Coolant leaking

[gladrich]

Guys...A pool if coolant collects here all the time. Just a gasket or think it is something worse? How do I determine what the issue is?

 

[Chief Master Sergeant]

Mine has pooled there for the past five years. No issues so far

 

[ol gray mare]

Aluminum manifold? Check the torque on front bolt.

 

[JSBX]

Mine leaked there. Changed the gaskets for the aluminum intake all good now.

 

[jckkys]

If you put a new water pump on, the bolts that go through the timing chain cover too were removed and the seal is broken. So even tho the water pump is sealed, the older timing chain seal is still bad. It's not worth pulling everything apart. I leave it.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Common and generally not a problem besides an annoyance.

Intake leaking
Water pump to timing cover
or timing cover to block.

Those are the most likely culprits. Although the intake is the easiest, look for a coolant trail running down from there. Usually not, which make it the timing cover. Water pump builds pressure with RPM, so it is probably a high RPM water leak. If it is just annoying and not a bad leak, wait until you do a waterpump or timing chain. Unless you recently just did one of those.

 

[ransil]

No one noticed the RTV on the thermostat housing??

that would be my first guess.

 

[gladrich]

Thanks for the replies. I recently installed a new intake. I haven't touched the water pump or timing chain. I thought about the thermistat but doesn't seem to be coming from there or from the intake. It leakes when it just sits cold so I don't think it is preasure related. I'll probaqbly just leave it until the water pump or timing chain needs to be changed or the leak gets worse.

 

[Broncobowsher]

No one noticed the RTV on the thermostat housing??

that would be my first guess.

If it were pooling on the passenger side, yes. That would be my guess as well.
Driver's side is a bit far for a thermostat leak to be making it without being a large, obvious leak.