Hello Everyone, I have just registered with your club, and I hope this "post a reply" is doing what I think it should !! Briefly: Exactly two weeks ago my '99 Bonneville 3800 Series II (VIN:K) experienced catastrophic cooling system failure. ( I got it back together last weekend, and back on the road yesterday).

I have taken loads of digital pictures of the whole repair process. To say the least, it has been extremely educational. I have gleaned a lot of good info from the forums of this Bonneville Club, as well as other internet searching.

I am reading with interest your discussions regarding the EGR stove pipe. I chose to install an aftermarket stovepipe modification kit, with I discovered via the internet. Basically it makes the stovepipe a "double wall" design, with air space in between, to take the heat off of the plastic. (The stock setup essentially assures eventual failure by slowly destroying the plastic of the plenum that surrounds it.)

Has anyone else out there used this kit ?? -It darn sure looks like the right idea to me.

Thanks !!
57ChevyThunder. (-yes, that is another whole story of it own,,,)

those pics would be a great help if you could post them

Also a link as to where the kit is displayed so that our readers could check it out.
Thanks

You BET ! I'm glad to do this, as I have telephoned the company owner, Ken Spragg Thursday, and received his permission to do so. He is an Automotive Jobber Supplier, the name of the company is Ken-Co Industries, in Ontario, Canada. When you sign on to his web site, you will find that he absolutely cannot sell retail. :( --

BUT, "not to worry." Because, he is referring people to a Dealer in Caribou Maine, "Gagnon'* Auto & RV Sales" at 800-498-3350.

Here is my advice: Be sure to go to Ken'* website, www.ken-co.com, and you will find a picture of the kit on the home page, under new product. Click on the picture, and you will find a couple pages of the details, and a good set of step-by-step instructions. Print the instructions, because the instructions that came with my kits were fairly small, and not very clear.

I was very pleased with how the kit installed. I thought that the "interferrence fit" of the plenum sleeve was tighter than necessary, :? BUT I used the "made in Korea" plenum. (-on-line purchase from 1aauto.com) -same as Dorman part ?? I don't know. Maybe that is due to a little problem with the tolerance specs on the Korean part ? :?:

If anyone else tries this out, I'd sure like to know what you think !!

Thanks,

_________________
"57 ChevyThunder"

Excellent find! I'm about to go at mine and that improved stovepipe will be very helpful!

I used the Dorman replacement upper intake.It was made in Korea.Look on the flange/lip for the numbers 615-180.I think they're on the alternator end of the manifold.

Thanks, vital49. (I see that your Bonneville is also a '99). I must add, that in my case, as if the upper plenum coolant leak (which had stopped with stop leak) wasn't bad enough, about two days before the new plenum and Ken Spragg'* stovepipe kit arrived in the mail, I also experienced catastrophic failure of the lower intake gaskets. This dumped all of the coolant into the oil. :( -very bad deal. However, by having only driven it about 12 miles in that condition, I apparently managed to avoid any mechanical damage to any of the crankshaft bearings. (-although tomorrow I'm going to change the rod bearings anyway, just for good insurance. -and hey, they are only around $36.)

So here is my advice to anyone who is going to remove/inspect/replace their upper plenum. FOR HEAVENS SAKE while in that deep, please also remove the lower intake, and replace those gaskets too. (-mine were TOTALLY shot.)

-and of course, install the Ken Co Ind. stovepipe improvement kit.

Harry

"helikon", -Thanks, I shall check for that number. (-as soon as the wife arrives home with the car,,,). The only markings that I remember being on the new part, other than made in Korea, was what appeared to be a part number, and I'll bet you are right about the number.

Thanks
I shall check.

I plan on doing mine within the next month (still waiting for the parts to roll in from my ebay purchases! ). I'm replacing the upper intake with new gaskets, the lower intake gaskets, installing the improved stovepipe that was mentioned in this thread, a 180 degree thermostat, and a Stant radiator cap. Mine hasn't cut loose yet, but it'* a time bomb since I'm almost at 80K.

Is there anything else I should do to make the job complete? I know a tranny cooler would be helpful, but that'll be another job!

I would take a large screwdriver and physically bend the stove pipe at least
1/2 in. away from the hot exhaust manifold above the tranny. My SE pipe was almost
touching it and was sure to be picking up extra heat from it.
By the way Vital49, how much was the stove pipe kit? Did you buy it from the Canada dealership?
I 'm thinking I'm about ready to do this job myself for piece of mind at 73,000.