Should you find yourself in need of a coolant elbow when doing a lower intake or a belt tensioner job, you don't HAVE to go to a dealer. While browsing the auto parts store, I was looking in the Dorman HELP! section, where they have the generic parts all in red blister packs hanging up. All 3 major auto parts stores around here carry these, so I'm assuming that is the case around the country. Anyway, there'* a package with 2 coolant elbows in it, and one is obviously the one we need. It was $6.99, if I recall. Next time I'm in, I'll get a part number. Had I known that, I would have traveled the 4 miles to the Autozone, not the 12-14 miles to the closest GM dealer to get one.

EDIT: Here it is...

http://www.dormanproducts.com/cgi-bi...tegory_list=:0

I've been thinking of firing up the TIG and making them out of stainless tubing. They're .875 OD and should be easy.

Yep, that'* the right one. Boosty posted all the part numbers for his LIM gasket repair here.

http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...54&highlight=A

I missed the "Help" numbers the first couple of times that I read it.

What years exactly have the plastic elbow?

95-05 3800 N/A engines.

96+ SC engines as well.

So a 93 Bonneville 3800 does not ?? we have a 92 old van with a 3800 and it had a plastic outlet which broke and i replaced?? the bonneville does not though??

The Series I 3800 has a rubber hose opposed to the rigid plastic elbow.

I hope it was replaced with the metal version. Mine blew out of my 93. It has caused a lack of trust with the service department at my Buick dealer. When I told them there was a drip in that area, they could have told me it was the plastic adapter most likely. They let me drive it home like that to bring in two days later. P.*. It blew out while I was at home that evening trying to see exactly where the leak was since I didn't feel I had time to fix it.