Serious question (manifold)

[krickl]

ok well i got my car back frmo the shop with some bad news the machanic said i need a new Manifold because the anti _freeze is leaking. ive dumped over 5 grand into repairs since i got it for free from my aunt is it better to just get a more reliable car?

[jayson_waltz]

its the LIMG i'll bet ya, the 3400's aer know for it but the new one they put in is a updated gasket. And wasn't los of that repair money your own fault by crankin the wheel sideways goin fast, resulting in your display pic? usually if the cars are taken care of they will last just fine. the only time mine left me stranded is when i ran out of gas b\c of the bad sender unit

[TheEdgeofSanity]

well, you have to remember that some of the problems you've had were self-made, like driving into curbs. but yes, our cars are known for leaking intake manifolds. are you sure your mechanic is pricing things fairly?

[jamcllw]

i'd get a better car

[krickl]

well he wants over a grand for the permanent fix i drive to school and work and my girlfriends house, but yea its the 3400 you think me hitting the curb really did all this? and the repair was free in the end aunts and uncles chipped in. if i were to get a new car (used) i like used cars idk why but iw as thinking an impala any objections?

[Ryan from Ohio]

It shouldnt cost much more than $500 at a shop to do a LIMG.

If you got a brain, torque wrench and some basic tools you can do it yourself for under $120.

[Redog]

No hitting the curb did not do this. And it's not the car's fault that you beat the balls off of it

$1 grand to fix this if you need a new lower manifold is not that bad of a price. Of course you could upgrade both manifolds for the same price as a new one from GM.

Plus which manifold is he going to get? I'm guess a 2003 mani, which is the best of the 3 that are out there. The 1999 is the worst, the 2000 is just 1/4 step down from the 2003 manifold. The last 2 numbers of the manifold year are on the top of the lower, just infront of the throttle body.

Probably what happened, the antifreeze was leaking out for so long that it warped the manifold too bad to continue use. The mani's are only alunium which doesn't take too well to overheating

[krickl]

haha my sisters boyfriend and my girlfriends brother know a ton about cars im going to ask them if they could fix it ill keep you updated.

it drives fine i dont notice anything i jus got home from driving it. or would i not notice the manifold damage while driving?

and redog i didnt beat it up ! ive had it for like less than 4000 miles everythings crapping at once granted curb didnt help. but while its getting fixed and all that i need a solid car would a Chevy Impala suit this need?

[Midgear]

Originally Posted by Redog

The last 2 numbers of the manifold year are on the top of the lower, just infront of the throttle body.

wait a minute.. you can tell what year your manifold is by these numbers? can you provide a picture or be more specific as to where these numbers can be found?

[TheMeaningOfLife]

Originally Posted by krickl

haha my sisters boyfriend and my girlfriends brother know a ton about cars im going to ask them if they could fix it ill keep you updated.

it drives fine i dont notice anything i jus got home from driving it. or would i not notice the manifold damage while driving?

and redog i didnt beat it up ! ive had it for like less than 4000 miles everythings crapping at once granted curb didnt help. but while its getting fixed and all that i need a solid car would a Chevy Impala suit this need?

No, no and no. i sell a ton of parts for impalas where i work

[krickl]

ok thanks then was going to get one ><

anyone got suggestions? for a well built car that i can find at a good 5-10 grand price range anyhelp would be awesome =D

[rustyballs_69]

Originally Posted by Midgear

wait a minute.. you can tell what year your manifold is by these numbers? can you provide a picture or be more specific as to where these numbers can be found?

Top left and bottom right . The 00 means its a 2000.

[Midgear]

^^^ ......

now I can truely tell if my engine is from 03' or not.. I know the car is a 99' - but the previous owner destroyed the last engine. woot! thanks for providing this information.

[billytheman1188]

Originally Posted by krickl

ok thanks then was going to get one ><

anyone got suggestions? for a well built car that i can find at a good 5-10 grand price range anyhelp would be awesome =D

Do some research yourself. This is an alero site.....we help people with their problems or watch what people do to theirs. You want us to give suggestions on a new car cause you keep getting f'ed over by your mechanic? Go look for someone who will be fair and knows what they are doing. There is NO reason you should have to put 5k into this car and it still has problems. Use your head.....

[CactusWill]

5 grand over how long? It might just be that you've almost fixed the vast majority of its probs already. The 3.4 is also known for the manifold gasket, and repair compensation may be available if your car's engine was included in the lawsuit settlement.

[Midgear]

^^ Provided he hasnt gone over the required mileage?

[Redog]

Originally Posted by Midgear

^^^ ......

now I can truely tell if my engine is from 03' or not.. I know the car is a 99' - but the previous owner destroyed the last engine. woot! thanks for providing this information.

Or just the mani was replace with an 03?

I was looking at a Olds minivan (I can't spell it) over the summer and I almost bought it.

It was an 02 and had an 03 mani in it, and a sloppy RTV job between the head and mani

Not that's it a big deal, but I figured that is was a soccer mom and drove it with the leak (could fanitly see the trail on the head) and she didn't know about the leak, and still drove it while the engine was smoking, so I walked away

That's why you have to be extra careful about buying a used minivan and some SUVs As long as mom pushed the gas pedal and it goes, the van/SUV is fine, that SES light will just go away

[DansGen1Alero]

silhouette

Since the car was free from your aunt i think dumping a couple grand into it is better then getting a used car. You never know what that other used car has been through, at least with this alero you can ask your aunt.
Buying a used car = buying some other persons problems......

I have had the gaskets replaced on mine at least twice, and mine is a 99. I never had any warpage or damage to the actual manifolds. Knock on wood my engine has held up to quite a bit, and now it sits at my townhouse gathering cobwebs. I hope the engine doesnt corrode to nothing, lol

[Redog]

^^ I was thinking the same exact thing.

You got a free car with a few minor problems.

For $5K and you are looking at an Impala. You do realize that there were 2 engines ava in those, and one of them is the same exact engine you have in your Alero

[DansGen1Alero]

well if he keeps the alero, he can part the 2 3400's together to get a half decent engine, lmao