But be kind. I already bought one I just bought a 2000 Olds Alero with 86,000 miles for $2,000. 4 door, it has the 3400 engine, and is in great shape. Anyone familiar with them? What are the common issues. Thanks guys.

Jim

quote Originally posted by jimbolaya: But be kind. I already bought one . What are the common issues.

People buy them knowing nothing about them, .

Couldn't resist.
I got nothin'.

Two words, "Bic lighter", Use it up, throw it away.

Joe

Intake gaskets - pretty much a guaranteed failure on the 3100 / 3400 GM engine. The picture below is a camshaft from a 3400 that was run with bad intake gaskets which leaks coolant into the oil.

[This message has been edited by FrugalFiero (edited 03-01-2014).]

Well that was gentle, but doesn't really deter me. I paid a wopping $2000 for it, and if it last 2 years, I got my money's worth. I had a bad intake manifold gasket on my van before. Aren't these engines a good swap for our Fieros? If I can just find someone to rear end me, I'd be set.

Jim

I had a '99 Grand Am with the 3400. Same car.
Change the Lower Intake Manifold gasket. The new ones are redesigned and aren't as likely to fail.
Expect the power windows to break. Don't sweat it, though. Ebay for a new regulator under $100 and they're surprisingly easy to replace, at least on my 2 door.

If you start getting the Security light coming on, it's probably the key or ignition cylinder PASSKEY module. Get it fixed before it leaves you stranded. If it triggers, you can't start the car for 10 minutes, then it resets.

If the ABS light starts coming on, have it reset and sell the car. You're probably looking at a $1000 or more repair bill.

Have you looked at the serpentine belt yet? It wraps around the front engine mount. Yes. (the mount attaches to the front of the engine in the timing chain area)
You can see the engine mount boss here.


I enjoyed mine. It was a nice daily driver, but by the time I got around 110k-120k miles, I didn't trust it's reliability anymore.

[This message has been edited by Formula88 (edited 03-01-2014).]

quote Originally posted by jimbolaya: Well that was gentle...

Actually the gentle part is head gasket failure runs a close second to intake gasket failure. Watch your coolant level closely and if the level mysteriously goes down find out why or you'll find out why.

I had two Aleros. The best cars I've owned. It is true the head gaskets fail at about 60,000 km, but at 86,000 miles, the work has likely been done.

Get the history from a GM dealer. It should have the service record on their computer data base.

The thing with a 2000 is that the biggest single issue are the sensors. The idiot light will come on and it will tell you to check engine. 9 times out of 10 it is a sensor. Plug it in to an analyser and it will tell you fast. What I found is that the OE front brake rotors are turds. If you end up doing the brakes, get aftermarket rotors.

Other than that, just drive it.

Arn

I have a 2001 Alero that we have owned from day one.

Issues that we have had:

Intake gasket - replaced under warranty.
replaced two front hubs - faulty integral sensors.

Other than that it has just been normal wear and tear items, brakes, struts etc. Our car doesn't owe us anything. 200,000 kms (124,00 miles) on the odometer.

Nolan

Have you found the dip stick for the auto transmission yet?

quote Originally posted by Arns85GT: What I found is that the OE front brake rotors are turds. If you end up doing the brakes, get aftermarket rotors.

THIS! The OEM brake rotors are crap. I decided if I was going to have to replace them often anyway, just get the cheapest ones I could. The el-cheapo Chinese made rotors lasted far longer than the expensive OEM ones.

quote Originally posted by Dodgerunner: Have you found the dip stick for the auto transmission yet?

No, he hasn't.

quote Originally posted by Dodgerunner: Have you found the dip stick for the auto transmission yet?

Not the only brand that doesn't have dip sticks on their auto trans. Many newer VW's have this. You think that's bad...wait till you have to do a flush and fill on a 2001 Cabrio. Procedure is very tricky and tranny fluid is $20 a quart at the dealer.
Kit

quote Originally posted by Formula88: I had a '99 Grand Am with the 3400. Same car. Change the Lower Intake Manifold gasket. The new ones are redesigned and aren't as likely to fail. Expect the power windows to break. Don't sweat it, though. Ebay for a new regulator under $100 and they're surprisingly easy to replace, at least on my 2 door.

Regulators were replaced last month by the PO. So I'm good there.

quote If you start getting the Security light coming on, it's probably the key or ignition cylinder PASSKEY module. Get it fixed before it leaves you stranded. If it triggers, you can't start the car for 10 minutes, then it resets.

Do you, or anyone know the fix for this? Just replace the PASSKEY module?

quote If the ABS light starts coming on, have it reset and sell the car. You're probably looking at a $1000 or more repair bill.

Is the problem the ABS module? I have this issue on my Windstar. A new ABS module is $600-$900 alone, not counting installation. I've been hoping for a recall.

quote Have you looked at the serpentine belt yet? It wraps around the front engine mount. Yes. (the mount attaches to the front of the engine in the timing chain area) You can see the engine mount boss here.

I did see it, but I was assuming the mount could just be removed. Am I wrong? You know what they say when you assume. I may pay for that. Fortunately belt was replaced recently.

quote I enjoyed mine. It was a nice daily driver, but by the time I got around 110k-120k miles, I didn't trust it's reliability anymore.

I did enjoy driving it on the test drive. Nice acceleration, smooth ride. I think I will be pleased with the car. It's just going to be my daily driver, not a family vehicle, and if I get 2-3 years out of it, I will say it owes me nothing. Thanks for the info, very helpful.

Ok my wife has a 2001 Lumina. Some of the same issues.
She had an Achieva before that. The Alero was the replacement for the Achieva. Would have kept it, but there was something I was not aware of at the time.
As far as the Passkey. As long as you don't care if it works or not. Take a resistance reading of the "chip" in the key. Find a resistor within 3%. Remove the cover under the steering collumn. Find the small very thin 2 wire connector(normally orange). Make sure it is not the airbag wires(normally yellow with a caution tag). Disconnect it and install the resistor in the connector going to the harness, not up the steering collumn or to the cylinder. Then put heat shrink over it to keep it insulated.
Takes care of that problem.
Get rid of the Dexcool.
Put a new lower intake gasket on it anyway. If you catch it just when you start to get an oil film on the overflow bottle you are OK. If you started to loose coolant, it is most likely too late.
If your ignition switch is on the dash and not on the collumn THEY FAIL.
You could have a 4T65e or a 4T45e The 4T65e hold up better and take a beating.
The Alero and others of that body line have a habit of growing rust under the sensor rings for the front ABS wheel sensor and crack causing weird ABS errors.
This body line also has a habit of rusting out, just behind the front wheels on the floor frame rails. Especially near sea water.
The 3100/3400 have had the no.5 piston slightly undersized to stop an issue with earlier ones scoring walls. That piston would heat quicker than the rest causing premature wear to the cylinder. Because of this they will be noisey cold. As long as the intake issue was addressed. This is normal and it is a piston noise, not bearing. If it is a bearing noise from an oil issue, the noise will continue warm. Also if the intake caused an oil issue it will also have premature lifter/cam problems.
They seemed to have less of a head issue after around 97. Unless of course, overheated

quote Originally posted by jimbolaya: Do you, or anyone know the fix for this? Just replace the PASSKEY module?

The PASSKEY is built into the ignition cylinder, so you typically have to replace that.

quote Originally posted by jimbolaya: Is the problem the ABS module? I have this issue on my Windstar. A new ABS module is $600-$900 alone, not counting installation. I've been hoping for a recall.

That sounds right. When I had the problem with mine I think it was module and controller. Right at $1100.

quote Originally posted by jimbolaya: I did see it, but I was assuming the mount could just be removed. Am I wrong? You know what they say when you assume. I may pay for that. Fortunately belt was replaced recently.

Two methods - support the engine with a jack, unbolt the mount and lift the engine up or, ...
If you notice there are two bolts in the mount. They're farther apart than the belt is wide. Back them both off some, then remove one bolt entirely. Slide the belt past the first bolt hole, replace that bolt and remove the other one, then remove the belt out the other side. It can be done without having to get under the car.

Same thing as a grand am pretty much.

quote Originally posted by cmechmann: You could have a 4T65e or a 4T45e The 4T65e hold up better and take a beating.

Incorrect, at least for the 2000 he's talking about.
The transmission in the 3400 was the 4T45-E. The 4T65E was never available in that body style.

I didn't like not having a dipstick for the tranny. Change the tranny oil every 60k miles. best be safe about it

Arn

Great news. When we went to pick up the car today the gentleman's wife had found the service records for the vehicle, and the lower intake manifold gasket had been replaced at 30,000 miles. It has the new gasket on it already. I am a happy camper.

Jim

I have a 2004 Grand Am with the 3400, essentially the same car, both N-bodies. It's been a really good car. Rides smooth and gets good fuel economy. Mine has 135,000 miles on it.

If you change out the dex-cool be sure to completely flush the coolant out, you don't want the two types to mix. It may be less of an issue with the new "universal" coolant but I wouldn't trust it.

How is that Fiero working out???

[This message has been edited by masospaghetti (edited 03-03-2014).]

Head gaskets were also an issue on the 3400. So do keep an eye on it. BTW, I had to had the intake gasket replaced twice. So it depends on the gasket they used. The last one was a Felpro, designed to fix the problem, and it did.

quote Originally posted by masospaghetti: How is that Fiero working out???

Great! We have it on the road, and it has been fun. Still trying to take care of a few minor problems that have surfaced due it being on the road. Things that you don't know are there when it sits in the driveway. Only major thing is we cannot figure out why it is leaking oil from around the crank/timing cover area. I do not want to drop it to find this leak. All in all we are very happy though.

quote Originally posted by cmechmann: As far as the Passkey. As long as you don't care if it works or not. Take a resistance reading of the "chip" in the key. Find a resistor within 3%. Remove the cover under the steering collumn. Find the small very thin 2 wire connector(normally orange). Make sure it is not the airbag wires(normally yellow with a caution tag). Disconnect it and install the resistor in the connector going to the harness, not up the steering collumn or to the cylinder. Then put heat shrink over it to keep it insulated. Takes care of that problem.

This issue left me stranded, last night, for 30 minutes, and I decided that would be the last time that ever happened. So I Googled instructions for the fix, last night. The wiring and resistor part was actually the easy part. Figuring out how to get the ignition out was the hard part. However, Aland, here on the forum, came over, and showed me the err of my ways. (there was a bolt I couldn't see) The fix takes about 30 minutes tops if you know how to get the ignition out. Took me about an hour and a half, since I had to call for backup. Thanks for the heads up on a fix. You have a plus from me.

Jim