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Help with Pontiac Grand Am engine problem
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MEJ
Posted 2/3/2018 16:56 (#6552102)
Subject: Help with Pontiac Grand Am engine problem


Manitoba		My son has an 04 Grand Am with the 3.4l v6. It seemed to suddenly loose coolant but couldn't see a leak. First thing I tried was to top up the coolant and take it for a spin. Within a 1/2 mile it was getting warm and did see coolant leaking from the right side of engine compartment. So we were hoping for just a hose or water pump but couldn't see it leaking while running in the shop. Topped it up again and drove a bit to add more coolant but when i opened the cap it puked coolant and Im guessing oil (brown color) out the overflow tank. So bad news maybe that its internal engine issues. What confuses me is that I didn't think it was coming out the overflow the first time I test drove it. Is it likely a head gasket? It has relatively low miles but engine work may make it not worth fixing.
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j_c
Posted 2/3/2018 17:01 (#6552113 - in reply to #6552102)
Subject: RE: Help with Pontiac Grand Am engine problem


NW Ohio

intake gasket can fail and leak coolant into the oil, and from outside corners of the intake also.  Coolant in the oil will take out the bearings in no time.  check oil level.

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farmwithjunkrrv
Posted 2/3/2018 17:02 (#6552114 - in reply to #6552102)
Subject: RE: Help with Pontiac Grand Am engine problem


South west of Winnipeg MB		Intake gasket. Hopefully no damage from running low on coolant.
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Pofarmer
Posted 2/3/2018 17:13 (#6552132 - in reply to #6552102)
Subject: RE: Help with Pontiac Grand Am engine problem



Yep.  Intake manifold gaskets.  That engine is famous for that. 

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PatCMO
Posted 2/3/2018 17:17 (#6552141 - in reply to #6552102)
Subject: RE: Help with Pontiac Grand Am engine problem


Pilot Grove, Missouri		Intake gaskets are notorious for leaking on the 3.4 L. There is a bleeder screw on the right front of the engine on a coolant pipe. This screw needs to be opened when filling with coolant to bleed the air out. If the cooling system is not bled when filling, the engine will overheat and very likely blow have a head gasket start leaking. Close the screw before starting the engine though as the water pump will suck air in if open while running. The dex-cool coolant will turn to a kinda oily sludge if the cooling system is run low. If you get the leak fixed I would reccomend flushing the cooling system and going back with Green coolant. I have much less problems with coolant leaks with green anti-freeze vs. Dex-Cool. Fel-Pro makes a better version of the intake gaskets that is a steel carrier with rubber to seal around the ports instead of the factory plastic gaskets. I have had replacement plastic gaskets fail in less than 30,000 miles. I have never replaced a set that had the steel gaskets. Patrick
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MEJ
Posted 2/3/2018 19:17 (#6552416 - in reply to #6552141)
Subject: RE: Help with Pontiac Grand Am engine problem


Manitoba		Didn't know about that bleed screw. I wonder if that's where I went wrong after the first road test. Oil doesn't seem to have coolant in it.
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School Of Hard Knock
Posted 2/3/2018 20:38 (#6552631 - in reply to #6552102)
Subject: RE: Help with Pontiac Grand Am engine problem


just a tish NE of central ND		BLEED SCREW!! Try that first! I believe someone else addressed the issue too. There is a water bleeder on the top of that engine water jacket or manifold(I forget where)
We had several Grand Am's in the family and there was a bleed screw......... if you didnt bleed it , the temp would rise after a mile or several on a warm day, but it would go a long time on ND cold days untill it would overheat. ou would think eventually it would work the traped air out and all would be good. But they would not.
Tehebrown pbly comes from mixing seveal types of antifreeze. Orange and green stuff make a nasty colored stuff.
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Jmo1999
Posted 2/3/2018 21:29 (#6552754 - in reply to #6552631)
Subject: RE: Help with Pontiac Grand Am engine problem


Here		You can open bleed screw up with engine running, It will get the air out. If you don't get the air out it will act just like you described.
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PatCMO
Posted 2/3/2018 23:47 (#6552895 - in reply to #6552754)
Subject: RE: Help with Pontiac Grand Am engine problem


Pilot Grove, Missouri		You can open the bleed screw with the engine running, but it is on the suction side of the water pump, so no benefit in doing so. Patrick
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Indianajones
Posted 2/4/2018 06:20 (#6552984 - in reply to #6552102)
Subject: RE: Help with Pontiac Grand Am engine problem



Very common issue for intake gaskets to leak externally and internally but the overheating issue in 1/2 mile leads me to believe you have a head gasket issue. Also very common issue and probably pushed coolant out the fill jug on the right side.
INDY
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65_4020
Posted 2/4/2018 09:19 (#6553283 - in reply to #6552984)
Subject: RE: Help with Pontiac Grand Am engine problem


Central Missouri		I had similar problem on my 99 grand am. If you have oil in you coolant there is a chance your transmission cooler is leaking into your radiator. I had to replace intake and head gaskets several times, then I had coolant in my oil. Those 3400's are tough I put 240,000 on mine in 17 years, I would have put more but we have emissions testing and I couldn't get it to pass the last few years.
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PatCMO
Posted 2/4/2018 12:19 (#6553720 - in reply to #6552984)
Subject: RE: Help with Pontiac Grand Am engine problem


Pilot Grove, Missouri		I will disagree to some point on the head gasket. The only time I ever saw head gasket problems on the 3100 and 3400 engines was when the intake gaskets or something else was leaking and they got overheated repeatedly because no one bled the air out when filling the coolant. They overheat very quikly when the air is not bled out. He may have a head gasket leaking if it was overheated badly enough, but it is well worth it to see f it overheats after bleeding the air out. Also most of the ones I saw with head gasket problems, didn't overheat due to the head gasket leak. They would miss on startup due to coolant in one or more cylinders. Patrick
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