GSmith215
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« on: August 12, 2010, 11:23:21 AM » |
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Hey All,
I finally will get my Regal this weekend (every weekend something comes up and we can't go get it). I know it loses oil, so I called my father in law to see if he could tell me where it leaks from since it's sitting in his driveway. He said he started it the other day after it sitting for about a week and smoke started coming out from under the hood once it got warm (it seemed to be from the back of the motor - burning oil smell).
I'm thinking rear valve cover gasket is dripping onto the exhaust manifold while the car is sitting, but that's just a theory. I've done valve cover gaskets before, but always on 4 cyl cars. From what I remember of my '85 Ciera (3.0 V6), the rear spark plugs were a pain to get to, so I'm worried that the rear valve cover will be a pain on this car.
Will the rear valve cover be a similar challenge on the 3800 in the '96 Regal? Has anyone done them before?
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92 GP
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« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2010, 07:05:38 PM » |
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Could be that LIM too, but if it's smoking, the valve cover typically can dump more oil once they totally go, they're pretty easy to do, front one is pretty easy, might have a mount bracket to move, but they are a bit more difficult than a 3.0, won't take you more than a couple of hours the first time you do it in your driveway by yourself though!
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Loaded '96 GTP Loaded '90 TGP |
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GSmith215
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« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2010, 07:38:24 PM » |
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LIM? Lower Intake Manifold?
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GSmith215
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« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2010, 09:46:51 PM » |
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SofaKing, thanks for the translation confirmation! (every time I see your forum name, I think of the first time I heard that phrase which was on Aqua Teen Hunger Force - funny shit).
92 GP, thanks for the info. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't something odd like "Oh you need to pull the motor out because GM only left 1" clearance between the valve cover and the firewall".
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SofaKingWeToddDid
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« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2010, 11:39:07 PM » |
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no no no, thats the 3.4 DOHC (LQ1)
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92 GP
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« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2010, 01:31:01 PM » |
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^ w3rd. Only thing you really need to pull the engines on to get to covers/gaskets are Northstars and the new acadia's/etc! The acadia 3.6 is notorious for leaking timing cover seal, and the whole mofo has to drop through the bottom...wewt.
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GSmith215
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« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2010, 12:55:19 PM » |
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Okay, I got my hands on the car today! It is leaking oil fairly well, and from where it's smoking I'll say it's the valve cover gaskets. It has 189,689 on it, it was down 1qt oil, 1/2 gallon of anti-freeze, and there was nothing showing on the power steering dipstick, and the tires were all between 15lbs - 20lbs pressure. I threw some Lucas in the power steering reservoir and that took care of the whine (whine from the pump, not me). I put air in the tires, washed it, put $20 gas in it with some Seafoam, vacuumed it out and we're on the road.
And, btw, who f*@# at GM decided to put the power steering reservoir behind/underneath the alternator?!?! I would have loved to have been in that meeting where someone approved that idea. Talk about seriously knocking some heads around.
My friend seriously thinks I shouldn't bother with the valve cover gaskets. He thinks I should just tighten the bolts down and keep adding oil. It's just an A to B car and putting money in it would be silly.
What do you guys think?
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SofaKingWeToddDid
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« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2010, 01:02:27 PM » |
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fix oil leaks before they start fires.
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GSmith215
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« Reply #9 on: August 14, 2010, 01:25:58 PM » |
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Yeah, probably right. I just gotta do it where my landlord won't have a shit fit. It seems if you drive it regularly, not enough accumulates to smoke. It's only when it sits for days on end that you get smoking.
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Chris
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« Reply #10 on: August 14, 2010, 04:05:14 PM » |
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My Toyota has a really bad oil leak onto the exhaust somewhere that I can't trace down. So bad that you can see smoke coming out from underneath the hood at a full stop. It' been doing this for about 6k miles so far. Haven't found the damn leak yet.
I carry a fire extinguisher with me in the cab. It's only a matter of time...
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 ive fucked more black guys than fema!
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SofaKingWeToddDid
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« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2010, 05:30:09 PM » |
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thats weird. cuz usually the engine needs to be turning to pressurize the oil and push it out of whatever seal or gasket is leaking (or crack in engine? lol -a 3800 break? good luck)
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GSmith215
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« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2010, 07:48:52 PM » |
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When you shut down a motor, isn't there some oil sitting on the top end of the motor?
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SofaKingWeToddDid
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« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2010, 07:54:25 PM » |
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well yeah, but its going to go with gravity downward. and anywhere that oil is, it is also there while the engine is running, and pressurized.
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GSmith215
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« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2010, 08:22:01 PM » |
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They're going to have to be done, no matter what. I just have to find a weekend soon to do them. That, or I put Comprehensive on the car in case it burns...  |
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Topic: Valve Cover Gasket - 96 Regal 3800 (Read 4561 times)
