My 1999 Chevy Malibu 6cyl. (3.1L)
Dear BL: my car is throwing allot of water and no, is not
from any of the hoses. It looks like its coming from like at the bottom of
the motor or just the motor itself.i keep filling the radiator w/
water but it only lasts me about a week then i refill again. When the gage
gets really high that's where i know to fill it up again. Can you help
me?
BL:
Yes, a very common area of leaks is the lower intake manifold. Click on
'common coolant leak...' for s couple of pics. Also the water pump is another leak area
as with any car.
Back
Dear BL: my car is throwing allot of water and no, is not
from any of the hoses. It looks like its coming from like at the bottom of
the motor or just the motor itself.i keep filling the radiator w/
water but it only lasts me about a week then i refill again. When the gage
gets really high that's where i know to fill it up again. Can you help
me?
BL:
Yes, a very common area of leaks is the lower intake manifold. Click on
'common coolant leak...' for s couple of pics. Also the water pump is another leak area
as with any car.
Back
Other related questions
Problem with my 2002 CHEVY MALIBU
3.1L V6
Repair work done prior = ENGINE REPLACEMENT, USED BUT GOOD. NEW WATER PUMP,
T-STAT, INTAKE GASKETS, RADIATOR, HOSES AND COOLANT TEMP SENSOR.
Work done to repair this problem = MULTIPLE T-STATS FROM DIFFERENT SUPPLIERS
INCLUDING DEALER. TEMP SENSOR. RESERVOIR AND CAP. BLOCK TEST.
GM tech = KK
question = TRYING TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT...
'O2 CHEVY MALIBU 3.1L OVERHEATED AND BLEW MOTOR. REPLACED WITH A GOOD ONE
FROM A BUICK CENTURY. PRIOR TO INSTALLATION, REPLACED INTAKE GASKETS, T-STAT,
W/P, PLUGS, OIL PAN GASKETS AND THE TIMING COVER (DUE TO SLIGHT PULLEY MOUNTING
DIFFERENCE) START AND RUN ENGINE IN BAY AND ALL IS GOOD. ROAD TEST GOOD.
RECHECK GOOD. GIVE TO CUSTOMER AND OVERHEATS IN FIRST FEW MILES. THEY PICKED
IT UP THE NEXT DAY. AFTER RECHECKING MULTIPLE TIMES, FOUND THAT IT ONLY
OVERHEATS FOR A MOMENT, PUSHES A LITTLE COOLANT OUT OVERFLOW, AND GOES BACK
TO NORMAL AND REMAINS GOOD FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. IT WILL ONLY DO THIS AFTER
THE ENGINE COOLS. IT WILL ONLY OVERHEAT ONCE OR TWICE DURING THE WARM UP
CYCLE ONLY, THEN IT'S OK. TRIED MULTIPLE T-STATS, REPLACED HOSES AND RADIATOR.
STILL DOES IT. TOOK T-STAT OUT OF VEHICLE AND IT STILL HAPPENS. AFTER REPLACING
EVERY PART OF THE COOLING SYSTEM MULTIPLE TIMES, IT STILL HAPPENS! LAST IDEA WE
HAVE IS THERE IS A CRACK INSIDE MOTOR THAT ONLY OPENS A CERTAIN TEMP !
AND SEALS BACK UP. WE JUST CANNOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF THIS.
BUT CATCHING IT AT THE RIGHT TEMP IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A
POSSIBILITY TO YOU? I WOULD THINK IT SHOULD SHOW ON A BLOCK TEST AT ANYTIME BUT
IT DOESN'T.
BY-THE-WAY, MY NAME IS MATT. I AM THE SERVICE MANAGER IN JACKSONVILLE, FL.
RECENTLY PUT DOWN THE TOOLS TO TRY MANAGER. 15 YRS IN SHOP PRIOR. 10YRS AT GM
DEALER. THE TECH WORKING ON CAR IS ALSO GM CERT. AND 35 YRS EXP.
OWNER ALSO EXPERIENCED AND AT A LOSS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS?
THANKS FOR ANY HELP, MATT
P.S. LOOKING FOR A GOOD SITE LIKE THIS TO USE REGULARLY. I'M TRYING IT OUT FIRST
AND IF IT GOES WELL, WE WILL MAKE REGULAR CONTRIBUTIONS. FOUND THIS SITE DURING
A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR THIS PROBLEM.
KK:
Well, I've go to say right off the bat, this is a head gasket problem. This sure does not sound like the
original problem that blew the engine is still there. The tech may have replaced the intake gaskets
because they were leaking, but the rear head, passenger side corner leaking coolant may have
been wet because of the intake. Easy to miss that. Even if not leaking externally, this is a good sign
of a head gasket problem. Your GM tech should be familiar that the rear head is very common to
have a blown gasket. Most of the time leak externally, but not always, Have seen these exact
conditions a few times, as well as our tech JK. They will overheat once or twice during the warm up
cycle, burp, then be fine all day long. Sometimes you can catch it with the cooling system dye test
looking for combustion gases.I would remove both heads and send them out to have checked for
cracks just to safe.
3.1L V6
Repair work done prior = ENGINE REPLACEMENT, USED BUT GOOD. NEW WATER PUMP,
T-STAT, INTAKE GASKETS, RADIATOR, HOSES AND COOLANT TEMP SENSOR.
Work done to repair this problem = MULTIPLE T-STATS FROM DIFFERENT SUPPLIERS
INCLUDING DEALER. TEMP SENSOR. RESERVOIR AND CAP. BLOCK TEST.
GM tech = KK
question = TRYING TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT...
'O2 CHEVY MALIBU 3.1L OVERHEATED AND BLEW MOTOR. REPLACED WITH A GOOD ONE
FROM A BUICK CENTURY. PRIOR TO INSTALLATION, REPLACED INTAKE GASKETS, T-STAT,
W/P, PLUGS, OIL PAN GASKETS AND THE TIMING COVER (DUE TO SLIGHT PULLEY MOUNTING
DIFFERENCE) START AND RUN ENGINE IN BAY AND ALL IS GOOD. ROAD TEST GOOD.
RECHECK GOOD. GIVE TO CUSTOMER AND OVERHEATS IN FIRST FEW MILES. THEY PICKED
IT UP THE NEXT DAY. AFTER RECHECKING MULTIPLE TIMES, FOUND THAT IT ONLY
OVERHEATS FOR A MOMENT, PUSHES A LITTLE COOLANT OUT OVERFLOW, AND GOES BACK
TO NORMAL AND REMAINS GOOD FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. IT WILL ONLY DO THIS AFTER
THE ENGINE COOLS. IT WILL ONLY OVERHEAT ONCE OR TWICE DURING THE WARM UP
CYCLE ONLY, THEN IT'S OK. TRIED MULTIPLE T-STATS, REPLACED HOSES AND RADIATOR.
STILL DOES IT. TOOK T-STAT OUT OF VEHICLE AND IT STILL HAPPENS. AFTER REPLACING
EVERY PART OF THE COOLING SYSTEM MULTIPLE TIMES, IT STILL HAPPENS! LAST IDEA WE
HAVE IS THERE IS A CRACK INSIDE MOTOR THAT ONLY OPENS A CERTAIN TEMP !
AND SEALS BACK UP. WE JUST CANNOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF THIS.
BUT CATCHING IT AT THE RIGHT TEMP IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A
POSSIBILITY TO YOU? I WOULD THINK IT SHOULD SHOW ON A BLOCK TEST AT ANYTIME BUT
IT DOESN'T.
BY-THE-WAY, MY NAME IS MATT. I AM THE SERVICE MANAGER IN JACKSONVILLE, FL.
RECENTLY PUT DOWN THE TOOLS TO TRY MANAGER. 15 YRS IN SHOP PRIOR. 10YRS AT GM
DEALER. THE TECH WORKING ON CAR IS ALSO GM CERT. AND 35 YRS EXP.
OWNER ALSO EXPERIENCED AND AT A LOSS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS?
THANKS FOR ANY HELP, MATT
P.S. LOOKING FOR A GOOD SITE LIKE THIS TO USE REGULARLY. I'M TRYING IT OUT FIRST
AND IF IT GOES WELL, WE WILL MAKE REGULAR CONTRIBUTIONS. FOUND THIS SITE DURING
A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR THIS PROBLEM.
KK:
Well, I've go to say right off the bat, this is a head gasket problem. This sure does not sound like the
original problem that blew the engine is still there. The tech may have replaced the intake gaskets
because they were leaking, but the rear head, passenger side corner leaking coolant may have
been wet because of the intake. Easy to miss that. Even if not leaking externally, this is a good sign
of a head gasket problem. Your GM tech should be familiar that the rear head is very common to
have a blown gasket. Most of the time leak externally, but not always, Have seen these exact
conditions a few times, as well as our tech JK. They will overheat once or twice during the warm up
cycle, burp, then be fine all day long. Sometimes you can catch it with the cooling system dye test
looking for combustion gases.I would remove both heads and send them out to have checked for
cracks just to safe.
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