'97 305 coolant leak

[stenseltizm]

I thought I had a leaking upper rad hose, but it still was leaking after I replaced it. It looked almost like it was coming out where the intake manifold meets the valve cover/head on the front driver side. It looks like it is under a pipe that must be for egr or something cause it runs to the back of the driver side exhaust manifold. The weird thing is it was hissing and spitting out air and coolant after only a very short run time.

Has anyone else seen this before? At first I thought head gasket was blown and spitting exhaust and coolant out on the area. but when I saw that line that looks like exhaust recirculation or something I'm wondering (hoping) if it could be something less major.

Anyone know of the line I'm speaking of, what is it?

Thanks in advance, any help woudl be appreciated

[bracketshark]

You my friend need a intake gasket, The factory ones are plastic, and after many heat cycles they leak. Do some research before you decide to change it yourself, its not that bad, but distributor relocation is critical. Good luck

[stenseltizm]

Originally Posted by bracketshark

You my friend need a intake gasket, The factory ones are plastic, and after many heat cycles they leak. Do some research before you decide to change it yourself, its not that bad, but distributor relocation is critical. Good luck

But what is the hose that runs to the exhaust do? Would the leak near that have the hissing and spitting with just the intake gasket blown? I'm alot more familiar with my old school sbc, never worked on the vortec before to be honest. (it never gave me problems before). I don't have any kind of literature on it and just started my internet search.


That looks about where it is leaking at on mine. I just wanted to be as sure as possible that I would only be replacing the intake. I like to have a good feeling how deep into the engine I'm going to go before I start.

Thanks for the reply!

[MyTOY]

be sure your heater hose connection isn't the prob first. I was convinced after research that I had an intake leak but it was the connection at the manifold that was the prob. Mine would leak down the heads & block all the way down to the trans just like an intake leak would but hard to catch in the act of leaking. If you replace this part, research first. Good luck

[stenseltizm]

Originally Posted by MyTOY

be sure your heater hose connection isn't the prob first. I was convinced after research that I had an intake leak but it was the connection at the manifold that was the prob. Mine would leak down the heads & block all the way down to the trans just like an intake leak would but hard to catch in the act of leaking. If you replace this part, research first. Good luck

It was deffinately the intake. I hope to have it all back and on the road this evening. The cleaning of the carbon inside the intake was probably the hardest part. Thanks for the response!