3400 LIM gasket Q?

[Bridgetown]

How can I tell if the LIM gasket has been done on my 02 3400?

[BoostED00GagT]

usually i can tell if its been done by loking down under the p/s pump or thermostat housing at the sealant under the intake manifold..if it looks like its new then obviously its been done...i also look at where the valve cover meets the lower pleunm youll see fresh looking engine sealant there too

[Bridgetown]

I had the upper intake off and those gaskets looked fairly new. They also had the orange stripe like the felpro gaskets do. Does this mean they are new? What do the stock upper intake gaskets look like? I am betting that if the upeers are done the loweres are aswell. Also, should I run different coolant instead of the dexcool? What is everyone using out there?

[BoostED00GagT]

i hear of people changing to the green coolant..but most stay with the descool.reason being for changing though is because dexcool becomes acidic when its old and eats away at parts like the waterpump and other parts..but just dont let it get old...

[RedZMonte]

IIRC OE gaskets are black with blue silicone on the lower. the upper is just grey. Felpro is the most common aftermarket and they like mentioned above are grey with orange.

S

[undecided02]

u can totally keep using dexcool, a rad flush can be done at home in fifteen minutes.

[SappySE107]

Dexcool should be flushed out completely and avoided if possible. Its especially bad on waste spark systems and iron block/aluminum head combinations. The coolant turns into a conductor and mimics battery acid.

If the LIM gasket is metal, it has the good set. Otherwise, new or not, the LIM gasket job will need to be done sooner or later as the plastic designs are no good for longevity.

[geoffinbc]

I agree with Ben. The Identifier for new gaskets is the metal crush collar on the bolt holes.

I have been use Prestone all make/model stuff for years now and it work flawlessly. No gunk no rust and no failures. I first used it on my S-10 which was kind of dirty when I got it and with changes every year the rad became VERY clean inside. It finally got replaced because the plastic tanks split.