I have a 2001 Alero with a 2.4L I4 engine that is part of the Quad-4 line of engines by GM. It'* under my name, but my sister drives it. I recently decided to figure out some things about the engine and see why there'* so much plastic around it.

I give up.

It'* an N body car with very little room anywhere. There are just a few pulleys - the harmonic balancer, alternator, A/C compressor, and a tensioner. Where'* the water pump? I think this car has the new electronic steering thing by which there is no power steering pump. It seems so.

The spark plugs are inaccessible. It seems the top part of the engine must be removed to do a plug change, and yet it shouldn't be because I heard it may crack easily if mishandled. The coolant tank has Dexcool in it, and therefore I need to flush it very, very soon. It reads it should not be touched for 5 years, but the car'* from 2001, and we bought it at a dealership in 2006. Funny story about that if you'd like.

There is no transmission dipstick! I heard the transmission just has a plug, and that'* it. This is really weird, and I need help. What is there to do, maintenance-wise? Everything seems fine, and the car has 119K miles on it! I can only do oil changes and a coolant flush to the orange Prestone, but that'* about it. Am I missing something?

the water pumps on the older quad fours were behind the exhaust manifold.

and there is a plate on the top of the eng that is easily removed, to access the plugs. four bolts. i have not had a prob with those.

Is there a gasket for the plate on top? Also, the car makes strange noises on a cold start, but only when the steering wheel is spun. Since there'* no power steering pump, what'* going on?

that version of the 2.4 the power steering is ran off of the cam. may need to let it build oil pressure before leaving early.

I guess this is a pretty well-made engine. It seems strong and well-built. Is the power steering fluid filled the same way as ours is?

The power steering pump is on the back / trans side of the engine drivin off of the cam. The motors are quite powerfull, but DO NOT overheat it, and make sure to keep the oil changed.

You won't have any problems with gaskets from the dex though, that doesn't happen with inline engines because they don't have coolant passages in the intake manifold.

If you take care of the engine and keep the oil changed with good stuff and like I said do not overheat it, it should be a pretty good car. These quad 4 engines do like to warp heads if they get hot, and I have seen many of them blown up... many. My brother just smoked one in his '99 Grand Am and my dad found a 50,000 mile engine in TENESSEE for $800.


Yes, the plugs are under that cover on the top, as are the coil (*). just take out the four bolts and carefully lift up the cover. the coils are attached to the cover and the plugs are down there between the cams.

In the car, I run Mobil 1 oil with standard filters like Bosch and AC Delco. It seems all right. Is the heat a problem because the engine is aluminum?

theres no gasket on that cover.

nope no gasket just get the 4 bolts and lift strait up but watch out for the coil wireing you might have to unplug it not to bad of a job to do

as you are looking at the motor from the front the power steering pump is to the rite at the end of the spark plug cover run off the forward cam


the water pump is chain driven and on the back of the timeing case under the intaske as stated earlier

i had a 90 grand prix with the 2.3 quda 4 and it was a scooting little motor with verry little issues while i owned it ran from denver to phenox in a little more than 10 hours and delivered 30 mpg while scootong down the road in anything but economy mode

best thing you could do is get the factory manuals for this car if you intend to work on it it has some quirks but nothing to far out for someone to do most things at home aslong as you know what is going on