Coolant leak - intake manifold or head gasket?

[manousos]

Vehicle is a 1999 OHV Auto 2-door Sport, 220,000kms (136k miles)

I recently noticed my coolant was down about 1/2 qt. I pulled the radiator cap and found some yellow gunk built up underneath.

The engine does not overheat, the idle goes through minor fluctuations and rests around 900-1100 rpm when warm. No codes. There is condensation dripping out the tailpipe

I had the cooling system pressure tested as well as the compression on the cylinders. Both tests passed. The mechanic reassured me that it is not a broken head gasket or cracked head. I later found out that he did not perform a leak-down test.

Today I decided to change the oil and found what looked like frothy chocolate milk coming out of the oil pan

So...does this look like a bad intake manifold gasket, or a bad head gasket. I'm tempted to get a second opinion but can't be bothered to constantly fork out $90/hr shop rates to mis-diagnose issues

 

[lobo411]

Most likely the head gasket. IME the lower intake manifold gasket fails by pushing coolant outside the block rather than inside into the oil valley. Anyway, it doesn't really matter. Changing the LIM gasket takes you just one step short of changing the head gasket, and you have to replace the LIM gasket regardless. You would be foolish not to do the head gasket and not have to redo the job in the relatively near future.

 

[lobo411]

And get a better mechanic. Sounds like pretty much any kid out of high school shop could outdo the guy you went to!

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Remove the coolant recovery tank cap, and take a good
whiff to smell for gas fumes. If you smell unburnt fuel
it has to be from a failed head or headgasket. Also look
for black residue in the tank.

Good advice from Lobo, since the coolant passages are
on the outside corners of the block. Once you remove
the lower intake gaskets, it'll be apparent if they are
indeed leaking.

 

[JusTheUsual]

My intake manifold gasket failed and squirted out radiator fluid out the front end like someone taking a piss over the fan. I have same make of everything you have. That looks more like a head gasket. I wouldn't be surprised if it was intake manifold gasket but I tend to think its head gasket