chevy 3800 help

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   ive been posting on a few pontiac forums but cant get any answers. if you guys know of a good GM wbody forum let me know..

i changed my oil, filter, and trans fluid last night and now i have a thin redish liquid dripping on the ground RIGHT when i put it in park. wont leak while in park or in drive while idol.

my 1st thought is the tranny pan but its coming off the front frame support(? bar that runs under the radiator) so the engine oil pan would/should block any spray...

after taking off the plastic cover i noticed my head/LIM/Throttle body area was soaked... but why/how would trans fluid come up that high? non of the hoses running along the front of the block are wet and the seal between the engine and trans looks ok.

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merc Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum Member American Scotchy Joined: 10 June 2002 Location: VA, USA Status: Offline Points: 7112	Post Options Post Reply Quote merc Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: chevy 3800 help Posted: 27 April 2008 at 8:59pm
	ive been posting on a few pontiac forums but cant get any answers. if you guys know of a good GM wbody forum let me know.. i changed my oil, filter, and trans fluid last night and now i have a thin redish liquid dripping on the ground RIGHT when i put it in park. wont leak while in park or in drive while idol. my 1st thought is the tranny pan but its coming off the front frame support(? bar that runs under the radiator) so the engine oil pan would/should block any spray... after taking off the plastic cover i noticed my head/LIM/Throttle body area was soaked... but why/how would trans fluid come up that high? non of the hoses running along the front of the block are wet and the seal between the engine and trans looks ok.
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bravecoward Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group oxymoran Joined: 21 May 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 61659	Post Options Post Reply Quote bravecoward Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 April 2008 at 10:11pm
	Idk if this has any relation to what you said at all. but my pontiac grand am used to leak power steering fluid. and it was red.


ctchofday Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Gold Member 1 language strike, 2/28/10 Joined: 19 February 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1987	Post Options Post Reply Quote ctchofday Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 April 2008 at 10:19pm
	yeah power steering fluid is reddish. check that. also brake fluid is sometimes reddish. check that as well.
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bravecoward Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group oxymoran Joined: 21 May 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 61659	Post Options Post Reply Quote bravecoward Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 April 2008 at 10:29pm
	you could've hit a hobo and didnt realize it bc blood is reddish


gardy90 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Strike 1 - Filter Dodge, 4/14 Joined: 17 July 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 150	Post Options Post Reply Quote gardy90 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 April 2008 at 10:42pm
	yes it would be power sterring fluid, but that wouldent explain the leaking when its put in park, you might check the leval of tranny fluid, you might have got too much in there
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Hairball!!! Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Strike #4 Joined: 12 June 2002 Location: Snow (again) Status: Offline Points: 6941	Post Options Post Reply Quote Hairball!!! Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 April 2008 at 11:07pm
	What color is your coolant?

Shub Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group I don’t have one either. Is that good??? Joined: 11 June 2002 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 6501	Post Options Post Reply Quote Shub Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 April 2008 at 12:45am
	Does it smell sweet? As Hairball mentioned, GM uses red colored Havoline Dexcool coolant in newer vehicles.

merc Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum Member American Scotchy Joined: 10 June 2002 Location: VA, USA Status: Offline Points: 7112	Post Options Post Reply Quote merc Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 April 2008 at 8:57am
	^ that would explain why my coolants not green and the location of the leak...ive been putting green stuff in though. if its ps fluid it would have to be coming from the rack il check that. when i get home from the DR. (GM was so nice when they placed the PS pump/dipstick on the 3800) i might be getting the smells mixed up but im damn near sure its trans fluid. i may have over filled it and its spraying out the dipstick tube. il check my hood this morning to see if it have spray.
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.357 Magnum Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum Member Guested and IP banned Joined: 23 November 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3335	Post Options Post Reply Quote .357 Magnum Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 April 2008 at 3:05pm
	Theres a recall on that stuff GM has started using. It's turning to sludge.


merc Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum Member American Scotchy Joined: 10 June 2002 Location: VA, USA Status: Offline Points: 7112	Post Options Post Reply Quote merc Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 April 2008 at 3:56pm
	ive been having trouble with it over heating at low RPM (in park if i rev the engine the temp drops) i was thinking it was gunk in the lines. coolant is red in the vehicle and looks nasty. the leak is up around the throttle body/intake manifold i dont think its my head gasket but could be wrong. oils clean. i checked my trans fluid after going to the DR today and it was clean. so i figure il find the leak, repair it, THEN bring it to be flushed and refilled with the green stuff. it just seams like every time i fix something on this car something else goes bad...
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ammolord Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Started from the botttom, not there yet Joined: 06 July 2007 Location: Minot, ND Status: Offline Points: 1850	Post Options Post Reply Quote ammolord Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 April 2008 at 6:24pm
	pics? that would help alot. it might be PS fluid or it could be tranny fluid leakin from the lines runnin to the tranny oil cooler, but i can be shure without seein pics.
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merc Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum Member American Scotchy Joined: 10 June 2002 Location: VA, USA Status: Offline Points: 7112	Post Options Post Reply Quote merc Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 April 2008 at 7:15pm
	its higher than the lines, above the head gasket. so im thinking its the LIM or charger leaking coolant (not sure if coolant goes up as high as the charger.) im keeping an eye on my fluids and will get back to finding the leak once it stops raining
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Shub Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group I don’t have one either. Is that good??? Joined: 11 June 2002 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 6501	Post Options Post Reply Quote Shub Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 April 2008 at 8:01pm
	The 3.8 is a great engine, I doubt that you're head gasket is leaking. That red coolant looks ugly in no time, it turns into a rusty orange, but it still works like it should. If your car uses the red Dexcool 3 coolant, I wouldn't use the green stuff.