GM 3800 Coolant Tube leak?

I'm looking for a winter/DD car and focusing on large GM cars with the 3800. In some thread someone posted a link to instructions on how to repair a common coolant leak. I think it's on a tube off the back of the engine, but not sure. Anyway, after telling a co-worker that I'd find it and print it out for him, I can't find that thread or link. Can anyone enlighten me about this problem and it's fix? We're talking late 90's cars like the LeSabre, Olds 88, etc...

If it is the coolant tubes, should be a swap in and out deal. They aren't anything fancy.

Sorry to clutter this up with old news, but I would never own one. Again.

http://www.zillamotorsports.com/DEX/

Edit: The EGR chimney also has an annoying propensity to melt the plastic intake manifold.

That was JohnRW, he recently purchased one and had to do the fix, not sure where that write up was though

Aftermarket replacement manifolds have fixed the EGR problem with better shielding. I have a 3800 myself (99 Bonneville) which my parents bought new. It had the intake replaced by GM at 31K and now has 106K with no problems. In the future I may change the intake to the aftermarket one just to be sure. Other than the known intake issue and intake gaskets with Dex Cool, the 3800 is a great engine. If you hate the plastic intake, you can always swap the later Series III aluminum intake.

In reply to 81cpcamaro:

How can you tell if a car has the OEM or aftermarket intake?

Here is a thread on how to tell what intake you have: http://pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=1061

the only really stupid things i've noticed about 3800's is the belt tensioner is also a coolant passage, and you have to disconnect the motor mount to change the belt.

patgizz wrote: , and you have to disconnect the motor mount to change the belt.

Not on my old bonneville (1998 model). There was a price of the motor mount bracket that came off with one bolt and let you change the belt pretty easily.

There is a little coolant elbow that comes from the intake manifold and goes to the water pump housing. Theyre plastic and prone to leaking. Dorman has a metal replacement out for it now.

It was me that commented on it and yes, I did have to do it on a '97 LeSabre.
Here is a quick 3 minute video.
The procedure is as easy as the video makes it out to be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFiICANvre4
Here is a longer 11 minute video from another source.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX__c6HZuCQ

As far as something printable, it was really just these two videos that I used to complete the job. I probably watched each twice and referred to the long one once during the job.

Spoolpigeon wrote:

patgizz wrote: , and you have to disconnect the motor mount to change the belt.

Not on my old bonneville (1998 model). There was a price of the motor mount bracket that came off with one bolt and let you change the belt pretty easily. There is a little coolant elbow that comes from the intake manifold and goes to the water pump housing. Theyre plastic and prone to leaking. Dorman has a metal replacement out for it now.

Dorman also sells the oem grade plastic elbow in a 2 pack for about $5.