Help with Leaking Lower Manifold Gasket

[ampenergy88]

Has anybody had success in getting there leaking lower manifold gasket fixed when you Tahoes warranty has expired? I heard that there may be a Goodwill policy extension for this problem.Does anyboy have the TSB for the problem or any other good information that I can use to take to the dealership?

I just bought my 99 Tahoe 2 door this past July and it has only 74000 original miles.My wife and I just had a baby boy,and I'm hoping this repair can be covered .I've heard that GM has Settled on a class action law suit for Gaskets that leak.Does anyone have info about the class action suit?:confused2:
Thank you!

 

[Ojustracing]

I had a bunch of customers fill in paper work for the Class action stuff. That expired last month. You dont get the full amount back. Some %. They havent recieved anything yet.

As for getting a goodwill repair on this item. We all know they have problems and the dealer will swear up and down they have no issue. If you were the original owner and had all your work done there over the yrs. But with you being the second owner and the truck being close to 10yr old, I would guess the gasket has already been at least once. I dont think they will extend the repair to you. But Im run a small independant repair shop. But its always worth a phone call.

If you do have it done at a non-dealer make sure the guys use the latest gasket from FEL-PRO. This newest version should take care of this issue once and for all.

Now if you do go to the dealer and they give you no we dont have any issue with our gaskets. Have the service writer follow you into the back and walk up to a tech and ask him how many of these gaskets leak.................

I dont know have the info in-front of me on the class action suit, but I think they dont cover 5.7 trucks now that i think of it. I'll see if i can find the website for you.

John

 

[ampenergy88]

Thanks , I appreciate the reply and info.

 

[peterey2]

i was told it was on all 5.7 vortec engines, but i forget the span of years it was on.

 

[JP422]

I'd skip the felpro...

I just did some holiday maintenance on my Denali... upper/lower gaskets (they weren't leakin, but it's been about about 70-80K miles since I changed them before). This is the second time I'm changing the lower intake manifold gasket, but mainly just to check it. (i'm installing updated injectors and ditching the poppet injectors, so lower intake manifold gaskets are only a few more steps)

My first set of lower gaskets blew around 80-90k miles. I replaced them w/ oem AC Delco gaskets that were updated w/ metal inserts in them (so they can't be crushed). When I pulled them out last week, the gaskets looked healthy.

I ordered a Felpro intake manifold gasket kit from Jegs, but they don't have the metal inserts like the updated OEM ones... so i just got OEM gaskets again. I'll be returning the Felpro kit. If you compare all the gaskets from the Felpro kit, to OEM ones... there is definitely a quality difference. I'm sure Felpro works fine, but just looking at the gaskets, and considering the work involved in replacing them, my confidence lies w/ OEM AC Delco gaskets. They're pricey, but well worth it in my opinion. I can post pics later of the gasket comparisons.

I did end up using Felpro gaskets for the valve covers though. Seems fine.

Just $ .02's

 

[Ojustracing]

JP I want to update what he just commented on.
The gaskets you got are old stock and not the most current version. I think the fel-pro gaskets were black plastic body with red silicon gasket insert. The newest version of the fel-pro gasket uses a metal sheet stock with raised molded ports. It looks nothing like the OEM. Fel-pro # we use here at work is MS98000t

What I have found that if you order the gasket set that comes with the valve covers they are the current design. If you order the intake set that does not come with valve cover you get the old style one. JP this wouldnt happen to be the case.

As for the class action law suit that was approved against gm 95-2003 3.1 and 3.4, certain 95-04 3.8 and 4.3 95-00. Close date to file a claim was Oct 27, 2008

John

 

[JP422]

Doh! That's great information~

I have the Felpro intake manifold gasket kit, and ordered the Felpro valve cover gasket separately. The valve cover gaskets are fine, and I used them, but I didn't like the IM gaskets compared to the oem ones. If only I knew about the Felpro kit that had the updated IM + valve cover gaskets! Oh well... my motor is all buttoned up now, but this is good for future reference~