leaking coolant

well i read some posts and i got a idea but i wanted to jus ask any way i have a 96 cutlass 3.1 i had been noticing a puddle of antifreeze under my car so i purchased some dye and it didnt leak everytime only when i dont drive the car for a couple of days so basically its probaly always leaking jus when the car is warm it dries up on the engine, so and i will smell burt coolant or a faint coolant smell well i finally kind of found the leak its hard to say exactly but it looks like its coming out right above where the head gaskets are i dont know if that the intake gaskets its not leaking into the oil its jus leakin on the outside of the engine well actually dripping but its definently there I jus wanted to know if there is a way i can pinpoint which one exactly

Has to be your intake gasket. If it was your head gasket, you would have oil that looks like a chocolate milkshake, and you would have some drivability issues. Plus, our cars are notorious for intake gasket failure.

Get it fixed now, if the coolant leaks inside and you don't notice it you will have an engine like mine. I am contemplating a reguild or a replacement.

Unless you are good, just take it to a mechanic. It has taken me a month. My son and I could do it in a day now that we know how.

ok your probaly right but just for futre references isnt it also possible for a head gasket to be bad on outter edge which making it leak on the outside?

i know some about cars i went to school for it but we never did head gaskets but i have a general understanding so if it is infact the intake gaskets does anything have to be machined down like if it was the heads? or do i jus replace the gaskets and remove the old ones? can i use the same intake bolts that came out ? or do i have to get new ones?

The intake does not need to me machined. Mine was pitted some so just used Form-a-gasket 2 on it after cleaning it very very well.

I read several threads for this lately and cannot remember exact problem, I think it was coolant on the floor. It made me afraid that it may be leaking into engine oil.

It never hurts to try a can of stop leak and be careful to monitor engine oil color and coolant resivour (sp sorry) level.

There are people more qualified on the subject than I. I would defer to them. Yes, a head gasket can leak from the coolant channel to the outside of the engine. But considering what a cylinder head does, most of the work is on the hgh pressure end and therefor not likely to start leaking at it's lowest pressure point. Good luck. Let me know if you know of any parts places with kits to replace lifters, puchrods and rocker arms. Lee

ok that makes sense so i take it you did your own how long did it take u . was it a messy job wit the fuel lines etc . im goona try to start on mine maybe today or i might go to the junk yard and do it on one of those cars so i know a bit more.


AS far as your questions have yoiu tried napa or advanced auto parts ? they probaly can order you some im not sure i hope that helps