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Early symptoms of intake gasket going out?

2K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  chevymaher 
#1 ·
So van runs fine and I've had it for a year now. It's a 2000 with 85,000 miles now. I've noticed dried lines of orange crap running down the engine block when I'm under there. I wasn't sure what to think of it at first but every oil change, I check all fluids and the coolant usually takes about a pint to top up. I always thought that it should stay full right up to the cap... every other vehicle I had did. I forgot to top it off right up the cap before a 2,000 mile trip and it took maybe a quart of coolant to bring it back all the way up to the cap when I got back. Not enough to hurt the engine.... but it's gotta be losing it somewhere. I can't see any signs of leaking from any hoses, water pump, or radiator itself so can it be the intake gasket?

It seems these factory gaskets are doomed to go out no matter what so I'm thinking about trying to replace it when the weather gets cooler just to have peace of mind that it will never be that leaking. What do you guys think?
 
#2 ·
The orange is a indication of leakage. The rear heater hose is a place to look also. The quick disconnect fitting goes bad.

Being low on coolant can be a independent problem. Any pinhole leak in a hose like the rear heater hose can cause it. As the engine heats. Coolant is pushed to the overflow bottle. When it cools it is supposed to draw it back in. Well it is easier to draw air than a liquid. So if it has a leak it just sucks air and leaves the coolant in the bottle.

Signs of intake leakage include. excessive white on the dipstick or PCV valve from moisture entering the engine crankcase. Mine was leaving a few spots of oil on the garage floor at the rear of the engine at night. The coolant running down the rear of the engine was washing old oil off. So I was not getting coolant puddles but just a few oil spots.

Only with it running and the doghouse off could you see the coolant seeping out between the head and intake.
 
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