Coolant on the intake

[SouthBoston]

Well guys, on the drivers side of my engine next to the head there is a pool of coolant on the intake. Could it be a blown head gasket? Any ideas?

 

[Michael D]

The 2 things to check first, would be to make sure the thermostat housing isn't leaking and the radiator hose clamp is tight. The next thing to check would be the intake bolts, to make sure they're tight. My guess would be that the coolant passage is seeping coolant up past the intake gasket, and pooling on the intake. If the intake gaskets have never been changed, it's understandable with the age and miles. The head gasket would be the last thing I checked, unless you've also got water in your oil or oil in your water. Does your radiator hose have normal pressure in it?

 

[ChrisAU]

TBI or Vortec? With either though, my #1 culprit to look at would be the heater hose fitting at the back of the block on the pass side. #2 would be the thermostat housing. More common on TBIs for it to be the t-stat housing. May just need a new gasket.

 

[SouthBoston]

It's TBI

 

[ChrisAU]

Check both those spots. Is it at the front of the intake or the back? You said drivers side, so that is most likely the thermostat housing and/or hose where it meets the housing. Is coolant on the top of the housing below where the hose meets it?

 

[SouthBoston]

It's on the intake next to where it Meets the head

 

[ChrisAU]

Well it meets the head all the way down the side. It will pool in the recesses of the manifold if its coming from the t-stat housing.

Worst case is the intake gaskets have gone, and your motor is pushing coolant up through the manifold bolt threads.

Check to make sure your clamp on your upper radiator hose is nice and snug. A QUICK way to check for that being wrong is squeeze your upper hose when its warm/hot. If coolant squirts out from around where the hose meets the housing, them boom, there's your problem right there.

 

[SouthBoston]

Thanks bud, I'll have to check that right after school