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Intake manifold from hell?

S

schadelh

New member
Does the supercharged 3800 share the same intake manifolds as the NA 3800?

I hear a lot about the 3800s having bad intake manifolds and IM gaskets, causing coolant to leak into the valvetrain and cylinders, and potentially causing hydro-locking in worst case scenarios. I have also seen that these problems tend to kick in around 100k to 150k (mine has 115k)

As a new owner, should I be worried?

If I should be worried, do the intake manifolds come off during a timing chain job? I plan taking it in for the timing chain, and if the IMs come off anyway, I may as well change them out before they become a problem.
 


No, they are not the same.

Do your gaskets leak? If yes, replace them, if No, don't worry.

Yes, they SHOULD come off when a timing chain is replaced. Any time the LIM comes off, the gasket should be changed.
 
Good to know.

Also, forgot to ask, are there any maintenance items that are often neglected, or are of utmost importance? Every car has at least 1

It's a 1998 GP 3800 Supercharged
 
3800's are more of an if it ain't broke don't fix it kinda motor. Coolant elbows are a problem with age, but those have to come off with the LIM, so those will have to be replaced anyway. Clean your maf, change your plugs and wires and thermostat. Do a coolant flush. Change but dont' flush your trans fluid and change the trans filter. Change your fuel filter, change your supercharger and motor oil and you should be good to go for a while.

Other normal maintnance would be wheel hubs, brake rotors and pads, just the normal stuff. These cars arent' too high maintnance.
 
As mentioned, our motors are very robust. Especially if you don't have the plastic upper manifold on an NA.

Plastic LIM gaskets degrade and warp with heat cycles. Once replaced with aluminum ones, it's all good.

Oil pan gaskets tend to leak. I'd pay someone to do it, personally. But it's doable.

Timing chain. Our timing chains are like chevy 350's. They never seem to jump a tooth. It's something that doesn't happen. Just like our head gaskets. Stock..you have to try very hard to hurt them.
 


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