massive coolant leak - freeze crack or gasket?

[GoHogs]

'91 XL, 4.0. I haven't been religious about checking the antifreeze but hey, it was still green last time I looked. Got pretty cold last night, about 20°F. Today, I'm losing coolant at the back of the engine. Driver's side, just below the head. Through a mirror, it appears to be at a seam where the head/deck/intake manifold all come together.
So... most likely problem? Is this the classic lower intake manifold gasket failure? Anybody ever have a freeze cause a crack in this area?
Just looking for others' experience while I wait for half a day to tear into it.

 

[GoHogs]

massive coolant leak fixed

To answer my own post... Why yes, it very well could be simply a lower intake gasket lead. I'd guess right at the left rear corner where the water jacket is. It'll take you about sixty bucks worth of gaskets and all day long to fix it though. Skip the O'Reilley gasket "kit". Instead, buy the separate one-piece lower intake manifold ("valley") gasket and valve cover gaskets. You'll get the extra ones you need for the fuel rail anyway.

 

[marksix44]

I have agood bit of anti freeze leaking on the block driver side of car. am i right that the intake manifold gaskets are bad.

 

[gloomis]

GoHogs,
Good to see another Arkansan on the board.
Sorry to hear about your problems.

Had to replace the lower intake gasket on mine about 10 months ago.
Mine was leaking in the front. You could lean up and see it actually squirting out.
If you couldn't have seen that, might have thought it was upper hose, thermostat housing, or even waterpump.
(Actually, I changed all of that, plus radiator, before the gasket opened up.)

Good luck on getting it fixed. Holler if I can help in any way.
Better plan on a full day - I had a lifelong mechanic (Dad) helping and that's what it took us.

marksix,
There's a lots of info about the leaking gaskets on the board - is a weak design.
From my research, I think it will be leaking out the front or the back of the engine if it's the lower intake gasket, but the water could be running down and dripping off almost anywhere.
Not a lot of fun to diagnose, but get you an good light and dive in!

Good luck to you as well, and you can give me a holler for help too.

 

[shaggymane]

06 Dang this thread is old.