1996 Chevy Lumina Leaking Coolant

MRNICEGUY22

MEMBER
1996 CHEVROLET LUMINA
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
109,000 MILES

Hi, thanks for your help in advance.

I have a 96 Chevy Lumina that is leaking coolant. My friends and I figured it might be the lower intake manifold gasket. So I took the upper part of my engine apart and that gasket is indeed not looking good, but I have a sneaking feeling that I might have another gasket bad somewhere (head gasket or something). Some info: the coolant was leaking outside of the engine (onto the ground) but I cannot tell if it was leaking into the engine (into the oil or into the combustion area). I have the orange coolant (dexcool or something).

I would like to know if there is a way I can check any other gasket while my engine is this far apart (all the way down to the push rods and rocker arms). Can I pour water down some hole or blow into something or anything of that sort?

If the head gasket was bad would coolant even leak externally?

Please help. I am a do-it-yourself-er and haven't even done a job this extensive before. Any help is greatly appreciated.

-Thanks

2 Replies

BMRFIXIT

MECHANIC
19,053 POSTS

Lower intake gasket is the most common and if engine was not overheating and just leaking coolant just replace the gasket
at this point only check you can do is physical remove and check
add water /coolant not going to show any leaks

should had the system pressure checked before

90%of the time its an intake gasket

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Thursday, May 27th, 2010 AT 1:08 PM

MRNICEGUY22

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Thanks for the response.
I ended up putting water into the coolant cavity (not using correct terminology I know) basically the place where coolant normally is in the engine. I describe more. I have the lower intake manifold and gasket off there are six intakes that go to the valves and cylinders and there are four holes where coolant circulates (i assume anyway) around the engine. I poured water into the back two and a few minutes later water was leaking out the back of the engine below the lower intake manifold gasket. I did not pour water into the coolant reservoir, radiator, hose, or anything else. I bypassed all that and put it directly into where the coolant might normally be and it leaked out.

I am guessing its either the head gasket or some other gasket that gets in contact with the coolant.

In any case this pretty much turned into a job that is too big for me.

Any advice is welcome. And I may sound rather sure of myself, but I'm not, so feel free to give me your thoughts or ask questions.

Thanks for your time.

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Thursday, May 27th, 2010 AT 5:12 PM