unbolted the 3 bolts holding on the hanger for the exhaust on the passenger side (2 going in the side and one going up). Had to use long extensions and a 1/2 inch breaker to get them loose. Yes, it was a PITA! After the top front motor mounts were off, it rocked forward and loose. VT247
Thanks for reply. 2003 Malibu 3100 just purchased was pressure washed before and it looks like it had or has LIM gasket failure. Front cover is caked with oil and wet looking down sides. Will do front cover, water pump and timing first to see if that's my source of coolant loss. No temperature issues, just needed coolant one day, heater is so so, slight white smoke and clear water from tail at warm up which does have slight smell. May need to bleed after hose replacement. Thanks for videos.
It's the head gasket. If you've bled all the air out of the system and it still goes hot, the head gaskets are either going bad or already bad. I just replaced my head gasket on this Aztek and didn't bother to resurface the heads. Drove it 100 miles and the problem has been solved and runs better than ever. VT247
DEFINITELY do the head gaskets if you're doing the intake manifold. It's not that much more work and the head gaskets will eventually fail anyhow. You don't mess with the timing chain while doing the head gasket. Hope your fix goes well. Be sure not to torque the intake manifold down to hard, I cracked mine once. Had to replace it. Use a criss cross pattern for the head and intake torque down sequence. VT247
I'm curious if that hissing sound has gone away? I have a hissing sound that I can hear from inside the cabin of the car though I assumed that had to do with the hvac system. I am still in the process of confirming if I have a head gasket issue or not but I wonder if your hissing is similar to mine.
@@michaelmedeiros2089 A hissing sound would likely be a vacuum leak. Possibly a coolant leak could make that noise too. Didn’t have any hissing from the blown head gasket. But an overheated motor will boil the coolant and make it hiss. Just some ideas, hope this helps. VT247
The lime green connector plugs into the back bottom of the MAP sensor. The MAP sensor is in front of the coil pack and bolts to the upper intake. The MAP sensor (manifold absolute pressure) is square and also has a vacuum tube going into it from the upper intake . The small vacuum tube connects to the fuel pressure regulator. VT247
I've got a video up on how to do both the head gaskets and the intake manifold gaskets. I advise everyone that asks me a question on the intake gaskets to go ahead and do the head gaskets. 99% of the time if someone is having an overheating issue with the 3400 or 3100 if the intake is good and there is antifreeze, it's the head gasket. The water pumps and thermostats don't go out that often. VT247
The different holes for the head and block are like that from the factory. Thought it was kind of strange also, but I've done this fix a few times. All are like that from the factory. Keep everything the same, you should only need to change out the gaskets. VT247
When I warm up my Montana I get a puddle under the exhaust can, another puddle under the exhaust tip, and another puddle near the front of the engine. It almost looks like steam in my exhaust but it all seems to go away once it’s warmed up. A check engine light came on around a month ago but I thought it was just my P0171 coming back (lean code - I had just plugged a hole in the intake manifold and wasn’t sure that took care of it). Because it never went away like my P0171 was prone to do I assume it’s something new and perhaps I really did solve my P0171 a month ago. Over the last month I realized I’m suddenly losing coolant fast enough that my Low Coolant light came on once and I had to fill my reservoir twice. Before that I went nearly 7 months without having to add any since I did a coolant flush in April. Makes me think I’ve got some kind of gasket leak though I still have plenty of heat. I know my drain petcock leaks but it’s an aftermarket radiator and I can’t find a replacement. It’s been a slow drip that doesn’t explain the sudden drops unless it somehow got worse. I’m going to get my codes read next. What codes might indicate a problem with the head gasket? Thanks!
The exhaust will have some condensation that will exit out drain holes on all cars. If it smelled sweet or left a cloud of smoke coming out then that should be addressed. As for loosing coolant, do a coolant system pressure test. Can do the loan a tool from Autozone or perhaps O'Reilly's to pressurize the coolant and check for leaks. As for the petcock leak, perhaps a quick fix may be in order. Roughing up the area with some sand paper then cleaned. After that, put some JB Weld, Steel Putty or even a fiberglass resin fix to slow or stop it if there's a crack. Any GM 3400 I've had where the head gasket leaks the overflow tank typically bubbles when running. Exhaust gasses entering the coolant passages or otherwise known as a blown head gasket. Could test the head gasket with the blue dye method. Where you put a special blue dye in a syringe, then draw up the air from the radiator cap or overflow bottle and it will change colors if exhaust gas is present. Typically though, the engine will overheat after a short distance. VT247
@@Vacationtime247 Thanks for the in-depth response. Read the codes and it’s a fuel pressure sensor. Had the whole fuel pump replaced last year just for the fuel level sender and it’s been ringing loudly ever since which makes me wonder if it’s related. Definitely not related to my coolant issue though. It’s not overheating or bubbling and the heat still works great. I have smelled sweet coolant when getting out on multiple occasions including today. I hesitate to do a pressure test because I could not get the coolant level sensor to securely attach to the aftermarket radiator. I had all the hoses and the faulty coolant level sensor replaced last year but the replacement didn’t have the O-rings it’s supposed to have and also never worked. I replaced it again months later with one that actually worked and it kept blowing out. I replaced it again with OEM and it seems to be holding but I can still pull it off by hand without manipulating the wires that are supposed to clip it on, which makes me think a pressure test will just blow it out. It’s been fine since March and the new coolant leak does not seem to be coming from there. I’ll take your advice and deal with the known leak at the drain petcock. I doubt that’s where the smell is coming from since I can smell it as soon as I open my driver door (drain is on the passenger side). Still, all the small puddles appear on the passenger side so to smell it as soon as I open the driver door it must be getting vaporized by something place hot in the engine bay. I’ll keep looking but I can rest a lot easier knowing it’s not likely as serious as a head gasket. Thanks so much! You are definitely the premier 3400 expert on RUclips. :)
I'd allow for 2 days, one to take everything off and another to put it back together. Order the parts early so they'll be there for when you need to put everything back together. Parts ran about $200. Fel Pro Head gaskets $40, Head bolts $16, Intake manifold gasket & valve cover gaskets combo $60, oil change kit $20, Coolant $20, spark plug wires $20, Spark plugs $16.If you have a Fastenal or bolt company around have them find usable bolts for the exhaust crossover, they tend to break. VT247
yea i agree i had to do a head gasket kit on a 1999 pontiac grand am and then a 1999 pontiac montana head job so i am getting used to working on these 3.4l's the first kit for the grand am cost $158 then i looked on ebay and found on for 2 times less for $51 so saving a little over $100 so now i do the shopping on ebay alot of money and time can be saved by getting the set than getting 1 piece at a time and spending more money for labor or parts but in all in all i have the motor almost done but
Put on a socket that is one size smaller and break off the bolt holding on the heat shield. The rest of the bolts will hold it on. I had to mix match the sockets on mine to get the shield off. They were all pretty rusty. Hope this helps. VT247
Another way to check for a bad headgasket on these is a compression check.A miss is another way too.You need a torque angle gauge too,you turn the head bolts a certain degree after torqueing the headbolts down.
You have to remove the A/C pump. The bracket is still behind there. There are 3 bolts holding it on. No need to drain the A/C, it slides down and out of place. On top of the bracket there is a hole. Once the A/C is off, it twists back and forth after soaking it with lubricant (WD-40, oil, trans fluid). Kind of a pain but keep workin' it and it'll come out. VT247
all i can say is you can get a full head gasket kit for the 3.4l on ebay for $51 i just had to do a complete head change as the heads both blew and had blow back in to the resevoir so i changed both heads and did a full gasket kit replacement
of the holes dont match so i started to make my homework and search in the net and i foun that the engineblock is actually a 3.4 liter but is a special edition for the chevrolet equinox and pontiac torrent the engine is the LNJ V6 3.4L my question is if i put the heads that this engine really need to have does everything else fit ok or i need to change the intake manifold too if you have fixed one of those engines because the heads are starting to be destroyed because of those holes
thanks for your comment on my channel. i didnt change the head gaskets cause its recommended to have the heads resurfaced. is this not always nessesary? also, i heard you can perform a test on the coolant to see if it has exaust gases in it and that tells you that its the head gasket. let me know what you think. i replaced the intake gasket and it runs but still the overheat/inconsistant cabin heat issue.
the altenator/ bracket belt wiring radiator transmission lines air system 1 vacuum line that runs to the pvc valve and throttle body back to the o2 sensor then the braces and motor mounts along with the bleeding of the antifreeze lines in front of the front valve cover and on the themostat housing plus the power steering pump them its a hopefully run and start for me still seems alot but like you say it looks like alot but really its not
I did not find it necessary to remove the p/s pump. There was enough slack in the line to pull the pump upwards enough to clear the bracket and move it out of the way.
Hi Sir, How you remove the passenger side engine mount? I am stuck right there... Seems like I have unbolted all 3 bolts but it is still sitting very tight. I have 2001 Chevy Venture Thanks,
if i choose to dig back in and change the head gaskets, can i reuse the new intake gaskets i just put in, or do i need to replace them as well. i have another engine to put in this car but i like the fact i have a back up if i screw up my so called "learning engine". i keep fixing it for expierience before i go into automotive school. also i put a thin layer of gasket maker around the coolant ports on the lower intake gasket. thanks for the help.
Thank you for creating a informative video. Been using it as a guide for my buick rendezvous. I ve got everything almost put together but I lost track of where a certain wire goes. Its the wire that sets on the right side of the engine located around the exhaust cross over. Its lime green colored. Can you tell me where that plugs into? Thank you!
Thank you.,tomorrow i will take off the valve cover, if the bolts do not look new , do you think is a good idea to replace the head gasket, to extend the life of the engine, or should i just wait until goes bad. thanks again, for taking the time to answer .
Awesome video man.in the process of doing head gaskets on my van .(chevy venture).heads at machine shop to get resurfaced.what steps did u take to clean off thhe block for the new head gasket. Cool video
Great video you know our stuff. I got a 2000 Pontiac minivan with the 3400. The question I have is the oil is leaking into the coolant. I opened the radiator and it has mostly oil in it. It does not run hot yet as the temp does not go over half , however after about five miles white smoke starts coming out of the engine. Thoughts bad head gasket, I don't think it is a cracked engine block because it would not go at all, would it.
Watch the last minute of this video, from 19:04 on. Your engine probably needs all new head and intake gaskets. The intake and exhaust push rods are different lengths so keep that in mind. Think you should be good if the motor doesn't knock.
Why are you taking off the battery, windsheild container. they are not close to the engine. I just replaced the timing chain and for that you need them off for room. I think this is extra work.
It is some extra work, but I like having extra room to work around. Having to fish in and around certain areas to get tools into isn't fun. So I took them off to have some space. The power steering lines were difficult with the tools I had available for removal. Instead of fighting with them, I made it easier, for me. VT247
yes but this ones are diferent there are two holes in the block that the head and the head gasket does not have both make the gasket and the head get rotten because the car was using water instead of antifreeze
Hey people before you get your head gasket fixed check this. Check the level of coolant in your reservoir and radiator. Net let your motor heat up but not over heat obviously. Now if there is more coolant in the reservoir then when it was cool check the radiator next and if really low chances are..... you just need a new radiator cap. I put a new thermostat and couldnt figure it out then i put a new cap on the radiator and boom.
This is a good news, bad news kind of thing. I bought a 2003 Alero and after two months a rocker arm stud let loose. After some digging I discovered there have been two other studs that have gone bad on this engine. I'm pulling the heads and having all the studs replaced. The good news is that I have been able to remove all the exhaust manifold bolts... but one. The lower rear at cylinder #5. I can't get the heat shield out of the way to get a socket on the bolt. Any ideas?
Do not just install the heads back on after cleaning the gasket surface.Get a straight edge and a .002 feeler gauge out and check the headgasket surface for warpage.If the the feeler gauge goes through easily,take the cylinder heads to a machine shop to get resurfaced.
I did, it's really just a personal preference. I believe it creates a better seal. Definitely put silicone on each end of the engine, between the heads & intake gaskets. A 1/4 inch bead of silicone for the ends of the intake to make a seal between the motor. VT247
Thank you so much for this video! I'm having trouble getting the dipstick out. I have the heads loose and ready to come off but that damn dipstick is stopping me. I have the bolt off but it appears to be attached somewhere else too. Any suggestions?
I never was able to remove that. I had to cut the upper flange off of the dipstick that bolts to the head off. Then the head will lift off over it. It has never moved or leaked once everything was reassembled so cutting it was the easiest and quickest way. VT247
Vacationtime247 I finished up today! I had to change the gasket on the water pump too. My head gasket was in bad shape but it didn't look like it leaked, the lower intake on the other hand was definitely the source of my leak. Still glad I did both. The head would have leaked very soon. I should also mention that my fan wasn't coming on. I hard wired it to be on all the time now. I couldn't figure that problem out. Runs great and stays cool. Thanks again!
Help!!!!! i have a 2002 Buick century. that has brown gunk in the radiator. i was told that it was the intake. that was leaking. but, as i was taking it apart, i notice that there was a leak in the top part of the intake. but it also looks like if it was coming from the head. (this is from the head next to the fire wall). Also, the coli pack, there is a stud there to hold the coli pack in place, (the one on the driver's side), how do you take that off???? it's in the way of taking off the vale cover bolt???
You can also use a water hose in the radiator to force air out of the system mine would not bleed without doing this.. Then evreything was fine and has been evrey since
Thank you for the great videos on this engine. Do you put the gasket on dry and tighten things down, or do you put silicone or something else in certain places?
I put a thin layer of silicone on both sides. It's not needed, but I felt safer doing it this way. On the bottom of the metal pipe going into the water pump pump I put silicone on too, were the O-ring is. VT247
Vacationtime247 So, by using your video, the shop manual, my uncle and lots of patience over two days, I was able to switch out the head gaskets, upper,Lower manifold gaskets, valve cover gaskets, o2 sensor, plugs, wires, thermostat and serpentine belt. I am not a mechanic, or very mechanically inclined at all. Thanks for the assist!
I did not machine the heads. I just cleaned them up, inspected closely for pitting and cracks but found none. The heads are aluminum and disperse heat much better than iron. Done this job twice and none of the heads shown any wear. You should be fine just cleaning them and re-installing. VT247
Around 20:05 that black metal tubing that goes to the heater core that’s attached to the water pump how did you get that out from the line that comes from the fire wall?
It has a plastic clip that holds it on. Can be a pain to get off. Try grabbing the metal part and the twisting the hose to break it free. Squeeze the white part of the clip to compress it, also squeeze & compress the black end on the hose end, push and pull the hose until it pulls off. I had to use some screw drivers and keep tinkering with it until it finally came off. If all else fails, cut the hose around the middle and put in a metal tube with alligator clips as a splice. VT247
Hey. I got a 2002 Chevy impala w/ 3.4 engine and it overheats. When I add antifreeze or water in the radiator, it will shoot out once the car runs... I need help!!
What is the story about torque vs angle? I am replacing a blown head gasket on a 97 chevy venture. I am old school using a clicker style torque wrench.
I'm the same way. Old school yield to torque specs. Mine were torqued to @60 ft pounds and have never had any issues. But, the book calls for 40 ft pounds the first pass and 90* angle the second pass. So, torque all to 40 then like a clock start at 12 and turn until approximately 3. VT247
when you change de headgasket do you change the bolts too? i was looking for prices and see that they recomend to change the bolts, and thanks for the tutorial VT247 its really helping me in what im going to do
Ydugdhc and th to the gym today or tomorrow and work on it tonight and get a new one on my way home now and then but I have no money to pay the rent is a lot to do 2hchc
yea I have a 03 s10 zr2 mechanic says I have coolant in oil that's leaking is that a system off the intake gasket and people keep saying upper and lower gasket so the intake has two or what the hell ive done a 96 jimmy head gasket it was our last option it was the 4.3 vortec kept over heating did heater core stat water pump all that shit and the head gasket and do u believe it over heated again now im worried with all the previous over heats ,damb the head must be warped its like shit all the
There are 4 bolts on the top of the intake( I think) the thing with the two silver pipes. Do I have to remove them to take the top off. Also on the back silver pipe I cannot get the gas silver pipe to come out. Do I have to did connect the pipe farther back. The pipe part way back has a clip on it when I take the clip off the pipe will not separate. Is the a special tool to release that. This why I think I have to go back farther to the second release on the pipe closer the the firewall.
I'm assuming the top intake is off. The lower intake has 8 bolts that need to come off for i to be removed. The silver lines your referring to I take it are the fuel rails. There is a 10 mm bolt that holds down the lines that also needs removed. Then the lower intake will lift up and can be set aside. When replacing the lower intake, I run a thick bead of black silicone along the edges instead of the supplied rubber gasket. Seems to hold better, just make sure it goes down on straight. The black line that runs from near the water pump back around the front of the intake to the firewall can be left on, but can be tricky to maneuver. To completely remove it, slide the clip back then twist and turn the pipe while holding the back piece. Usually it's hard to remove as the clip keeps locking itself in place. VT247
when you change the head gasket you dont get involve with the timing chain in this engines ? im going to change the intake gasket but im thinking in changing the headgaskets so it dont give problems in some months
I just found this video I have a 03 rendezvous , it seems to run just fine BUT it doesn`t really have heat works sometimes most of the time it don't. I have just started smelling something like its over heating but the gauge shows its all good never goes past half way really sometimes just sitting at a light it will move up never in the red . any thoughts on this smell . after seeing this video I am thinking maybe it could be the same thing but I don't know I am clueless in this matter. please get back with me if u will please , good video seems easy enough to follow but I will just have to have some one else do it lol this is so far above my head . TY
+SW Outdoors Do a coolant system pressure test. You can get the loan a tool from Autozone. It pressurizes the coolant system and will show leaks easily. VT247
Vacationtime247 lol I was just looking at a video about this same test when you replied back looks like I am headed the way ty for getting back to me so fast
hello again vt247 guess what i do the work i take off the heads but i got a problem im asking you a favor the think is that my car is a grand am 2002 and i got it just for two months since i bought it so to make it short when i take out the heads i realize that the head dont match the engine block so it was really weird to me because i see that the patterns of the holes wheres passes the water to cool down the head are in roun shape and the ones in the engine block are triangle ones and two
How does this vary from an 03 grand am? I notice the placement of the battery and reservoir for example are different.. How or does this affect the job? thanks
Hi, again, I forgot to ask you about the rocker arm torquing, do you have to turn the camshaft to the flat part of the love ,when you torque them ?. thanks again.
No, they are pedestal rocker arms. Just torque each to 30 ft lbs. Doesn't matter where the cam is in position. The Intake and exhaust push rods are different lengths. I believe it is the intake that is the shorter one. VT247
Yes. Replacing the head gasket fixed the problem of overheating. Now, my recommendation is to do ALL the gaskets there if you're doing the head gaskets, such as the timing cover and intake too. VT247
@@Vacationtime247 Thanks. My 3.4 doesn't have a head gasket issue but it has orange crud throughout the entire engine and cooling system which makes it overheat. It overheats because the water passage ways are most likely clogged in the engine. I did wonder if it was oil mixing with the coolant but it is not. I have flushed my 3400 at least 5 times now and this stuff just keeps coming.
The 2 silver pipes on the top of motor which is under the upper intake. I took the 2 bolts off that are in the center but nothing moves. Does that have to be taken off or does it come off when I take off the head with the attached exhaust pipes.
I believe you are referring to the dual fuel rails. I usually just take off the lower intake and leave the fuel lines, injectors and pressure regulator attached. Take off the lower intake and set it aside. Just make sure not to damage or destroy the lines when it's moved. You'll see how it's set aside at around 14:39 There is a 10mm clamp that holds the fuel line in place that I point out just before that time above VT247
When you say you had to remove the air compressor to get the top motor mount bracket off do you mean the air conditioning compressor and how does this part come off? Im stuck here at this point. Also why do you have to remove the right top bracket now? It appears it will come out with the heads or is there a head bolt burried under there? Im at a loss as to how to get at these 15mm bolts.
Yes, the air compressor needs to be removed and set aside. You do not need to remove the lines that go into the a/c unit, the system can remain charged. If I'm remembering right there are 2 upper and 2 lower bolts holding it on along with the brace near the front passenger side of the motor. The front head can not be removed without it being taken off. You should be able to see the lower bolts from under the car. The brace on the drivers side doesn't need removed. Also, I cut the tab that holds the oil dipstick onto the head off and slid the head over it. My friend and I removed both heads at the same time without taking off the crossover pipe. But even then, some of the bolts broke. Hit me up with any more ?'s : ) VT247
hi, I like your video, I have a question, I just bought a 2003 chevy ventura , the engine has 200,000 miles , but the engine runs very smooth, no smoke or anything out of the tail pipe, I took the spark plugs out and they are dry,, normal wear , i do not know if the previous owner change the head gasket or the intake manifold gasket, my question to you is , how can i find out if in fact has been change before ,without taking the heads apart or should i just do head gasket any way. Thank you.
Look around the head and the head bolts. If the head gaskets have been done then sometimes the bolts get replaced. Do the bolts look new? Can you see any of the gaskets, do they look new? These engines last a long time once the head & intake manifold gaskets are replaced. VT247
Can I leave the power steering attached to its pipes. I did take the 3 bolts out from inside the pulley. I must be missing some bolts from the intake as it still will not come off.
The power steering lines need to come off along with the pump. It can be tricky trying to remove the pump as it has to shift in weird directions to remove. There are intake bolts underneath it that need to be accessed after it's off. Try and soak / suck up as much as the power steering (PS) fluid as possible so it doesn't make a huge mess when it's removed. Plus the PS fluid is very slick and makes things slip easily. Can use a turkey baster or a syringe to get in and draw it out. But paper towels or a rag to absorb it can be used as well. VT247
I have the same engine with my 04 Buick Rendezvous. My problem is my radiator fan is not kicking when temperature gets to 230F, any thought on this? Changed the water pump, thermostat, ECT, radiator to no avail. Pretty sure the fan is working and all the relays and fuses are in good shape as well. Thanks in advance.
Had a few people ask me this question. The temp gauge needs to get close to 3/4 heat to red on the gauge before the cooling fans come on. To check that the fan is running, you can disconnect the temperature sensor under the throttle and the fans should come on. Also try bleeding the system of air at the two sites, one on top of the water pump and the other 7mm on top of the water neck. The cooling fan almost NEVER comes on in either of my Azteks. They just don't get to that temp very often. Hope this helps. VT247
hey. im doing head gaskets on a 02 rendezvous right now. almost got the heads out. wondering do i need to bring them to a machine shop n have them resurfaced or is that just if they're real pitted? appreciate the video.
+Steven Eli Check for cracks between the intake valve and the spark plug seat. They can develop cracks there. You can get heads ready to go on ebay for @$350. Check for straightness using a straight edge and for cracks. If both are good you can just replace the gaskets. VT247
On the back of the engine where the spark plug wires go to from left to right what is the order? My Buick shows 5,2,3,6,4,1 front spark plugs a 2,4,6, and back plugs are 1, 3,5? The back seems all mixed up is that right?
You are correct. Standing at the front of the car looking at the engine, the back of the engine, from left to right is 1 - 3 -5. Front of the engine closest to the radiator is 2 - 4 - 6. The coil pack as is it is on the vehicle from left to right is 5 - 2 -3 - 6 - 4 - 1. Important to make sure the right spark plug wire goes to the correct cylinder. VT247
I have a Chevy Lumina with the 3.1. Just had the cooling system flushed and a new thermostat put it. Before it would over heat and then the next day it would be just fine and after the flush it does the samething do you think I might have some air in the lines or head gasket.
Be sure to bleed the air out of the system. Then, make sure it builds & holds pressure then maintains a steady temp. Check for leaks. If you loose pressure after bleeding air and find air bubbles in the overflow, chances are the head gasket is bad. VT247
Vacationtime247 no bubbles in the over flow. I had a friend tell me to twist my cap to vent then turn on the engine for a couple of minutes and then should get rid of air in the lines. I put a line on the holding tank with a marker in the past couple of days it hasn't moved.. Thanks for the input. The guy that flushed my cooling system didn't even want to diganose the problem he just wanted to tar apart my engine and replace the head gasgets with out making sure thats the problem..
A lot of times the factory water pump goes out on them too. Recently replaced a water pump on a '01 Chevy Camaro and the pump had no fins to move the water. A water pump is pretty cheap for these motors. I believe the 3.1 engines have a bleeder screw on the water neck and on top of the water pump line. It's a 7mm nut that will bleed out air after the engine comes to operating temp. After the air bleeds out, water will then tighten it up and check that it has pressure by the firmness of the upper radiator hose. Let it cool down, top off the radiator. Hope this helps. VT247
I have a 2000 Grand Am with 75k miles on it. I know for a fact that I need new intake manifold gaskets. I am debating if I should change my head gaskets as well. Do you think a good head gasket test would be, filling up my coolant reservoir with water and using the funnel in there to see if air bubbles are coming up when the engine is running? Also, if i decide to change the head gaskets as well, once you get the heads off, do you think I really have to get them machined at a shop? Thanks.
I just got my thermostat radiator n intake manifold done within two weeks time now I'm told it's my head gasket well should I buy the gasket or just the head gasket since I already got a basically brand new intake gasket???
Did you take the top part of f with the value covers still on or did you take them off before removing the top part as their is a big jump in the video. At 14.31 minutes.
The rocker arms and pushrods need to come off. The pushrods are different lengths for the intake and exhaust, do t forget that important part. Lay the out in a configuration you'll remember. Putting the through a piece of cardboard helps and label them. VT247
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
I did this job myself I bought a book on my car and took my time it's easy that was 2 years ago and still going strong
Thank you for the vid! It gave me the balls to do my wifes 02 montana..Just kept over heating and tons of air in the coolent.. I found lower intake gasket was crushed and both head gaskets were shot and someone put stop leak in and cloged all ports in the block....It took me about 20 hrs to do but it runs AWESOME now. I cant thank you enough for the vid!
This comment just might give me the motivation to attempt this on my 01 Grand Am. I have k seal in my system, but my mechanic says I need new head gasket. Wish they replaced it back when I got the intakes replaced years and years ago for $1000+
I'm facing an identical job on my Rendezvous and I was going to give this video a thumbs down based on the fact that nothing was shown to be done, the video just cut to it already done. THEN I saw the heads out with the manifolds still attached and that idea made my task A LOT easier. It never occurred to me to do it this way. Priceless.
agreed. what year rendezvous?
Between your two videos (this one and the LIM gasket replacement) plus another awesome tutorial on the GrandAmGT forums - I was able to overcome my hesitation (- nay, overwhelming fear) and successfully do my head gasket replacement.
Thanks man - your vids are invaluable!
Thank you, VT247, for taking the time/effort to do this on a van. I don't have 24/7 to do this, so, taking pics and labeling the connectors is my only add. I spread my repair work over weekends. :-)
It's a long arduous process. But you're doing it right, label all the parts and put them in an order you can remember. Do keep in mind that the pushrods are of different lengths for the intake and exhaust. Bolt the rocker arm downs to the correct torque specs, may have mentioned the wrong torque specs.
VT247
I have to say this is a good tutorial on the 3.4. Your commentary is quite listenable. ....if that's a word ? I have retired after 50 years, man and boy in the trade and am SO glad I am not doing this any more. Well done that man !...apart from the use of the word "Issues"...You have problems, not 'issues' !
Thanks for making this video! I am currently doing this to a Buick Rendezvous. Your video has been extremely helpful.
The hardest parts for me were: 1) unhooking the exhaust mani from underneath was a pain and I broke one of the bolts. And 2) that dang bracket above the A/C compressor!... That sucked! Mine was stuck or rusted on or something. I put a hammer to it and it finally broke loose after ab 50 wacks.lol.
Thanks again!
The LA1 3400 ("E-code") was a bored-out version of the 3100. It retained the OHV layout of the previous engine, and was first utilized on the 1996 U platform minivans
Applications:
1996 Chevrolet Lumina APV
1997-2005 Chevrolet Venture
1996-2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette
1996-1998 Pontiac Trans Sport
1999-2005 Pontiac Montana
1999-2005 Oldsmobile Alero
1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am
2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala
2000-2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2001-2005 Pontiac Aztek
2002-2005 Buick Rendezvous
ALEROS only ran until 2004.
Wish this video was up before I spent 1,500 getting mine fixed. Nice of you to help people out! This is no cheap job
Your a mad lad bud I’ve done this job before. Just watching for the electrical routing because I had one come in already tore down to the block. I can confirm pulling the heads together with the cross over pipe is NOT an easy task especially going back together
Should have just cut the bolts holding on the exhaust. But figured I could heat them up and they'd come loose once out. Nope, broke nearly every single one, they were pretty rusted on. But, in the end, it all got fixed and ran for years after this fix. Should have done the timing cover too at the same time, because it eventually failed too. Not sure why they made such bad gaskets for these 3400's. Eventually, the timing cover, the intake and head gaskets all fail.
VT247
@@Vacationtime247 awesome!! I’m glad it ran for a long time for you. But I think they fail so much because that are aluminum heads and iron block. Also the the engine mounts on the head closest to the front of the car. The engine mount thing is just speculation maybe it doesn’t affect it at all
I did get new head bolts when I did the head gaskets. It's recommended that the intake bolts get changed too but I didn't get those new. Good luck on the fix and hope this helps.
VT247
You can reuse those rubber intake manifold gaskets. I originally did just the intake before biting the bullet and then doing the head gaskets. It's not really that difficult, just time consuming. With the oil dipstick tube, I just cut off tab and left it in. Pulled both heads at the same time with the exhaust crossover still attached. A thin layer of RTV on the water jackets on the head is a good idea too.
VT247
Thanks, I was looking for this and how to bleed out my Venture's system. It's had air pockets in the past with various work. I started working on it on my own to save money, but couldn't get all the air out. Will be doing a test drive to the gas station later to make sure all the air is out and it isn't overheating anymore. And my friend's gag gift of pink tools actually came in handy... (And quick/easy tips on fixing gas gauge would be awesome.)
Just found your video and I am hoping this puts us in the right direction for repairs. My pontiac montana has all of a sudden had heating issues, would be hot at first then go cold. When it goes cold the temp jumps up. Then a few minutes later the temp goes back to normal and heat works again. We changed thermostat, water pump, flushed everything out. And still having the issues. After seeing your video I think I have convinced the husband to change the gaskets. Let's hope this is the only problem and it hasn't caused any other damage.
From the symptoms you've described, it certainly sounds like the head gasket. It's not a terrible job, but it is time consuming so be patient with him : )
VT247
Thank you for replying. I will be patient :)
pt2 work and money well really did not spend a lot of money but it was time and effort trying to trouble shoot this cooling issue so I sold it traded it just to find out later from the person who bought it they found the prob the only cooling system component I did not replace ,it was the damb fan clutch can u believe that shit guy had it replaced no more cooling issues thank God I did all the work my self it wood have been 3 4 thousand dolars in labor costs sob.thanks great vid
good, informative video! it helped me doing the head gaskets on my 2002 3400 Monte Carlo. A side note - the gaskets are much cheaper through Summit, if you can wait the 3 days. NAPA wanted about 190 for them, Summit was only 112.
Air compressor alarm at 18:00 hahaaa we have the same thing happen at random here...effing brown note :)
TY for the video! I may take time and put a timeline list together for the order of when parts are removed.
Like pulling the power steering pump is tricky on a 99 Pontiac Grand Am if u do it before pulling the back fuel rail..or both rails with intake in this case. Had to jack the engine up for support at that point and then during pump removal had a pull and twist the entire pump CLOCKWISE a little (maybe to 1 or 2 o'clock) during removal for clearance. No we didnt support it first think I know lol but yeah little tricks to learn and add for the next mechanic ;)
Don't feel bad. I spent hundreds of dollars trying to fix a transmission issue on a Durango once. Come to find out it was a simple wire. Wasn't getting 12 volts to the transmission, making it only work in limp mode second and 3rd gear. A free wire fixed it. This after replacing the computer, solenoids, pigtail, etc. Sometimes it's the one thing that's overlooked. : /
VT247
It's kind of a pain to do. I used a combination of a 3/8 & 1/4 drive ratchet and 10mm long socket and swivel / wobble extension piece. That and a 10mm wrench. Had to inch it off slowly with the open end and the boxed end. Takes some time to do, but it can be done. I just had to do this job on my other red Aztek after doing it on my black one. Obviously a common problem with the 3400 engines. Be patient and set the car/van/suv on stands, you'll be bent over the engine bay for a while.
VT247
i agree. my brothers 2004 grand am 3400v6 he just bought started every now and then it would get a lil too warm to where he would have to pull over. done that a couple times then we said well maybe its the thermostat, then were thinking well these engines are bad about intake gasket problems. then were like well were not going to do the intake gaskets and not do the head gaskets. good thing we did. the front head was junk, had very deep corrosion and im sure it was leaking. runs great now.
Same exact thing happened to this Black Aztek! The exhaust bolt broke, had to get a new one after taking it to the muffler shop to remove what was left. The other problem was getting that stupid bracket off there. What a pain! Kept having to jiggle it loose and pull. A little lubrication helped too.
VT247
I left the rear manifold on. Just unbolted the 2 bolts holding on the exhaust. One broke and had to take it to the muffler shop to heat up and remove. Got an extra bolt from Fastenal. Unbolted the 3 bolts holding on the hanger for the exhaust on the passenger side (2 going in the side and one going up). Had to use long extensions and a 1/2 inch breaker to get them loose. Yes, it was a PITA! After the top front motor mounts were off, it rocked forward and loose.
VT247
Thanks for reply. 2003 Malibu 3100 just purchased was pressure washed before and it looks like it had or has LIM gasket failure. Front cover is caked with oil and wet looking down sides. Will do front cover, water pump and timing first to see if that's my source of coolant loss. No temperature issues, just needed coolant one day, heater is so so, slight white smoke and clear water from tail at warm up which does have slight smell. May need to bleed after hose replacement. Thanks for videos.
It's the head gasket. If you've bled all the air out of the system and it still goes hot, the head gaskets are either going bad or already bad. I just replaced my head gasket on this Aztek and didn't bother to resurface the heads. Drove it 100 miles and the problem has been solved and runs better than ever.
VT247
DEFINITELY do the head gaskets if you're doing the intake manifold. It's not that much more work and the head gaskets will eventually fail anyhow. You don't mess with the timing chain while doing the head gasket. Hope your fix goes well. Be sure not to torque the intake manifold down to hard, I cracked mine once. Had to replace it. Use a criss cross pattern for the head and intake torque down sequence.
VT247
I'm curious if that hissing sound has gone away? I have a hissing sound that I can hear from inside the cabin of the car though I assumed that had to do with the hvac system. I am still in the process of confirming if I have a head gasket issue or not but I wonder if your hissing is similar to mine.
@@michaelmedeiros2089 A hissing sound would likely be a vacuum leak. Possibly a coolant leak could make that noise too. Didn’t have any hissing from the blown head gasket. But an overheated motor will boil the coolant and make it hiss. Just some ideas, hope this helps.
VT247
The lime green connector plugs into the back bottom of the MAP sensor. The MAP sensor is in front of the coil pack and bolts to the upper intake. The MAP sensor (manifold absolute pressure) is square and also has a vacuum tube going into it from the upper intake . The small vacuum tube connects to the fuel pressure regulator.
VT247
I've got a video up on how to do both the head gaskets and the intake manifold gaskets. I advise everyone that asks me a question on the intake gaskets to go ahead and do the head gaskets. 99% of the time if someone is having an overheating issue with the 3400 or 3100 if the intake is good and there is antifreeze, it's the head gasket. The water pumps and thermostats don't go out that often.
VT247
Do you always need to take the Head engine to a Machine shop?
Thanks a million!! The heads are off and going to the shop tomorrow : )
I have some time now , and the weather is good, so this is going to be my summer project,. Thanks again.
The different holes for the head and block are like that from the factory. Thought it was kind of strange also, but I've done this fix a few times. All are like that from the factory. Keep everything the same, you should only need to change out the gaskets.
VT247
When I warm up my Montana I get a puddle under the exhaust can, another puddle under the exhaust tip, and another puddle near the front of the engine. It almost looks like steam in my exhaust but it all seems to go away once it’s warmed up. A check engine light came on around a month ago but I thought it was just my P0171 coming back (lean code - I had just plugged a hole in the intake manifold and wasn’t sure that took care of it). Because it never went away like my P0171 was prone to do I assume it’s something new and perhaps I really did solve my P0171 a month ago.
Over the last month I realized I’m suddenly losing coolant fast enough that my Low Coolant light came on once and I had to fill my reservoir twice. Before that I went nearly 7 months without having to add any since I did a coolant flush in April. Makes me think I’ve got some kind of gasket leak though I still have plenty of heat.
I know my drain petcock leaks but it’s an aftermarket radiator and I can’t find a replacement. It’s been a slow drip that doesn’t explain the sudden drops unless it somehow got worse.
I’m going to get my codes read next. What codes might indicate a problem with the head gasket? Thanks!
The exhaust will have some condensation that will exit out drain holes on all cars. If it smelled sweet or left a cloud of smoke coming out then that should be addressed. As for loosing coolant, do a coolant system pressure test. Can do the loan a tool from Autozone or perhaps O'Reilly's to pressurize the coolant and check for leaks. As for the petcock leak, perhaps a quick fix may be in order. Roughing up the area with some sand paper then cleaned. After that, put some JB Weld, Steel Putty or even a fiberglass resin fix to slow or stop it if there's a crack. Any GM 3400 I've had where the head gasket leaks the overflow tank typically bubbles when running. Exhaust gasses entering the coolant passages or otherwise known as a blown head gasket. Could test the head gasket with the blue dye method. Where you put a special blue dye in a syringe, then draw up the air from the radiator cap or overflow bottle and it will change colors if exhaust gas is present. Typically though, the engine will overheat after a short distance.
VT247
@@Vacationtime247 Thanks for the in-depth response.
Read the codes and it’s a fuel pressure sensor. Had the whole fuel pump replaced last year just for the fuel level sender and it’s been ringing loudly ever since which makes me wonder if it’s related. Definitely not related to my coolant issue though.
It’s not overheating or bubbling and the heat still works great. I have smelled sweet coolant when getting out on multiple occasions including today. I hesitate to do a pressure test because I could not get the coolant level sensor to securely attach to the aftermarket radiator. I had all the hoses and the faulty coolant level sensor replaced last year but the replacement didn’t have the O-rings it’s supposed to have and also never worked. I replaced it again months later with one that actually worked and it kept blowing out. I replaced it again with OEM and it seems to be holding but I can still pull it off by hand without manipulating the wires that are supposed to clip it on, which makes me think a pressure test will just blow it out. It’s been fine since March and the new coolant leak does not seem to be coming from there.
I’ll take your advice and deal with the known leak at the drain petcock. I doubt that’s where the smell is coming from since I can smell it as soon as I open my driver door (drain is on the passenger side). Still, all the small puddles appear on the passenger side so to smell it as soon as I open the driver door it must be getting vaporized by something place hot in the engine bay.
I’ll keep looking but I can rest a lot easier knowing it’s not likely as serious as a head gasket. Thanks so much! You are definitely the premier 3400 expert on RUclips. :)
I'd allow for 2 days, one to take everything off and another to put it back together. Order the parts early so they'll be there for when you need to put everything back together. Parts ran about $200. Fel Pro Head gaskets $40, Head bolts $16, Intake manifold gasket & valve cover gaskets combo $60, oil change kit $20, Coolant $20, spark plug wires $20, Spark plugs $16.If you have a Fastenal or bolt company around have them find usable bolts for the exhaust crossover, they tend to break.
VT247
yea i agree i had to do a head gasket kit on a 1999 pontiac grand am and then a 1999 pontiac montana head job so i am getting used to working on these 3.4l's the first kit for the grand am cost $158 then i looked on ebay and found on for 2 times less for $51 so saving a little over $100 so now i do the shopping on ebay alot of money and time can be saved by getting the set than getting 1 piece at a time and spending more money for labor or parts but in all in all i have the motor almost done but
Put on a socket that is one size smaller and break off the bolt holding on the heat shield. The rest of the bolts will hold it on. I had to mix match the sockets on mine to get the shield off. They were all pretty rusty. Hope this helps.
VT247
Another way to check for a bad headgasket on these is a compression check.A miss is another way too.You need a torque angle gauge too,you turn the head bolts a certain degree after torqueing the headbolts down.
you do not need a torque angle gauge, with a breaker bar its very easy to estimate the 90 degrees
You have to remove the A/C pump. The bracket is still behind there. There are 3 bolts holding it on. No need to drain the A/C, it slides down and out of place. On top of the bracket there is a hole. Once the A/C is off, it twists back and forth after soaking it with lubricant (WD-40, oil, trans fluid). Kind of a pain but keep workin' it and it'll come out.
VT247
Thanks for the video. It helped me a lot! Best regards from Germany!
lol lol bought car bought entire gasket kit saw your vid sold car with gasket kit :D
all i can say is you can get a full head gasket kit for the 3.4l on ebay for $51 i just had to do a complete head change as the heads both blew and had blow back in to the resevoir so i changed both heads and did a full gasket kit replacement
Sounds like you got a good deal on the parts. I went with all Fel Pro parts so it was a little more.
VT247
Thank you, keep making videos , they are very helpfull.
of the holes dont match so i started to make my homework and search in the net and i foun that the engineblock is actually a 3.4 liter but is a special edition for the chevrolet equinox and pontiac torrent the engine is the LNJ V6 3.4L my question is if i put the heads that this engine really need to have does everything else fit ok or i need to change the intake manifold too if you have fixed one of those engines because the heads are starting to be destroyed because of those holes
thanks for your comment on my channel. i didnt change the head gaskets cause its recommended to have the heads resurfaced. is this not always nessesary? also, i heard you can perform a test on the coolant to see if it has exaust gases in it and that tells you that its the head gasket. let me know what you think. i replaced the intake gasket and it runs but still the overheat/inconsistant cabin heat issue.
the altenator/ bracket belt wiring radiator transmission lines air system 1 vacuum line that runs to the pvc valve and throttle body back to the o2 sensor then the braces and motor mounts along with the bleeding of the antifreeze lines in front of the front valve cover and on the themostat housing plus the power steering pump them its a hopefully run and start for me still seems alot but like you say it looks like alot but really its not
I did not find it necessary to remove the p/s pump. There was enough slack in the line to pull the pump upwards enough to clear the bracket and move it out of the way.
Cool, next time I do this job, I might just move it instead of removing it.
VT247
Pretty sure u have to remove the pump in order to move it out of the way
Glad these videos helped! It's not to hard to do but it is time consuming.
VT247
Hi Sir,
How you remove the passenger side engine mount? I am stuck right there...
Seems like I have unbolted all 3 bolts but it is still sitting very tight.
I have 2001 Chevy Venture
Thanks,
if i choose to dig back in and change the head gaskets, can i reuse the new intake gaskets i just put in, or do i need to replace them as well. i have another engine to put in this car but i like the fact i have a back up if i screw up my so called "learning engine". i keep fixing it for expierience before i go into automotive school. also i put a thin layer of gasket maker around the coolant ports on the lower intake gasket. thanks for the help.
Thank you for creating a informative video. Been using it as a guide for my buick rendezvous. I ve got everything almost put together but I lost track of where a certain wire goes. Its the wire that sets on the right side of the engine located around the exhaust cross over. Its lime green colored. Can you tell me where that plugs into? Thank you!
Thank you.,tomorrow i will take off the valve cover, if the bolts do not look new , do you think is a good idea to replace the head gasket, to extend the life of the engine, or should i just wait until goes bad. thanks again, for taking the time to answer .
I would say it's probably a good idea to change them. The parts aren't much and if it's done right, you'll never have to do it again.
VT247
Awesome video man.in the process of doing head gaskets on my van .(chevy venture).heads at machine shop to get resurfaced.what steps did u take to clean off thhe block for the new head gasket. Cool video
Great video you know our stuff. I got a 2000 Pontiac minivan with the 3400. The question I have is the oil is leaking into the coolant. I opened the radiator and it has mostly oil in it. It does not run hot yet as the temp does not go over half , however after about five miles white smoke starts coming out of the engine. Thoughts bad head gasket, I don't think it is a cracked engine block because it would not go at all, would it.
Watch the last minute of this video, from 19:04 on. Your engine probably needs all new head and intake gaskets. The intake and exhaust push rods are different lengths so keep that in mind. Think you should be good if the motor doesn't knock.
Need to put arrows at wat ur talking about bout really good informative video
Why are you taking off the battery, windsheild container. they are not close to the engine. I just replaced the timing chain and for that you need them off for room. I think this is extra work.
It is some extra work, but I like having extra room to work around. Having to fish in and around certain areas to get tools into isn't fun. So I took them off to have some space. The power steering lines were difficult with the tools I had available for removal. Instead of fighting with them, I made it easier, for me.
VT247
yes but this ones are diferent there are two holes in the block that the head and the head gasket does not have both make the gasket and the head get rotten because the car was using water instead of antifreeze
Hey people before you get your head gasket fixed check this. Check the level of coolant in your reservoir and radiator. Net let your motor heat up but not over heat obviously. Now if there is more coolant in the reservoir then when it was cool check the radiator next and if really low chances are..... you just need a new radiator cap. I put a new thermostat and couldnt figure it out then i put a new cap on the radiator and boom.
This is a good news, bad news kind of thing. I bought a 2003 Alero and after two months a rocker arm stud let loose. After some digging I discovered there have been two other studs that have gone bad on this engine. I'm pulling the heads and having all the studs replaced. The good news is that I have been able to remove all the exhaust manifold bolts... but one. The lower rear at cylinder #5. I can't get the heat shield out of the way to get a socket on the bolt. Any ideas?
@cyipray Scraped off the block with a razor blade, cleaned out the bores, cleaned the rest with a shop towel.
Do not just install the heads back on after cleaning the gasket surface.Get a straight edge and a .002 feeler gauge out and check the headgasket surface for warpage.If the the feeler gauge goes through easily,take the cylinder heads to a machine shop to get resurfaced.
thanks for the information is helpful, I'm about to change the gasket but I need to put silicon on both sides of the gasket?
I did, it's really just a personal preference. I believe it creates a better seal. Definitely put silicone on each end of the engine, between the heads & intake gaskets. A 1/4 inch bead of silicone for the ends of the intake to make a seal between the motor.
VT247
Thank you so much for this video!
I'm having trouble getting the dipstick out. I have the heads loose and ready to come off but that damn dipstick is stopping me. I have the bolt off but it appears to be attached somewhere else too. Any suggestions?
I never was able to remove that. I had to cut the upper flange off of the dipstick that bolts to the head off. Then the head will lift off over it. It has never moved or leaked once everything was reassembled so cutting it was the easiest and quickest way.
VT247
Vacationtime247 Thanks!
Vacationtime247 I finished up today! I had to change the gasket on the water pump too. My head gasket was in bad shape but it didn't look like it leaked, the lower intake on the other hand was definitely the source of my leak. Still glad I did both. The head would have leaked very soon.
I should also mention that my fan wasn't coming on. I hard wired it to be on all the time now. I couldn't figure that problem out.
Runs great and stays cool. Thanks again!
Help!!!!! i have a 2002 Buick century. that has brown gunk in the radiator. i was told that it was the intake. that was leaking. but, as i was taking it apart, i notice that there was a leak in the top part of the intake. but it also looks like if it was coming from the head. (this is from the head next to the fire wall). Also, the coli pack, there is a stud there to hold the coli pack in place, (the one on the driver's side), how do you take that off???? it's in the way of taking off the vale cover bolt???
You can also use a water hose in the radiator to force air out of the system mine would not bleed without doing this.. Then evreything was fine and has been evrey since
He's right save tons of money
Did you have heads machined? looking at doing lower intake gasket and was going to do heads also. Its not running hot, just using coolant.
Thank you for the great videos on this engine. Do you put the gasket on dry and tighten things down, or do you put silicone or something else in certain places?
I put a thin layer of silicone on both sides. It's not needed, but I felt safer doing it this way. On the bottom of the metal pipe going into the water pump pump I put silicone on too, were the O-ring is.
VT247
Vacationtime247 So, by using your video, the shop manual, my uncle and lots of patience over two days, I was able to switch out the head gaskets, upper,Lower manifold gaskets, valve cover gaskets, o2 sensor, plugs, wires, thermostat and serpentine belt. I am not a mechanic, or very mechanically inclined at all. Thanks for the assist!
That's great. Good work. Hopefully everything got put back together well and you enjoy many more miles on that motor.
VT247
I did not machine the heads. I just cleaned them up, inspected closely for pitting and cracks but found none. The heads are aluminum and disperse heat much better than iron. Done this job twice and none of the heads shown any wear. You should be fine just cleaning them and re-installing.
VT247
Around 20:05 that black metal tubing that goes to the heater core that’s attached to the water pump how did you get that out from the line that comes from the fire wall?
It has a plastic clip that holds it on. Can be a pain to get off. Try grabbing the metal part and the twisting the hose to break it free. Squeeze the white part of the clip to compress it, also squeeze & compress the black end on the hose end, push and pull the hose until it pulls off. I had to use some screw drivers and keep tinkering with it until it finally came off. If all else fails, cut the hose around the middle and put in a metal tube with alligator clips as a splice.
VT247
Vacationtime247 thanks I got it
Hey. I got a 2002 Chevy impala w/ 3.4 engine and it overheats. When I add antifreeze or water in the radiator, it will shoot out once the car runs... I need help!!
Sounds like it leaks once it builds pressure. Find out were at it's leaking from and start there. Might just be a bad hose.
VT247
What is the story about torque vs angle? I am replacing a blown head gasket on a 97 chevy venture. I am old school using a clicker style torque wrench.
I'm the same way. Old school yield to torque specs. Mine were torqued to @60 ft pounds and have never had any issues. But, the book calls for 40 ft pounds the first pass and 90* angle the second pass. So, torque all to 40 then like a clock start at 12 and turn until approximately 3.
VT247
Boy this gonna be fun
I hope you have fun, it was kind of a PITA for me, lol
VT247
when you change de headgasket do you change the bolts too? i was looking for prices and see that they recomend to change the bolts, and thanks for the tutorial VT247 its really helping me in what im going to do
Ydugdhc and th to the gym today or tomorrow and work on it tonight and get a new one on my way home now and then but I have no money to pay the rent is a lot to do 2hchc
yea I have a 03 s10 zr2 mechanic says I have coolant in oil that's leaking is that a system off the intake gasket and people keep saying upper and lower gasket so the intake has two or what the hell ive done a 96 jimmy head gasket it was our last option it was the 4.3 vortec kept over heating did heater core stat water pump all that shit and the head gasket and do u believe it over heated again now im worried with all the previous over heats ,damb the head must be warped its like shit all the
Thx but do I really need to take the wires off?
There are 4 bolts on the top of the intake( I think) the thing with the two silver pipes. Do I have to remove them to take the top off. Also on the back silver pipe I cannot get the gas silver pipe to come out. Do I have to did connect the pipe farther back. The pipe part way back has a clip on it when I take the clip off the pipe will not separate. Is the a special tool to release that. This why I think I have to go back farther to the second release on the pipe closer the the firewall.
I'm assuming the top intake is off. The lower intake has 8 bolts that need to come off for i to be removed. The silver lines your referring to I take it are the fuel rails. There is a 10 mm bolt that holds down the lines that also needs removed. Then the lower intake will lift up and can be set aside. When replacing the lower intake, I run a thick bead of black silicone along the edges instead of the supplied rubber gasket. Seems to hold better, just make sure it goes down on straight. The black line that runs from near the water pump back around the front of the intake to the firewall can be left on, but can be tricky to maneuver. To completely remove it, slide the clip back then twist and turn the pipe while holding the back piece. Usually it's hard to remove as the clip keeps locking itself in place.
VT247
when you change the head gasket you dont get involve with the timing chain in this engines ? im going to change the intake gasket but im thinking in changing the headgaskets so it dont give problems in some months
Awesome. Thanks for the Vid
I have a question on a hose
I just found this video I have a 03 rendezvous , it seems to run just fine BUT it doesn`t really have heat works sometimes most of the time it don't. I have just started smelling something like its over heating but the gauge shows its all good never goes past half way really sometimes just sitting at a light it will move up never in the red . any thoughts on this smell . after seeing this video I am thinking maybe it could be the same thing but I don't know I am clueless in this matter. please get back with me if u will please , good video seems easy enough to follow but I will just have to have some one else do it lol this is so far above my head . TY
+SW Outdoors Do a coolant system pressure test. You can get the loan a tool from Autozone. It pressurizes the coolant system and will show leaks easily.
VT247
Vacationtime247 lol I was just looking at a video about this same test when you replied back looks like I am headed the way ty for getting back to me so fast
hello again vt247 guess what i do the work i take off the heads but i got a problem im asking you a favor the think is that my car is a grand am 2002 and i got it just for two months since i bought it so to make it short when i take out the heads i realize that the head dont match the engine block so it was really weird to me because i see that the patterns of the holes wheres passes the water to cool down the head are in roun shape and the ones in the engine block are triangle ones and two
How does this vary from an 03 grand am? I notice the placement of the battery and reservoir for example are different..
How or does this affect the job?
thanks
Hi, again, I forgot to ask you about the rocker arm torquing, do you have to turn the camshaft to the flat part of the love ,when you torque them ?. thanks again.
No, they are pedestal rocker arms. Just torque each to 30 ft lbs. Doesn't matter where the cam is in position. The Intake and exhaust push rods are different lengths. I believe it is the intake that is the shorter one.
VT247
Did the head gasket actually fix the overheating issue? I ask because these 3.4 engines can have really tricky over heating diagnosis at times.
Yes. Replacing the head gasket fixed the problem of overheating. Now, my recommendation is to do ALL the gaskets there if you're doing the head gaskets, such as the timing cover and intake too.
VT247
@@Vacationtime247 Thanks. My 3.4 doesn't have a head gasket issue but it has orange crud throughout the entire engine and cooling system which makes it overheat. It overheats because the water passage ways are most likely clogged in the engine. I did wonder if it was oil mixing with the coolant but it is not. I have flushed my 3400 at least 5 times now and this stuff just keeps coming.
once theres water in the motor how do you fix the problem the mainfold gaskets where so mess up
The 2 silver pipes on the top of motor which is under the upper intake. I took the 2 bolts off that are in the center but nothing moves. Does that have to be taken off or does it come off when I take off the head with the attached exhaust pipes.
I believe you are referring to the dual fuel rails. I usually just take off the lower intake and leave the fuel lines, injectors and pressure regulator attached. Take off the lower intake and set it aside. Just make sure not to damage or destroy the lines when it's moved. You'll see how it's set aside at around 14:39 There is a 10mm clamp that holds the fuel line in place that I point out just before that time above
VT247
When you say you had to remove the air compressor to get the top motor mount bracket off do you mean the air conditioning compressor and how does this part come off? Im stuck here at this point. Also why do you have to remove the right top bracket now? It appears it will come out with the heads or is there a head bolt burried under there? Im at a loss as to how to get at these 15mm bolts.
Yes, the air compressor needs to be removed and set aside. You do not need to remove the lines that go into the a/c unit, the system can remain charged. If I'm remembering right there are 2 upper and 2 lower bolts holding it on along with the brace near the front passenger side of the motor. The front head can not be removed without it being taken off. You should be able to see the lower bolts from under the car. The brace on the drivers side doesn't need removed. Also, I cut the tab that holds the oil dipstick onto the head off and slid the head over it. My friend and I removed both heads at the same time without taking off the crossover pipe. But even then, some of the bolts broke. Hit me up with any more ?'s : )
VT247
hi, I like your video, I have a question, I just bought a 2003 chevy ventura , the engine has 200,000 miles , but the engine runs very smooth, no smoke or anything out of the tail pipe, I took the spark plugs out and they are dry,, normal wear , i do not know if the previous owner change the head gasket or the intake manifold gasket, my question to you is , how can i find out if in fact has been change before ,without taking the heads apart or should i just do head gasket any way. Thank you.
Look around the head and the head bolts. If the head gaskets have been done then sometimes the bolts get replaced. Do the bolts look new? Can you see any of the gaskets, do they look new? These engines last a long time once the head & intake manifold gaskets are replaced.
VT247
Can I leave the power steering attached to its pipes. I did take the 3 bolts out from inside the pulley. I must be missing some bolts from the intake as it still will not come off.
The power steering lines need to come off along with the pump. It can be tricky trying to remove the pump as it has to shift in weird directions to remove. There are intake bolts underneath it that need to be accessed after it's off. Try and soak / suck up as much as the power steering (PS) fluid as possible so it doesn't make a huge mess when it's removed. Plus the PS fluid is very slick and makes things slip easily. Can use a turkey baster or a syringe to get in and draw it out. But paper towels or a rag to absorb it can be used as well.
VT247
so what is the total hours on this project? Also, how much is the total kit? first time tackling a project this size (2000 grand am gt 3400)
I have the same engine with my 04 Buick Rendezvous. My problem is my radiator fan is not kicking when temperature gets to 230F, any thought on this? Changed the water pump, thermostat, ECT, radiator to no avail. Pretty sure the fan is working and all the relays and fuses are in good shape as well. Thanks in advance.
Had a few people ask me this question. The temp gauge needs to get close to 3/4 heat to red on the gauge before the cooling fans come on. To check that the fan is running, you can disconnect the temperature sensor under the throttle and the fans should come on. Also try bleeding the system of air at the two sites, one on top of the water pump and the other 7mm on top of the water neck. The cooling fan almost NEVER comes on in either of my Azteks. They just don't get to that temp very often. Hope this helps.
VT247
What do i torque head bolts to on a 97 chevy 3400?
What are the torque specs for a 2005 buick rendezous
If it has the GM 3400 the head bolt torque specs are 44 ft lbs then 95 degrees.
VT247
hey. im doing head gaskets on a 02 rendezvous right now. almost got the heads out. wondering do i need to bring them to a machine shop n have them resurfaced or is that just if they're real pitted? appreciate the video.
+Steven Eli Check for cracks between the intake valve and the spark plug seat. They can develop cracks there. You can get heads ready to go on ebay for @$350. Check for straightness using a straight edge and for cracks. If both are good you can just replace the gaskets.
VT247
On the back of the engine where the spark plug wires go to from left to right what is the order? My Buick shows 5,2,3,6,4,1 front spark plugs a 2,4,6, and back plugs are 1, 3,5? The back seems all mixed up is that right?
You are correct. Standing at the front of the car looking at the engine, the back of the engine, from left to right is 1 - 3 -5. Front of the engine closest to the radiator is 2 - 4 - 6. The coil pack as is it is on the vehicle from left to right is 5 - 2 -3 - 6 - 4 - 1. Important to make sure the right spark plug wire goes to the correct cylinder.
VT247
Great thanks.
I have a Chevy Lumina with the 3.1. Just had the cooling system flushed and a new thermostat put it. Before it would over heat and then the next day it would be just fine and after the flush it does the samething do you think I might have some air in the lines or head gasket.
Be sure to bleed the air out of the system. Then, make sure it builds & holds pressure then maintains a steady temp. Check for leaks. If you loose pressure after bleeding air and find air bubbles in the overflow, chances are the head gasket is bad.
VT247
Vacationtime247 no bubbles in the over flow. I had a friend tell me to twist my cap to vent then turn on the engine for a couple of minutes and then should get rid of air in the lines. I put a line on the holding tank with a marker in the past couple of days it hasn't moved.. Thanks for the input. The guy that flushed my cooling system didn't even want to diganose the problem he just wanted to tar apart my engine and replace the head gasgets with out making sure thats the problem..
A lot of times the factory water pump goes out on them too. Recently replaced a water pump on a '01 Chevy Camaro and the pump had no fins to move the water. A water pump is pretty cheap for these motors. I believe the 3.1 engines have a bleeder screw on the water neck and on top of the water pump line. It's a 7mm nut that will bleed out air after the engine comes to operating temp. After the air bleeds out, water will then tighten it up and check that it has pressure by the firmness of the upper radiator hose. Let it cool down, top off the radiator. Hope this helps.
VT247
I have a 2000 Grand Am with 75k miles on it. I know for a fact that I need new intake manifold gaskets. I am debating if I should change my head gaskets as well. Do you think a good head gasket test would be, filling up my coolant reservoir with water and using the funnel in there to see if air bubbles are coming up when the engine is running? Also, if i decide to change the head gaskets as well, once you get the heads off, do you think I really have to get them machined at a shop? Thanks.
I just got my thermostat radiator n intake manifold done within two weeks time now I'm told it's my head gasket well should I buy the gasket or just the head gasket since I already got a basically brand new intake gasket???
Get 2 Felpro Heavy Duty (HD) gaskets and an intake manifold gasket set. Wouldn't chance it re using the old gasket.
VT247
Did you take the top part of f with the value covers still on or did you take them off before removing the top part as their is a big jump in the video. At 14.31 minutes.
Take the valve covers off first. You'll need those off to lift the intake out.
VT247
Do I have to take off the push rods and rocker arms or can they stay on when I take the head off. Would save time and mistakes.
The rocker arms and pushrods need to come off. The pushrods are different lengths for the intake and exhaust, do t forget that important part. Lay the out in a configuration you'll remember. Putting the through a piece of cardboard helps and label them.
VT247
Ok thanks. trying to save screwing up
I did a head gasket valve job on buick rendazanod with 3400 engine , what a dog, to do it again i would pull the engine before doing a 3400.