GM 3800 Gen. II engine questions

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SQ - 20 Jun 2006 04:39 GMT

I am looking into this 1995 Pontiac with 165K miles... the engine was
advertized as "rebuilt"
it has 25K miles on since this is what has been done to it:

Head Gasket
Rod Bearings
Pistons
Piston Rings
TIming Belt
Camshaft
Oil Pump

Now it's a well known fact that Generation II 3.8L engine suffered from
upper intake manifold problems. It was made of plastic and melted and
caused all kinds of problems. (Click on the link for more info)

My question is to the gurus here is, is this what happened to this
engine? Has coolant leaked into the engine and destroyed it, make the
rebuilt necessary? Is it still OK?

Secondly, if I do go look at the car, how do I verify that the plastic
upper intake plenum has been replaced from plastic to metal?

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aarcuda69062 - 20 Jun 2006 05:12 GMT

In article
<1150774792.095442.35400@y41g2000cwy.googlegroups.com>,

> I am looking into this 1995 Pontiac with 165K miles... the engine was
> advertized as "rebuilt"
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Camshaft
> Oil Pump

Rebuilt? Looks like someone threw some parts at it.

> Now it's a well known fact that Generation II 3.8L engine suffered from
> upper intake manifold problems. It was made of plastic and melted and
> caused all kinds of problems. (Click on the link for more info)

Being a 95, is the EGR valve in front of the throttle body or
behind it?

> My question is to the gurus here is, is this what happened to this
> engine? Has coolant leaked into the engine and destroyed it, make the
> rebuilt necessary? Is it still OK?

No way to answer.
Only the previous owner and the mechanic who repaired it would
know for sure.

> Secondly, if I do go look at the car, how do I verify that the plastic
> upper intake plenum has been replaced from plastic to metal?

There is/was no "metal" replacement manifold.

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SQ - 20 Jun 2006 21:08 GMT

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.autos.tech/browse_thread/thread/d3be1f954784a
bb/8ba81dce7c909790?q=3800+engine+intake+manifold&rnum=4#8ba81dce7c909790

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shiden_kai - 24 Jun 2006 00:41 GMT

> Now it's a well known fact that Generation II 3.8L engine suffered
> from upper intake manifold problems. It was made of plastic and
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> engine? Has coolant leaked into the engine and destroyed it, make the
> rebuilt necessary? Is it still OK?

I don't see how any of us here would be able to answer your
question intelligently. You need to talk to whoever rebuilt the
engine.

> Secondly, if I do go look at the car, how do I verify that the plastic
> upper intake plenum has been replaced from plastic to metal?

You can't....as no such thing ever happened (upper plenum changed
from plastic to metal) for the GEN II engines.

Ian

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