Thanks Mike for taking the time to post! The aluminum replacements appear to be a better way to go. My grandson's 2008 Grand Prix has a "mysterious" very slight coolant leak that I haven't been able to locate. This gives me a good possibility to check. Thanks again for a better way to tackle such a job!
so after a whole bunch of stuff and breaking a set of these I managed to take off the pulley (not the manifold) and replace them easy peasy so thank you sir you helped me save a bunch of money and learn stuff about cars)
Thank you so much for posting this. You made this so easy and I was able to finish it in a little over an hour. I have a 2004 Bonneville and the engine is slightly different but being GM close enough to your description. I replaced the plastic ones that failed with the metal ones you showed and you saved me a ton of money. I cannot thank you enough. What was going to be a several hundred dollar repair at a shop turned into an 11 dollar DIY. The plastic elbows are about $5 and the metal ones are about $11 so that was a no brainer. I am not a mechanic, just a DIY kind of guy so anyone thinking of doing this should have no trouble with changing this. Thank you again. Bless you.
YOU ARE A LIFESAVER I'm replacing my lower manifold gaskets as well as swapping out that coolant elbow for a metal one and i didn't realize that there was a bit of the old elbow still stuck but using the toggle bolts took like 10 seconds and I'm so happy ttyyyy
Lower, fat factory elbow went out on my 2005 Buick Lacrosse, 94,000 miles. Replaced both with aluminum type. Great video. You explained things well and got good video shots. Everything went back together fine.
straight forward description and nice video. My broken elbows were way more of an issue than yours...and i used a bearing puller to try to get out the remnants. piece past the o ring wound up having to be pushed INTO the engine, then fished out with wire...no big issue...cleaning up the surfaces was the most time consuming for me.
Excellent job! Thank you very much for this detailed video & explanations for all the areas involved. This is one of the best informational/training videos I have seen in awhile! This really helped out with my job on my 2002 GTP. Thanks!
Great vid, But just put a disclaimer on coolant recommendations. I've personally seen Dexcool tested (I do Quality Engineering and Metrological functions in production, including aerospace. I find independent performance analysis crucial) and it performs very very highly, it's just very high maintenance - I CAN NOT CONTAMINATE IT. it's an Organic Acid based coolant instead of the traditional propylene glycol or old school ethylene glycol (the poisonous coolant that tastes sweet). Because it's an organic acid based (organic compound) solution, Dexcool readily reacts to contamination - ESPECIALLY from Propylene or Ethylene, which readily oxidize like mad under certain pH conditions. Mixing Dex with Propyl or Ethyl reacts with Dex, causing increased corrosion - not entirely from the Dex either - it's actually from the Propylene at times, too (Propylene turns into Lactic Acid when exposed to air and high heat - very bad new for your car if your propyl based coolant begins to lack pH buffer and inhibitors over time). The issue with an aluminum elbow versus a plastic that user Jeff brought is a good thought, but isn't relevant. It's true that Aluminum has a higher heat capacity and thus retains the heat longer, but the O-Rings themselves are the concern. Please refer to this chart if you have concerns about the O-Rings in this repair applications - mykin.com/rubber-properties - the chart gives the metrological data on a matrix for choosing the right O-Ring for the right application. For heat, the best choice is Silicone, but note that Dexcool is a known plasticizer and reacts with Silicone, destroying it rapidly. THIS IS WHERE the Hate on Dexcool comes from. It's nothing to do with performance, it's to do with the silicone o-rings rapidly degrading once exposed to Dexcool. GM was sued specifically for this issue.
Holy smokes! Thanks for your opinion - I always appreciate both sides of an issue.. Contaminated or not, it cost me $700 to have the lower intake manifold gaskets replaced in the last car I had DexCruel in. You'd be shocked at how eaten up they were! So, I'll stick to the ethylene -glycol that I trust not to react negatively and manufacture such atrocities. A good coolant should protect regardless of molecular contamination, not combine with the contaminates and conspire to ruin your engine. Remember too that in the hands of the general public, such maintenance isn't a certainty, especially when you consider that Dex is billed as an "extended life" coolant. You're "in a perfect world" scenario is not possible in aunt Ginny's Buick like it is in a laboratory. You'd think that a coolant designer would prefer not to setup such pitfalls when engineering for broad application.
I worked for jiffy lube and the only kind of coolant they have is the traditional green one. I was shocked when they told me to put it into gm and Chrysler's that take Dexcool. They mix the two types all day long.
@@mkernen Wonder if I can use my blind hole bearing remover set, to retrieve the pieces that break off inside ? I have some very small ones that may just do the trick. Doing this job on my LeSabre SOON.
Thanks Mike for posting this video. This video and others helped enormously to find and fix the problem, saving $$$hundreds in repair bills. I found the elbows on the shelf at Advanced Auto. Buy yourself a cold beer and say it's a gift of thanks from me. :)
Excellent video. Thank you for taking the time to share this repair. I was able to swing by the parts shop on my way home from work, and swap out my deteriorating/blown out plastic elbows with aluminum ones. Having watched your video, I felt confident that I knew what to do, and I was able to replace my '06 Grand Prix's in about just over an hour, taking my time and bleeding the air out of the cooling system before I test drove it. Just got back from my test drive, and it's running steadily cooler than it has in over a year. Now I know where my coolant had been going.
This video was super helpful! I had to do this on my 2002 3.8L Monte Carlo. I learned all of this the hard way. I also felt the need to use high temp RTV (gasket sealant) on the elbows before putting them in. This reduces the chance of further leakage. Best decision I made in this whole process.
The RTV also acts as a lubricant, to help the elbows slide into place ???? I have to do this job soon, on my '03 Buick LeSabre, which is leaking from those elbows. Gonna get the aluminum ones. Is this the red silicone ???
Thanks for the video and all the comments, also the diagram for belt routing can be found in the owner's manual if it hasn't been removed from the glove box.
Good job, I appreciate your effort and how you don't skip any details. My 2004 grand pri water pump is just a little loose but not leaking and no noise but I can't keep coolant in it so I assume its the elbows, also I'm getting some water in with the oil which I assume to be the upper intake plastic warped and or bad upper and possibly lower intake gasket. cThanks again for your time. Ryan Tucson Arizona
Well My 2006 Lucerne blew this out this morning! Thanks for the video, I got the part # and the local NAPA has the part in stock. Yet another victim of corner cutting, and poor design. Thanks for the video.
the messed up thing is that these motors WILL go 300,000 miles EASY yet that elbow goes on EVERY single one my dads got 260,000 miles on his 97 buick..... runs like day one
It's actually a really good engine. Once the plastic elbows are replaced with metal ones no more issues. any vehicle with the 3800 really should have that done (preferably before they go bad.) It's an easy fix as are most things on that engine.
Very helpful video. For anyone watching in the future, be advised that you'll leak around 1/4 to 1/2 gallon of coolant on the ground when you pull that bracket off with the elbows. I wasn't prepared for that gush. Kitty litter to the rescue.
Good point nicein20001. I had partially drained the system prior to pulling hoses, etc. Recommend doing this too. Animals like the taste of coolant and it is toxic, so if you spill any keep them away until you clean up the mess.
Great video I found it really detailed and easy to understand should be able to swap the elbows out on my 2000 Pontiac bonneville ssei, I was just gonna clean out the ports that the elbows sit in with a wire brush but I think I’m gonna run to the store and get some scotch bright pad to clean them so I don’t mar up the aluminum
i grew up on one of these. at round age 15 i put 10,000 miles on mine before it got impounded or no plate and stuff. i got my eyes on a ct70 i want so bad
yup but there super expensive to find with a title. i seen a replica one its chinese but the chinese engines are great its called a dax125 its really nice and has a bigger engine than the ct70
My plastic elbows came out in pieces, I had to extract the broken pieces from the tensioner as well as the block, to extract them I used a couple large bolts, I just screwed them into the broken plastic piece a few turns, twisted turned and eventually pulled them right out. "PRO TIP!!!" Replace the rubber O rings on the metal heater hose fittings clamped to the hoses before you re install them into the tensioner. If the metal heater hose fittings them selves have a lot of play when you re install them, go ahead and replace them, they are pitted, worn out, and WILL cause leaks! Auto Zone has them for about 18 bucks a piece. Good luck anyone to anyone reading this...YOU GOT THIS ;)
Mike, thank you for the video. Tips such as: not scratching the aluminum, wiggling the bolts, reverse thread, torque specs included, etc are what made this great!
Watched your video because I was about to put in a new radiator and didn't wanna spend all that money just to lose coolant and so I went and looked at mine and it had alredy been replaced with the new metal ones
Just replaced the elbows in my sisters 2008 Lucerne. We installed the new aluminum units, put it all back. Filled with coolant and heard coolant leaking into the pan under the car. We took it all apart again. I saw a crack in the new elbow as I was trying to pull out the tensioner assembly. When I went to pull the elbow- it broke in 2. We went back to AutoZone and we got the part replaced under their lifetime warranty. Put it back together and it appears to be holding. Looking at the broken elbow, there was a discolored part along the crack... leading me to believe that it was defective to being with. 2 hours 30 min to do the job 2 times (and going back to auto parts)
Went to napa and got these for 15$ easy install hardest part was getting the bolts back in gotta go with the the middle bolt berly thread it thought and then do the other 2 tighten them down Lil by Lil switching between the 3 bolts til there all the way in
Buy AC DELCO o-rings. they last the dorman ones fail after a few years. after replacing them 3 times I got the right o-rings and they have lasted for years now. 2003 Chevy Impala 3.8 275k
Thank you so so much for this, I'm about to attempt to change mine tomorrow and im nervous I haven't ever done anything like this before beside like changing my oil lol
I have a 2004 Grand Prix GT with 276,921 miles. I have bought it brand new and have bought other cars but I used it for short-distance traveling. Nothing major has happened to it over years besides normal preventative maintenance issues. However the last few yrs have been the most active on replacing parts. I have had to replace my ac resistor module 5 times, blower motor wheel 4 times and the water pump 4 times. Most recently I had to use JB weld to fix a cracked radiator because apparently the fans wasn't turning on correctly and I have a coolant leak somewhere. That caused the car to run hot with must affected the small crack in the radiator. I went to a few mechanics that wanted to charge me $50 - 80 diagnostics checks to check the coolant leak but i said no. I went to another shop on my way home and the guy did a pressurized check and the elbow busted with water. I was happy to see the problem but more upset with my other mechanic who changed my water pump a few months back. I told him i wanted to change the elbows to the new aluminum ones and he said NOOO its not needed. here I am 3 mos later with cracked elbows and more labor cost. I hope they work and are a perfect fit.
Other than the removal of the supercharger's belt, it was no more difficult. There is a bit more room to work on the naturally aspirated engine, but as I recall the difficulty level was about the same on both.
Is it possible to see that the leakage is from the elbow or from the water pump without removing any parts? Or could the leak be from the bolts holding the water pump in place since the 1/2" bolts go all the way through to the water jacket. I need some diagnosis assistance. thanks.
Good question. In my experience, when the elbow leaks it's usually very weak and close to crumbling. It also leaks on the hot intake and evaporates so you can't see where it's coming from! I suggest pressurizing the system when the engine is cold and doing an inspection of that area. You should be able to tell more closely where it's coming from.
I'm getting ready to change mine out today. Hoping this fixes my heat problem to the inside of the car. Really hoping it is just air from the crack in elbow and not heater core. 08 Buick lacrosse. Could this be what is causing my interior heat problem?
I pushed a pretty good size chunk of the plastic fitting into the engine when trying to fish it out.It wasnt on the belt assembly part but on the engine itself do you think it should be ok?
Yikes! That could get lodged someplace..probably in the radiator wouldn't be too big of a problem but it might hold your thermostat open. You'll know that if the engine runs too cool..
@Black Buick he must of had to get the entire lower intake manifold gaskets replaced. Which will significantly increase the cost forsure. I've done a cpl myself. And actually just got a 2002 impala with the 3800 series 2 in it and I was losing antifreeze, couldn't find the leak, so got the gaskets $80-100 for a whole set of upper and lower and more. Tore it all apart and the elbow that goes into the intake on 1 end came out very very easy, then I noticed the end was broke off and inside my intake. So had to get that outta their. But long story short I'm about to put the new gaskets on tomrow, as it's already torn apart and high mileage, but pretty sure the slow leak was all just from this stupid top elbow! But I know these motors so myswell not worry about the intake gaskets either, as they like to go out it seems. But fairly easy job once do it a few times esp if u have a Haynes Manual for your make an model. But saves me a lot of $ doing it myself. Not bad with step by step pics an vids online like this etc. Just got the new metal elbows and gonna swap those also b4 I put it back together. Shit just saw this was 2yrs old lmao. My bad. But ya folks def need to check these elbows b4 they go an tear apart the entire lower intake off the car🙈🤷🏻♂️😂
Great video! I'm going to be looking at a car with this same engine. I'll be sure to check to see if it has the aluminum elbow already installed or not thanks to your video. I have some quick questions though. Did this car have the Series 3 engine? Also do the Series 3 engines have problems with the Intake Manifold Gaskets? I read online the Series 3 have the upper and lower Intake Manifold made from aluminum on the naturally aspirated models. Is that the Intake Manifold itself it's referring to or the gaskets? Thanks for your help.
Yes, it was a 2004 so it would have been a Series 3. The gasket question is a good one - I only did the elbows on this car, so I didn't encounter those gaskets. A quick websearch turns up some aluminum lower intake gaskets for the 3800. I'm thinking the intake itself is plastic on the top with an aluminum base.
Gary Hendricks Don't you just love how GM stuffed the power steering pump under the alternator and against the firewall? What a bunch of retards that designed that shit!
My car had 2 bolts on the side towards the antifreeze reservoir. And theirs 1 sneaky bolt kinda around the backside toward the firewall side back in their. Ya the vids old now so I'm sure u figured this out. But just incase, figured maybe it could help in the future. Easy job really. Doing my intake gaskets now, upper and lower. Not a fun job but can do myself for about $100 in gaskets. Instead of paying a mechanic about $1k is what they wanted on any quotes I got for it. But luckily its pretty easy to do. Esp if have the Haynes manual for your car. Gl
So mine had 3 total on the side, oh and theirs the 2 big 1s up top or whatever rite their after removing the alternator. So it's basically 3 bolts but technically it should be 5 total I guess. Atleast on my car I'm doing now. Gl👍🏼
I had the same problem with my Grand Prix Pontiac 05 my residue water tank it gets dry up no water no nothing in there I don't see any leaks from the elbows but I'm assuming they might have to get replace doesn't get overheated as much so by me changing the elbows with that fix my problem
I followed the video to the letter. I believe I got all the remaining plastic parts. I filled the coolant. I am getting a plactic melting smell while I'm driving. What do you think is wrong?
It's tough to smell from here! One guess would be that you dropped something plastic on the exhaust manifold - or, possibly you have a leaking heater core. Are your windows fogging up all the time?
i am fixing to change it on my mother in laws Buick. i have to watch with no sound at work but is there metal snap rings in the head were it goes into or is the piece held in with just the o rings O_o
I don't think so, but the 3.1 can suffer from lower intake manifold gasket deterioration. If you're "missing" coolant you may have an intake gasket failure. Also check for coolant under the upper radiator hose neck.
@@mkernen ok, thanks for the quick reply. Last year I had the Lower Intake gaskets replaced with better ones and the head gaskets also. All the videos looking for coolant elbow replacement every video is 3.8 motor. Thanks for the great video and information. I'm going to call the Chevrolet dealer again and ask them if the elbows are in the same spot on 3.8 and 3.1. Yesterday I told the dealer that it's a 96 Lumina 3.1 he said that the elbows are behind the tension so I'm going to call back and double check.
@@maryb6509 Mary, the 3.1L and the 3.8L are very different engines. The 90 degree 3.8L was designed way before front wheel drive cars were popular so when they decided to use it in a front drive application they had to adapt it to the transverse fitment. That's why I believe the strange coolant elbow was devised. The 3.1L is a 60 degree Vee and was designed for front drive applications so it doesn't need to have weird tricks like elbows feeding through the alternator bracket to work in a front drive car. By all means, do your research but I'd guess your leak is elsewhere. If you have a mystery leak, have your heater core checked - you don't want to be breathing vaporized coolant!
Hard to say Chad, you may have a bad bearing in an idler pulley. Check everything in the area you were working in. Alternator bearings could be on their way out.. Tough to say from here!
Michael Kernen the alternator is new thinking it's the belt tensioner pulley it was rough when I tested it when I replaced the elbow. I'll start with a belt tensioner pulley. thank you for your advice
I have a 98 Camaro 3800 V6. I replaced the tensioner assembly with new one. I also replaced the elbow with new plastic one. Since this I am losing water but nothing to be seen anywhere. This all started after replacing the tensioner assembly. Any Ideas?
If you're lucky, an elbow is leaking and since it leaks on the hot intake the coolant evaporates instantly. You can do a pressure test on cooling system when the car is cold and possibly see the leak in that area. Possibly one of the O rings got rolled out of the groove or something. OR, and I hate to say it, I'd suspect the lower intake manifold gasket. These are notorious and I've had to replace them on my 2003 3800 - 5 years newer than yours. Check to be sure you're oil isn't cloudy or foamy. Good luck!
I pulled the tensioner assembly off again to check if o-ring may have been rolled out. All looked good. I'm gona try and do a cold pressure test I guess next... Thanks for the feedback though!
Why in shits name did the run coolant through an alternator bracket... Fn geniuses i tell ya... Will be ding this ti mine in the morning... Top notch video
The 3800 (or 3.8L) was adapted from a longitudinal to a transverse design for front wheel drive vehicles. When it sits in a front drive car the heater hoses have to make a 90˚ turn as soon as they exit the engine. The alternator bracket is right in the way of that turn.
Each time the pieces break off, sometimes O-Rings get left behind and some plastic pieces that u cant get out, i went ahead and left both old pieces inside the [Upper] hole...it really wasn't a big issue even after replacing it the first time, that same piece Kept failing Until i showed this metal piece to my engine, White Thunder is happy once again :), P.S. Do Not leave the plastic piece/O-ring inside the Coolant bypass unit ^_^
Use a bit of coolant on the rubber o ring to lubricate them. They should slide right in. If they still leak, could there be a bit of old plastic in the hole??
Great video! Unfortunately my aluminum elbows (at least the one I can see) is/are leaking. Someone GLOBED rtv in with it. Just a dab will do ya if your going to use rtv 🙄. Anyway, now I have to pull it apart to replace them. Mine is a supercharged 04 Impala SS l67. Been a great car otherwise
Sorry, I do not. It's not too terribly different though. If memory serves, the rear bracket is different (or nonexistent) and you of course have one more belt to remove.
@@mkernen so does the 2003 impala 3400 have these elbows?? I'm leaking coolant after replacing everything including heater hose,tube,pipes,hoses,flushed system,etc and now its leaking from that same area..
@@Cryptoisnotdead These elbows are not on a 3400. Maybe this will help you? montecarloforum.com/forum/engine-transmission-performance-adders-12/00-3-4-coolant-elbows-36036/
GM knew full well that those plastic elbows would fail. Planned obsolescence. It's BS !!!!!!!!!!!! Got a Buick LeSabre leaking from those things, right now.
For an inexperienced amateur it took me an 8 hour day with, breaks and being really careful. I had to run back to AutoZone to get a pick set once everything was apart. I decided to tackle this on my own because the mechanic wanted to replace the manifold for $500 and I wanted to just try these $20 elbows first and see what happens. My elbow that was leaking took me an hour of picking at it to get the o ring out of the problem holes (both front holes, the rear ones didnt have a leak). Its a 2005 Buick lacrosse I picked up a year ago for $5000, w 41k miles...
I learned the hard way on those metal parts. I did lower intake manifold gasket not long ago with aluninum elbows. It took me way too long to yank them out due to the corrosion on the cheap aluninum parts. they corroed like pig iron and got stuck on lower intake. I ended up scoring the lower intake and the crossover assembly when I finally pulled them out. I do recommend to use gm parts other than aftermarket metal ones. its not that hard to replace plastics but not metal ones in case you need to touch the lower intake.
Interesting, aluminum elbow corrosion would be a major thing if used against a cast iron lower intake. Wonder if one could introduce a little anti-galvanic paste during assembly. Thanks for the comment.
Did this on my 05 impala. such a stupid design. a piece fell into the intake amd i had to shove my finger in ton fish it back out. hope this fixes my leak priblem tho
I've watched this video 3 times, I planned on changing the elbows in the next couple of weeks. unfortunately they blow on the highway today and I had to have the car to a local shop. now it's going to cost me a couple of 100$ to have someone else do it. hindsight is a bitch!!
So, did your o rings fail on those aluminum elbows, people are saying to use the OEM gaskets that come on the plastic ones, because the aluminum ones will leak eventually.
No, and I wouldn't reuse any O rings. They have been heat cycled and flattened for one thing, and are not necessarily the same size as the groove in the new elbow may be deeper or wider than the original. If you are concerned, you may be able to buy higher quality O rings from the auto parts store, but definitely don't think reusing the old ones is a good bet.
@@mkernen man, I'm on the fence about aluminum or the OEM plastic elbows at this point, many people are saying their aluminum elbows are leaking because the gaskets are smaller in those than the plastic ones
@@jonmo2694 If you plan to keep the car less than say 5 years, the plastic ones should be fine. I didn't replace my original ones till the car had over 75,000 miles on it.
@@mkernen no, I plan on keeping it longer, I just put new wheels/.rims on it and painted the calipers.and replaced the brakes as well as replacing alot of fluids, cleaning bthe throttle body and looking into the car 4:20 code.Its a project cat r for me now, just trying to keep it tip top and I'm also putting tint on it It's looking pretty nice so far wish I could send pics
@@itsyounqLO It surely could. I wouldn't leave it leaking. I've seen these start to leak then deteriorate very quickly. Remember the system is under pressure when the engine is running and a small crack can lead to a failure while you're driving causing you to lose coolant rapidly. I wouldn't just let it leak, that's for sure.
I believe this is it: Dorman Hose 47065HP available at AutoZone. Double check to make sure it fits your application!! - Looks like Rock Auto has them too.
this was the best youtube ive seen about this mine has slow leak so i bought the new steel ones i will try on weekend great job
Thank you for the kind words! I'm happy it helped you.
this is unbelieveable ,never thought anyone would have a video on this problem, THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH
the best surprise ever
I'm happy it helped!
Thanks Mike for taking the time to post! The aluminum replacements appear to be a better way to go. My grandson's 2008 Grand Prix has a "mysterious" very slight coolant leak that I haven't been able to locate. This gives me a good possibility to check. Thanks again for a better way to tackle such a job!
I did this vid over 7 years ago. Happy it's helped so many people!
so after a whole bunch of stuff and breaking a set of these I managed to take off the pulley (not the manifold) and replace them easy peasy so thank you sir you helped me save a bunch of money and learn stuff about cars)
Thank you so much for posting this. You made this so easy and I was able to finish it in a little over an hour. I have a 2004 Bonneville and the engine is slightly different but being GM close enough to your description. I replaced the plastic ones that failed with the metal ones you showed and you saved me a ton of money. I cannot thank you enough. What was going to be a several hundred dollar repair at a shop turned into an 11 dollar DIY. The plastic elbows are about $5 and the metal ones are about $11 so that was a no brainer. I am not a mechanic, just a DIY kind of guy so anyone thinking of doing this should have no trouble with changing this. Thank you again. Bless you.
I'm about to head out and replace mine, what are the differences?
Thankyou for this, i did it in 2hrs! it wouldve been faster but i was stuck dealing with the pieces that broke off inside lol
YOU ARE A LIFESAVER
I'm replacing my lower manifold gaskets as well as swapping out that coolant elbow for a metal one and i didn't realize that there was a bit of the old elbow still stuck but using the toggle bolts took like 10 seconds and I'm so happy ttyyyy
Lower, fat factory elbow went out on my 2005 Buick Lacrosse, 94,000 miles. Replaced both with aluminum type. Great video. You explained things well and got good video shots. Everything went back together fine.
Thanks for the compliment - happy it helped!
straight forward description and nice video. My broken elbows were way more of an issue than yours...and i used a bearing puller to try to get out the remnants. piece past the o ring wound up having to be pushed INTO the engine, then fished out with wire...no big issue...cleaning up the surfaces was the most time consuming for me.
Excellent job! Thank you very much for this detailed video & explanations for all the areas involved. This is one of the best informational/training videos I have seen in awhile! This really helped out with my job on my 2002 GTP. Thanks!
Wow, thanks! Happy it helped!!
Great vid, But just put a disclaimer on coolant recommendations. I've personally seen Dexcool tested (I do Quality Engineering and Metrological functions in production, including aerospace. I find independent performance analysis crucial) and it performs very very highly, it's just very high maintenance - I CAN NOT CONTAMINATE IT. it's an Organic Acid based coolant instead of the traditional propylene glycol or old school ethylene glycol (the poisonous coolant that tastes sweet). Because it's an organic acid based (organic compound) solution, Dexcool readily reacts to contamination - ESPECIALLY from Propylene or Ethylene, which readily oxidize like mad under certain pH conditions. Mixing Dex with Propyl or Ethyl reacts with Dex, causing increased corrosion - not entirely from the Dex either - it's actually from the Propylene at times, too (Propylene turns into Lactic Acid when exposed to air and high heat - very bad new for your car if your propyl based coolant begins to lack pH buffer and inhibitors over time). The issue with an aluminum elbow versus a plastic that user Jeff brought is a good thought, but isn't relevant. It's true that Aluminum has a higher heat capacity and thus retains the heat longer, but the O-Rings themselves are the concern. Please refer to this chart if you have concerns about the O-Rings in this repair applications - mykin.com/rubber-properties - the chart gives the metrological data on a matrix for choosing the right O-Ring for the right application. For heat, the best choice is Silicone, but note that Dexcool is a known plasticizer and reacts with Silicone, destroying it rapidly. THIS IS WHERE the Hate on Dexcool comes from. It's nothing to do with performance, it's to do with the silicone o-rings rapidly degrading once exposed to Dexcool. GM was sued specifically for this issue.
Holy smokes! Thanks for your opinion - I always appreciate both sides of an issue.. Contaminated or not, it cost me $700 to have the lower intake manifold gaskets replaced in the last car I had DexCruel in. You'd be shocked at how eaten up they were! So, I'll stick to the ethylene -glycol that I trust not to react negatively and manufacture such atrocities. A good coolant should protect regardless of molecular contamination, not combine with the contaminates and conspire to ruin your engine. Remember too that in the hands of the general public, such maintenance isn't a certainty, especially when you consider that Dex is billed as an "extended life" coolant. You're "in a perfect world" scenario is not possible in aunt Ginny's Buick like it is in a laboratory. You'd think that a coolant designer would prefer not to setup such pitfalls when engineering for broad application.
I worked for jiffy lube and the only kind of coolant they have is the traditional green one. I was shocked when they told me to put it into gm and Chrysler's that take Dexcool. They mix the two types all day long.
So basically get rid of Dexcool because it’s not worth the headache.
@@mkernen Wonder if I can use my blind hole bearing remover set, to retrieve the pieces that break off inside ? I have some very small ones that may just do the trick. Doing this job on my LeSabre SOON.
@@500erider Wow, don't know about that tool. Sure don't want any broken plastic cruising around in your cooling system though..
Thanks Mike for posting this video. This video and others helped enormously to find and fix the problem, saving $$$hundreds in repair bills. I found the elbows on the shelf at Advanced Auto. Buy yourself a cold beer and say it's a gift of thanks from me. :)
Happily! Can I get a scotch with that!?
Excellent video. Thank you for taking the time to share this repair. I was able to swing by the parts shop on my way home from work, and swap out my deteriorating/blown out plastic elbows with aluminum ones. Having watched your video, I felt confident that I knew what to do, and I was able to replace my '06 Grand Prix's in about just over an hour, taking my time and bleeding the air out of the cooling system before I test drove it. Just got back from my test drive, and it's running steadily cooler than it has in over a year. Now I know where my coolant had been going.
Great video. definitely explained very easy how to replace the elbows. Thanks
Great video, one of the best I've seen for this fix!
Thanks Speeddemon3!
Great video for the DIY mechanic! It helped me troubleshoot and fix my leaks. Thank you Sir
you know the size of the bolts on the bracket
Great video and very detailed. Thank you !! I gotta replace mine on my 2003 Monte Carlo 3.8, @ about 160,000 miles.
141000k on compG gtp 05
Excellent video from an excellent instructor, well done keep up the good work!
you know the size of the bolts on the bracket ?
This video was super helpful! I had to do this on my 2002 3.8L Monte Carlo. I learned all of this the hard way. I also felt the need to use high temp RTV (gasket sealant) on the elbows before putting them in. This reduces the chance of further leakage. Best decision I made in this whole process.
The RTV also acts as a lubricant, to help the elbows slide into place ???? I have to do this job soon, on my '03 Buick LeSabre, which is leaking from those elbows. Gonna get the aluminum ones. Is this the red silicone ???
Thank you bro just fixed my coolent Elbows aka Heater Hose very informative !!!
Glad it helped!
Thanks man! Super helpful! I have to attempt this with my mom's car....
Good man for fixing you're moms car :)
Thanks for the video and all the comments, also the diagram for belt routing can be found in the owner's manual if it hasn't been removed from the glove box.
Good job, I appreciate your effort and how you don't skip any details. My 2004 grand pri water pump is just a little loose but not leaking and no noise but I can't keep coolant in it so I assume its the elbows, also I'm getting some water in with the oil which I assume to be the upper intake plastic warped and or bad upper and possibly lower intake gasket. cThanks again for your time. Ryan Tucson Arizona
Could be - the upper intake is notorious.
Well My 2006 Lucerne blew this out this morning! Thanks for the video, I got the part # and the local NAPA has the part in stock. Yet another victim of corner cutting, and poor design.
Thanks for the video.
Corner cutting by cheapening an elbow- ironic.
the messed up thing is that these motors WILL go 300,000 miles EASY
yet that elbow goes on EVERY single one
my dads got 260,000 miles on his 97 buick..... runs like day one
Upper tube cracked length wise on a 3800 Intrigue. Nice video.
Mine just blew in my 06 Lucerne too.. Wish me luck on repairing lol
It's actually a really good engine. Once the plastic elbows are replaced with metal ones no more issues. any vehicle with the 3800 really should have that done (preferably before they go bad.) It's an easy fix as are most things on that engine.
great video !good time to change the power steering fluid .
Very helpful video. For anyone watching in the future, be advised that you'll leak around 1/4 to 1/2 gallon of coolant on the ground when you pull that bracket off with the elbows. I wasn't prepared for that gush. Kitty litter to the rescue.
Good point nicein20001. I had partially drained the system prior to pulling hoses, etc. Recommend doing this too. Animals like the taste of coolant and it is toxic, so if you spill any keep them away until you clean up the mess.
Great video I found it really detailed and easy to understand should be able to swap the elbows out on my 2000 Pontiac bonneville ssei, I was just gonna clean out the ports that the elbows sit in with a wire brush but I think I’m gonna run to the store and get some scotch bright pad to clean them so I don’t mar up the aluminum
Thankyou for making this great video!!
Thank you very much. Very helpful and informative. 👍
love the 80's honda spree you got there. oh the memories
30 years old and still runs like it did day one!
i grew up on one of these. at round age 15 i put 10,000 miles on mine before it got impounded or no plate and stuff. i got my eyes on a ct70 i want so bad
Those are cool! Trail 70, right?
yup but there super expensive to find with a title. i seen a replica one its chinese but the chinese engines are great its called a dax125 its really nice and has a bigger engine than the ct70
I noticed that. Of course we ran one too lean and burnt the piston.. wish I had it now!
Thanks for the video It helped a lot funnier yet we have the same song playing in the background
Excellent video!
My plastic elbows came out in pieces, I had to extract the broken pieces from the tensioner as well as the block, to extract them I used a couple large bolts, I just screwed them into the broken plastic piece a few turns, twisted turned and eventually pulled them right out. "PRO TIP!!!" Replace the rubber O rings on the metal heater hose fittings clamped to the hoses before you re install them into the tensioner. If the metal heater hose fittings them selves have a lot of play when you re install them, go ahead and replace them, they are pitted, worn out, and WILL cause leaks! Auto Zone has them for about 18 bucks a piece. Good luck anyone to anyone reading this...YOU GOT THIS ;)
Thanks for your tips!
Thanks for the help 🔧
Mike, thank you for the video. Tips such as: not scratching the aluminum, wiggling the bolts, reverse thread, torque specs included, etc are what made this great!
Thanks much!!
You are awesome the video was extremely helpful and detailed
Hidden bolt. I knew it! Your bench looks great compared to mine,btw.
Watched your video because I was about to put in a new radiator and didn't wanna spend all that money just to lose coolant and so I went and looked at mine and it had alredy been replaced with the new metal ones
Just replaced the elbows in my sisters 2008 Lucerne. We installed the new aluminum units, put it all back. Filled with coolant and heard coolant leaking into the pan under the car. We took it all apart again. I saw a crack in the new elbow as I was trying to pull out the tensioner assembly. When I went to pull the elbow- it broke in 2. We went back to AutoZone and we got the part replaced under their lifetime warranty. Put it back together and it appears to be holding. Looking at the broken elbow, there was a discolored part along the crack... leading me to believe that it was defective to being with. 2 hours 30 min to do the job 2 times (and going back to auto parts)
They owe you labor, that's bullshit
Went to napa and got these for 15$ easy install hardest part was getting the bolts back in gotta go with the the middle bolt berly thread it thought and then do the other 2 tighten them down Lil by Lil switching between the 3 bolts til there all the way in
coulda gotten them from zzp for $8.50. the shipping is a flat rate so worth it with other items in cart
Buy AC DELCO o-rings. they last the dorman ones fail after a few years. after replacing them 3 times I got the right o-rings and they have lasted for years now. 2003 Chevy Impala 3.8 275k
Good video man thanks
had to do this yesterday so fun lol
hahaha I am set to do the same
Do you have to take the nose cone off if you have a supercharger? Thanks for posting, very helpful and wish me luck!
I've got a 2005 grand prix 247,155 miles still running strong
Gtp comp g 05 141k jus had this problem but other than that n Purge tank repair. Running strong
Nice job! Next time use some anti-seize on the bolts. If you or anyone else needs to get into it later, you or them will thank you!
Excellent point! Thanks!
On the shaft of the bolt or threads...or both?
I would really like to thank you very much I was able to do it myself
Thank you so so much for this, I'm about to attempt to change mine tomorrow and im nervous I haven't ever done anything like this before beside like changing my oil lol
I'm about to join the club tomorrow. Wish me luck. Lololol 🤣
what if part of the old elbow drops down into the lower manifold? just a black plastic ring but it worries me. I got the o-ring out ..........
I have a 2004 Grand Prix GT with 276,921 miles. I have bought it brand new and have bought other cars but I used it for short-distance traveling. Nothing major has happened to it over years besides normal preventative maintenance issues. However the last few yrs have been the most active on replacing parts.
I have had to replace my ac resistor module 5 times, blower motor wheel 4 times and the water pump 4 times. Most recently I had to use JB weld to fix a cracked radiator because apparently the fans wasn't turning on correctly and I have a coolant leak somewhere. That caused the car to run hot with must affected the small crack in the radiator.
I went to a few mechanics that wanted to charge me $50 - 80 diagnostics checks to check the coolant leak but i said no. I went to another shop on my way home and the guy did a pressurized check and the elbow busted with water. I was happy to see the problem but more upset with my other mechanic who changed my water pump a few months back. I told him i wanted to change the elbows to the new aluminum ones and he said NOOO its not needed. here I am 3 mos later with cracked elbows and more labor cost. I hope they work and are a perfect fit.
Plastic or Aluminum? Hmmm...wonder what'll last longer?? What a dope! BTW: that's cool you've got that many miles on it- GM 3800 is a champ!
Yes GM sent me a letter once I reached 200,00 and 250,000. I love my car and the exhaust still flares... how did those aluminum elbows work out?
Today I was heading to get the new aluminum elbows and I hear this loud humming noise from the my engine. oh lord, what is this new sound?
Lets hope it's just minor!!!!
Michael Kernen mechanic shows up and says it's just low on coolant so the intake is sucking air
Big time thank you!!!!!! Thank you 🙏
You're welcome - happy I could help!
Uh, uh, uh, uh, great video. I believe that I will be completing this very soon. Glad you posted this video.
What can I uh say. I'm not a professional film and uh television actor.
Hoping for a quick reply as I have to have my ‘04 Buick done tomorrow!
Does the toggle bolt cause any scoring? Praying it doesn’t.
Nope, but if you're concerned make sure its edges are smooth with a fine file.
How much different was the supercharger engine to do? I have a 3800 series 2 supercharged
Other than the removal of the supercharger's belt, it was no more difficult. There is a bit more room to work on the naturally aspirated engine, but as I recall the difficulty level was about the same on both.
Is it possible to see that the leakage is from the elbow or from the water pump without removing any parts? Or could the leak be from the bolts holding the water pump in place since the 1/2" bolts go all the way through to the water jacket. I need some diagnosis assistance. thanks.
Good question. In my experience, when the elbow leaks it's usually very weak and close to crumbling. It also leaks on the hot intake and evaporates so you can't see where it's coming from! I suggest pressurizing the system when the engine is cold and doing an inspection of that area. You should be able to tell more closely where it's coming from.
I'm getting ready to change mine out today. Hoping this fixes my heat problem to the inside of the car. Really hoping it is just air from the crack in elbow and not heater core. 08 Buick lacrosse. Could this be what is causing my interior heat problem?
If you're low on coolant , yes, definitely.
I pushed a pretty good size chunk of the plastic fitting into the engine when trying to fish it out.It wasnt on the belt assembly part but on the engine itself do you think it should be ok?
Yikes! That could get lodged someplace..probably in the radiator wouldn't be too big of a problem but it might hold your thermostat open. You'll know that if the engine runs too cool..
ok thanks man..welp its all back together now so im just gonna take my chances.. At least the coolant isn't leaking from the elbows anymore ..
Thanks for the video, Great job. You saved my ass and about $800. I`m doing the same thing on my friends son`s car
Wow! So I guess you're buying the beer? Glad to hear it.
@Black Buick he must of had to get the entire lower intake manifold gaskets replaced. Which will significantly increase the cost forsure. I've done a cpl myself. And actually just got a 2002 impala with the 3800 series 2 in it and I was losing antifreeze, couldn't find the leak, so got the gaskets $80-100 for a whole set of upper and lower and more. Tore it all apart and the elbow that goes into the intake on 1 end came out very very easy, then I noticed the end was broke off and inside my intake. So had to get that outta their. But long story short I'm about to put the new gaskets on tomrow, as it's already torn apart and high mileage, but pretty sure the slow leak was all just from this stupid top elbow! But I know these motors so myswell not worry about the intake gaskets either, as they like to go out it seems. But fairly easy job once do it a few times esp if u have a Haynes Manual for your make an model. But saves me a lot of $ doing it myself. Not bad with step by step pics an vids online like this etc. Just got the new metal elbows and gonna swap those also b4 I put it back together. Shit just saw this was 2yrs old lmao. My bad. But ya folks def need to check these elbows b4 they go an tear apart the entire lower intake off the car🙈🤷🏻♂️😂
Great video! I'm going to be looking at a car with this same engine. I'll be sure to check to see if it has the aluminum elbow already installed or not thanks to your video. I have some quick questions though.
Did this car have the Series 3 engine? Also do the Series 3 engines have problems with the Intake Manifold Gaskets? I read online the Series 3 have the upper and lower Intake Manifold made from aluminum on the naturally aspirated models. Is that the Intake Manifold itself it's referring to or the gaskets? Thanks for your help.
Yes, it was a 2004 so it would have been a Series 3. The gasket question is a good one - I only did the elbows on this car, so I didn't encounter those gaskets. A quick websearch turns up some aluminum lower intake gaskets for the 3800. I'm thinking the intake itself is plastic on the top with an aluminum base.
Okay. Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.
Easy time to Check or change the PS fluid
Gary Hendricks
Don't you just love how GM stuffed the power steering pump under the alternator and against the firewall? What a bunch of retards that designed that shit!
thanks so much
Also , after you removed the alternator , how many other bolts held the tensioner bracket ?
Thanks , :-)
Wyr
God bless
My car had 2 bolts on the side towards the antifreeze reservoir. And theirs 1 sneaky bolt kinda around the backside toward the firewall side back in their. Ya the vids old now so I'm sure u figured this out. But just incase, figured maybe it could help in the future. Easy job really. Doing my intake gaskets now, upper and lower. Not a fun job but can do myself for about $100 in gaskets. Instead of paying a mechanic about $1k is what they wanted on any quotes I got for it. But luckily its pretty easy to do. Esp if have the Haynes manual for your car. Gl
So mine had 3 total on the side, oh and theirs the 2 big 1s up top or whatever rite their after removing the alternator. So it's basically 3 bolts but technically it should be 5 total I guess. Atleast on my car I'm doing now. Gl👍🏼
I had the same problem with my Grand Prix Pontiac 05 my residue water tank it gets dry up no water no nothing in there I don't see any leaks from the elbows but I'm assuming they might have to get replace doesn't get overheated as much so by me changing the elbows with that fix my problem
I followed the video to the letter. I believe I got all the remaining plastic parts. I filled the coolant. I am getting a plactic melting smell while I'm driving. What do you think is wrong?
It's tough to smell from here! One guess would be that you dropped something plastic on the exhaust manifold - or, possibly you have a leaking heater core. Are your windows fogging up all the time?
i am fixing to change it on my mother in laws Buick. i have to watch with no sound at work but is there metal snap rings in the head were it goes into or is the piece held in with just the o rings O_o
There's no snap ring, just the rubber o-rings
Hey Mike, does the 3.1 Chevy Lumina have the cooant elbows in the same area on the tensioner bracket?
I don't think so, but the 3.1 can suffer from lower intake manifold gasket deterioration. If you're "missing" coolant you may have an intake gasket failure. Also check for coolant under the upper radiator hose neck.
@@mkernen ok, thanks for the quick reply. Last year I had the Lower Intake gaskets replaced with better ones and the head gaskets also. All the videos looking for coolant elbow replacement every video is 3.8 motor. Thanks for the great video and information. I'm going to call the Chevrolet dealer again and ask them if the elbows are in the same spot on 3.8 and 3.1. Yesterday I told the dealer that it's a 96 Lumina 3.1 he said that the elbows are behind the tension so I'm going to call back and double check.
@@maryb6509 Mary, the 3.1L and the 3.8L are very different engines. The 90 degree 3.8L was designed way before front wheel drive cars were popular so when they decided to use it in a front drive application they had to adapt it to the transverse fitment. That's why I believe the strange coolant elbow was devised. The 3.1L is a 60 degree Vee and was designed for front drive applications so it doesn't need to have weird tricks like elbows feeding through the alternator bracket to work in a front drive car. By all means, do your research but I'd guess your leak is elsewhere. If you have a mystery leak, have your heater core checked - you don't want to be breathing vaporized coolant!
@@mkernen Will do, thanks for the info. Will post later when we find the leak
Does it cause it to overheat
dont gotta rebleed the cooling system after u change the elbows or the rad hoses?
Good question. Yes, you should bleed air out of the system. As you should any time the cooling system is opened.
@@mkernen how do you put the power steering pump back on?
@@saultrevino5427 Hmm, I never took that off>>>>
after I replaced the elbows and put everything back together my belt makes a slight whine do you know why?
Hard to say Chad, you may have a bad bearing in an idler pulley. Check everything in the area you were working in. Alternator bearings could be on their way out.. Tough to say from here!
Michael Kernen the alternator is new thinking it's the belt tensioner pulley it was rough when I tested it when I replaced the elbow. I'll start with a belt tensioner pulley. thank you for your advice
Those do go bad. If it feels gritty, it'll make noise.
Would you use anti-seize on the steel bolts going into the aluminum ?
Wyr
God bless
Yes! Can't hurt anyhow..
Wyr Twister
On anything I want to keep, I use anti-seize on every bolt!
Do you have to drain the coolant first!?
Drain some to get the coolant level below the elbows. The ones I've done failed so they kind of drained themselves..
I have a 98 Camaro 3800 V6. I replaced the tensioner assembly with new one. I also replaced the elbow with new plastic one. Since this I am losing water but nothing to be seen anywhere. This all started after replacing the tensioner assembly. Any Ideas?
If you're lucky, an elbow is leaking and since it leaks on the hot intake the coolant evaporates instantly. You can do a pressure test on cooling system when the car is cold and possibly see the leak in that area. Possibly one of the O rings got rolled out of the groove or something. OR, and I hate to say it, I'd suspect the lower intake manifold gasket. These are notorious and I've had to replace them on my 2003 3800 - 5 years newer than yours. Check to be sure you're oil isn't cloudy or foamy. Good luck!
Thanks for your feedback Michael. Im gona pull the pulley off and have a look at those elbows...
I pulled the tensioner assembly off again to check if o-ring may have been rolled out. All looked good. I'm gona try and do a cold pressure test I guess next... Thanks for the feedback though!
Will this cause lost oil n water
Why in shits name did the run coolant through an alternator bracket... Fn geniuses i tell ya... Will be ding this ti mine in the morning... Top notch video
The 3800 (or 3.8L) was adapted from a longitudinal to a transverse design for front wheel drive vehicles. When it sits in a front drive car the heater hoses have to make a 90˚ turn as soon as they exit the engine. The alternator bracket is right in the way of that turn.
Each time the pieces break off, sometimes O-Rings get left behind and some plastic pieces that u cant get out, i went ahead and left both old pieces inside the [Upper] hole...it really wasn't a big issue even after replacing it the first time, that same piece Kept failing Until i showed this metal piece to my engine, White Thunder is happy once again :), P.S. Do Not leave the plastic piece/O-ring inside the Coolant bypass unit ^_^
I changed my elbow out to only find them leaking again I had a hard time putting them back in any advice
Use a bit of coolant on the rubber o ring to lubricate them. They should slide right in. If they still leak, could there be a bit of old plastic in the hole??
@@mkernen thank for the advice the coolant on the o rings helped out tremendously job complete.
@@reaver9833 Good to hear! Those 3.8s run forever. Happy motoring!
Where did you get the replacement parts ???
Auto Zone or RockAuto.com should have them.
what size are the bolts on the bracket
Gosh, this was a long time ago. Sorry, I can't remember.
What are those called. ....when I ask for them? Just coolant elbows?
Yep. They'll know what you want. They've sold lots of them!
Great video! Unfortunately my aluminum elbows (at least the one I can see) is/are leaking. Someone GLOBED rtv in with it. Just a dab will do ya if your going to use rtv 🙄. Anyway, now I have to pull it apart to replace them. Mine is a supercharged 04 Impala SS l67. Been a great car otherwise
Do i need to drain my radiator first
You should drain it enough so that there is no coolant at the highest point you'll be working on. Complete drain is unnecessary.
This video is great, and certainly helpful, but I'd be wasted right now if I took a drink of beer every time he says "uh" "umm"...
Yeah, I'm not going to be working on TV anytime soon!
Michael Kernen ... haha, not meant to be a put down. the video was truly helpful and much appreciated!
NP Didn't take it that way. I'm just happy it uh.. helps people!
Hey Mike, do you have a video of this procedure on a vehicle WITH the supercharger? thx
Sorry, I do not. It's not too terribly different though. If memory serves, the rear bracket is different (or nonexistent) and you of course have one more belt to remove.
@@mkernen Ok. Thanks so much. Any way to work around the superch unit?
@@mrt1626 Oh yeah, it won't be in your way too much. I didn't do anything other than take off its belt.
@@mkernen Cool! That's what I was hoping. Thanks again Mike. I appreciate the help.
.
Do you recommend using gasket sealant when installing the new water pump?
thanks i have an 88 delta 88 olds.do you know the part number for the elbows?
1988 will be an LN3 motor, which doesnt have the elbows
@@aidenstefanson2175 its a 3800 motor and it leaks antifreeze too,cant figure out where its leaking??
Do the elbow have to go all the way in because I couldn't line the bracket up with them all the way so had to pull them out a bit
I don't think so. As I recall mine weren't all the way in either maybe ⅛ to ¼ from bottoming out. This may be intentional to allow for some expansion.
Does this problem occur on 3.4 impala? Having a leak problem
This video doesn't apply to the 3400 - It's a totally different engine..
@@mkernen so does the 2003 impala 3400 have these elbows?? I'm leaking coolant after replacing everything including heater hose,tube,pipes,hoses,flushed system,etc and now its leaking from that same area..
@@Cryptoisnotdead These elbows are not on a 3400. Maybe this will help you? montecarloforum.com/forum/engine-transmission-performance-adders-12/00-3-4-coolant-elbows-36036/
GM knew full well that those plastic elbows would fail. Planned obsolescence. It's BS !!!!!!!!!!!! Got a Buick LeSabre leaking from those things, right now.
What's the time needed for this repair
It took me little more than an hour.
I've done this a few times so it goes pretty fast for me. I'd allot at least 1.5 hours - a bit more for the supercharged engine.
For an inexperienced amateur it took me an 8 hour day with, breaks and being really careful. I had to run back to AutoZone to get a pick set once everything was apart. I decided to tackle this on my own because the mechanic wanted to replace the manifold for $500 and I wanted to just try these $20 elbows first and see what happens. My elbow that was leaking took me an hour of picking at it to get the o ring out of the problem holes (both front holes, the rear ones didnt have a leak). Its a 2005 Buick lacrosse I picked up a year ago for $5000, w 41k miles...
what's the part Number on thoughs Elbows the Metal ones?
I could not tell you the part number but definitely easy to find. Absolutely use the metal ones.
+Michael “Miguel” Kernen the NAPA part number is 660-1942 for the aluminum, 660-1943 for the plastic
Those adverb
Don Tolle eBay type # in search bar 191282477549 Hope These help Good Price!
I learned the hard way on those metal parts. I did lower intake manifold gasket not long ago with aluninum elbows. It took me way too long to yank them out due to the corrosion on the cheap aluninum parts. they corroed like pig iron and got stuck on lower intake. I ended up scoring the lower intake and the crossover assembly when I finally pulled them out.
I do recommend to use gm parts other than aftermarket metal ones. its not that hard to replace plastics but not metal ones in case you need to touch the lower intake.
Interesting, aluminum elbow corrosion would be a major thing if used against a cast iron lower intake. Wonder if one could introduce a little anti-galvanic paste during assembly. Thanks for the comment.
Did this on my 05 impala. such a stupid design. a piece fell into the intake amd i had to shove my finger in ton fish it back out. hope this fixes my leak priblem tho
Mines jus went out the other day, can I do it myself, Cause a was going to have someone do it for me.but he wants to charge me a100 bucks.
Wow, $100? That's a real good price!
I've watched this video 3 times, I planned on changing the elbows in the next couple of weeks. unfortunately they blow on the highway today and I had to have the car to a local shop. now it's going to cost me a couple of 100$ to have someone else do it. hindsight is a bitch!!
Where are you located
So, did your o rings fail on those aluminum elbows, people are saying to use the OEM gaskets that come on the plastic ones, because the aluminum ones will leak eventually.
No, and I wouldn't reuse any O rings. They have been heat cycled and flattened for one thing, and are not necessarily the same size as the groove in the new elbow may be deeper or wider than the original. If you are concerned, you may be able to buy higher quality O rings from the auto parts store, but definitely don't think reusing the old ones is a good bet.
@@mkernen That's what I meant, not the old ones.
@@mkernen man, I'm on the fence about aluminum or the OEM plastic elbows at this point, many people are saying their aluminum elbows are leaking because the gaskets are smaller in those than the plastic ones
@@jonmo2694 If you plan to keep the car less than say 5 years, the plastic ones should be fine. I didn't replace my original ones till the car had over 75,000 miles on it.
@@mkernen no, I plan on keeping it longer, I just put new wheels/.rims on it and painted the calipers.and replaced the brakes as well as replacing alot of fluids, cleaning bthe throttle body and looking into the car 4:20 code.Its a project cat r for me now, just trying to keep it tip top and I'm also putting tint on it It's looking pretty nice so far wish I could send pics
Will this leak cause your engine to overheat?
Not until you run out of coolant, then it will!
@@mkernen will this cause air to get in the system ?
@@itsyounqLO It surely could. I wouldn't leave it leaking. I've seen these start to leak then deteriorate very quickly. Remember the system is under pressure when the engine is running and a small crack can lead to a failure while you're driving causing you to lose coolant rapidly. I wouldn't just let it leak, that's for sure.
@@mkernen thank you sir. I’m getting this fixed today and removing dex cool as well.
Q: can this cause overheating issues...
Sure, if you loose enough coolant!
Where can I buy the elbows? Thank you
I believe this is it: Dorman Hose 47065HP available at AutoZone. Double check to make sure it fits your application!! - Looks like Rock Auto has them too.
@@mkernen
Thanks bro 🙏
Serpentine belt routing is in the back of the owners manuL
very helpful tnx!
How much do you charge for that job?
I'm not for hire.
@@mkernen how much would you usual charge?
@@Rumfun35 Maybe $200 - $250. A bit more on the supercharged 3800.