Question About my Motor

[JCGT01]

I know the pic is bad, but if u can see what I've circled and know what it is please tell me, where this piece is connected to the motor there is some kind of gauze around the entire seal, or some kind of cocking stuff like its been glued down or re-sealed please help if u have ever seen this because I never see it on any Grand Am

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http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/586/hgkfhhhgkdf4.th.jpg (http://img529.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hgkfhhhgkdf4.jpg)

[Blackhawk]

That's the burping valve (for lack of a better term) for the coolant. The "gauze" is probably teflon tape used to seal the threads. It may have been removed at one point, but as long as it'll hold up to pressure I wouldn't worry about it.

[JCGT01]

could that have anything to do with the LIM? and ya I think it hold spressure good I haven't had a bit of trouble out of my car yet

[MantaGreen97]

Yeah that's the t-stat bypass pipe--it also serves the heater and the tb heater (if applicable). The top screw on it, which already has the revised screw on it from your picture (the old one was extremely easy to break), serves as the coolant air bleed as mentioned by Blackhawk.

Where it goes into the water pump housing in your picture, there shouldn't really be anything used to seal it in there--there should be an o-ring inside there, and a bolt that holds it down. If it's leaking from there (where it goes into the housing I mean), the o-ring is probably bad and it sounds like someone didn't know that and just tried to seal it up with silicone or something...

[rixGAphx]

Manta is right-on, as usual.

It's hard to tell in your photo where the 'gauzy, caulky stuff' is happening.
Is it around that ENTIRE VERTICAL TUBE???

Basically, the horizontal tube from the right is welded to a vertical steel tube, which has a flange that bolts it into the WP housing.
Except for the screws on top, everything should look like smooth, black-painted steel; no rust, no tape or caulking or other crap.
* It's not unusual for a *little* coolant to escape from under that flange, and as manta said somebody might have tried a band-aid on it.
* What concerns me is the welded joint between the two tubes.
That joint can rust-thru from the inside.
By the time you see any rust or leakage, the joint is shot and ready to explode.
A previous owner might have tried a band-aid on this condition, in which case you are prolly just moments away from a disasterous coolant leak.

In either case there's great potential for a nasty leak.
Since the V6 in perfect condition is fragile enough in regard to the cooling system, I wouldn't fool around with this.
Either have a mechanic examine/fix it, or learn more about it yourself.

I could tell you more from a better photo, or even a more detailed description of where the gauzy caulk is located.

Hope this helps,
-Rick

[JCGT01]

ok well here is a pic in the sun,

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http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/9283/jdfjfdjgfjfdrx1.th.jpg (http://img510.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jdfjfdjgfjfdrx1.jpg)

[rixGAphx]

Originally posted by JCGT01
ok well here is a pic in the sun,... Great, thanks.

Looks like the O-ring was leaking, and somebody removed the flange bolt to fix the leak.
Mebbe they replaced the O-ring, mebbe not.

But it looks like they used some permatex or silicone, mor-or-less properly, as an additional seal when they reattached the bolt.

The vertical tube and part of the joint (which had concerned me) are rusty on the outside, apparently from the paint peeling off.

Should be fine as-is for many years IMO.
As always with a GA V6, keep an eye out for leakage/low coolant level.
-Rick

[JCGT01]

ok thanks so if my GA starts leaking from a bad LIM I need to know what to look for,will it leak a lot or just a little? what color should it be? and around what mileage does it usually start leaking?

[Blackhawk]

It will be orange, and no set milage. Some people have problems somewhat early on, I'm at 127,xxx with no problems (knock on wood).