Emergency, stuck and need help

[FriboRage]

After my hv3 job 2 days ago, the plenum bolts came loose today and a fair amount of coolant leaked out. I heard the gurgling in the heater.. I tightened it all back down now, but is it safe to drive home or will I have coolant in my oil? I shut it off fairly quick and I looked I in the vc from the oil cap and it didnt look milky, the oil on the dipstick seemed like it wasnt quite sticking to the dipstick at the edges though, it looked like the oil was mainly in the middle and that made me worry...

 

[dsmuts]

just change the oil really quick it's cheap insurance

 

[txslow6]

Not worth the risk driving IMO. I would just change the oil in the parking lot. Don't worry about the filter ATM.

 

[FriboRage]

Ok well I got it home and started it, no milkshake or anything... the oil looks good on the stick and in the filler hole.

But my main question is wtf, why did those bolts get so loose in the first place? It was only the ones by the tb that came loose, it seems like the rest of them stuck.. and why did it run fine for 2 days and suddenly I go to leave work and this happens...

 

[BillBoost37]

What did you torque the bolts to? They are supposed to be something like 89in lbs.

As for coolant in the oil. It's not likely that you got any in there if much. Because it would have had to get past the piston rings.

 

[NegativeOne13]

Not worth the risk driving IMO. I would just change the oil in the parking lot. Don't worry about the filter ATM.

This.

I would rather pay 15-20 bucks for an oil change over a short block replacement. Even if I had the slightest doubt in my mind that there was coolant in the oil.

 

[BillBoost37]

How does the coolant get in the oil guys?

You'd hydrolock before you had enough coolant in the cylinder to push past the rings.

 

[FriboRage]

I tightened them down until they were hard to move further, plus a little... that seems to be what everyone else does and they didnt have this problem as far as I know... I asked 2 people and they did the same as I did :\.

It seems like it was only the really long bolt that goes through the tb and the one that goes in near the egr that came loose, the ones I can reach with the fuel rail still attached were still solid and dry

I guess I should see if anyone has a torque wrench I could borrow...

 

[NegativeOne13]

I tightened them down until they were hard to move further, plus a little... that seems to be what everyone else does and they didnt have this problem as far as I know... I asked 2 people and they did the same as I did :\.

It seems like it was only the really long bolt that goes through the tb and the one that goes in near the egr that came loose, the ones I can reach with the fuel rail still attached were still solid and dry

I guess I should see if anyone has a torque wrench I could borrow...

Maybe your just a weakling, or maybe your super strong and stripped the holes with your overpowering skills. In all reality, my post is showing how bored I am.

 

[techweenie]

Torque wrenches are dirt cheap at harbor freight. Get a 3/8" and 1/2" and do it right. Parts like intakes need to be torqued properly to handle the different expansion rates when the engine heats up.

 

[blueguy]

Meh.

I never TQ'd the N/A UIM...or LIM.

I never TQ'd the Supercharger...or S/C LIM...or in the order GM says you need to.

 

[Slick2500]

What did you torque the bolts to? They are supposed to be something like 89in lbs.

As for coolant in the oil. It's not likely that you got any in there if much. Because it would have had to get past the piston rings.

Um the Bolt size and torque thread says 11ft lbs, and 89in lbs is only 7.4ft lbs. The throttle body is 89in lbs though. Im pretty sure you were just trying to remember the number off the top of your head and just said the wrong one it happens.

 

[BillBoost37]

Im pretty sure you were just trying to remember the number off the top of your head and just said the wrong one it happens.

Upper plenum 89in.lb. (7.5 lb. ft.)

^^^ I'm pretty sure that says 89in lbs. Had lasik done about 2 years back and my yearly checkup showed me as 20/20.

The OP is taliing about the UIM or upper intake aka plenum. The 11ft lbs, on the LIM is actually incorrect and I'll chat with TON about it because I have some different ideas about where it should be vs where GM said it should be based on the gasket revisions.

For giggles, if you happen to look at a 97 Bonneville FSM the torques are reversed for the LIM and UIM. UIM is listed as 13ft lbs (per fsm) and LIM is listed as 89 inch lbs. All FSM's I've looked up for this spec were 13ft lbs on the lim and 89 inch lbs on the UIM except that 97 Bonne.