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2001 GT engine junk?

chevguy6809

New member
Hey guys, new here but my first Grand Prix and problems within the first 4 months and 10,000 miles and I need help please.

I have a 2001 Grand Prix GT 3.8 non-super 135,000 miles on it. Dumped the oil on it, looked good and clean. No other problems as far as I know. Put on about 7-800 miles after the oil change, had the cruise set at 65, everything was fine and I heard a small pop, and it started to misfire. Limped it to work and parked it for awhile. Came out to try it and no start, pulled it in checked the oil for color/chunks and looked good. Started digging into easy/cheaps routes found all the plugs were pretty well shot, put plugs and wires in it and no change. I've heard these are notorious for intake gaskets, saw it was a tad wet and changed them as well with no change. Brought it to a shop because I have very little time, they found upper intake plenum was cracked, replaced it and no change. He dumped the oil again and it came out like caramel....did a compression check and all tested within range, but he thinks there is a bad cylinder (back side middle cylinder cant remember what number that is) We are both at a loss, and I dont want to stick anymore money into it but I like the car. Am I better off getting a motor and hoping it lasts? or is there something someone can think of that would cause this? Thanks in advance guys!
 


if you do 2 oil and filter changes and a 3 rd in a few days it may live. you may want to do this to your lim, this way it can never leak internally again. http://www.grandprixforums.net/showthread.php?t=46931

this link covers the cracks in the intake and egr tube. if your mechanic missed this there could be more trouble. http://www.grandprixforums.net/showthread.php?t=60667
Scotty, if it isn't the engine, do you think it could be an issue with the fuel pressure somewhere by the firewall? You know far more than most of the other girls on here :th_nanana:
 
the n/a 3800 is prone to upper intake failures, when it fails it dumps coolant into the lim. then it can hydro lock the pistons and then it kills the rod bearing from someone trying to crank the engine and it wont turn because its full of coolant. the force put on the piston kills the rod bearing. and then its junk.

or the milk shake oil. coolant mixed oil kills the main bearings due to low oil pressure, this is why you want to change the oil 2 times with in like 10 minutes, run it for a bit, dump the oil and filter, new oil and filter, run it again check the oil for foam or milky looking crap. you want to see clean new oil on the stick.


im not a girl, im a boy.......all i got aria saying that in game of thrones, but the other way around. lol
 
im not a girl, im a boy.......all i got aria saying that in game of thrones, but the other way around. lol

Do you like killing fat little boys?
Based off everything I have heard about the Gen6's, I won't buy one. Nothing feels worse mechanically than knowing your engine probably bit it.
 
Thanks for the reply. Here's where im not certain. The car still runs, and as far as I know didn't have "trouble" cranking at all like a hydro-locked cylinder. He put on a new UIM, gaskets, and LIM gaskets. Then dumped the oil, refilled, and it runs but its got a miss as though there is a dead cylinder. No excessive shaking/banging/clanging or vibrating like it broke a rod and anything, just runs like crap. I guess im not sure what I should be looking for as far as if i should pitch the motor or tear in and maybe fix?
 


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