Your video is now almost a century year old. This shows the significance of sharing our experience with others. I have a 1997 Malibu with 30k miles, this exact thing just happened to my vehicle and your video has helped 7:16 me solve the issue. I did however remove the power steering pump and a few things to get better access to the outer bolts. As you indicated all the bolts were significantly loose. UA-cam has become our Encyclopedia of knowledge. 🙏
Well I thought I'd give you an update about a month-and-a-half ago my 2002 Chevy Malibu 3100 V6 was leaking antifreeze I was having to put in water every week the surge tank you don't fed to fill it back up every week will then there's leak got so bad that it was I was happy to do it almost twice a week needless to say I saw your video and I want to tell you I really appreciate your video man your videos save me about $900 on replacing that lower intake manifold gasket now it's been about a month and a half and I had that I have not had had to add any water at all I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that this will hold but apparently it looks like it is it's going to hold again thank you so much for your video it really helped me in a situation cuz right now I couldn't afford to have that intake manifold gasket repair but thank you Danny
THANK YOU!! Yeah, I have a 2005 Malibu 6cyl and outta the blue started leaking DexCool. THIS is exactly what I needed to see and I'll repost when its done and fixed.
I've got a 1997 Lumina, 3.1 L. All of the intake gaskets on these types of engines have to be replace because they were partly plastic. My grandmother had it replaced around 30,000 miles. My coolant is leaking as well, but not in the same spot.. still digging. Good video.
Thanks for the tip! I just got a potential $1600 dollar bill from Firestone in Monroeville…I was specifically looking for a video telling me where the bolts are and if I could get to them without pulling a lot out…It will be worth a try to see if those bolts worked their way loose
I have a 2002 Chevy Malibu and have been leaking antifreeze every week I've had to put antifreeze in it I can't I don't know where it's going can't find it some people said that General Motors had a problem with the surge tank cap well replace the surge tank with the new cap and the problem actually got worse so I ended up but I watched your video and I end up tighten down those six bolts and it worked I had also put Teflon tape around the surge tank cap and now it doesn't leak antifreeze at all now thanks for your video
i SO WISH that i had seen your video before i took my engine apart! i also had those loose bolts, and i know now that your method would have fixed my problem. the head gasket was not that bad. thanks for putting your fix on line - i hope someone else can benefit from your video.
thanks man mine has 40000 thousand and the ignition went out the back tail lights were out the front right shock coilover spring snapped and the coolant leak is getting really bad now unbelievable. again thanks
My quick fix was to have a mechanic replace the lower intake manifold gasket. This is a common problem with this engine. It cost me $800. I know that it was done properly and it gives me peace of mind.
first I am a mechanic student, secondly that engine is an aluminum block where it is common knowledge that if u over torque those bolts u will scrap the block itself because it will warp. this maybe be a quick fix but the true fix for this is to replace the gasket. if u do like this man does and tighten half the bolts it will most definitely warp the intake cover with it run over time. that's why he says he still has problems with it. its worth spending money on a mechanic who is certified for professionalism in automotive repair. that way u end up with a fixed car that is dependable not barely running.
how do you get certified for"professionalism"in automotive repair? lol Im certified in "excellence" in automotive service....at least that's what my ASE certificate and patch says lol but I must've missed out on the professionalism certifications...lol I'm just yanking your chain bud. just wait till you get out there in the real world and start working, I admire your conviction, but honestly what this guy is doing is just to get him by for a little while longer, that's what is poor people have to do from time to time, I could never afford to have my own car repaired at any place I've ever worked at. And honestly you'll find out pretty quick that all that professionalism your talking about in the repair industry is few and far between, I went to tech school for automotive technology too bro and I thought kind of the same way you do now at first , but most people are better off doing a little research and fixing their own vehicles alot of times.... there are some really good honest mechanics out there but not many, you'll find out soon enough that you chose a profession that's full of hacks, crooks, and cut throat back Stabbers ... sad but true... and what this guys doing here is nothing compared to what your bound to see go down in your career if you end up sticking with it.
I read your updates in the description of the video, interesting... the last update said the garage charged to almost $700 to replace the intake manifold gaskets.... seems a little steep but then again most garages are, they gotta keep the lights on, sucks that the guy that did it only made about fifty bucks though and the shop kept $600 but that's beside the point, I digress, the real reason I wanted to comment was you said In your last update in the description after they did the work you now have a check engine light with the code p0171 which is lean bank 1 ... and they told you that you need an oxygen sensor... now coolant CAN junk an oxygen sensor for sure, but if I had a lean code pop up right after someone changed my intake gaskets I'd automatically be a little suspicious and was check for myself if my o2 sensor was actually stuck lean with a scan tool out it was functioning properly and also look at my fuel trims and check for vacuum leaks and the new gaskets or maybe they forgot to hook up a hose or broke or split one by accident causing a vacuum leak.
I am not a mechanic, but I did work for a mechanic as an apprentice for a year. First : I have a 00 Malibu 3.1l , when I first got it I did the mistake of putting the wrong antifreeze color green as the require gm that is color red , this was before I work as a mechanic apprentice. I can see in this video that this vehicle has the color green antifreeze and I read somewhere that it eats away the gasket, soon after I put the green on my car ,started leaking from the same spot as this vehicle. And I know that replacing the upper intake manifold is expensive but working for a mechanic I did had the chance in doing myself and I do still drive my 00 chevy. I don't believe that only a mechanic can do it ,it just a matter of doing an extensive research first also having the appropriate tools , do not attempt to do this job without having a trusty torque wrench.
This is quite different than the compatibility issues Dex-Cool has had. The L88 3.1L and most of its relatives just had a poor intake gasket design, made from what I would call an unsuitable material to boot. Unrelated to the Jello/sand problems those same engines (and many other GMs, ugh) experienced. I love my shitty Chevies, but DAMN.
Your code you said at end of video that came up p0171 might just be as simple as pcv valve, mine threw a similar code and I bought a new one for2$72ents problem gone
Eh! Idk cause if you tighten that down, you may have a oil leak. Supposed to be recommended tightening. How ya be careful but came down all to it and after changing the head gasket and thermostat etc? Found out it was a timing cover gasket. 🤦🏾♂️ P.S I was told if it ain’t broke don’t fix it!
Update; I received the car back from the garage. The coolant leak is gone, but there is a New problem. The engine light came on in just 4 miles and I found error code 0171, a likely intake leak.The engine idle is rough sometimes and the car has more power! With it idling at 750 RPMs, I sprayed starting fluid down in the intake engine valley. The engine took a dive to around 300 RPMs and almost stalled out. After it smoothed off, I sprayed again and the engine almost stalled. They said to get a downstream O2 sensor for them to try next. I think it now has an intake manifold related leak, since the spray should have not cause the engine speed to change and we did not have the engine light on before. Any input would be appreciated.
+cyjo2009 We brought the car back to the garage after they replaced the intake manifold gaskets because the car now shows the P0171 code which is too lean fuel mixture. This code can be caused by too little fuel or too much air in the mix. Because the car has more acceleration/power than ever, it is not too little fuel. They then replaced the intake manifold gaskets a second time (Major Pain! ). After this was done, driving the car 21 miles, the engine light is on again! Brought it back to the garage with a $20 upstream O2 sensor from Ebay that I suggested to try. They said it would likely not be the problem. They called a week later and said the upstream O2 sensor WAS the problem and the idle is now smooth and NO engine light on after they drove it 100 miles. We have had the car 2 days and 50 miles of driving, all looks good. No coolant leak, No engine light with bad idle, Good performance. Because this job was more than I wanted to tackle with everything else going on, I had the garage do it. So far, So good. John
if the gaskets cracked how would tightening it more fix it, the fasteners from the factory are torqued to spec... i dont understand how the fasteners are coming loose on their own
You have to understand that the gaskets have a certain thickness but when they turn to "goop" that thickness is decreased leaving the intake manifold bolts no longer torqued! Tighten them again squashes the bad gasket and seals again partly. It is Not a perfect fix, but it can buy time before having a major repair.
They don't. The gasket is plastic and the seals are rubber. When the intake is originally installed on the gasket it compresses the rubber into the plastic gasket and makes a seal. Over time the rubber and plastic around the ports start to deteriorate from the coolant heat and then you get a leak. Since these cars use plastic gaskets they can't be compressed anymore. if your bolts are loose it's because someone previosly worked on your car and they were either stripped or not torqued down properly to begin with. They shouldn't be loose.
hey i have a 05 Chevy impala with the 3.4 and my lower gasket is good but I have a coolant leek on top of the lower intake by the fuel injectors I have know idea what it could be its like a pool of coolant
My 97 Gran Am GT 3.1 has a small leak around the passenger side. But the shows up the next morning, when i go somewhere and park i see no leak. Its when i park in the garage i see a little coolant the next day. Can anyone give me a ideal what it could be. It has 56 thousands miles , the water pump was replaced by the last owner.
I have the same car and year but it leaks transmission fluid on the side of the pan does anyone knows why I put the whole big bottle and it moves put it still leaking
We all know when chevrolet recommended dexkill as the one and only coolant for these engine’s that it causes cancer costing the customers the repair bill thousands. Great job Chevy/not
I'm sorry but this isn't a fix for the gasket leak. Loose bolts aren't why this gasket leaks. It leaks because the gasket seal around the coolant port between the surface of the lower intake and the head has deteriorated. In some cases the plastic also has become brittle in that area and broken down over time. It's more likely that whoever worked on your car last did not torque down your lower intake bolts properly or reused the bolts after stripping them out and that is what is causing your leak. If someone truly has an intake gasket leak the only fix for it is to change out the gasket.
only problem is if you tighten those bolts too tight you will crack the manifold since it's plastic also the gasket is plastic which is destroyed by the DEX-COOL antifreeze
Your video is now almost a century year old. This shows the significance of sharing our experience with others. I have a 1997 Malibu with 30k miles, this exact thing just happened to my vehicle and your video has helped 7:16 me solve the issue. I did however remove the power steering pump and a few things to get better access to the outer bolts. As you indicated all the bolts were significantly loose. UA-cam has become our Encyclopedia of knowledge. 🙏
Well I thought I'd give you an update about a month-and-a-half ago my 2002 Chevy Malibu 3100 V6 was leaking antifreeze I was having to put in water every week the surge tank you don't fed to fill it back up every week will then there's leak got so bad that it was I was happy to do it almost twice a week needless to say I saw your video and I want to tell you I really appreciate your video man your videos save me about $900 on replacing that lower intake manifold gasket now it's been about a month and a half and I had that I have not had had to add any water at all I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that this will hold but apparently it looks like it is it's going to hold again thank you so much for your video it really helped me in a situation cuz right now I couldn't afford to have that intake manifold gasket repair but thank you Danny
Constructive criticism: punctuation and sentence construction will make your posts a lot easier to follow. Thanks.
THANK YOU!! Yeah, I have a 2005 Malibu 6cyl and outta the blue started leaking DexCool. THIS is exactly what I needed to see and I'll repost when its done and fixed.
I've got a 1997 Lumina, 3.1 L. All of the intake gaskets on these types of engines have to be replace because they were partly plastic. My grandmother had it replaced around 30,000 miles. My coolant is leaking as well, but not in the same spot.. still digging. Good video.
Nick Fox check timing cover gasket?
Mine is leaking a little. I have a 1997 grand am GT has 56 thousand miles, omg
Thank you for the info I have a real bad leaker 2002 malibu 3100 leaks same area a lot
Merry Christmas 🎄
Thanks for the tip! I just got a potential $1600 dollar bill from Firestone in Monroeville…I was specifically looking for a video telling me where the bolts are and if I could get to them without pulling a lot out…It will be worth a try to see if those bolts worked their way loose
I have a 2002 Chevy Malibu and have been leaking antifreeze every week I've had to put antifreeze in it I can't I don't know where it's going can't find it some people said that General Motors had a problem with the surge tank cap well replace the surge tank with the new cap and the problem actually got worse so I ended up but I watched your video and I end up tighten down those six bolts and it worked I had also put Teflon tape around the surge tank cap and now it doesn't leak antifreeze at all now thanks for your video
Alot of good information for me! Glad to find your channel.
i SO WISH that i had seen your video before i took my engine apart! i also had those loose bolts, and i know now that your method would have fixed my problem. the head gasket was not that bad. thanks for putting your fix on line - i hope someone else can benefit from your video.
thanks man
mine has 40000 thousand and the ignition went out the back tail lights were out the front right shock coilover spring snapped and the coolant leak is getting really bad now
unbelievable. again thanks
This helped me a lot!! I had to come back and comment. all the bolts were loose, I tightend them and no more leaks for now. Thankyou.
Thank you for real, I got the 2003 malibu V6 3.1 and he started leaking kinda lot soo thanks again !
My quick fix was to have a mechanic replace the lower intake manifold gasket. This is a common problem with this engine. It cost me $800. I know that it was done properly and it gives me peace of mind.
Thanks a lot. this helps me understand. I am not a mechanic but I could tell my mechanic about this video and yyour information.
I have a '99 Malibu with the same issue. So, Tomorrow I will see if that is the issue. Thanks.
How are you holding up today sir. Thank you for your tip . Well done.👊💥
There are six 10 mm bolts. 4 of them go vertically down into the block. The other 2 go into the heads.
Nope there are 8 chief I did your trick and yes they were loose but it didn't solve the gasket failure.
Swap to the green coolant with felpro gasket. I recommend a deep cooling system cleanout as well.
I am gonna try this, I will let you know if this helps. Thanks
first I am a mechanic student, secondly that engine is an aluminum block where it is common knowledge that if u over torque those bolts u will scrap the block itself because it will warp. this maybe be a quick fix but the true fix for this is to replace the gasket. if u do like this man does and tighten half the bolts it will most definitely warp the intake cover with it run over time. that's why he says he still has problems with it. its worth spending money on a mechanic who is certified for professionalism in automotive repair. that way u end up with a fixed car that is dependable not barely running.
how do you get certified for"professionalism"in automotive repair? lol Im certified in "excellence" in automotive service....at least that's what my ASE certificate and patch says lol but I must've missed out on the professionalism certifications...lol
I'm just yanking your chain bud. just wait till you get out there in the real world and start working, I admire your conviction, but honestly what this guy is doing is just to get him by for a little while longer, that's what is poor people have to do from time to time, I could never afford to have my own car repaired at any place I've ever worked at. And honestly you'll find out pretty quick that all that professionalism your talking about in the repair industry is few and far between, I went to tech school for automotive technology too bro and I thought kind of the same way you do now at first , but most people are better off doing a little research and fixing their own vehicles alot of times.... there are some really good honest mechanics out there but not many, you'll find out soon enough that you chose a profession that's full of hacks, crooks, and cut throat back Stabbers ... sad but true... and what this guys doing here is nothing compared to what your bound to see go down in your career if you end up sticking with it.
block is iron
@@dereck72 Yes I have a '99 Cutlass -- the heads are aluminum and the block is cast iron
Thank you so much!
I read your updates in the description of the video, interesting... the last update said the garage charged to almost $700 to replace the intake manifold gaskets.... seems a little steep but then again most garages are, they gotta keep the lights on, sucks that the guy that did it only made about fifty bucks though and the shop kept $600 but that's beside the point, I digress, the real reason I wanted to comment was you said In your last update in the description after they did the work you now have a check engine light with the code p0171 which is lean bank 1 ... and they told you that you need an oxygen sensor... now coolant CAN junk an oxygen sensor for sure, but if I had a lean code pop up right after someone changed my intake gaskets I'd automatically be a little suspicious and was check for myself if my o2 sensor was actually stuck lean with a scan tool out it was functioning properly and also look at my fuel trims and check for vacuum leaks and the new gaskets or maybe they forgot to hook up a hose or broke or split one by accident causing a vacuum leak.
I am not a mechanic, but I did work for a mechanic as an apprentice for a year.
First :
I have a 00 Malibu 3.1l , when I first got it I did the mistake of putting the wrong antifreeze color green as the require gm that is color red , this was before I work as a mechanic apprentice.
I can see in this video that this vehicle has the color green antifreeze and I read somewhere that it eats away the gasket, soon after I put the green on my car ,started leaking from the same spot as this vehicle.
And I know that replacing the upper intake manifold is expensive but working for a mechanic I did had the chance in doing myself and I do still drive my 00 chevy.
I don't believe that only a mechanic can do it ,it just a matter of doing an extensive research first also having the appropriate tools , do not attempt to do this job without having a trusty torque wrench.
This is quite different than the compatibility issues Dex-Cool has had. The L88 3.1L and most of its relatives just had a poor intake gasket design, made from what I would call an unsuitable material to boot. Unrelated to the Jello/sand problems those same engines (and many other GMs, ugh) experienced. I love my shitty Chevies, but DAMN.
... wasn't GM sued over their Dexcool concoction, which caused damage to engines.
Need to torque the top bolts first with a 10 mm socket and to 18 ft pounds. Then do your outter ones.
Do you know where I can find a thermal bypass pipe assembly for 1999 Buick century is discontinued but will the year 2000 work for it?
So my 2000 Chevy Malibu is leaking coolant out of my timing cover do you know why that is
I tried this on my 01 malibu and it made me run out of coolant faster I put some in before I went to work and I had none driving home
Your code you said at end of video that came up p0171 might just be as simple as pcv valve, mine threw a similar code and I bought a new one for2$72ents problem gone
I tighten the 10mm that you mention but now oil is going inside the coolant reservoir.
Eh! Idk cause if you tighten that down, you may have a oil leak. Supposed to be recommended tightening. How ya be careful but came down all to it and after changing the head gasket and thermostat etc? Found out it was a timing cover gasket. 🤦🏾♂️
P.S I was told if it ain’t broke don’t fix it!
awesome, its worth a try- thanks
My coolant leaks but i leaks by the belt but not at the water pump just up a little bit higher than that but still up by the belt nonetheless
My sons car leaks cooling fluid, some oil in coolant, no coolant in the oil. Is there 6, 10mm bolts or is there 8?
+Jimmy S You are correct.There are 8 bolts. I could not see the last 2 on the right of the engine at first.
Update; I received the car back from the garage. The coolant leak is gone, but there is a New problem. The engine light came on in just 4 miles and I found error code 0171, a likely intake leak.The engine idle is rough sometimes and the car has more power! With it idling at 750 RPMs, I sprayed starting fluid down in the intake engine valley. The engine took a dive to around 300 RPMs and almost stalled out. After it smoothed off, I sprayed again and the engine almost stalled. They said to get a downstream O2 sensor for them to try next. I think it now has an intake manifold related leak, since the spray should have not cause the engine speed to change and we did not have the engine light on before. Any input would be appreciated.
+cyjo2009 We brought the car back to the garage after they replaced the intake manifold gaskets because the car now shows the P0171 code which is too lean fuel mixture. This code can be caused by too little fuel or too much air in the mix. Because the car has more acceleration/power than ever, it is not too little fuel. They then replaced the intake manifold gaskets a second time (Major Pain! ). After this was done, driving the car 21 miles, the engine light is on again! Brought it back to the garage with a $20 upstream O2 sensor from Ebay that I suggested to try. They said it would likely not be the problem. They called a week later and said the upstream O2 sensor WAS the problem and the idle is now smooth and NO engine light on after they drove it 100 miles. We have had the car 2 days and 50 miles of driving, all looks good. No coolant leak, No engine light with bad idle, Good performance. Because this job was more than I wanted to tackle with everything else going on, I had the garage do it. So far, So good. John
if the gaskets cracked how would tightening it more fix it, the fasteners from the factory are torqued to spec... i dont understand how the fasteners are coming loose on their own
You have to understand that the gaskets have a certain thickness but when they turn to "goop" that thickness is decreased leaving the intake manifold bolts no longer torqued! Tighten them again squashes the bad gasket and seals again partly. It is Not a perfect fix, but it can buy time before having a major repair.
It is not a crack in the normal sense of the word. It is more like Goop
They don't. The gasket is plastic and the seals are rubber. When the intake is originally installed on the gasket it compresses the rubber into the plastic gasket and makes a seal. Over time the rubber and plastic around the ports start to deteriorate from the coolant heat and then you get a leak. Since these cars use plastic gaskets they can't be compressed anymore. if your bolts are loose it's because someone previosly worked on your car and they were either stripped or not torqued down properly to begin with. They shouldn't be loose.
Thank you sir I have a coolant leak in the same car and I'm trying to fix it.
Whitefright check timing cover gasket
My guess is the factory fill of Dex-Cool didn't help things… it seems to like to attack gaskets.
the dex cool turns to sludge and plugs up the engine
I don't think it's that
I gave you a liked and subscribed!
Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Done deal
hey i have a 05 Chevy impala with the 3.4 and my lower gasket is good but I have a coolant leek on top of the lower intake by the fuel injectors I have know idea what it could be its like a pool of coolant
I hope i can fix my old Malibu 98. It has only 298,000 miles.
Saulo Chonay only lol. Damn almost 300k on her
Justin P. Yeah Dude!
Still running!
...i guess i'll trade it in soon. It's time for an upgrade and start saving on gas.
👍
My 97 Gran Am GT 3.1 has a small leak around the passenger side. But the shows up the next morning, when i go somewhere and park i see no leak. Its when i park in the garage i see a little coolant the next day. Can anyone give me a ideal what it could be. It has 56 thousands miles , the water pump was replaced by the last owner.
4:02 can someone tell what hose that is the fat one
I have the same car and year but it leaks transmission fluid on the side of the pan does anyone knows why I put the whole big bottle and it moves put it still leaking
We all know when chevrolet recommended dexkill as the one and only coolant for these engine’s that it causes cancer costing the customers the repair bill thousands. Great job Chevy/not
I have A 1992 Isuzu Rodeo with a 3.1 V6 Chevy engine.. Do you happen to know the firing order I need to set the timing
It don't have coils? Any info can be googled. Shouldn't take 2 mins to find out.
thanks!
thanks bud i am going to do the same ernie in canada
Just wanted to add they're actually eight bolts not six
I got a 2004 chevy classic
thank you for this video
W
I'm sorry but this isn't a fix for the gasket leak. Loose bolts aren't why this gasket leaks. It leaks because the gasket seal around the coolant port between the surface of the lower intake and the head has deteriorated. In some cases the plastic also has become brittle in that area and broken down over time. It's more likely that whoever worked on your car last did not torque down your lower intake bolts properly or reused the bolts after stripping them out and that is what is causing your leak. If someone truly has an intake gasket leak the only fix for it is to change out the gasket.
Sweet TIP , chevy rULES
only problem is if you tighten those bolts too tight you will crack the manifold since it's plastic also the gasket is plastic which is destroyed by the DEX-COOL antifreeze
Then GM should pay for whatever damage is done by the Dex since they recommend filling it with the stuff in the owner's manual.
Maybe is when you mix different coolants together