Impala Forums banner
1 - 4 of 4 Posts

· Registered
Joined
·
9 Posts
Discussion Starter · #1 ·
I’ve been having Steam/smoke come up from around the area circled in the picture and from what it smells like it’s definitely antifreeze/coolant burning and it only happens when I’m at a light or at idle after parking and when I turn the car off it goes away after 2-5mins and no fans or hot temp light comes on?? I also notice also it starts to bellow out from the hood after high speeds like after a highway run and when it comes out it’s not thick but does looks like my engine is smoking from the outside looking in, the performance however is normal to to say the least and in high rpm’s the p0306(cyl 6 misfire codes) comes on for 5secs and cuts off immediately after it’s almost like a blink its not continuously on can anyone shed a light on this as to what it might be??
Motor vehicle Hood Automotive exterior Auto part Automotive air manifold
 

· Registered
2009 Impala SS
Joined
·
1,837 Posts
Lower intake manifold gaskets are known coolant leak points on the 3100 & 3400 engine. This sometimes presents with coolant in the oil but more often it's just an external leak under the throttle body near the coolant temp sensor and or behind the power steering pump. Basically right where you circled it.

It's worth mentioning that head gaskets are also known failure points on this engine series. Once you lift off the lower intake manifold you're most of the way to head gasket R&R job. The cylinder 6 misfire could indicate a head gasket or just an intake manifold problem on #6. Investigation would be prudent.

Fel-Pro likely has a set that includes the valve contains most of the gaskets from the lower intake to the tippy top of the engine. Make sure they include the valve cover gaskets and the throttle body gasket.
Be bloody careful of the brittle plastic parts (hose barbs, electrical connectors, etc) as you disassemble the car. Otherwise you'll get to go salvage yard picking for the jiggly bits you broke.

Upper and Lower intake manifold gaskets are a fairly straightforward R&R job. One gotcha is the pushrods are weaved through the lower intake gaskets.
If you're a complete newbie to wrenching sit down and watch a youtube video or two and decide whether you want to jump into the deep end of the pool.
If you decide to go for it, get a service manual so you have the torque specs and sequences for stuff like the head bolts. The Haynes manual would do fine for this job as it's mostly mechanical.
Rainman Rays' channel on Youtube has a fairly decent intake video series on a leaky 3500 engine in a Saturn that should be similar to the 3400. Thankfully GM used aluminum alloy intakes on this engine series and not the plastic fantastic intakes like they used on the LS4 & 3.6L.

Stripping it down to the heads.

Reassembly.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
9 Posts
Discussion Starter · #3 ·
thank you for the detailed explanation i really appreciate it as it was something that bugged my mind for a while now i will definitley do my homework and watch the videos as i am definitley a newbie with the wrench but replaced personally about 60% of the engine with time lol will let you know how it goes thank you again :)
 

· Registered
2009 Impala SS
Joined
·
1,837 Posts
Runing a leakdown test on at least cylinder #6 and checking for CO2 in the cooling system with one of the Lisle 75500 liquid Bromothymol Blue head gasket leak test kits that can indicate CO2 from combustion gas intrusion into your cooling system before you dig into it is a good idea.
I think O'Riley has the Lisle test tool and the consumable Bromothymol Blue test liquid.
Harbor Freight sells a leakdown tester for around $80. You can get an OTC 5609 leakdown tester on Amazon for around $85. I think I'd go with the OTC tool.
 
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
Top