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Valve cover gaskets

I was referring to the GM part number.

I searched for your number on Autozone.com, and it found no results.

And if the two are different, can anyone tell me the other GM part number?

Edit: Well I feel like a dumbass. I went back to auto zone because I have done three oil changes in the past few days, and keep forgetting to get the sticker things. So when I was there I decided to look for the elbows, and I found them. They were in a weird place, but I still feel dumb for taking four times to find them.

So, what should I use to lubricate these when I put them in? Vaseline, RTV, or motor oil?
 
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Seagya said:
I just used a vary light spread of RTV. Just enought to make it look wet. Nothing more.
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Ok, thanks.

And I don't know if anyone actually reads the whole topic, so I am going to re-ask a question.

Spenc938 said:
On the instructions that I got with the valve cover gaskets, it says not to use RTV as an adhesive to hold the gasket in place. But in this post by IndeedSS, it says to do exactly that. I'm assuming that I should listen to IndeedSS?
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spenc938 said:
Ok, thanks.

And I don't know if anyone actually reads the whole topic, so I am going to re-ask a question.
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Spec I hope im helping. But i just recently did my oil pan gasket and it also said not to use RTV. But I had read on other discussions that they used RTV on thier oil pan gasket and that GM uses it on repairs. So its really a toss up. When I do my valve cover gaskets I plan to use a small amount of RTV just as i described on the coolant elbows..
 


Ok, I decided to start it this afternoon instead of waiting until saturday morning. Everything was going perfect until I was trying to get the alternator bracket back on. When I try and put the elbows in, the bracket bolt holes don't line up correctly. I think that I may be trying to install the elbows wrong. I have the one with two orange o-rings in the place closer to the front of the car, and the one with an orange and a purple towards the back of the car. On the elbow with the different size ends, I have the orange end going into the bracket, and the purple end going into the block. Can anyone PLEASE confirm that this is either right or wrong?*

The reason that I didn't swap them around myself is that it was 9:30 at night, and even with lights we can't see anymore.
 
You keep saying alternator bracket and for a moment it confuses me. Then I remember you're talking about the tensioner. :th_winking:
 
Sabrewings said:
You keep saying alternator bracket and for a moment it confuses me. Then I remember you're talking about the tensioner. :th_winking:
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Oh, sorry. I've heard other people saying alternator bracket, so that is what I've been saying. Should I switch it?

Anyway, can you answer the question?
 
Be very careful for the two coolant elbows. I just picked up my 2002 gt 4 door last week and it came with a 6 month warranty and they were replaced under warranty and the shop broke both elbows and it took a day and a half to get them in to replace them.
 
spenc938 said:
Anyway, can you answer the question?
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Wish I could. I'll go glance at the SI manual (not hopeful on that one), but when I did my gaskets and stuff I pulled the tensioner off and the elbows out of it before I thought to glance at how they were originally installed. :th_angry2:

I eventually figured out how they went, but couldn't tell you off memory since it's been a year and I told myself next time I'll take a picture of how they're oriented.
 


Ok, I figured out the elbows, got everything put back together again, and it runs fine.

Just a couple more questions... There is a bracket that goes from the alternator to the coil pack bracket. Whenever I try to put it on, the bolts aren't long enough to thread. I think I have some bolts swapped around.

And the other thing, How do I bleed the coolant system?
 
Massage the upper radiator hose when you're filling up the radiator...this will get the big bubbles out of the hose. Then top it off, start it, and open the bleeder screw in the top of the thermostat housing. This should get the air out of the system.

Don't forget to add coolant to your reservoir as well. When the system cools down, it will draw in coolant.
 
The thermostat has to be open for it to work properly. So let it warm up until the upper radiator hose is hot (sign the thermostat is open). Open the bleeder screw until coolant seeps out then close it.
 
Ok. I bled the coolant system.

If anyone actually knows what bracket I'm talking about, can you please take a picture of it on your car?
 
spenc938 said:
Ok. I bled the coolant system.

If anyone actually knows what bracket I'm talking about, can you please take a picture of it on your car?
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All that's missing in this picture are the sensor wires and the belt. What bracket are you talking about? Can you take a picture of it?

DSC03329.jpg
 


Damnit. Since doing all this work Friday and Saturday, both the oil and coolant leaks had completely stopped. Then, this afternoon, I park in the driveway for about half an hour, move the car and there is a puddle of coolant. I have no idea where it is coming from, it definitely doesn't look like either of the elbows.

Here are the pictures of the bracket that I was talking about.



And here are pictures of the coolant leak.

I had just hosed down the engine bay, so I'm not sure if this is coolant, but it looks like it is directly above the drip. Plus, it doesn't look like the coolant is coming from the throttle body, so this is probably water.



Edit:
From the underside.




And it only leaks while the car is running, and for a couple minutes after you shut it off.
 
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On that end of the engine, the only places it could be leaking are the TB, the "plate" on the LIM, or the thermostat housing. Beyond that, it's a LIM leak or head gasket leak.

As for the bracket, as you can see my alternator mounts differently. I remember reading that older 3800s had a different style alternator, so that's probably why I've never seen that before.
 
Alright, more pictures. I'm leaning toward the upper/lower intake manifold gaskets.







That big spot in the last picture, is from about 30 seconds of having the car running. What I don't understand, is how it goes from bone dry on Monday, to leaking like crazy on Tuesday.

Edit: I went out and bought upper and lower intake manifold gaskets. I know the basics of what to do, but are there any tips or tricks to changing these that I might want to know?
 
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Ok, a few more questions.

Do these gaskets look bad enough to be leaking a high amount of coolant?



And, is there any way to fix this without replacing the intake manifold? It looks like the stud can be removed.
 
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