99 Savana with coolant in oil

[banana24]

My cargo van is a 99 Savana with a 5.0L and only about 50,000 miles(in storage for the most part over the years). Late last winter after running the engine for a while I noticed coolant on the ground, and when I pulled the dipstick I had the classic "milkshake"...showing I have an internal as well as external leak.

I have read all over the web about the Dexcool issues in regards to gaskets(particularly the intake manifold). I purchased this vehicle used, did a coolant flush on it last summer before developing the leak in the winter(wondering if the previous owner had a leak and just used some sort of sealer...which got flushed out???).

Anyway, my question is, is there a definitive way of determining whether or not the leak is coming from a blown intake OR head gasket(or both?) on this engine model?

I removed the engine covering and observed a pretty good stream of coolant coming from the passenger-side/rear of the engine...but I could not determine the exact location of the leak. I have already purchased a fel-pro intake manifold set, but if it turns out to be the head gasket instead....it may be a job I am incapable of doing myself.

Would a simple coolant pressure test do the trick to know for sure where the leak is coming from...or perhaps a combustion leak test/other?

Thanks.

[rhandwor]

If your capable of doing the intake you should be capable of doing head gaskets.
You can pull the spark plugs and look for signs of anti freeze on the plugs.

[inafogg]

have you done a compression test??if pressure are ok across all cylinders this would
suggest an intake leak. if 1 or 2 are not up to specs then a head gasket is leaking

[MikeS144]

Yes yes YES! do a compression test. If you don't own a compression test kit, go buy one. On the spark plug test, if you have a leaky intake gasket, chances are you will find water on a plug as well. I went down that road with my van thinking it was an intake gasket but it was fine. I had a blown head gasket.