3800 V6 Leaking oil
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Posts like a 4 Banger
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 125
Likes: 2
From: Tucson, Arizona
Piston slap is not the piston hitting the cylinder heads. It is when there is too much clearance between the piston and cylinder walls and the pistons rattles (or slaps) against the walls as it moves up and down.
A piston physically contacting the head on the top of its stroke can only happen if there is a chunk of something sitting on top of the piston, there is a grossly excessive build up of carbon, or you are using the wrong spark plug and it is too long.
A piston physically contacting the head on the top of its stroke can only happen if there is a chunk of something sitting on top of the piston, there is a grossly excessive build up of carbon, or you are using the wrong spark plug and it is too long.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Posts like a 4 Banger
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 125
Likes: 2
From: Tucson, Arizona
I have added thicker oil before, but it kills my gas mileage, and how you mentioned going to 50 grade oil, i think it only makes worse since you force the engine to push the heavier oil.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Fort Stewart GA
Not sure the age of this thread but here are some thoughts.
1. That gasket you used on your oil pan is great if you are going to do a quick sale on your car or you can use little bit of gasket maker to keep it in place while you put it up on the car. Fel-Pro makes another gasket that is double the price of that one but well worth every penny! Not saying you did this but you may have torqued down the bolts too much and not in the correct order. Just a thought.
2. Orange fram filters. Blah...if you love your motor and it sounds like you do, you would give it something else to help filter the oil.
3. Did you go synthetic and then notice this "piston slap/knocking'? You may want to go back to conventional and see what it does for you.
Since the mechanic you take it too has so much knowledge on this motor and he told you they drove it without oil 4 times than I would drive it like you stole it, or as my freind would say till the wheels fall off. 3800'* can go a long time if they are taken care of.
You could also have a front seal leaking where the harmonic balancer is, sometimes hard to see. Start your car, run it, and then watch for the oil to start leaking.
Just a few thoughts.
Have you changed your Lower Intake Manifolds. Once those fail on you and some coolant gets in the oil that will cause the bearings to go back and result in rod knock/piston slap. That happend to my 97 3800 in my Junkmaro.
1. That gasket you used on your oil pan is great if you are going to do a quick sale on your car or you can use little bit of gasket maker to keep it in place while you put it up on the car. Fel-Pro makes another gasket that is double the price of that one but well worth every penny! Not saying you did this but you may have torqued down the bolts too much and not in the correct order. Just a thought.
2. Orange fram filters. Blah...if you love your motor and it sounds like you do, you would give it something else to help filter the oil.
3. Did you go synthetic and then notice this "piston slap/knocking'? You may want to go back to conventional and see what it does for you.
Since the mechanic you take it too has so much knowledge on this motor and he told you they drove it without oil 4 times than I would drive it like you stole it, or as my freind would say till the wheels fall off. 3800'* can go a long time if they are taken care of.
You could also have a front seal leaking where the harmonic balancer is, sometimes hard to see. Start your car, run it, and then watch for the oil to start leaking.
Just a few thoughts.
Have you changed your Lower Intake Manifolds. Once those fail on you and some coolant gets in the oil that will cause the bearings to go back and result in rod knock/piston slap. That happend to my 97 3800 in my Junkmaro.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: california
persistant oil leaks
I have owned three Pontiac'*, and three Buick'*. I always have had oil leaks. I still have one Buick that always leaked oil since new, and a Pontiac that leaks oil after three years. While under warranty and extended warranty the dealer never could find the leaks, and told me I had no leaks. I had them check almost five times on each car over the years. I have a huge oil spot under my Buick and replace 1 1/2 quarts of oil in my Pontiac every 1000 miles. Not until I exhausted all my warranties on both did the dealership finally tell me they found the oil leak. Since there seems to be a common leakage problem, is there any recall or something that will stop the darn leaks?
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: california
I have owned three Pontiac'*, and three Buick'*. I always have had oil leaks. I still have one Buick that always leaked oil since new, and a Pontiac that leaks oil after three years. While under warranty and extended warranty the dealer never could find the leaks, and told me I had no leaks. I had them check almost five times on each car over the years. I have a huge oil spot under my Buick and replace 1 1/2 quarts of oil in my Pontiac every 1000 miles. Not until I exhausted all my warranties on both did the dealership finally tell me they found the oil leak. Since there seems to be a common leakage problem, is there any recall or something that will stop the darn leaks?