It never ends!! Every problem gets worse ans worse

GirlBear · #1 10-15-2005, 09:13 PM

OK Im at a loss for words. Today I attempted to fix the leak in cooling system. heres what happened. this fitting had a hose attatched, the antifreeze I thought was coming from the fitting. I unscrewed said fitting cleaned it very good cleaned hole from wich it was screwed. Applied thread sealer and teflon tape. Screwed it back on waited a while for sealer to set. Took the Blazer out for a testdrive. Returned home opened hood. Boom it was spitting hot fluid . Poured some dish soap in general area found leak(area were most Bubbles appeared). disassembled shit to get to leak no LEAK???? no hole no crack. BUT!!!!! In between the valve cover and the engine underneathe the fitting seems as tho a gasket maybe deteriorated. But is there any path for water/coolant in that area that might cause this problem?? IM puzzled. any help would be Cool. I have more pics if needed. the red section boxed off is where i think the bad gasket is.

GirlBear · #2 10-16-2005, 02:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GirlBear

OK Im at a loss for words. Today I attempted to fix the leak in cooling system. heres what happened. this fitting had a hose attatched, the antifreeze I thought was coming from the fitting. I unscrewed said fitting cleaned it very good cleaned hole from wich it was screwed. Applied thread sealer and teflon tape. Screwed it back on waited a while for sealer to set. Took the Blazer out for a testdrive. Returned home opened hood. Boom it was spitting hot fluid . Poured some dish soap in general area found leak(area were most Bubbles appeared). disassembled shit to get to leak no LEAK???? no hole no crack. BUT!!!!! In between the valve cover and the engine underneathe the fitting seems as tho a gasket maybe deteriorated. But is there any path for water/coolant in that area that might cause this problem?? IM puzzled. any help would be Cool. I have more pics if needed. the red section boxed off is where i think the bad gasket is.

A close up

Heres the other side. Does it look different??

Jeremy Fitch · #3 10-16-2005, 02:32 AM

Thats your lower intake gasket. Went through the same thing on my 96. Also mine was leaking in the very same place as yours. You need to get it fixed ASAP because soon after mine started leaking it also blew to the inside of the crankcase causing antifreeze to go into the oil galleys. This is not good at all for bearings and such when this happens.

The parts to fix it are not all that expensive but there is a lot of labor involved. I had mine replaced at a GM dealer for a price tag in the 500.00 range. However that also included towing and flushing the engine, new antifreeze, and an oil change and filter.

*EDIT - Also this is most likely what caused your hard start/no start problem from the water spray getting onto the coil and such.

GirlBear · #4 10-16-2005, 08:34 PM

Thanks for the info dude. Very helpful. I've decided to fix it and sell it. too much god damned trouble 4 me. i used to love this truck n0w i've learned to hate it!! might even just beat the shit out of it and junk it. I am that disappointed with this sittuation. but i'll get over it. tomarrow ill go out and me and her(The Blazer) will kiss and make up. lol

drdd · #5 10-16-2005, 09:21 PM

Hang in there GirlBear !

Don't go selling that truck for a intake manifold gasket! You've been reading these forums enough to know that its a very common problem. I just had mine done on my 97.

I've seen you post photos of you workin on the suspension. If you can do that, you can do a intake gasket. Just get a manual, take your time, and don't drop anything in!

Once you fix it, you'll love your ride again!

fix that gasket, flush her good, and change that oil ! You can do it!

kiss and make up with your Blazer!

Quote:

Originally Posted by GirlBear

Thanks for the info dude. Very helpful. I've decided to fix it and sell it. too much god damned trouble 4 me. i used to love this truck n0w i've learned to hate it!! might even just beat the shit out of it and junk it. I am that disappointed with this sittuation. but i'll get over it. tomarrow ill go out and me and her(The Blazer) will kiss and make up. lol

GirlBear · #6 10-16-2005, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drdd

Hang in there GirlBear !

Don't go selling that truck for a intake manifold gasket! You've been reading these forums enough to know that its a very common problem. I just had mine done on my 97.

I've seen you post photos of you workin on the suspension. If you can do that, you can do a intake gasket. Just get a manual, take your time, and don't drop anything in!

Once you fix it, you'll love your ride again!

fix that gasket, flush her good, and change that oil ! You can do it!

kiss and make up with your Blazer!

Yeah , I know. I just won't have the $$$ to fix it until after Christmas. Its just a tiny pin hole too. thinkin' bout patchin the problem til i can afford to have it done.

Jeremy Fitch · #7 10-17-2005, 12:21 AM

One way to buy some time may be to tighten up the bolts on the intake. That may stop the leak for awhile. Just be very sure you check the oil for antifreeze and note any excess antifreeze use to make sure its not getting dumped into the oil. The minute that antifreeze gets into that oil it is doing damage to the engine.

There are some products out on the market that claim to fix these sort of leaks. I need to not recommend their use, but in a have to situation they may buy you some time. If you do use these products when you do have the new gasket put on be sure to do a super fulsh to the cooling system. Also might be a good idea to complete block off the heater core when using the leak seal products. That stuff can really help clog up a heater core.

dmbrisket 51 · #8 10-17-2005, 01:58 AM

^sorry to tell ya but there is no time buying, if you cant fix it park it or you will buy a crate moter for it... the intake manifold gasket on most (if not all) gm vehicals from 96 till this year were a piece of plastic with a piece of rubber glued on to it, literally, no exaggeration, your plastic gasket has started to crack, and you are lucky beleve it or not, its a 50 50 toss up, half will start to leak out, the person will notice it and get it fixed (this is you, lucky) the other 50% crack towards the inside, mix antifreeze in the oil through the vally, then when intake washes down, one or more cyl. fill up and you will hydrostaticly lock the moter (hydro lock) and most likely have messed the bearings up and be better off with a new crate moter over a "simple" intake, the shop i work at gets about 400 bucks for the job, parts are just under 100 bucks, but there is that much labor involved in the job, so take your time and make sure you know what your doing

Gabe25 · #9 10-17-2005, 04:11 AM

Aloha Girlbear, drdd is right . You shouldn't just get rid of your car because of a intake gasket. With all the work you've done. I say fix it don't sell it.

Rmbodie · #10 10-17-2005, 06:00 AM

Where did the picture of your smiling face go? And you laying under the front end . I miss that . I had to change my intake manifold a couple of months ago because of a leak in the same place . When I started removing the bolts in that area , they were already loose . I am proud of you . I could not get that heater hose fitting off the intake manifold on mine . If you decide to tackle it , drain the oil afterward since a lot of coolant will spill into it . Rob

rlith · #11 10-17-2005, 06:45 AM

Yeah.... I wouldn't throw away a truck over a 10 dollar gasket....

DINO55 · #12 10-17-2005, 08:03 AM

Get her fixed GirlBear, This would also be a great time for you to make a "How To with photos" on this matter and help thousands of blazer owners out. What do ya say GirlBear, you can do this, and you know it.

Jeremy Fitch · #13 10-17-2005, 01:25 PM

Yes, a photo how to post would be a very good thing on this common problem. It would have come in very handy when my intake gasket went out, but I really didn't have the time to fix it myself anyways. Although it would have saved me around 450.00 if I did.

* Edit - What the heck is that in your avatar and sig photo girlbear?

GirlBear · #14 10-17-2005, 05:51 PM

Well I've decided to do it. My Mom & Dad are gonna lend me the money and their garage. Gonna do it Wednesday. Seems like an awfully big job tho. Kind lookin forward to getting started. Thinkin about tearing it apart tonight and tomarrow night in preperation. Should I take my hood off for easier access? Kind of doin this blind . I mean can anyone lay out a plan of disassembly . or what ever? i'll probably post a bunch o times as i get more anxious. O and I found these pics of engine sans intake maifold.
Pretty sure they are different engines they have different valve covers. heres the 1st one:

Heres #2:

Or is this just a pic of the front and one from back?

Gabe25 · #15 10-17-2005, 06:05 PM

GirlBear, The hood should come off. It will make it so easy to work on your intake gasket. I don't have any real set procedure to tell you, except. following your motor manual step by step should take you through this with flying colors. What I've done in the past is as I take apart the engine. I place the parts with the bolts and nuts together and line them up in the order you take them off. Then to reasumble, you just need to go in reverse. Hop that helps.

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD