I have coolant in my lower intake manifold after replacing the gasket in my upper manifold in my 1996 Chevrolet Suburban.
I'm changing the intake manifold gaskets on my 96 suburban. The issue is that the old gasket blew open and all the coolant/ some oil poured into the lower intake manifold. It's a mess down there. Am I wasting time trying to clean it up? How clean does it need to be? Should I replace the manifold entirely?
My car has 180000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. If you have coolant in your lower manifold also then at the very minimum you need to blow it out with compressed air. I would recommend removing the lower manifold also to make sure that you get it completely clean. If you do not then you can cause some serious internal engine damage.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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The upper intake manifold may develop an internal coolant leak causing one or more cylinders to fill with coolant. This can cause the engine to “hydro-lock” and not turn over. Removing the spark plugs will allow the engine to turn over pushing the coolant out of the spark plug holes.
When intake manifold gaskets become damaged, coolant may begin escaping from its system. Eventually even a relatively small leak will eventually cause coolant levels to drop to dangerous levels. Be sure to take note of any signs that your car may be experiencing a coolant leak.
To ensure these technologies work in the way they were designed to, these intake manifold gaskets must be installed on a clean, dry surface with no additional sealants used.
Your vehicle`s head gasket seals the space between its cylinder head and engine block. If the head gasket fails, coolant, and engine oil may mix. You may also notice that coolant is leaking from the bottom of the engine and dripping onto the ground. Either way, a blown head gasket can be disastrous for your engine.
This is where the real dangers of overfilling your coolant lie. Hot coolant leaking throughout your engine bay can cause serious damage to wiring and electrical components. If you do end up with a burst hose, your engine could be starved of coolant and cause some pretty big problems.
If you have a crack in the intake manifold and it is leaking coolant then when the engine is running and cooling system gets hot and pressurized it will leak coolant at a faster rate causing the engine to overheat and possibility of engine damage may occur.
Spray penetrating oil on the exhaust manifold bolts. Underneath, spray the bolts connecting the exhaust manifold collector to the exhaust pipe flange. Let all bolts soak for 10 minutes. Using a ratchet or a wrench, slowly apply pressure to the exhaust manifold bolts.
Sealing Intake Manifold Gaskets. There are a couple of different sealers we like to use when doing this kind of work. To hold the intake gaskets in place on the head, we like Edelbrock`s Gasgacinch, which is a simple contact adhesive. For RTV, we like the Permatex Ultra Gray or Optimum Gray.
RTV, other sealants or adhesives should not be used around the coolant or intake ports on carrier-style gaskets. The only place RTV silicone may be required is to seal the area where the ends of the intake manifold gaskets mate with the end strip seals on the block under the intake manifold or valley cover.
Your engine could overheat.
Coolant helps pull heat away from the engine. So, without enough coolant, the engine could overheat or seize up. Continued use of an overheated engine could lead to permanent damage, such as pistons welding to the cylinders.
It may be a broken hose and/or a hole in the radiator. Solution: Check your hoses to see if any coolant is coming out. Replace the hose(s) if you notice coolant coming out of them. If you notice coolant leaking out of your thermostat that can be an easy fix.
A cracked engine block can cause a range of problems. Ultimately, since the circulation system that cools the engine is comparatively fragile, a cracked engine block will lead to coolant leaking out of the area it is needed and leaving the engine to overheat.
But bad or incorrect coolant will cause corrosion under these gaskets which can break their seal, leading to catastrophic failure. In some cars the wrong coolant can eat away, perish or harden the gaskets or seals with the same result. Common failures today include:- • Head gaskets and water pump seal failures.
Coolant Leak Below the Exhaust Manifold
You may notice radiator coolant (antifreeze) leaking under your car. Where the leak is coming from can tell you a lot. If it is coming from directly below the exhaust manifold, this is a clear indicator that the head gasket is failing and needs to be replaced.
But bad or incorrect coolant will cause corrosion under these gaskets which can break their seal, leading to catastrophic failure. In some cars the wrong coolant can eat away, perish or harden the gaskets or seals with the same result. Common failures today include:- • Head gaskets and water pump seal failures.
Unfortunately, there`s no quick-fix for a cracked exhaust manifold. Some drivers have attempted to use heat-resistant epoxy, such as JB Weld. While JB Weld is an amazing product with hundreds of uses, it simply can`t withstand the 1,200-degree exhaust gases.
But bad or incorrect coolant will cause corrosion under these gaskets which can break their seal, leading to catastrophic failure. In some cars the wrong coolant can eat away, perish or harden the gaskets or seals with the same result. Common failures today include:- • Head gaskets and water pump seal failures.
A cracked plastic intake manifold can be fixed a couple of ways. You can replace the manifold (or the section that is leaking), you can seal the leak with epoxy or RTV silicone sealer, or you can repair the leak by welding the plastic with a high-temperature heat gun and a compatible rod of plastic filler material.
But bad or incorrect coolant will cause corrosion under these gaskets which can break their seal, leading to catastrophic failure. In some cars the wrong coolant can eat away, perish or harden the gaskets or seals with the same result. Common failures today include:- • Head gaskets and water pump seal failures.
Coolant comes in contact with the gasket separating the cylinder head from the bottom end of the engine. If this gasket starts leaking, coolant can escape the system and enter the combustion chamber of the cylinders, or leak out to the outside of the engine block.
Do I need to drain coolant at least partly to remove intake manifold and not make a mess? Yes you should definitely drain it.
Coolant comes in contact with the gasket separating the cylinder head from the bottom end of the engine. If this gasket starts leaking, coolant can escape the system and enter the combustion chamber of the cylinders, or leak out to the outside of the engine block.
Do I need to drain coolant at least partly to remove intake manifold and not make a mess? Yes you should definitely drain it.
Using the wrong engine coolant can gradually lead to corrosion and damage to the water pump, radiator, radiator hoses and cylinder gasket. This can lead to damage to the engine in the worst case.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
I have coolant in my lower intake manifold after replacing the gasket in my upper manifold in my 1996 Chevrolet Suburban.
ANSWER : Hi there. If you have coolant in your lower manifold also then at the very minimum you need to blow it out with compressed air. I would recommend removing the lower manifold also to make sure that you get it completely clean. If you do not then you can cause some serious internal engine damage.
Roland, does the 2007 4.7 liter with the plastic intake manifold have coolant passing through to cool the manifold?
ANSWER : Hello. It does not appear that the intake manifold on that model has coolant passages, so it is unlikely that that is the cause of the issue.
I would still carefully examine the intake manifold for any signs of warping, however, as plastic manifolds are more susceptible to warping than aluminum ones.
If the compression test was performed on a cold engine, it may be possible that a cold engine helped seal the pressure. If it feels safe to do so, I would start the engine, warm it up to operating temperature, and then retest the cylinder compression. There are certain cases where the head gasket is blown or the cylinder heads are warped, however, only once the engine is warmed up and the metal expands. If you’d like a second opinion on the car, a certified expert from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to inspect the overheating problem and diagnose the issue properly.
Is manifold gasket replacement a diehard requirement for manifold r&r?
ANSWER : The intake manifold gasket can be reused if it is not damaged in any way. The cost of the new gasket versus removing the intake again if it leaks is something to think about. Consider if it’s worth the risk to reuse it if you had to do the job twice. The manual for your Pontiac Grand Am says you can reuse it as long as it is not damaged, but I personally would not reuse it.
If you need some assistance with this, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can come help you with the repairs you’re making and service your intake manifold gasket as necessary. Good luck.
Loud metallic clunk and stops cranking when trying to start after removing and reinstalling upper intake manifold,
ANSWER : Hi there. Check the fuel injectors and make sure that they are hooked up properly. A leaking fuel injector will cause fuel to flood the cylinder and hydro lock the piston making the engine stop cranking. Also, check for anything that could be missing. It is possible that during the removal and installation process of the intake may have had a nut or bolt go into a runner on the cylinder heads. When the intake valve opens, the object will enter the engine causing the engine to have a clunk sound as well. I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you if you are unable to locate the clunking source on your engine.
How many gaskets are found in the upper engine gasket kit for a 2008 Audi Q7
ANSWER : Hi there. You could find a head gasket and the gasket kit from a local parts store or the dealership. The head gasket is sold separately from the upper gasket set. The upper gasket set comes with the intake gaskets, exhaust gaskets, valve cover gasket, and thermostat housing gasket. If you need further assistance with oil getting into the cooling system, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
WHEN YOU REPLACE MANIFOLD GASKETS DO YOU REPLACE UPPER AND LOWER?
ANSWER : It depends on what you are doing. If you only need to replace the upper then replace just the upper. If you need to do the lower then you will need to drain the coolant. On these engines, they leak coolant at the corner of the head gaskets and lower intake. The heads need to be removed to fix the problem, if this is what you are looking at.
No coolant in the reservoir. Seen low coolant message. I added 2 quarts of 50/50 coolant. Still getting the message. How much coolant doe it need?
ANSWER : Hi there. For the coolant light to go out, you would need to have the coolant between the low line and the full line for the light to go out. If the coolant is low and keeps on being low, then look for any signs of coolant leaks. You may have to use a coolant pressure tester to pressurize the reservoir to allow the leak to be found.
If you need further assistance with the coolant being low and the warning light being on, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
Oil is geting into intake manifold and into all intake vavles.
ANSWER : Hi there. That type of oil volume inside the intake manifold is typically a sure fire indication of a blown head gasket. It’s also quite possible that this has occurred for an extended period of time. There are a few things that you can do to verify that this is the head gasket. First, check the oil itself. If it is milky or foamy then it means the head gasket is damaged and coolant is leaking into the oil galleys. If the head gasket is not damaged, excessive oil inside the spark plug well could also be a damaged O-ring but can also be the result of a failing piston or worn valve guides. Either way, the only way to correctly inspect and diagnose this would be to tear down the motor, so you might want to consider whether you are wanting to complete repairs or purchase a newer vehicle.
