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I went out car shopping today just to go and look, see what my other options were other then to fix my very own 3100. Went to some local dealerships, and popped some hoods on a lot of 3100's and 3400's. Out of 10 I checked, 9 had the beginnings of a bad LIM gasket, some as bad as mine, which was coated in bubbly coolant. If that's the case with cars at dealerships, how many are on the road running like this? How long are they supposed to last running like that? Does anyone here drive when the LIM gasket goes on their car? I just didn't realize how common this problem was.
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Yeap, this is why there was a huge lawsuit over it.
Mine is all nice and sealed :-)SpudFiles
Blast vegetables and whatever else you can think of!
Theopia
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1996 3500GP Coupe, "Bright White".
3500 swap, 60degreeV6 1393 Cam, Ported Intakes, Comp Cams Valve Springs, 65mm TB, Custom Pushrods, S&S Headers, 97 PCM with DHP Powrtuner, 2.5" back to dual Hooker Aerochambers, SS Brake Lines, Addco swaybar, KYB's, Intrax Springs, STB's, etc! -
That's why you see in the paper ever so often something like "96 GP 3.1l needs enginework or bad headgasket $500 mechanics special". Depending on how far they let it go, you can score a cheap car, fix the LIM when they thought it was the head gasket, and turn around and sell it.sigpic
New 2010 project (click image)
1994 3100 BERETTA. 200,000+ miles
16.0 1/4 mile when stock. Now ???
Original L82 Longblock with LA1, LX9, LX5 parts
Manifold-back 2.5" SS Mandrel Exhaust. Hardware is SS too.
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I did exactly that with a '96 Achieva. It's the only vehicle I've ever MADE money on.
My Corsica's gaskets held up to about 120K before a problem showed up. My Lumina was beginning to show signs when I bought it at 160K. As long as the gaskets just seep a bit and don't give out completely, a car can run a good long time this way... but when they're bad enough to cause visible sludge and/or noticeable coolant loss, then it'll tear up bearings in short order.Comment
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Point it out to the salesman and see if you can talk him down
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Salesmen usually don't care about such things. They know that somebody else (who ISN'T a mechanic) will be along soon enough.Comment
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I just did mine.
Plugs wires, gaskets, oil and coolant.
Run me about $150 and ummmm.... 14 hours of time. That includes having to heli-coil a hole...
Now I believe the LIMG will never go again on this car- ever!Comment
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Thats the trick I think.Originally posted by tractorman View Post
Don't act like a mechanic, then they know you know it's not a big deal.
Act like you know nothing about cars and allow yourself to be 'had' at a good price of course...Comment
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