Cascade Crew

91RSVert · Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 6:34 am Post subject: 99 Malibu questions

So helping a mommy of 3 out by fixing her car.

It has the 3.1 "m" code engine. Idling rough, compression test showed 70 in cyl 1, while rest were 110-115. I am getting lots of steam that smells like exhaust back thru the radiator. Getting lots of water(no coolant smell) from the exhaust.

Whats confusing me, is the spark plug had no rust. No coolant smell from exhaust. Does the converter clean that up, or does it burn away from the heat and just leave steam/water?

91RSVert · Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:18 am Post subject:

Also trying to figure out the difference between the head gasket sets. There are 3.

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RSFreak · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 7:40 pm Post subject:

Water is a natural byproduct of combustion, so seeing some in the exhaust is normal. I'd be looking at that #1 cyl.

91RSVert · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 6:23 am Post subject:

I'm talking this thing had so much water in less then 5 minutes, it looked like I spilt 2 gallons of water under the back end of the car.

I got it apart last night. Whats effed up is the gasket was cracked on 3, and thats what was getting fluid. However, you could see exhaust blowby going over to cyl 1

However, 4 of the 6 cyls had cracks in the heads between the valves. One was also cracked to the spark plug hole.

kurfbird · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:00 am Post subject: OOO that bad

I think Malibu were notorious for this. Intake gaskets leaking.

91RSVert · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:17 am Post subject:

All fwd 3100/3400's were known for intake gaskets. Which had already been done on this car.

This one, the heater core went out, she kept driving it and it over heated. But I think the head gasket was on its way out already by the looks of the gasket. The over heating just finished it off.

Oh, I never did find the drain plug on the radiator either. Confused

aaron_sK · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 8:35 am Post subject:

GM had a crapload of coolant gasket failures in that era. A combination of the poorly engineered plastic gaskets and the poorly engineered DexCool.

Jay, it sounds like this car's headed for China unless you can find another late 60* for scrap price.

Twilightoptics · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 9:32 am Post subject:

Uh dexcool is badass man.....

Alphius · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 11:02 am Post subject:

Dex is great until it gets old. It needs changed on schedule.

aaron_sK · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 1:17 pm Post subject:

The problem is that they billed it as a "lifetime" coolant and then sold all those cars to women. Laughing

Alphius · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 2:32 pm Post subject:

It is lifetime. When the engine dies it's lifetime is over.

Twilightoptics · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 2:44 pm Post subject:

I dont remember seeing anything other than extended life. I dont run green in anything I own. Check the freeZing point annually and is good is good is goooood.

aaron_sK · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 2:48 pm Post subject:

Alphius · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 3:30 pm Post subject:

I run cheap green stuff and change it every year or two.
I do electrolysis and acidity tests as well. This method has never done me wrong. Very Happy

iansane · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 6:11 pm Post subject:

91RSVert · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 6:41 pm Post subject:

aaron_sK · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:22 pm Post subject: