Man you're giving me PTSD. I learned the hard way about the melting plastic intake back when I was 19. I hydrolocked one after doing the lower intake gaskets for the first time. I did the same thing you just did and she ran like a top! There were times we'd do two 3800 intake jobs a day and I swear by noon GM had changed the part number on those gaskets.
My record is 4 of these in one day. I can't remember how many different torque specs, gasket types, tightening sequences and colors of locktite GM has been through to fix their issues. lol I just consider intake gaskets to be part of normal maintenance on any GM 94ish- 09ish. After that, they blow up before the intake gaskets can go out!
Finding a car like this, with a problem big enough to discourage the existing owner but well known enough to generally be a good fix is a real skill. You essentially buy the car for crush weight and turn it back into something that someone will value at least to a reasonable level, and will probably run a few more years yet. Excellent work!
Everybody keeps saying this. Long blocks were great, tons of problems with all of the accessories GM bolted to them. Plenum, lower intake gaskets, bypass elbows, oil pan/valve cover gasket leaks.
@@mph5896 Most of the time these issues reared their head after a absolute boatload of miles or now that they have decades of service on plastic parts. This is the case for any engine . Not every ever car had these issues. Especially if they were maintained. A shit ton of miles on Old Ass oil really trashes any plastic bits on any car. My first 3800 L67 I swapped into my 88 fiero had 255k any had none of the issues save for the recalled valve cover gaskets and various plastic bits. It was done in by a quick lube place that didn't tighten the oil filter on a road trip I replaced it with a 02 L67 that had a stack of maintenance receipts from a Park avenue with just shy of 200k. It had been re ended and I pulled it at the salvage yard and swapped it into the fiero. I warmed up the oil and changed it. Nothing was touched save for the alternator (that was forked by the fork lift at the lot) until I pulled the S/C to Powder coat it 2 years later. Only then were any of the intake gaskets replaced. That was 4 years ago and its still a absolute Powerhouse today. My 2001 Buick Regal GS I drove from 2004 until 2019 and had 197k of non hwy miles on it before selling it to my Sister that's in her 60's . She continues to drive it today with only the valve cover gasket recall and a carrier pin in the diff ever being done to it. It's sitting at 213k and has no major issues. None of them I have had my hands on have ever had issues with the oil pan gasket. These engines over time will see the deterioration on the plastic bits on it due to age but in their day they were rock friggen solid. Any decent 3800 that's in good running shape ought to run for decades more with minimal maintenance . Just as shown in this video. He knows that or he wouldn't have messed with it.
They were good engines mine started knocking at 248.000 miles so I sold it. I miss my Buick. It floated right over the bumps and it was very comfortable.
The Dorman coolant elbows are ok BUT the O-rings turn into mush and leak after a year. You can use the Dorman metal elbows but need to use OEM o-rings.
Nothing nicer than seeing someone who knows what they are doing, plus plenty of tips for others, good job scott and you didn’t even need assistance from the pizza girl
Those 3800s were used in a longitudinal configuration down under in the Holden Commodore from 1988 to 2004, usually paired with a 4L60(E) auto. A rock-solid and bullet-proof drivetrain that could (with proper care) last 500,000km even out here, long after it's contemporaries are bundled off to Asia as cubes of scrap metal.
The old VN Commodore. It was favorite amongst car thieves as it was easy to steal and the same model as the police! Fun to flee from the cops in the exact same car!
3800s are really easy to work on I changed 10 of them engines in the past but my 05 buick lacrosse had the series 3 3800 with the aluminum upper intake it had over 200.000 miles on it when I sold it never touched all original
I did lower intake gaskets on my 1997 V6 Thunderbird many many years ago. I bagged and tagged all the bolts. I remember having over 30 bags. I was proud of the work, but never wanted to do it again! 😂
Yeah....straight from GM ....re-designed intake gaskets . They did have a re-call on these but it was unannounced .....thanks GM . Keep up the GREAT work !
I used to specialize in those 3800 cars, specifically 00-05 Impala police cars. I would literally buy 4-5 cars at a time with rod knocks and swap in close to new series 3 engines I could buy for $2-300.
I use to buy 3800 vehicles off craigslist often about 10 years ago, with "bad head gaskets". I use to show up with a intake in hand and a set of plugs and drive em home.
This isn't even old, but with all things relative it's old-ish. I love your content and I appreciate anyone who just chooses to get the job done and isn't intimidated by any challenge! Keep showing the next generation that all things are doable. I love the G8s too!
I own a 1994 Buick LeSabre that I bought brand new. Back in 2010 when my car had 125k miles on it, I decided to replace my plenum and lower intake manifold gaskets. These gaskets were almost toast so my decision to replace them was a good one. My car now has 185k miles and it is still running strong.
I did this intake job with somebody and wow what was it a fun learning experience, gm knocked it out of the park with these engines. reliable and easy to work on
One of the best engines GM ever made. Some of the engineering decisions with components bolted to it though is something different. It seemed like the aftermarket was quicker to fix 2 of the main issues: coolant elbows and melting upper intakes. Multiple engines from multiple brands had issues with plastic valve covers in that era.
My 1960 Pontiac demonstrated why they stopped using rods for the throttle mechanism. For whatever reason they use motor mounts that are a piece of rubber through the middle and can completely break. When that happens, under acceleration the engine lifts up. When the engine lifts up, it jams the linkage and floors the gas pedal. Fortunately being a 1960 with manual steering and brakes it was easy to just turn the key off and regain control. But since it was a daily I had both mounts wrapped with coathanger wire about as much as the hanger would go, until new ones arrived.
My Mom has an 04 Lesabre with less than 100K miles. She lives in Minnesota and I don't believe there's any rust on it. She keeps it clean and well maintained. Never had issues with the engine. She hasn't driven since Covid, I don't thing she ever will again as she's 91. Someone is going to get a pretty nice car some day. It's the top end model. Biggest issue has been the wheels, They've corroded and don't hold air.
I've got a 2003 LeSabre with 53,000 sitting in my driveway. The throttle sticks horribly and the brakes are out, not to mention non functioning power windows. Too good not to want to get fixed, damn I need help! Plain to see this guy is amazingly efficient at what he does, well done!
No Smoke Show! I have done this on three Series II 3800s, 2 Lesabres and an 88. The 88 had the gasket failure and the Lesabres were done as a preventative measure. Very well done instructional on your behalf! Thank you
Thanks for another great video. That is probably what happened to my friends Buick. The mechanic showed her all the rust in the radiator and said the engine was shot! She bought another car. He probably fixed it and made out well for himself!
My parents century had the 3100 and it was a beast in the snow. Kinda wish it didn't need intake gaskets 3 times in my recollection from HS to college.
I have the same car, bought it for 1600 bucks CDN. Needed nothing for safety. Previous owner was a GM tech, he took real good care of it. Clean as a new car undernearh, Have had it almost a year now, 287,000 Km still running strong. Boring or not, these are amazing cars!
I own a 99 buick LeSbre limited love the car when I bought it it had 70 thousand miles on it I had the intake changed because of this problem it now has 150 thousand miles love the car
Vehcor a buddy of mine is a mechanic I was at his shop one day, there was this 2015 Escalade, it sounded like the lifters were shot, they replaced lifters new cylinder deactivation thing on top of the head, put it back together still making the noise, it was a second belt still connected behind the main one was and it was the compressor for the ac, I would of chewed the guy out, the mechanic, but he said no it’s a learning experience. Crazy hey.
Try a mix of three parts oil, one part transmission fluid in the engine. The trans fluid absorbs water and cleans inside the block. I had a '93 Chevy with a 4.3 blow the intake gasket, and before I figured out where the water was going there was four gallons in the crankcase. I changed the oil with trans fluid mix every day for a week, just drained the filter and reinstalled it, and it was spotless inside after that.
Certain Companies must love you after slagging off their Cars &/or Components but I like your brand of humour & Sarcasm, you certainly know your way around an Engine so keep up the good work from the UK.
I love these Buicks with the 3800 V6. This engine is one of the best GM ever developed. Love these Buicks because they are not flashy yet they provide some luxury. This will be a true blue flip car.
I still have my 05 LaSabre. 289k miles. Just replace parts as needed. You can not toss a new car payment at it each month if you just maintain it. Example, rear air ride system has failed. $339 in parts ( shocks and air pump) done. Next month, oil change $36. Of course I do all of the repairs myself etc. But watching a "how to" video does help! Of course my first vehicle was a 63 Biscayne so times have changed, but the get to it is still the same. Fix it instead of financing it.
This is how to flip a car. Great job Scott. You & Eric. O at S.M.A share some killer lines, but he's got you beat on the Brake Cleaner introduction, no music Scott!..... but you got him beat on bringing a car in, he doesn't scream! Great channel, whatever the content! :-)
I had one of these as a loaner for about 6 months in 1999, and I actually enjoyed it. But I was only 31 then, so by law (well, ok, maybe it was my girlfriend's complaints) I was too young to keep it. Now I'm 53, and I wish I had it back.
I drove a 01 buick lesabre for 576k miles before the rear cradle decided to stay on the floor when it went in for rear brake service. only replaced the intake 2 times once for the egr and a cracked intake.. 3800 are the best gm v6 ever built
Underneath it all, that engine is famous for lasting a long time! Hundreds of thousands of miles. That car has tons of use left, is reliable, parts are cheap, and insurance is low. Have it oil sprayed to stop the rust.
I find this interesting, because here in Australia we died get the 3800 Buick engine from the mid 80s, but turned 90 degrees in our Holden Commodores, but we don't get plastic intakes so we don't have this problem. Using water in the cooling system does make the in take and timing cover corrode sometime and dump the cooling system into the oil anyway.
While these Buicks can be boring, they are safe, comfortable, affordable, and fairly reliable modes of transportation. My wife's '04 LeSabre is a great example, and I am looking for another like the one in this video for my daughter. It's nice to have a lot of metal around you when you are driving surrounded by maniacs, and doing so in comfort is a plus.
Good one - 3.8L I have a 2001 gmc 1500 4.8L with 78, 800 miles. Origional owner. Door sticker says built 12-2000 Canada plant. Texas truck that was used for wheels a few weeks a month. It runs great has crank windows and is the base model. Paid $17,800 brand new. Would like to buy a Tundra or newer GMC pu. I dont have enough gold bars to pay for a new one. Thanks for your pro videos, i like the humor as i usually have similar. Good job with your channel, love the content.
why would you buy a new truck that will give you nothing but headaches? stick with what you have..."old reliable". I'm actually looking for an older pickup as I'm tired of all the BS with newer ones.....
You do realize that in 2001 there were people complaining about the cost of your truck. By the way, using the CPI calculator your $ 17,800 is $ $31,276 in Nov 2021 $.
I had a 1992 LeSabre. I loved that car but it started to overheat and knock at 248.000 miles so I sold it and bought a Dodge with 148.000 miles. Now the Dodge has 257.000 miles and it still runs great.
Nice flip! Hard to find and at the same time knowing probably what the issue is and that you can fix it. Of course a lot of that comes from experience. Sometimes you think you know, then it ends up costing quite a bit. You were fortunate here that all was as you predicted, and you had a plan 'B' in the wings with the other engine. Good job!
Interesting about the commonality of that fault with the intake gaskets / EGR valve. GM Australia used the 3.8V6 in the Commodore between 1988 and 1995, when it was replaced by the 3.8 Ecotec (essentially the same engine with some ' fuel saving' enhancements), then the 3.6 Alloytec in 2004 (again, essentially the same engine but with further "enhancements"). I owned two of the first gen Commodore 3.8s (an '89 and a '90 VN model) and did well over 150k miles in each, selling them when their total milage was around 350k (coincidentally). Neither mine nor any of my family or friends who owned one ever had the intake issue. Rather strange..... Mind you, the Ecotec engines in the VS to VY ('95-'03) were problematic with coolant leaking from unlikely places and their heater valves (made of plastic) becoming brittle and unexpectedly snapping off the firewall at any given time, dumping huge amounts of coolant on the hot exhaust that ran beneath. Rather spectacular when it happens, actually......but still no issues with intake gaskets on that 3.8 and mine had both dome mid-200s when I sold them. God little donk, those ones. The Alloytec were even more spectacular....and THESE babies were known to have a time bomb in the water pump and THEY could have issues with intake gaskets, but this was usually after 80k miles when the intake manifold had been removed to change the iridium spark plugs, which you could not get at because the manifold is in the way.....and then hashed up putting it back on properly. Yep - I reckon the engineers at GM left it to the architects to design the engine mods after about 1992, I think, No engineer would have you removed a manifold to take out a spark plug......unless of course he was getting a 50% kick back from the mechanics who charge by the hour for changing them.
Perfect video I learnt a lot but would never try that I don't have the tools but its useful to be able to speak to the engineer or mechanic that's going to rob me for the job! Enjoy your expertise and share your sense of humour!
Drain the pool! Great video Scott. My 96 Grand Am 3.1 needed its leaking intake manifold gasket replaced when it was 7 years old and now I finally can understand why.
I loved this one since I had a 3800 in my 2002 Grand Prix. I wish I still had that very low mileage car, but I traded it in on my Denali in mid-January of 2020.
I had a 97 LeSabre with a 3800. Ran good, only problem was the heater core. Went through 7 of them before I took to independent shop. Plastic ends kept melting, other shop got one with metal ends no more prob.!!
Now THAT'S how it's done! Cheap car, cheap parts, gravy job, FAST money. But you're right....good flip cars like this are getting really few and far between. Out in my neck of the woods, they are fairly non existent - people drive them till they literally puke.
Did this on a 98 Regal GS with the Supercharger. Chose not to replace the steering rack and ditched that car. Good power in that little sedan though. Also nice references to South Main Auto...LOL
Smart thinking leaving everything connected when you disassemble the intake. Unplugging 35 hoses and connectors are just a chance to snap 35 plastic retaining clips. I like using ratchet straps to hold back wiring harnesses and stuff. Makes it easy to get things out of the way a wee bit more if necessary when you're lifting stuff in and out of the engine compartment. Might just be a convenience thing though. I usually find bad bungee cords and good ratchet straps when I need to do such things.
Looks a clean car for its age,that is the best oil filter wrench for the job,I alway use it where possible. Not many 1998 car left in that condition over the pond in England where I live! Great little car for someone now.
Brings back memories, used to flip a lot of these but always hung on to my 89 Park Ave. Was way better built & got almost 600 k out of it before it was rear ended & wrote off. Still ran great though.
I could have sworn the early Series1 and "pre series 1" intakes were metal. I don't recall the EGR ports leaking on them. They probably had other issues though. I do recall the series 2 engines had way more problems. Failing plastic coolant elbows, and the fuel regulator failing, dumping fuel in the intake, it backfiring and making the intake explode to bits.
Sounds like the northstar engines and the head bolts and the pontiac 2.8 and 3.1 that almost always end up toasted due to bad head gaskets. It's almost as if they didn't learn a think after building engines for 80 years......
Well, I kinda think torquing the fender bolts is important. In a crash, the structural integrity could be comprimised and the blinker fluid will leak out.
I replaced a bunch of those back in the 90s early 2000s. I really liked the 3.8 other than the intake and the early ones were prone to the stupid magnet in the camshaft gear falling out as the plastic carrier fell apart. And for some reason they don't make a replacement one that you can install from the outside through the cam sensor hole... I had bought a 94 le Sabre from a dealer for $3500 and only 37K miles when it was virtually new. It was a dealer buyback and their guys never could figure out the problem.... It would set a CTS code every time it was started. I knew after two starts and one resetting of the codes what the issue was. It was the one part the factories always said never fails... If you turned the key on and let it sit for 30 seconds before starting it the car would never set a code. The problem was a bad PCM. If you let it warm up the CTS would read right. I had seen it before on others and so yeah I got a nearly new car for $3500 and a $100 PCM. I miss how easy those oil changes were...
Great overview on the intake replacement; I am about sold on getting one of these Regal/LeSsbre/Lucerne versions. Seems to be a very underrated but reliable and easy to maintain car :-)
Man you're giving me PTSD. I learned the hard way about the melting plastic intake back when I was 19. I hydrolocked one after doing the lower intake gaskets for the first time. I did the same thing you just did and she ran like a top! There were times we'd do two 3800 intake jobs a day and I swear by noon GM had changed the part number on those gaskets.
I just get the updated aluminum intake. stops the melting forever.
"There's your problem, lady" I was thinking, what is this, a crossover episode? And here you are.
My record is 4 of these in one day. I can't remember how many different torque specs, gasket types, tightening sequences and colors of locktite GM has been through to fix their issues. lol I just consider intake gaskets to be part of normal maintenance on any GM 94ish- 09ish. After that, they blow up before the intake gaskets can go out!
@@vehcor I believe This problem went back to the 2.8L in the mid 80s. (Celebrity, 6000, etc).
@@alb12345672 The 3.1 liter were fun too. You had to take off valve covers and pushrods.
Finding a car like this, with a problem big enough to discourage the existing owner but well known enough to generally be a good fix is a real skill. You essentially buy the car for crush weight and turn it back into something that someone will value at least to a reasonable level, and will probably run a few more years yet. Excellent work!
That's basically what I did with my daily gas saver
Can last far longer than that if the owner has any sense.
The engine will last until you die. The rest of the car will deteriorate much sooner.
Still one of the best engines gm ever made.
Everybody keeps saying this. Long blocks were great, tons of problems with all of the accessories GM bolted to them. Plenum, lower intake gaskets, bypass elbows, oil pan/valve cover gasket leaks.
@@mph5896 Most of the time these issues reared their head after a absolute boatload of miles or now that they have decades of service on plastic parts. This is the case for any engine . Not every ever car had these issues. Especially if they were maintained. A shit ton of miles on Old Ass oil really trashes any plastic bits on any car. My first 3800 L67 I swapped into my 88 fiero had 255k any had none of the issues save for the recalled valve cover gaskets and various plastic bits. It was done in by a quick lube place that didn't tighten the oil filter on a road trip I replaced it with a 02 L67 that had a stack of maintenance receipts from a Park avenue with just shy of 200k. It had been re ended and I pulled it at the salvage yard and swapped it into the fiero. I warmed up the oil and changed it. Nothing was touched save for the alternator (that was forked by the fork lift at the lot) until I pulled the S/C to Powder coat it 2 years later. Only then were any of the intake gaskets replaced. That was 4 years ago and its still a absolute Powerhouse today. My 2001 Buick Regal GS I drove from 2004 until 2019 and had 197k of non hwy miles on it before selling it to my Sister that's in her 60's . She continues to drive it today with only the valve cover gasket recall and a carrier pin in the diff ever being done to it. It's sitting at 213k and has no major issues. None of them I have had my hands on have ever had issues with the oil pan gasket. These engines over time will see the deterioration on the plastic bits on it due to age but in their day they were rock friggen solid. Any decent 3800 that's in good running shape ought to run for decades more with minimal maintenance . Just as shown in this video. He knows that or he wouldn't have messed with it.
They were good engines mine started knocking at 248.000 miles so I sold it. I miss my Buick. It floated right over the bumps and it was very comfortable.
Maintained....they were solid. I've had a few
Yes 3800 engines were great. I had that same engine in 91 Olds Toronado..
The Dorman coolant elbows are ok BUT the O-rings turn into mush and leak after a year. You can use the Dorman metal elbows but need to use OEM o-rings.
Nothing nicer than seeing someone who knows what they are doing, plus plenty of tips for others, good job scott and you didn’t even need assistance from the pizza girl
Those 3800s were used in a longitudinal configuration down under in the Holden Commodore from 1988 to 2004, usually paired with a 4L60(E) auto. A rock-solid and bullet-proof drivetrain that could (with proper care) last 500,000km even out here, long after it's contemporaries are bundled off to Asia as cubes of scrap metal.
The old VN Commodore. It was favorite amongst car thieves as it was easy to steal and the same model as the police! Fun to flee from the cops in the exact same car!
"There's your problem, Lady!" "Not a sponsor." Someone's been watching SMA!
3800s are really easy to work on I changed 10 of them engines in the past but my 05 buick lacrosse had the series 3 3800 with the aluminum upper intake it had over 200.000 miles on it when I sold it never touched all original
One of the best ever made.
Excellent video, I really like the torque rag for tightening the oil filter😎
Should be tightened by hand only as seen here
You’re Incredible man. Wow what a great mechanic. !!!
Lightweight mechanic here. Really enjoy the no nonsense manner in which you make these videos. Thanks...
I did lower intake gaskets on my 1997 V6 Thunderbird many many years ago. I bagged and tagged all the bolts. I remember having over 30 bags. I was proud of the work, but never wanted to do it again! 😂
I'm sure the 2nd time would have been easier. The 3rd time is when you get cocky and mess it up.
Yeah....straight from GM ....re-designed intake gaskets . They did have a re-call on these but it was unannounced .....thanks GM . Keep up the GREAT work !
Besides doing a A1 job on this car engine , I appreciate you did not add a loud useless background rock music ! Hats off to you!
That was a nice quick flip. The car looked decent and those 3.8L Engines are normally good running and efficient on fuel. Thumbs UP to you Scott.
Those adjustable locking hammers sure do come in handy.. 😁
I used to specialize in those 3800 cars, specifically 00-05 Impala police cars. I would literally buy 4-5 cars at a time with rod knocks and swap in close to new series 3 engines I could buy for $2-300.
I use to buy 3800 vehicles off craigslist often about 10 years ago, with "bad head gaskets". I use to show up with a intake in hand and a set of plugs and drive em home.
Yes! I love the old stuff. Cheers, Scott.
Best wishes from England 🏴
Thanks, the old stuff was easy to work on!
This isn't even old, but with all things relative it's old-ish. I love your content and I appreciate anyone who just chooses to get the job done and isn't intimidated by any challenge! Keep showing the next generation that all things are doable.
I love the G8s too!
@@vehcor with all due respect you forgot to put oil on the filter seal 🦭
Nice clean car. Always liked the Buicks, especially Park Avenue. Driven lots of Centurys in 90s/2000s.
Great car for a new driver. Big, safe, and won't break a person for repairs. Nice work!
"Dear engineer this is how the oil change is supposed to look alike." Is correct. That 3800 series motor is the champ.
I own a 1994 Buick LeSabre that I bought brand new. Back in 2010 when my car had 125k miles on it, I decided to replace my plenum and lower intake manifold gaskets. These gaskets were almost toast so my decision to replace them was a good one. My car now has 185k miles and it is still running strong.
HAD A 2002 LeSabre,nice safe feel,comfortable,great passing gear drove up from Detroit to Colorade twenty times,ran like a dream.
I did this intake job with somebody and wow what was it a fun learning experience, gm knocked it out of the park with these engines. reliable and easy to work on
One of the best engines GM ever made. Some of the engineering decisions with components bolted to it though is something different. It seemed like the aftermarket was quicker to fix 2 of the main issues: coolant elbows and melting upper intakes. Multiple engines from multiple brands had issues with plastic valve covers in that era.
My 1960 Pontiac demonstrated why they stopped using rods for the throttle mechanism. For whatever reason they use motor mounts that are a piece of rubber through the middle and can completely break. When that happens, under acceleration the engine lifts up. When the engine lifts up, it jams the linkage and floors the gas pedal.
Fortunately being a 1960 with manual steering and brakes it was easy to just turn the key off and regain control. But since it was a daily I had both mounts wrapped with coathanger wire about as much as the hanger would go, until new ones arrived.
My Mom has an 04 Lesabre with less than 100K miles. She lives in Minnesota and I don't believe there's any rust on it. She keeps it clean and well maintained. Never had issues with the engine. She hasn't driven since Covid, I don't thing she ever will again as she's 91. Someone is going to get a pretty nice car some day. It's the top end model. Biggest issue has been the wheels, They've corroded and don't hold air.
I've got a 2003 LeSabre with 53,000 sitting in my driveway. The throttle sticks horribly and the brakes are out, not to mention non functioning power windows. Too good not to want to get fixed, damn I need help! Plain to see this guy is amazingly efficient at what he does, well done!
Weird, I looked on your Amazon store, and I couldn’t find the torque rag listed there. I’ll keep looking. 🤣
Very Happy to see some mechanic skills, more up most peoples skill set. Enjoyed this video and a thumbs up is on the way.
Good job. Drove. One. In. Taxi. Comfortable. To drive. Would make. Someone. Great. Car. Thanks
It also helps if you have enough experience to know what some of the common failures are on various cars. Nice job!
yep, every engine has an achilles heel, even the bulletproof 3.8.
Nothing beats experience. Well done.
I like seeing these flip cars, you should throw them in here every once in a while...not literally 'throw', you'd probably hurt your back!
I love Buicks. I admire the men who keep em on the road. An old Buick will still get you 40-50k miles farther than an old or crap anything else.
Considering the age of those cars I see a surprising amount of them on the road
I prefer boring older cars even though we might not get money back from it but it's the space , comfort,size durability and less computer stuff too.
No Smoke Show! I have done this on three Series II 3800s, 2 Lesabres and an 88. The 88 had the gasket failure and the Lesabres were done as a preventative measure. Very well done instructional on your behalf! Thank you
Thanks for another great video. That is probably what happened to my friends Buick. The mechanic showed her all the rust in the radiator and said the engine was shot! She bought another car. He probably fixed it and made out well for himself!
I like the simple flip videos. Thanks for putting it out.
I also have a verbal torque wrench and a torque rag. Both precisely calibrated. Thanks for the laughs Chris oh and outstanding content as usual.
My parents century had the 3100 and it was a beast in the snow. Kinda wish it didn't need intake gaskets 3 times in my recollection from HS to college.
I have the same car, bought it for 1600 bucks CDN. Needed nothing for safety. Previous owner was a GM tech, he took real good care of it. Clean as a new car undernearh, Have had it almost a year now, 287,000 Km still running strong. Boring or not, these are amazing cars!
Think it was flooded but I learned something new with the coolant leaking and hydro lock the engine. See why I love this channel. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
After watching this latest addition of boring build Friday you keep giving me hope for the antique vehicles of the past 😂 keep up the good fight
Torque Rag. I'm stealing that one.
I own a 99 buick LeSbre limited love the car when I bought it it had 70 thousand miles on it I had the intake changed because of this problem it now has 150 thousand miles love the car
Vehcor a buddy of mine is a mechanic I was at his shop one day, there was this 2015 Escalade, it sounded like the lifters were shot, they replaced lifters new cylinder deactivation thing on top of the head, put it back together still making the noise, it was a second belt still connected behind the main one was and it was the compressor for the ac, I would of chewed the guy out, the mechanic, but he said no it’s a learning experience. Crazy hey.
I see that little promaster is proving to be a replacement for all those GMC trucks that Scotts GM truck emporium has!
Try a mix of three parts oil, one part transmission fluid in the engine. The trans fluid absorbs water and cleans inside the block. I had a '93 Chevy with a 4.3 blow the intake gasket, and before I figured out where the water was going there was four gallons in the crankcase. I changed the oil with trans fluid mix every day for a week, just drained the filter and reinstalled it, and it was spotless inside after that.
Certain Companies must love you after slagging off their Cars &/or Components but I like your brand of humour & Sarcasm, you certainly know your way around an Engine so keep up the good work from the UK.
I love these Buicks with the 3800 V6. This engine is one of the best GM ever developed. Love these Buicks because they are not flashy yet they provide some luxury. This will be a true blue flip car.
I usually do valve cover gaskets and plugs when doing this job also...just easy and seals up more leaking!
I wait every week for your videos. Love the Commentary and info you provide. Best channel on UA-cam!!!
No question there.
I still have my 05 LaSabre. 289k miles. Just replace parts as needed. You can not toss a new car payment at it each month if you just maintain it. Example, rear air ride system has failed.
$339 in parts ( shocks and air pump) done. Next month, oil change $36.
Of course I do all of the repairs myself etc. But watching a "how to" video does help!
Of course my first vehicle was a 63 Biscayne so times have changed, but the get to it is still the same.
Fix it instead of financing it.
This is how to flip a car. Great job Scott. You & Eric. O at S.M.A share some killer lines, but he's got you beat on the Brake Cleaner introduction, no music Scott!..... but you got him beat on bringing a car in, he doesn't scream! Great channel, whatever the content! :-)
I had one of these as a loaner for about 6 months in 1999, and I actually enjoyed it. But I was only 31 then, so by law (well, ok, maybe it was my girlfriend's complaints) I was too young to keep it. Now I'm 53, and I wish I had it back.
Putting your hands in the sludge with no gloves. I can hear the clean freaks screaming from here. 😂😂😂
I bet they got second hand cancer! 😂
@@vehcor I bet they left the one (so far) dislike.
I drove a 01 buick lesabre for 576k miles before the rear cradle decided to stay on the floor when it went in for rear brake service. only replaced the intake 2 times once for the egr and a cracked intake..
3800 are the best gm v6 ever built
Underneath it all, that engine is famous for lasting a long time! Hundreds of thousands of miles. That car has tons of use left, is reliable, parts are cheap, and insurance is low. Have it oil sprayed to stop the rust.
I find this interesting, because here in Australia we died get the 3800 Buick engine from the mid 80s, but turned 90 degrees in our Holden Commodores, but we don't get plastic intakes so we don't have this problem. Using water in the cooling system does make the in take and timing cover corrode sometime and dump the cooling system into the oil anyway.
While these Buicks can be boring, they are safe, comfortable, affordable, and fairly reliable modes of transportation. My wife's '04 LeSabre is a great example, and I am looking for another like the one in this video for my daughter. It's nice to have a lot of metal around you when you are driving surrounded by maniacs, and doing so in comfort is a plus.
Good one - 3.8L I have a 2001 gmc 1500 4.8L with 78, 800 miles. Origional owner. Door sticker says built 12-2000 Canada plant.
Texas truck that was used for wheels a few weeks a month. It runs great has crank windows and is the base model. Paid $17,800
brand new. Would like to buy a Tundra or newer GMC pu.
I dont have enough gold bars to pay for a new one. Thanks for your pro videos, i like the humor as i usually have similar. Good job with your channel, love the content.
Thanks for the support!
why would you buy a new truck that will give you nothing but headaches? stick with what you have..."old reliable". I'm actually looking for an older pickup as I'm tired of all the BS with newer ones.....
Take care of it. Those GMT800s are good trucks and will last a long time if you treat them right.
Keep that truck you have!! Its worth more to you than what you paid new. If you buy a new truck you'll lose that much in instant depreciation!!
You do realize that in 2001 there were people complaining about the cost of your truck. By the way, using the CPI calculator your $ 17,800 is $ $31,276 in Nov 2021 $.
I had a 1992 LeSabre. I loved that car but it started to overheat and knock at 248.000 miles so I sold it and bought a Dodge with 148.000 miles. Now the Dodge has 257.000 miles and it still runs great.
Torque rag.
Keeping that one.
Thanks for sharing.
Nice job, I have the same car and I do this job exactly 3 years ago and still run fine!
Nice flip! Hard to find and at the same time knowing probably what the issue is and that you can fix it. Of course a lot of that comes from experience. Sometimes you think you know, then it ends up costing quite a bit. You were fortunate here that all was as you predicted, and you had a plan 'B' in the wings with the other engine. Good job!
Same exact thing happened on my 96. Just finished lower intake gaskets, upper intake assembly, and upper plenum gasket.
Just bought a 2000 lesabre with 210k. Still a great car
Man's confidence is incredible. Incredible video 🤙
When I was your age, we had CABLES that connected the gas pedal to the throttle body!!!! And we were THANKFUL!!!!!
Yea Throttle by wire SUCKS
Interesting about the commonality of that fault with the intake gaskets / EGR valve. GM Australia used the 3.8V6 in the Commodore between 1988 and 1995, when it was replaced by the 3.8 Ecotec (essentially the same engine with some ' fuel saving' enhancements), then the 3.6 Alloytec in 2004 (again, essentially the same engine but with further "enhancements"). I owned two of the first gen Commodore 3.8s (an '89 and a '90 VN model) and did well over 150k miles in each, selling them when their total milage was around 350k (coincidentally). Neither mine nor any of my family or friends who owned one ever had the intake issue. Rather strange.....
Mind you, the Ecotec engines in the VS to VY ('95-'03) were problematic with coolant leaking from unlikely places and their heater valves (made of plastic) becoming brittle and unexpectedly snapping off the firewall at any given time, dumping huge amounts of coolant on the hot exhaust that ran beneath. Rather spectacular when it happens, actually......but still no issues with intake gaskets on that 3.8 and mine had both dome mid-200s when I sold them. God little donk, those ones.
The Alloytec were even more spectacular....and THESE babies were known to have a time bomb in the water pump and THEY could have issues with intake gaskets, but this was usually after 80k miles when the intake manifold had been removed to change the iridium spark plugs, which you could not get at because the manifold is in the way.....and then hashed up putting it back on properly.
Yep - I reckon the engineers at GM left it to the architects to design the engine mods after about 1992, I think, No engineer would have you removed a manifold to take out a spark plug......unless of course he was getting a 50% kick back from the mechanics who charge by the hour for changing them.
Perfect video I learnt a lot but would never try that I don't have the tools but its useful to be able to speak to the engineer or mechanic that's going to rob me for the job! Enjoy your expertise and share your sense of humour!
Drain the pool! Great video Scott. My 96 Grand Am 3.1 needed its leaking intake manifold gasket replaced when it was 7 years old and now I finally can understand why.
I loved this one since I had a 3800 in my 2002 Grand Prix. I wish I still had that very low mileage car, but I traded it in on my Denali in mid-January of 2020.
Talk about a profit! I could use a car like this as a beater to drive to work! Nice work Scott!
Good Call. Great job.
Boring Flip Friday🤩 Entertaining as usual, Scott👍 Keep bringing us along as you bring em back👌
Say what you want but the Buick 3800 series ranks up there with Chevy 350's,,i found the big Buicks (LeSabres,etc) a joy to work on, my experiences.
Loved this. Great change of pace. Learned a lot.
the adjustable locking hammer is also the best adjustable brake spring removal tool.
I had a 97 LeSabre with a 3800. Ran good, only problem was the heater core. Went through 7 of them before I took to independent shop. Plastic ends kept melting, other shop got one with metal ends no more prob.!!
Now THAT'S how it's done! Cheap car, cheap parts, gravy job, FAST money. But you're right....good flip cars like this are getting really few and far between. Out in my neck of the woods, they are fairly non existent - people drive them till they literally puke.
Interesting video. I wouldn't mind seeing more engine repairs or swaps in the future.
I didn't know Dorman stuff was lousy. I guess you live and learn. I have worked on lots of 3800 engines. Not too bad at all.
Did this on a 98 Regal GS with the Supercharger. Chose not to replace the steering rack and ditched that car. Good power in that little sedan though. Also nice references to South Main Auto...LOL
Smart thinking leaving everything connected when you disassemble the intake. Unplugging 35 hoses and connectors are just a chance to snap 35 plastic retaining clips. I like using ratchet straps to hold back wiring harnesses and stuff. Makes it easy to get things out of the way a wee bit more if necessary when you're lifting stuff in and out of the engine compartment. Might just be a convenience thing though. I usually find bad bungee cords and good ratchet straps when I need to do such things.
Looks a clean car for its age,that is the best oil filter wrench for the job,I alway use it where possible. Not many 1998 car left in that condition over the pond in England where I live! Great little car for someone now.
Thanks for sharing and enjoy the humor. Am concerned that the painting gnomes had nothing to do.
Brings back memories, used to flip a lot of these but always hung on to my 89 Park Ave. Was way better built & got almost 600 k out of it before it was rear ended & wrote off. Still ran great though.
I’ve love this channel and I love Buicks!
Friday evening in the Netherlands. Vehcor is on the tube and rocking...😁
I enjoyed seeing you work on something older. Can't wait to see more of your most recent Pontiac G8
I could have sworn the early Series1 and "pre series 1" intakes were metal. I don't recall the EGR ports leaking on them. They probably had other issues though. I do recall the series 2 engines had way more problems. Failing plastic coolant elbows, and the fuel regulator failing, dumping fuel in the intake, it backfiring and making the intake explode to bits.
The 91 (and 92?) Park Ave and 92 Lesabres all had the metal upper intake. They never should have changed to the plastic.
Sounds like the northstar engines and the head bolts and the pontiac 2.8 and 3.1 that almost always end up toasted due to bad head gaskets. It's almost as if they didn't learn a think after building engines for 80 years......
Well, I kinda think torquing the fender bolts is important. In a crash, the structural integrity could be comprimised and the blinker fluid will leak out.
I replaced a bunch of those back in the 90s early 2000s. I really liked the 3.8 other than the intake and the early ones were prone to the stupid magnet in the camshaft gear falling out as the plastic carrier fell apart. And for some reason they don't make a replacement one that you can install from the outside through the cam sensor hole...
I had bought a 94 le Sabre from a dealer for $3500 and only 37K miles when it was virtually new. It was a dealer buyback and their guys never could figure out the problem.... It would set a CTS code every time it was started. I knew after two starts and one resetting of the codes what the issue was. It was the one part the factories always said never fails... If you turned the key on and let it sit for 30 seconds before starting it the car would never set a code. The problem was a bad PCM. If you let it warm up the CTS would read right. I had seen it before on others and so yeah I got a nearly new car for $3500 and a $100 PCM.
I miss how easy those oil changes were...
PERFECT! A FELLOW DOORMAN HATER YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. 1991 olds royale, installed doorman crank balancer. Fell off less than 4 months later.
Great overview on the intake replacement; I am about sold on getting one of these Regal/LeSsbre/Lucerne versions. Seems to be a very underrated but reliable and easy to maintain car :-)