Overheating, white smoke

**Melicia** · 07-11-2016

So I just bought this 2007 Grand Prix two months ago. First we noticed that it was overheating. Never allowed it to get into the "red". We replaced the water pump, thermostat, upper and lower radiator hoses, and the tension elbows (which was ultimately the culprit) until we finally fixed the leak. Now that we got the leak fixed, it is still overheating and it has now developed white smoke coming from the exhaust. I don't have tons of money and have been trying to do this all DIY, but I just don't know what to do now. I looked around and I can't find a post that had similar problems. Usually just one or the other. So I don't know if it's the intake manifold gaskets or head gaskets. Any advice would be appreciated.

**Slick2500** · 07-11-2016

Lower intake manifold gaskets probably, or if the previous owner overheated it too much they cracked the heads or blew a head gasket. Head gaskets are very rare to go out on a 3800 but I am sure under the right conditions they can and do, such as running the engine too long while it is overheating.

**Fivefingerdeathpunch** · 07-11-2016

Your year will have the upgraded aluminum intake gaskets that don't fail like the old plastic ones but who knows what could happen to them if they got super heated too many times.

You could try a compression test on all the cylinder to see if you can find a head gasket leak. Also they make a fluid tester that will test to see if exhaust gases are inside the coolant. Either option is something I would do.

**Slick2500** · 07-11-2016

Originally Posted by Fivefingerdeathpunch

Your year will have the upgraded aluminum intake gaskets that don't fail like the old plastic ones but who knows what could happen to them if they got super heated too many times.

You could try a compression test on all the cylinder to see if you can find a head gasket leak. Also they make a fluid tester that will test to see if exhaust gases are inside the coolant. Either option is something I would do.

I've heard of a few people who have had theirs fail, they are a hell of a lot better than the plastic ones, but just like any gasket it can fail from time to time.

**Melicia** · 07-11-2016

I'll also add that this car doesn't even have 100,000 miles on it yet. About 91k. I'm going to try to take it to a mechanic for testing tomorrow. I don't know how to do the tests myself.

Also: Will the intake manifold gasket issue cause the car to overheat as well? Because that is still a problem too.

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