2005 GXP
#12
Senior Member
True Car Nut
It is a bit of work, but it does not cost a lot to do if you can do it yourself.
If you plan on keeping the car for a while I'd consider getting it done, if you do not plan on keeping the car for long then ignore it.
It is not what you are seeing on the outside that is the most important, there are coolant ports in the intake, and if the LIM Gasket is starting to fail letting oil leak out, then I am willing to be the gaskets are failing around the coolant ports, when that happens you have a great chance that coolant is going to get sucked into the cylinders, and since fluid will not compress you will hydrolock the motor, possibly ruin some rings, and in some cases you can throw a connecting rod through the block.
If you think an LIM Gasket job is a lot of work, try replacing the rings on your pistons, or rebuilding the motor if a conn rod gets thrown through the block.
It is your motor though, I do highly suggest having the nylon framed LIM gasket changed, only trying to help you keep from ruining your motor, in the long run it is your motor though, and your choice.
If you plan on keeping the car for a while I'd consider getting it done, if you do not plan on keeping the car for long then ignore it.
It is not what you are seeing on the outside that is the most important, there are coolant ports in the intake, and if the LIM Gasket is starting to fail letting oil leak out, then I am willing to be the gaskets are failing around the coolant ports, when that happens you have a great chance that coolant is going to get sucked into the cylinders, and since fluid will not compress you will hydrolock the motor, possibly ruin some rings, and in some cases you can throw a connecting rod through the block.
If you think an LIM Gasket job is a lot of work, try replacing the rings on your pistons, or rebuilding the motor if a conn rod gets thrown through the block.
It is your motor though, I do highly suggest having the nylon framed LIM gasket changed, only trying to help you keep from ruining your motor, in the long run it is your motor though, and your choice.
#13
Senior Member
True Car Nut
besides hydrolock, when they leak oil thats when you have the chance for engine fires, it pools up on top and thats the hottest part of the engine. all it is is taking stuff off and putting it back on, you just have to take a bunch of parts off to get at it unfortunately. took me like 10hrs the first time. its not hard, just time intesive
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WilliamE (06-13-2014)
#15
Senior Member
True Car Nut
If the coolant starts to leak internally the only way to tell if watch your coolant levels in the overflow, if you start having to add more coolant to that than normal then that can be one indicator, once you start to notice enough coolant disappearing it may be too late though.
I have heard of people with as low as 60k miles have the LIM Gaskets fail, mine made it to around 130k, but going by how disintegrated mine were, and the shape of the gasket near the coolant ports, mine were close to failing enough to cause hydrolock.
If you want to see pics of how my gasket looked I can post them.
I can post a link to one of the pics from when I did my UIM/LIM, it is from another site, it if full of good info on the job, although I have a naturally aspirated motor, there were lots of good pics in the thread, but imageshack screwed me when they stopped being free, now most of my pis will not show up.
I wish I still had the pics of the coolant that had already pooled up in the corners of the LIM, near the "hidden" bolts.
Ehh, I'll have to attach the pic, as imageshack says it is no longer there, yet I can still see it on page 2.
Replacing UIM, UIM Gasket, and LIM Gasket. - Page 2 - 3800Pro.com Forum
I have heard of people with as low as 60k miles have the LIM Gaskets fail, mine made it to around 130k, but going by how disintegrated mine were, and the shape of the gasket near the coolant ports, mine were close to failing enough to cause hydrolock.
If you want to see pics of how my gasket looked I can post them.
I can post a link to one of the pics from when I did my UIM/LIM, it is from another site, it if full of good info on the job, although I have a naturally aspirated motor, there were lots of good pics in the thread, but imageshack screwed me when they stopped being free, now most of my pis will not show up.
I wish I still had the pics of the coolant that had already pooled up in the corners of the LIM, near the "hidden" bolts.
Ehh, I'll have to attach the pic, as imageshack says it is no longer there, yet I can still see it on page 2.
Replacing UIM, UIM Gasket, and LIM Gasket. - Page 2 - 3800Pro.com Forum
#16
Senior Member
Actually taking that SCer off is not that bad......don't know why, but I can't recall having problems with the lower intake gaskets on the SC'd engine, and never saw/heard of one ever hydrolocking...not saying it can't happen, but just not a common thing on a SC'd engine....
The naturally aspirated 3.8 was a totally different ball game...
The naturally aspirated 3.8 was a totally different ball game...
#17
Senior Member
True Car Nut
maybe be something to do with the compression. they have the same lower intake and gaskets, dont they? the only thing mine was dong either time was losing maybe an inch a week or two with the wife driving it 450 miles a week. the first time it also had a cyl 6 misfire code
#19
Senior Member
True Car Nut
The SC and NA both share the same LIM Gaskets, so I cannot see why the lowers would not fail on it as well, I am pretty sure the main contributing factors to them failing is heat, and supposedly DexCool, I read something a while back that said the EHA-2 was a plasticizer for polymers, and a plasticizer is meant to soften plastics when used in manufacturing processes of polymers, of course I don't see how it would soften plastic when not used in the manufacturing process, just mentioning it in case one of you know a bit more about me involving chemistry..
Al, just keep an eye on the overflow tank, rather than the radiator, levels fluctuate when you drive the car, and then stop driving, so mainly watch the overflow tank levels after the car has cooled, and has not been driven for a little while, if you start to notice a lot of it seems to be disappearing with no signs of any external leaks, then I'd consider replacing the LIM Gasket.
Al, just keep an eye on the overflow tank, rather than the radiator, levels fluctuate when you drive the car, and then stop driving, so mainly watch the overflow tank levels after the car has cooled, and has not been driven for a little while, if you start to notice a lot of it seems to be disappearing with no signs of any external leaks, then I'd consider replacing the LIM Gasket.