'95 Grand Prix GT 3.4L has oil leak....worth buying?

[cor_eh]

Hey,

I am thinking of buying a '95 Grand Prix GT w/3.4L DOHC engine in it from a friend for $3000. It's been well maintained and is working perfectly, other than that its got a bit of an oil leak. I took it to a mechanic to get the whole car/engine checked over. He wrote that the oil leak is in "Valley from above or rear main?" (no idea what that means) and quoted me probably $1000 to have it fixed ($400 parts, $600 labor). Apparently it's minor and for the price not worth fxing. I haven't seen for myself how bad the leak is, i'm going to run it and put some newspaper underneither overnight tonight. The car was parked for a few months and there was no oil drip underneith, this is only happening when the car has been run.

Anyway, I don't know the engine very well at all, so I was wondering if anybody could give me any tips. Are oil leaks common? What other issues can I typically expect from this engine (assuming I continue maintaining it real well etc.).

Thanks,
Corey

[perfimage]

RE:

Very likely the infamous O-Ring.

2 options to fix it though...the absolute right way and then there is always the way that also works.

----1. The absolute right way. Remove the top of the motor from Upper intake manifold down and to and including the rear head. Then remove the distributor plug and replace the oring that has dried out and is no longer keeping the oilfrom sneaking by and leaking all over the place.

----2. The way that also works.

Remove the upper and lower intake manifolds (you can figure out just what else needs to be removed, this is just a general direction)

Remove the retainer bolt and clamp and lift the plug as high as you can with a screw driver (probably 3/16 to 1/4 inch)

Clean under and around the plug and hole with carb or brake cleaner and clean rags. Make sure it is clean and dry.

Buy a small block chevy distributor gasket and some black RTV.

Slice the gasket diagonally through its thickness. Put some RTV under the plug and its mating surface on the block and drop it down and spin it around until you are sure there is a good coating on both pieces all the way around the plug and hole.

Lift the plug back up and work the gasket around the plug flange, making sure that the diagonally cut surfaces are mating properly and add just a dab of RTV to the cut.

Now drop the plug down and replace the clamp and tighten the bolt down.

LET IT SIT FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE.

During this time you can replace the upper and lower intake manifolds and button everything back up.

I fixed my leaky O ring this way a year ago and it is still holding great.

Good Luck!

[BMFH]

Hello All

Don't forget to also change the oil distribution plate gasket TOO, they crack and you may have to go back in there again if you don't because of another oil leak.

There is a complete break down on how to do it in the maintance section.

Just food for thought

John

[Rosez34]

I have a 95 3.4 monte carlo and was having a mysterious oil burning/leaking problem and thought it was the o-ring. It turned out that the PCV line was cracked above the exhaust cross-over. I re-ran the line with emissions hose and the problem was fixed.