Hello all,

Picking up an 06 GC SXT today so I am soon to be a new minivan owner. This my first minivan despite years of owning mostly SUVs and sports sedans/coupes. It's going to be a "work" vehicle primarily, for hauling job-site equipment (ladders, tools, and such) BUT I also will occasionally need it for family outings and light towing (kayak trailer) so it won't be complete beater. It's in pretty good shape (runs very strong, pulls good, shifts smooth, rides good, doesn't smoke, all accessories work, fluids look good, etc) but it does need some TLC and a real good bath as it has sat for nearly a year. Of course I'm going to do the normal "new-to-me" stuff... thorough cleaning, change most fluids, full inspection, etc. but....

As a new owner, and the fact it's got VERY high mileage (281,000 miles!) I have a couple of items I may need to address and wondering if anyone has some advice.
- First, anything I should be on the lookout for or scrutinize on a GC with such high mileage that are particular to this model and the 3.8L V6?
- There are two issues I'm going to have to address immediately so it will pass the very strict VA safety inspection:
1) It has a minor exhaust leak on the firewall side. Any tips on fixing that?
2) According to the PO, the engine overheated briefly due to low coolant. He immediately stopped, allowed it to cool down, added coolant, then lightly drove a few miles to his home without it overheating again. Hasn't ran much since but they did change the t-stat and upper hose. On my extended test drive I TRIED to get it to overheat. Ran it hard up a local mountain, steep grade for about 3 miles TWICE with A/C on in 95 degree midday heat and the temp needle stayed good, barely budged. I know with some engines ANY kind of overheating can be the kiss of death (ex: BMWs ) and others can take it. Anything I should look out for?

ALSO... he has another 06 GC SXT with super high mileage, 340K (says something about the 3.8L V6!), that still runs and is willing to sell me at a VERY reasonable price, almost giving it away. Should I bite and keep it as a donor or tax donation?

Thanks all!

 

1) Is it the exhaust manifold or pipe that’s leaking? The ease of the fix depends on the source.

2) If it didn’t run hot for too long it may be ok, but there’s a reason it was low on coolant to begin with. Was the upper radiator hose leaking? If not, why was it replaced; and did they find and repair another leak? 2 ways to test for head gaskets leaks are using a leak detection chemical (Lisle tools kit# 75500) or compression testing. At my shop, we’ve used the Lisle kit several times with dependable test results - with every positive test, we’ve been able to see where the gasket was leaking once we got the heads off.

3) The primary mechanical issues with the 3.8 engines are oil leaks from the valve covers and oil pan as well as coolant leaks from miscellaneous connections throughout the engine bay, the heater hose tees being the most common.

A primary electrical issue are the 2 large connectors (brown and black) near the throttle body getting corroded and causing intermittent misfires and other drive ability problems.

However, it’s rare for any vehicle to reach 250+ thousand miles without being take care of. If the van is in overall good condition - little rust, no leaks, good tires, etc - then it sounds like the owner has been proactive instead of reactive in caring for it. If they can provide you some maintenance records for larger repairs, such as timing chains or transmission work, I wouldn’t be too concerned about purchasing it.

 

I have a 2001 3.3 and needed all the gaskets replaced, cost me $1200. Included some other work but the gasket replacement was the biggest part. But now I do not have oil squirting all over my belts so that's nice.

 

The closer get to the engine the more pressure the exhaust has. You should just replace that piece of exhaust. Regarding the overheating just pay attention, and if your exhaust is leaking and hitting any part of the water cooling system that may be the problem BUT if you fix the exhaust leak then the backpressure on the engine goes back to normal and therefore produces more heat. Get your exhaust from a junkyard because these vans are plentiful.

If you have overheating after fixing the exhaust then you may have a restriction further down your exhaust like the catalytic converter. If it was just a thermostat then there is no reason to be concerned now.