intake gaskets

Why are chevys having such big problems with their intake manifold gaskets?my99 malibu,my friend's 94 lumina and 2000 cavalier and brother's 2002 impala have all had to have the gaskets replaced.

 

There have been articles published, links in other threads on this board, that cite the silicone based Dexcool anitfreeze the corrosive culprit that eats the plastic gaskets.

I just had mine done on a 2002 Venture Van, 73,000 miles. From what I've read, I've been more fortunate than most. Exept for the part where my fuse block mysteriously shorted out while in the dealers care. Which apparent "just happens" and is my repsonsibility.

If Toyota can make an engine that runs 200,000 without major (non- regular maintainance items) engine repair, why can't Chevy.

My advice would be to dump the vehicle and seek a Japanese manufacturer.
The intake gasket is only going to fail again. It's not an "if" but a "when".
That's my personal strategy anyway.

 

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/gm_dexcool.html

 

I was a GM mechanic for 10 years it is not the dex cool that does it is that you have an aluminum intake manifold and castiron heads and in some cases aluminum heads two diff metals heat up and diff rates causing expansion and contractions issues and also the parts were not torqued propperly i have done hundreds of intake gaskets and it almost always holds true that the plastic part of the gasket around the coolant passage is crushed and all that remains is the rubber o-ring seal just my thoughts and experience on it

 

although I understand jchevguys post, there has been an aluminum head iron block combo for years (actually decades) and never has the problem been seen like it is today with a dex-cool cooled engine.

Strangely enough, I was talking with an ASE master just today about this. From what he said(I think it is) Felpro has made a gasket that is supposed to have fewer problems.

 

It seems they do not care. They know there is a problem but do zip to fix it. Ford is a perfect example there Taurus had trannie problems all thru the 80s and it was not redesigned till 2000.
GM trucks have issues with day time running lights one light is always off.
I was talking to a Toyota service advisor and he told me every problem with there cars is tracked and improvments are made from day one.
They do not wait years. It is all about money they probbably go to the lowest bidder on there parts.
Why buy a headlight switch for 15 dollars each when they can get a switch for 10 dollars from a diffrent company.

 

I have to help a friend fix his intake gasket in a Vortec V-6 in an S10 Blazer. I read in another forum that there are two kinds of gaskets for them in the chain stores. One is a plastic/rubber like the original and the "improved" one is a metal/rubber combo. I asked when I called around for prices and they seemed to know what I was asking so I have to think there is some truth to it.

 

Yep, my 01 Malibu did it to at about 80,000 mi.
I did the job myself and over torqued one of the rocker mount bolts and stripped it.
Used a time-cert to fix it.
Evertime I hear the engine tic tic after I shut it off I think it's coming apart.
So far-so good , now has 167,000 and still holding. Hope to get 300,000 out if it.
I did use a grey GM glue with new gasket from the Chev dealer.