Coolant leak - head gasket?

[ahl395]

Hi guys, seeing if anyone has some opinions or pointers here

I've been adding coolant every once in awhile but never read into it since I never had to add very much. But over the weekend while under the car I found coolant all down the back of the engine and down the trans.

It's hard to see where it's coming from or where it may have just dripped from gravity. Most of where the head meets the block is dry except for the very rear. But I found coolant both under the intake manifold and on top of it near the injectors.

I checked the connections to the evaporator, and looked at the hoses that run over the intake manifold as best I could without removing the manifold. All looks okay. The only thing I can think of it being is the head gasket leaking. However, a compression test revealed all the cylinders were between 205-220, and all the plugs looked okay. No white smoke and no milky oil, So I'm not sure. I'm thinking I'll have to put some dye in and pull the intake manifold to get a better look...

Any ideas?

Thanks! :cheers:

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[Jay159866]

I just found the same issue with mine when I swapped my transmission out. I did switch over to a boss 302, so I was thinking I might have broke a coolant line. I found coolant on the top of my cylinder head by the injectors, so I don't think its a head gasket failure.

I'm going to check sometime this week, but see if any of the heater hoses were nicked.

 

[ahl395]

I just found the same issue with mine when I swapped my transmission out. I did switch over to a boss 302, so I was thinking I might have broke a coolant line. I found coolant on the top of my cylinder head by the injectors, so I don't think its a head gasket failure.

I'm going to check sometime this week, but see if any of the heater hoses were nicked.

Thanks, let me know what you find on yours.

My transmission was out and rebuilt by a shop but that was at least 27k miles ago.

 

[sigintel]

I had a coolant leak at the orings on the heater to block connector.
Need to find parts pictures. I ordered a bunch of different orings to get a tighter fit.
Cleaned the ring seat that had paint using paint stripper and lightly polished w dremel thin cloth wheel w rouge(polishing totally not needed unless you scratch surface).

All my orings showed signs of weeping. Cant remember which, but one was much worse than others leading to coolant drips blown around all over motor making it abitch to find.

My water pump seals were caked and leaking too so it got replaced. I stopped using water wetter after that.
This engine was tracked hard with a Whipple. Car lived in Mexico after oil was warm. Never treated better than the red headed step children.

 

[ahl395]

I had a coolant leak at the orings on the heater to block connector.
Need to find parts pictures. I ordered a bunch of different orings to get a tighter fit.
Cleaned the ring seat that had paint using paint stripper and lightly polished w dremel thin cloth wheel w rouge(polishing totally not needed unless you scratch surface).
Might take a bit to find those pics.

Heater to block connector... Where is that? The one at the front driver side of the engine near the water pump with the push lock connection?

 

[Crackerjack17]

I doubt head gasket. Likely a leak in a hose or fitting somewhere. Everything that collects in the valley goes out the back of the block through one hole.

 

[BluePonyGT]

I doubt head gasket. Likely a leak in a hose or fitting somewhere. Everything that collects in the valley goes out the back of the block through one hole.

Agreed. If it were a head gasket you'd be loosing power, white smoke, all the stuff you described - AND you'd be loosing a LOT of coolant.

This looks a lot like a gold old fashioned leak at a connection. Wipe everything down, top off your coolant again, and put your car up on ramps or something with the parking brake on. Run the engine and get underneath with a flash light and look for leaks. "Rinse and repeat" until you spot where it's coming from.

The problem you have is you're experiencing blowback where it's getting all over the place, and you can't diagnose it like that after you've been driving around. You'd be guessing where it's leaking from.

 

[sigintel]

Updated pics. Id check all those fittings.
Try to relax and be methodical to avoid losing your shit looking for an intermittent coolant leak. Mine were only active during extended hard driving w heat soak. I pulled my rear coping after all this.

Keep in mind, as you increase water percentage in coolant, you increase system operating pressure for same temperature.

 

[ahl395]

I doubt head gasket. Likely a leak in a hose or fitting somewhere. Everything that collects in the valley goes out the back of the block through one hole.

Agreed. If it were a head gasket you'd be loosing power, white smoke, all the stuff you described - AND you'd be loosing a LOT of coolant.

This looks a lot like a gold old fashioned leak at a connection. Wipe everything down, top off your coolant again, and put your car up on ramps or something with the parking brake on. Run the engine and get underneath with a flash light and look for leaks. "Rinse and repeat" until you spot where it's coming from.

The problem you have is you're experiencing blowback where it's getting all over the place, and you can't diagnose it like that after you've been driving around. You'd be guessing where it's leaking from.

Updated pics. Id check all those fittings.
Try to relax and be methodical to avoid losing your shit looking for an intermittent coolant leak. Mine were only active during extended hard driving w heat soak. I pulled my rear coping after all this.

Keep in mind, as you increase water percentage in coolant, you increase system operating pressure for same temperature.

Thanks for all the responses and pics guys.

I'll have to try and clean it up and then check those fittings, etc. I didnt think a head gasket made sense but I couldnt think of any other way it would get under the intake manifold and panicked lol.

I'll keep the thread updated. Will probably be a bit till I have time to investigate though

 

[Bartly]

On mine, the braided oil drain hose from the blower was rubbing on the radiator hose. I caught it in time, but it had “chewed” a little divot in the side of the hose before I noticed. Just a thought.

 

[ahl395]

On mine, the braided oil drain hose from the blower was rubbing on the radiator hose. I caught it in time, but it had “chewed” a little divot in the side of the hose before I noticed. Just a thought.

Thanks, I'll take a look at that too.

 

[yote41]

i have ramps and garage if you need!

 

[Tommy V]

Go to auto zone and rent a pressure tester,pump the pressure up to whatever the max the cap says and u will find the leak.And it's free u get your money back when u.bring the tool back.

 

[dsp4848]

For what it's worth, I also had a leak at the heater to block connector about 9 months ago. After I installed my blower last year, I kept seeing a little bit of coolant dripping from somewhere. I bought and installed a new heater to block connector and so far everything has been leak-free.

 

[z06psi]

Go to auto zone and rent a pressure tester,pump the pressure up to whatever the max the cap says and u will find the leak.And it's free u get your money back when u.bring the tool back.

This!


I own my own pressure tester and I always find the leak this way.

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