A few weeks back I posted about a rapid coolant drop with no visible leak. I watched and watched and it stayed the same, until... this week.

I love my SSE. I love my SSE. I love my SSE. Now that that'* out of the way...


and


But my fears are only half as bad, I think.



The UIM doesn't appear to me to be leaking, but I ain't great at this stuff. It has a manufacture date on the top of 12/20/00. I went back through my service records since this car (96 SSE) was under extended warranty in 2001 and at 59,500 miles the UIM was replaced (car now has 128k miles).

I know the part number of the gaskets for the LIM, but my question is "has someone posted a step-by-step for replacing the LIM?" I've found tons of diaries for the UIM but relatively few for the LIM. I have seen several photo diaries that make this look easy to do, but I am not very good with stuff like this. My fear is that there is something more to do than just order the gaskets and change the gaskets. I am afraid of missing something important and blowing the engine. I searched and found examples of people who had diaried this previously but are there any VERY specific instructions floating around the site? It looks relatively straightforward to change the gasket, but a gearhead I ain't. I just had the oil changed today just to be safe.

I saw this for the UIM http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...e=article&k=38, but didn't see anything specific to the LIM.

Is it adviseable to do both the UIM and LIM at the same time, even if there is no visible sign of leaking from the UIM?

Thanks in advance for the good advice.

afterthought. I am assuming that the leak is from the LIM, but after reading this and looking at the pics, I'm not so sure.

http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...86&highlight=A

You have to take off the upper intake to get to the lower intake. There'* a hidden bolt between the upper and lower. Either way it'* a good idea to do both.

yeah, that makes sense. I suppose while I'm in there why not do both.

I am assuming that the leak so visible in the second pic above is coming from the LIM. Could that be coming from the valve cover?

In your first two photos I definitely see some oil leakage from the valve cover gasket.

In these same photos, please verify whether the leaked material at the bottom of the head is from the head gasket or from the LIM gasket/LIM end seal (let'* hope it'* LIM).

I just did the LIM gaskets on a 1998 Olds 88 a few days ago. It was my first time doing anything more difficult than replacing plugs and wires or dropping a pan on this engine. It seemed intimidating at first, but it'* actually quite straightforward.

It required no special tools (besides a good torque wrench), though the pictorials on this site and the Factory Service Manual were helpful (I do not know how useful a Chilton'* or Haynes would be for this...I don't have them).

It took me a total of about 10 hours of labor over two days, working all by myself, to:
-Remove Fuel rail, TB, UIM and LIM
-Inspect and clean all parts and mating surfaces thoroughly
-Replace LIM, UIM and TB gaskets, and injector o-rings, and LIM, UIM and TB
-Quadruple check all sensor and wire hookups
-Drain and flush coolant, replace thermostat and change oil and filter
-Test drive and scan

At least two of those hours were spent fishing for dropped bolts with bailing wire.

From the looks of your valve cover gasket leak, you'll need to do those, too (estimate another 1 or 2 labor hours).

When I do this job a second time (my 98 LeSabre needs it), I bet I could cut the whole job (including VC gaskets) to 6 or 7 hours.

See that'* what I can't tell. It doesn't smell like it'* got any coolant, just oil.

Could that liquid on the top in the third pic be from the valve cover? I freaked immediately when I saw it but just went out and looked and the top of the valve cover is definetly leaking.

I guess my concern now is whether the UIM/LIM is also leaking. I jsut don't see any signs of coolant.

Have you checked around the throttle body gasket? Is it dry there?

Not a bad suggestion for the valve covers. WIth the top end off it'd be cheap and VERY easy. Unless they're doing just fine.

I think the first thing this guy has got to figure out is whether the head gasket is leaking...

That'* virtually unheard of on these engines. Not impossible, but not very likely.