No one to blame but myself.....UGH

[Eric Wettschreck]

I recently installed a 3100 in my son's 96 cutlass. While I had the newer motor on the garage floor I was thinking I should replace the LIM gasket, but I didn't. Dropped the engine in, bolted everything up, put in all the fluids, fired her up in the garage and she purred like a kitten. Double checked everything and took her down the road. Ran great, things were good, handed the kid the keys and cleaned up the garage.

Now it's leaking Gal Durrnit!!!

I'm PO'd at myself. I know these things eat LIM gaskets for breakfast and I had the thing sitting on the floor staring at me, and I didn't replace it.

I'll add, I'm assuming it's the LIM gasket. Once warm it's leaking coolant pretty good and it's tough to see exactlly where. I see some spray from the area of the thermostat housing and evertythings wet and steamy. Tough to pimpoint the exact spot.

[Tom7227]

Maybe your son should replace it with you looking over his shoulder on occasion and offering some tips. Great way to learn a lot about a lot.

[Jeremy airjer W]

The used motors we get from our supplier already have the new LIM gaskets installed when we get them!

[Eric Wettschreck]

Done and back on the road. Not a fun job but not that tough once you get to wrenchin.

It's been an interesting ordeal. I'm working 2 jobs and the kid is working 2 1/2 jobs trying to stash as much cash that he can prior to leaving for Vo-Tech in a couple weeks. So we tag teamed. When he was home he turned wrenches, when I was home I turned wrenches.

Lesson learned. If you swap out a 3.1, before you put the new one in replace the LIM gasket.