Little help please

Worktruck · March 7, 2005

Also posted this over in the compact forum.

My son has a 98 S-10 4wd with the 4.3. This truck has developed a coolant leak and I'm having a hard time finding it. Appears to be at the left front of the motor. At first thought I it was the water pump but removed and inspected, re-installed with new gaskets and still leaking. Next I checked the upper radiator hose and that wasn't it. Next I removed the intake ducting and noticed a puddle of coolant where the intake and the rocker cover meet. I can't find a obvious leak there so I cleaned it all off and ran the engine again and the coolant is back. It's a pretty good leak, drips off the bottom side of the motor at a pretty good rate. Are these 4.3's known to develop manifold leaks, is there something I should check before tearing the top off this thing? Any help would be appreciated.

Wingnut · March 7, 2005

Not sure about the 4.3, but my 5.7 (and a few friends 5.7's as well) have a heater line fitting that leaked where it enters the intake manifold.

The fitting corrodes, leaks, and snaps right off in the manifold as soon as you put a wrench on it.

jeffbf89 · March 7, 2005

Had the same problem with the heater hose connection. Reached up and wiggled it becuase I could smell coolant, no puddles, and came of in my hand, stuck in the manifold. Had to use an easy out reverse thread thingy to get it out. By the way this was on a 98 4.3L.

Stocklook · March 7, 2005

Same on my 90 GMC the fitting broke off in my hand, Pain to get out, but everything came out ok in the end. I think the part was $17.00 at the dealer

Wingnut · March 8, 2005

In some cases, it's actually easier to remove the intake manifold to get at the broken fitting. On some, the fitting is at the rear portion of the manifold, making it difficult to work with extraction tools.

On the other hand, quite a few folks have been able to get this fitting off without it breaking off...So, if that's the problem...Just be careful, you may get lucky.

Worktruck · March 8, 2005

Thanks for the input guys. Turns out it was a bad intake gasket. Lower gasket between the block and manifold. What a PITA. Took 7 hrs to complete repair. Hope Jr. appreciates it.

Wingnut · March 9, 2005

What...You didn't make him do it?

That was my dads idea of "training".

Here's how it usually went:

Me: Dad, my clutch is out.

Dad: What's the book say?

Me: Replace it.

Dad: Then replace it.

Me: I need help.

Dad: OK, take the transmission out, then come get me.

..

.

Me: OK transmission is out.

Dad: OK...What's the book say to do now?

Me: It says "Install the clutch, pressure plate pilot bushing and throwout bearing"

Dad: OK, do that, then come get me.

..

.

And so on and so forth. He never spun a wrench on anything of mine...Just gave little hints from time to time.

I hated his ass for it at the time...But I can do a clutch job pretty easily now.

Worktruck · March 9, 2005

Wow Wingnut. Care to come to Maine and stand in for me for a while. This kid is hopeless. Has the Haynes manual for this truck too. Can't even seem to do the routine maintanance. His idea of taking care of his truck is filling the gas tank and changing the oil a couple of times a year. I fixed it cause he had to work, meaning I had to get up and take him at 6 am. Not that I wasn't already up but have better things to do. BTW guess who paid for the parts. He'll "pay me back" as soon as he can. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Can't wait til he moves out , again. Thats right I said again.