What year 3400 LIM is tapped for our coolant pipe?

IsaacHayes · Post by **IsaacHayes** » Tue May 16, 2006 11:48 pm

Hate to start another thread, but I know someone knows right off the top of their head. I just spent an hour and a half searching all the boards and came up with nothing.

What year range 3400 lower intake manifold from the (vans?) will accept the 3100 coolant pipe with the threads?

I can't find anyone with a 1/2" NPT tap, so I'm going this route to save myself trouble, as replacing the pipe that goes in there looks like it won't come out of the engine bay very easy. (I'd like to go to the new pipe however).

HELP! I need to get a 3400 LIM ordered!!

TIA!

IsaacHayes · Post by **IsaacHayes** » Wed May 17, 2006 7:41 pm

Ok, found the info on a grand am board! I googled the same info as last night but it came up...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu May 18, 2006 12:23 pm

Please post findings, as far as I knew they were all pressed style.

IsaacHayes · Post by **IsaacHayes** » Thu May 18, 2006 2:01 pm

96-98 from a 3400 eqiupped van. (venture, transport, sihlouette). They have coolant hole tapped on the lower, and have the 96 style EGR mount on the upper manifold. I'm using 3500 upper though, which has a different mount (like the 99+), and of course I have the old 3.1/94 3100 3 valve egr.

I'd *like* to change my pipe to the press-fit one, so I don't have to buy that $8 screw in fitting everytime I take it off (plastic inards fall to pieces each time). But I'm pretty sure getting the metal pipe out of the engine bay would be a night mare. I need to look at it again, but I think it goes through the exhaust manifold/crossover and I'm not taking that off, and I don't have a lift to drop it through the underside....

Did you tap your LIM or swap your pipe?

KFLO 93 GT · Post by **KFLO 93 GT** » Fri May 19, 2006 4:19 am

Just use the pressed in set up, and get some heater hose and run it to the pipe. Viola! Fuggin $2 fix.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri May 19, 2006 11:02 am

I tapped it... I have two lowers tapped, one in the car and one on my 3x00 hybrid on the stand. I hate how that pastic crap breaks though, but if you losen the nut on the head that supports that pipe, and just center it and then re-tighten it, it will seal... it's a oring seal and doesn't need the plastic parts if you have that stud retainer on the head. Mine was leaking after the trans untill I recentered it, its been fine since.

IsaacHayes · Post by **IsaacHayes** » Fri May 19, 2006 2:09 pm

KFLO: explain a little better please? You just stuffed heater hose in the intake, and ran it to the metal pipe?! That doesn't sound very, uh leak proof! I'm missing something here.. explain...

Jon: I tried re-using mine once, and it just kept leaking. I didn't try to tweak it to "re-center" it though.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri May 19, 2006 2:59 pm

yeah they are a pain, and this one only has 30k on it so it should have resealed... and I'm glad it did, because they are a bioch to get to.

spacecadetz26 · Post by **spacecadetz26** » Fri May 19, 2006 3:15 pm

the new quick connect clips are $5 from parts store. autozone has them in the help section, new gm ones are $12. easy fix. use the beretta steel heater lines, using the stock heater hoses. easy. no stress on the heater core

IsaacHayes · Post by **IsaacHayes** » Fri May 19, 2006 3:29 pm

Steph, I got those clips once, but when I went to "rebuild" the screw connector, the o-ring that was in there was brittle and broke apart. That was with less than 40k on it. I could of got a new o-ring, but was in a hurry last time and had both the clips and a whole new connector, so I put that on.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri May 19, 2006 3:29 pm

cheap but a pain to get to, and I hate coolant draining... that crap is sticky.

IsaacHayes · Post by **IsaacHayes** » Fri May 19, 2006 4:20 pm

Well I just ordered a LIM from a 97 Venture 3.4L. So I will be using the screw in thing again. I'll just try to re-build this one with the $5 clip thing since the o-ring should still be fresh, as it was november when I last replaced it.

This is easier than trying to find a tap cheap, or rigging up a hose, or swapping metal pipe in the car. Easiest wins in this case for me.

I just hope the LIM isn't pitted around the coolant jackets, this was off the car in a warehouse, so hopefully it isn't damaged as bad as one sitting in a junkyard. I know my 94 started to pit, as well as the heads, but I put some silicone and wiped it flat with a razor blade to fill in the pits/valleys so the gasket wouldn't leak.

Just got to get bolts, gaskets, 3.1L mpfi EGR base & tube, and some vacuum tubing. I also need to start grinding on the 3500 plenum, (taking tabs off, gasket matching, and grinding on the neck for space for the FPR.) I also have to grind on the LIM once it gets here to clear my stamped rockers. Then it's paint time, then assembly time.

But getting the parts feels like half the battle.

Oh I do need to get a new pigtail for the new style MAP sensor. ..

EDIT: I see on my post on 60*v6 that I said 96-98 van LIM and last I edited that was may 3rd. I knew I had the info, but wasn't sure it was right. If I typed it out in a post then I know it was right. I should look back at my old posts first.. hahah. Oh boy. Oh well at least one person on here was curious about it too.

I just hope I don't grind too far though the LIM to clear the rockers. I guess I'll have to check and go back and forth. That will be fun.

KFLO 93 GT · Post by **KFLO 93 GT** » Tue May 23, 2006 3:34 am

One of the last 3400 swaps I was in on was an engine from an 02 Impala. The coolant nipple on it pretty much was shaped like a barbed coolant fitting. We just got approptiate sized heater hose and ran it over to the hard pipe that runs down to the heater core.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 23, 2006 8:24 am

Clearancing the rockers is a pain... best bet is to take some material of the corner of the rocker too... That will eliminate the amount of material you are removing from the intake itself, I did that with my first 3400 top end.

IsaacHayes · Post by **IsaacHayes** » Tue May 23, 2006 7:48 pm

KFLO: so there was a barbed fitting coming out of the intake manifold? Hmm I haven't seen pics of that... Only the aluminum manifold with no threads but an oring inside. Picture

Jon: Hmm, not sure I want to be grinding on a rocker installed in my car... Or if that will weaken it.... The manifold came in today, it's got the threaded fitting in so the coolant pipe is ready to go. (97 chevy venture 3400). Just got to clearance for the rockers. And actually from looking at pics of other 3400 manifolds, this one looks more flat instead of round where the rockers are, so maybe it will be easy... I hope.

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