Coolant pooling on top of 3800?

[98Intrigue]

Hello everyone!

It's been awhile since I've been on here, hoping everyone's Thanksgiving was good :thumbsup: So I have a question for you Intrigue owners. I have coolant pooling up on my engine block and dripping off the side opposite the belts onto my driveway. I first noticed it last week and thought it was just oil until I had to move it into the street when I saw the green shimmer in the sunlight. Upon further investigation looking under my hood a few minutes ago, I saw it pooling only in that one spot on top near the UIM. Please note, my plastic UIM was replaced about 2 months ago as well as the gasket with brand new ones as the old ones had melted. My guess is that the coolant elbows might have gone bad but I'm not too sure. If anyone could help, I would greatly appreciate it. I have a 98' Intrigue with 112,510 on the odometer and the ever-strong/indestructible 3800 Series II V6.

Thanks!

 

[Jeckel]

Lower intake manifold gaskets.

Get the newer aluminum ones. dexcool eats up the original rubber ones. not a terribly difficult job, and its unfortunate that you will have to have the upper one replaced again

 

[swagled]

Yeah, it is pick your poison with Intrigues. The LIM will give out on the 3800 (but mechanics are familiar with the engine, and can fix it with better replacement parts) or get the 3.5 (which may last longer, but mechanics are not as familiar with it, and you will eventually face expensive gasket repairs.)

 

[98Intrigue]

Will I really have to replace the UIM again? Because I really don't feel like dumping another $800 that I don't have into it...

 

[swagled]

Maybe just a bad heater hose? I'm not familiar with the layout of the 3800. But it sounds counter intuitive that a leak on top of the engine would be from the *lower* intake manifold.

 

[Jeckel]

I'm not familiar with the layout of the 3800. But it sounds counter intuitive that a leak on top of the engine would be from the *lower* intake manifold.

the lower intake manifold is what used to be called the intake manifold on a carbed car. the upper gasket actually is between the lim and the plenum. So it is the same setup as on the lx5. on the front of the engine topside opposite of the belts there is the t-stat housing. it could be leaking. but it is widely known about this LIM gasket issue. Watch this video, I didn't sit through it, but the job isn't all that difficult to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZjEKSqR5Qg