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Does GM 2.4L intake manifold problem affect GEN 7 Malibu's?

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9.4K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by DrivenDaily Feb 21, 2022

sirdeeker Discussion starter

158 posts · Joined 2013

#1 · Feb 21, 2022

I have an 09 Malibu with 145K miles. I change the oil about every 6.5K with full synthetic oil.

I started noticing an oil drip under the left side of the engine by the bell housing. In researching this I seen many threads on the 2.4L Equinox having the problem. Its stated rather than putting in a pcv valve, GM put a very small 3/32" hole in the upper center of the intake that gets plugged over time. The result folks have posted is the pressure inside the crankcase builds and pushes out the rear main seal causing the oil drip by the bell housing.

I have not seen this issue posted with the GEN 7 malibu. Is this a problem. How can this be verified without removing the intake or even worse removing the transaxle and flywheel?

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sirdeeker

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Joined Mar 25, 2013

158 Posts

Discussion starter · #3 · Feb 21, 2022

Hi Drunken Elvis! There is a breather tube on the intake valve cover with a 1/2 line to the plastic engine cover that leads to the throttle body. However this 2.4L Equinox have a similar breather tube setup and a rear main seal blowout.

With pressure build up its about how fast you can vent or draw off the pressure to maintain a vacuum in the crankcase. In the Equinox video the narrator opens the oil filler cap and says there's pressure. If I cover the oil fill port with a piece of flat plastic should there be a vacuum holding the plastic down? If air escapes around the plastic can I assume I'm getting a pressure build up? I never thought to check where air is sucked in or flows out of the oil fill port where there were no problems.