[voodoo1]

Wow so far last dec. my 02 impala(3.4) has had a water/timing chain anti freeze leak. Took off the whole side of the engine. Good to go...then in March the head gasket failed. (DEXcool) So I took off both heads surfaced them changed the seals and then put in real antifreeze!!! (ya know the kind that works). NOw in the last few week the dang 02 rear bank sensor is failing/failed. 98.00 dollar at part store 161 from dealer, 59 dollars for the universal. I hope like heck that is the end of it!!! I figured the antifreeze that was leaking from the water port into the cylinder pumped enough in the exhaust it may have done a number on it. That was until I found out that two other co-workers got the same problem in the same engine in the same mileage range. Oh well just ticks me off now I'll have to work on it again spend money on what I HAVE to do instead of tinkering around this month with the HArley.
ps. Dexcool and Gm lost the courtcase and have to reimburse owners that have filled out a you apply for online to get up to 800.00 back. I did that and two other fellas at work did too. DANG pink stuff!!!!!

Later
Voo1

[chucktx]

voodoo.......ya might want to check if ya got a black cloud hangin over ya!!!!! lol lol.. sorry to hear of the probs, but look at the bright side...you can do your own work so you know it is done correctly!!!!!!!!!!! good luck!!

[FLHTbiker]

Voodoo, my wifes 02 3.4 Impala has 98,000 on it and it has run great from day one. Sorry to hear of your problems with it. She has it serviced regularly and so far no water leaks. Hope things get better with it for you.
Did GM do a recall on the coolant?

[kenfuzed]

You're correct about the O2 sensor and antifreeze. Anything that can foul the exhaust will take the sensor out.

[voodoo1]

Thanks Chutz I'll keep looking up to make sure I dodge that cloud.
My luck I'll step off a cliff while looking up.
Not a recall on heads..the lower intake there was. But the lawsuit was against Dexcool and GM. you can find it on the internet. The cutoff for reimbursement though is over. The car runs great after I did all that work but the 02 is probably out due to the antifreeze. The headgasket itself did not blow between the cylinders on mine. The head bolt gasket area was gone. It was ate away by the dexcool and allowed the antifreexe to dump into the cylinder. Sure did a nice cleaning of the pston though.LOL.
Try and google you wil see how many 3.4s did that. Your are right at the mileage I was when it happened. Keep an eye out for white tailpipe exhaust. If it goes on ya make sure you get it shut off and it'll over heat real guick on ya and due more damage.

[FLHTbiker]

Thanks for the info Voodoo I'm going to check it and look into it. Its funny she just took it to the dealer a couple weeks ago and they said nothing about it. Hmmmmm

[Panthera]

Voodoo, now you've scared me! My wife is driving a 99 Lumina with 105000 on it, and this was one of the cars in the lawsuit. So far, no problems, but I am picking up some new stuff tomorrow to get that stuff out of the engine. I had not heard of this before until I saw your post here. I also need to check my truck to see if that is in there.

[FLHTbiker]

Voodoo, wife called the Chevy dealership today to check on the coolant and they looked it up on the vehicles records. They replaced it on one of her services. I guess its good that she has kept her car up. Just hope it has not done any damage.

[voodoo1]

Wow I changed the 02 sensor.( actually found a plug right in model at NAPA for 40 dollars less than anyone else in town!! and a better name brand part. They are usally the most expensive in town. After I go all the WAY HOME I had TO go to another local auto store and buy a special socket to make it easier. Nothing changed, car still ran like crap.

I took the car back to the local auto store and the young lady then told me that she could have told me the 02 sensor would not make a difference.
They refunded the socket( that was cool)
Two employees explained to me all the sensor did was keep the car in emissions standards and unless the police pull me over no one would know.
WE had a discussion on "I think you two are a bit off on your information about 02s but no time for that story."
When she went out and checked the codes again it read this time misfire on #5, but there was no more code for the 02(good). when I went in to get a plug the two young ladies then told me that Bosch(platinum) plugs were no good. Not sure why I put them in there anyways must have been on sale when I re-did the heads and gaskets earlier this year.Never used them in anything before and had any luck.
I get #5 out and Wow there is nothing remaining of the plug but the threads!!!! Holy crap. so in goes the 1.98 plug I normally use and while I am at it I'll change the rest of the plugs out too. Pull the first wire off#1 (a wire I just changed out a few months ago) and only the boot comes off!!! Wow.Now all this stuff I had bought from the same store months earlier, is falling apart!! Same name as the one that the young ladies worked at but in another location closer to my home
Oh yeah did I mention the 02 sensor I picked up was a bosch? ..wow what is up? .... Making junk or what? the new plug wire breaking and leaving the metal on the plug was the icing on the cake(plug was cool) . I got it all back together purrs like a kitten. Gee I wonder where the plug guts went too?!!! LOL this was not bottom line goods this was name brand crap.
And who needs a bail out?!?!?!
I figure the 02 not working made it run rich for sure. I drove for about a week of short trips of 10 miles or less.
Later,
Voo1

[ironhorse]

over oiling the KN filters will reek haveck also (gm experiance ) FYI