2002 Buick 3800

Alan Roehrich · 02-08-2025, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L.Fite

Thank for the info.

What I was afraid of...
Wasn't sure there were any water passages.
Should be just gaskets and time?

Yep. Took me a couple of hours on my Firebird. You'll have to bleed the cooling system.

TOSTO RACING · 02-08-2025, 05:32 PM

Do what Alan said and make sure you check those 2 coolant elbows the GM ones are plastic and leak all the time!

24503423 elbow
12565082 elbow
gm numbers

Dorman makes metal ones also for replacement.

Also waterpumps are bad on those and it all looks like its leaking from the same area.

BTR69 · 02-08-2025, 07:32 PM

Check the coolant elbows as stated above. That's what happened to my moms car recently. Not a difficult fix, but still a pain in the arse.

L.Fite · 02-09-2025, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BTR69

Check the coolant elbows as stated above. That's what happened to my moms car recently. Not a difficult fix, but still a pain in the arse.

Yeah it is...
Seems like you have to take half the car apart to work on these things!

67 Post GS · 02-09-2025, 05:08 PM

I would go-ahead and replace the plastic upper intake all together. They will warp over time, and then you put a fresh gasket underneath and it will still leak. Dorman makes a replacement.

4speedracer · 02-15-2025, 11:24 PM

The Dorman intake used to come with a different internal EGR tube to get the heat away from the intake. OE configuration would damage the intake, sometimes leak internal and hydraulic the engine. Would suggest doing the lower intake at the same time, the general used plastic lower intake gaskets also replacements can be gotten in metal with rubber inserts.

L.Fite · 02-09-2025, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOSTO RACING

Do what Alan said and make sure you check those 2 coolant elbows the GM ones are plastic and leak all the time!

24503423 elbow
12565082 elbow
gm numbers

Dorman makes metal ones also for replacement.

Also waterpumps are bad on those and it all looks like its leaking from the same area.

The leak looks like it's coming from driver side...
Pump and elbows already replaced a while back...

02-08-2025, 05:32 PM	#2
TOSTO RACING Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: DRAGSTRIP Posts: 892 Likes: 919 Liked 662 Times in 187 Posts	Re: 2002 Buick 3800 Do what Alan said and make sure you check those 2 coolant elbows the GM ones are plastic and leak all the time! 24503423 elbow 12565082 elbow gm numbers Dorman makes metal ones also for replacement. Also waterpumps are bad on those and it all looks like its leaking from the same area. __________________ 5664 GHI/SA 1985 CAMARO RED H/SA 1985 CAMARO BLUE I/SA Last edited by TOSTO RACING; 02-08-2025 at 05:35 PM.

02-08-2025, 07:32 PM	#3
BTR69 Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Wilmington NC Posts: 115 Likes: 156 Liked 85 Times in 26 Posts	Re: 2002 Buick 3800 Check the coolant elbows as stated above. That's what happened to my moms car recently. Not a difficult fix, but still a pain in the arse. __________________ William Kilduff 1970 Barracuda (still trailer jail, indefinitely?) 1968 Camaro SS/C

02-09-2025, 05:08 PM	#5
67 Post GS Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Buffalo New York Posts: 80 Likes: 10 Liked 49 Times in 11 Posts	Re: 2002 Buick 3800 I would go-ahead and replace the plastic upper intake all together. They will warp over time, and then you put a fresh gasket underneath and it will still leak. Dorman makes a replacement.

02-15-2025, 11:24 PM	#6
4speedracer Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 51 Likes: 0 Liked 10 Times in 6 Posts	Re: 2002 Buick 3800 The Dorman intake used to come with a different internal EGR tube to get the heat away from the intake. OE configuration would damage the intake, sometimes leak internal and hydraulic the engine. Would suggest doing the lower intake at the same time, the general used plastic lower intake gaskets also replacements can be gotten in metal with rubber inserts.