96 Chev PU Leaking water from intake manifold??
 

4.2 V6 - 160,000 miles. It has been losing water for a while and I
finally found what I think it is - it appears that water is leaking
from between intake manifold and block at left front of engine (behind
alternator, of course). There is no water in oil. Is it safe to keep
driving it or can the water get into the motor? Is this a normal thing
that goes wrong - what causes it and how do I fix it? I guess the
manifold gasket has gone bad which means I have to remove the intake
and replace the gasket?

Thanks,
Libby

In article
.com>,
" > wrote:

> 4.2 V6 - 160,000 miles. It has been losing water for a while and I
> finally found what I think it is - it appears that water is leaking
> from between intake manifold and block at left front of engine (behind
> alternator, of course). There is no water in oil. Is it safe to keep
> driving it or can the water get into the motor?

Stop driving it, get it fixed ASAP. If it's leaking externally,
odds are that it's also leaking internally. Nothing destroys
bearings like engine coolant!

>Is this a normal thing
> that goes wrong -

I wouldn't call it "normal." It is however a common failure on
mid to late 90s GM V engines.

> what causes it and how do I fix it?

The cause is due to a poor gasket design.
The fix is to replace the gaskets.
Fel-Pro has a problem solver gasket that so far looks superior to
the OEM style available from either GM or Victor.

> I guess the
> manifold gasket has gone bad which means I have to remove the intake
> and replace the gasket?

Correct.
The whole lower manifold can be removed/replaced without removing
the upper (plastic) plenum. Bleed the fuel pressure off but when
you disconnect the fuel lines from the fuel rail, cap the fuel
rail to keep as much fuel in the rail as possible, there is a
history of injector failure post manifold repair due to allowing
the fuel injectors to go dry, keep them wet with fuel if possible.
Use "The Right Stuff" from Permatex for the end (front and rear)
gaskets.

Theres a freeze plug behind the power steering pump just below the
alternator which could be the culprit.
If thats the problem, you need to get the power steering pump out of the way
to get to it.

In article >,
"ed" > wrote:

> Theres a freeze plug behind the power steering pump just below the
> alternator which could be the culprit.
> If thats the problem, you need to get the power steering pump out of the way
> to get to it.

Power steering pump is on the left side, alternator is on the
right side....

Standing facing the truck my alternator is on the left side. There is a
freeze plug back there but unfortunately it appears the water is
running out above it at the corner where the manifold touches the head.

Do these motors have a history of the manifold corroding out, or is
this problem generally just a gasket? I remember I had a Cutlass with a
262 V8 in it, the intake manifold rusted away back at the back of it
and water just poured out.

aarcuda69062 wrote:
> In article >,
> "ed" > wrote:
>
> > Theres a freeze plug behind the power steering pump just below the
> > alternator which could be the culprit.
> > If thats the problem, you need to get the power steering pump out of the way
> > to get to it.
>
> Power steering pump is on the left side, alternator is on the
> right side....