The money pit opens her mouth again.. Engine seals.

[tsaltario]

Howdy ho everyone.. So I bring my GN to a friend's shop today for an alignment, fix a power steering fluid leak that I couldn't track down, and while they were in there, replace the oilpan gasket.

Get the good news that

A: Every visible seal on the engine is leaking oil

and

B: there's coolant in with the oil.

He figures it would be about $1500-$2000 (estimate) depending on how bad everything is when it's out.


SO a buddy has offered to help me fix this all up....... So let's start the discussion...

Do I pull the motor? Or put it on ramps and drop the tranny to get at the rear seal, and go from there?

I'm not in a big hurry to increase my power, but if there's anything else you think I shold be doing while i'm in there, let me know.

Thanks

Tom

 

[chrisgarrett]

The first thing I would do is pull the oil pan and see what kind of damage the coolant may have caused to the bearings.

 

[Turbo1dr]

Pull the engine to do the seals. It's easier that way if all of them are leaking.

 

[tsaltario]

So another question, can a block off of a newer generation 3.8L be retrofit into our cars?

 

[SouthernCal GN]

So another question, can a block off of a newer generation 3.8L be retrofit into our cars?

Why? If you take the time to seal her up right, there should be no problems....

+1 with chris- pull the pan and check the bearings (at the very least). Better to pull the entire engine, and do it right- find out where it's leaking coolant into the oil...

 

[turbofabricator]

No need to remove the transmission to replace the rear main seal. It is really only a 1.5 hr job to replace the rear main seal with the updated neoprene style, instead of the stock rope seal. Front timing cover seal is about a 4 hour job, and it is a good idea to replace the timing chain in the process, if it has over 30,000 miles on it. The timing cover can also be "ported" to improve oil flow. The valve cover gaskets are a 1 hour job. If you are replacing the oil pan, timing cover and valve cover gaskets/seals, then the engine will be sealed up tight as can be. You can do this on a Saturday thrash. It's not rocket science. Just have all the parts ready to go before you start. Cork oil pan gasket, neoprene rear main seal, Fel-Pro timing cover gasket set (WITH neoprene front seal), and good valve cover gaskets, timing chain set, and you will be able to get it all done in one day. Purchase a tube of "Ultra-Black" in a cartridge that installs in a calking gun and after you install the rear main seal (with the ends off-set in the cap and block about 1/8") take the caulking gun and pump the Ultra-Black into the side cavities to seal it up. Make SURE you clean the block and main cap REAL good with brake clean before you pump silicone into the cavity for the side seals. Throw the rubber side seals, that come in the box, away! Use Ultra-Black and it will be as leak proof as possible. Lightly coat both sides of the cork pan gasket with Ultra-Black, also. Do NOT install the pan gasket untill you remove and replace the timing cover gasket, and timing chain. If you replace the timing chain with a double roller, remove the stock tensioner and toss it. If you use a factory style timing set, install a new tensioner assembly. (GM)

 

[tsaltario]

Thanks for all the info guys. I'm still tossing it up of talking out the motor, stripping her down, and doing a complete re-build on it. It's an unopened block, with about 140,000KMS on it. (Or so I've been told, can't really tell since the odometer rolls over every 100,000KMS)

My biggest concern about just re-sealing her up, is if the heads are cracked, or the valvetrain is weak etc etc. I'll sleep on it, talk to my mechanic more in the morning.

Tom

 

[SVORay]

If it was me and I was facing a rebuild. I would buy a pre-ready to drop in short block or build one before I tore my car a part. That way I could cut back on down time and waiting on a machine shop etc. Just my opinion.

 

[Sarah99gxe]

No need to remove the transmission to replace the rear main seal. It is really only a 1.5 hr job to replace the rear main seal with the updated neoprene style, instead of the stock rope seal. (GM)

Do you or does anyone have a write up anywhere on replacing the rear main seal?

Thanks,
Sarah

 

[Lee_Burough]

You will find procedures for the rear main seal here.

You will find a complete discussion of a LC2 performance engine rebuild in the last series of links found in the 'GENERAL' section of the TTA FAQ List.

 

[Sarah99gxe]

Thanks Lee

I do want to confirm - these procedures will work for an 83 correct?

Thanks
Sarah

 

[Lee_Burough]

Thanks Lee

I do want to confirm - these procedures will work for an 83 correct?

Thanks
Sarah

The engine rebuild would be a LOT diferent, but the rear main seal should ve very similar, but, I'd expect some small differences (don't know what the differences would be).

 

[Sarah99gxe]

Understood. Thanks Lee