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Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:10 pm
by Money pit Beretta
Talk about the worst time for it to happen.
Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:23 pm
by bagged_and_loud
Ya, it'll be alright though. It'll get fixed, that's all that matters.
Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:29 pm
by SummitBalt08
If you are paying a shop just have them drop a 3400 in there. 3100s are junk, it would suck to put all that money into getting the lower intake gasket replaced then next thing you know something happens to the bottom end.
Especially if the previous owner was running nitrous through a stock 3100. Just swap it out..
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Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:02 pm
by bagged_and_loud
Ya Shawn, i know that's the better option. Then there's the custom T mount, and the egr adapter right? I know.everything else is almost plug and play. Swap the injectors and sensors, use my current ecm at at least for now. But. I thought i also read that all 3x00 engines have the limg problem? It'd be reallynice to have a 3400, just don't think the new job will let me have the funds as quick as i need the beretta. Ill call tomorrow for engine prices just to see. Too bad you guys are hammering on your beretta up north. Id maybe have you come down and we could get it done in a day. Lots to think about.
Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:18 pm
by SummitBalt08
No custom T mount is needed. Just that EGR adapter and you run a wire for the gauge cluster temp sensor. Everything else is a direct swap.
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Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:26 pm
by bagged_and_loud
Ok, thanks for that. The egr can be blocked off right? I've read it actually does more harm then good. A good shop would know about what wire to run, right?
Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:32 pm
by SummitBalt08
I'm not 100% sure about the EGR.. I would hope a good shop would know how to run that wire. Its not hard to do.
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Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:42 pm
by bagged_and_loud
Ok, thanks Shawn. Ill do some calling tomorrow. Just texted a friend. He might lend me the money and help me do it. Ill keep this updated.
Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:52 pm
by SummitBalt08
Just remember to swap over all your 3100 accessories
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Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:57 pm
by bagged_and_loud
Oops, got two things mixed. He might lend me the money for my limg on the 3100.
Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:15 pm
by SummitBalt08
Waste of time...
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Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:23 pm
by bagged_and_loud
Well,if $120 gets my car up and running by Monday, and it lasts till spring, its worth it. Its the only time ill be able to work on it. After the limg, the car don't have to go but 6 miles for work, and 6 back. Not even time for the car to reach operating temperature.
Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 2:24 am
by Rettax3
Okay, I realize you are already moving on from this point, so this might be totally moot. But, here it is anyway... 3100s are not junk -the bottom-ends are
the same as a 3400... I don't actually like any of the 3x00 series all that much, but they do put out the power and torque they promise, and have a unique sound. 3400s DO have the same LIMG problem, so when putting one in, plan on having the LIMG done on the new engine anyway, just as a preventive -the OEM gaskets are plastic $h!t (which is the main reason I don't like 3100s or 3400s much -it taints my whole view of the engine to know that GM dumped that crap on us), you want the steel Fel-Pro or Dorman gasket sets -Dorman is cheaper, but I've used one on a J-code 3100 and they were a good quality gasket set for a lot less than Fel-Pro. Rock Auto sells the Dorman set for a very reasonable price.
3400s are a nice swap for '94+ V-6 Berettas, but it is a lot of extra money to dump into the car that yields only a little extra. What, 10%? A good exhaust and CAI yields that... If the 3100 is still good and has that few miles, a new (steel) LIMG gasket set puts you back on the road in an afternoon. An engine-swap? You also need a crane, usually a garage, a whole weekend in most cases, almost always some odd-and-ends, and I sincerely doubt a typical shop will just 'know' how to mod the wiring for this particular swap, c'mon... So plan on that too. Hope the new engine is good

... Nitrous? How many cars out there have ever seen laughing gas? The new 3400 is just as unlikely to have seen that as the 3100 in a Beretta... Sorry, and no offense meant, but some of this isn't realistic. Just fix your 3100, but yeah, block off that EGR...
Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 6:00 am
by bagged_and_loud
My car does have nitrous in it already. Just night bottle. Really. I won't be able to make the repair. I work every day now, or close to it. It's going to have to go to a shop to get done. I'm leaning on fixing it. What seems unrealistic?
Re: loosing coolant, oil looks like chocolate milk, help
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 2:26 pm
by Rettax3
bagged_and_loud wrote: What seems unrealistic?
Oh sorry, I just felt it was unrealistic to think that repairing a gasket in a 3100 is a waste of time just because the engine 'might' have run NOS in the past, or 'might' lose the bottom-end after the repair. A 3400 swap is great, but there is nothing wrong with fixing the 3100 either, especially if budget is a serious concern. I doubt the majority of shops would want to tackle a 'custom' install like a 3400, despite the fact that it will bolt right in. How could they guarantee it would work? Especially if it requires even the slightest wiring change. Not to hijack this thread, but has anyone here actually talked to a repair-shop (or taken their car to a repair shop) and gotten a solid quote on a swap like this? I'm not talking about a speed-shop either...