Need a GM mechanic!

[Lunk1]

I'm losing about 3/4 gallon of antifreeze in a 2004 Chevy 1500 5.3

Its not leaking anywhere! It obviously is burning it! They initialy said hopefully the intake manifold gasket...now they are saying that it doesnt run coolant through the intake manifold and that it is most likely the head gaskets!

It has 90,000 miles and I am hoping like hell its not head gaskets...but Im sure it is.

They are pressure testing coolant and its holding good pressure and its NOT going into the oil!

[austinite]

http://www.autotrader.com/

[Lunk1]

http://www.autotrader.com/

LOL....this ones paid for....

[Eddie_m63]

I own a shop, and have seen this before. The intake does not seal right in the four corners, meaning they are prone to leak in the corners. Where the intake meets the head, the gasket will let go causing either a leaking to the outside of the engine, and/or to the inside intake port. Do this; The spark plugs on the corners, remove them, and have a look at them. If you see they look wet, and not have that white tint to them, then you have found your leak. The fix is; replace the intake gasket. This can also be; a blown head gasket, cracked head, cracked block, or a crack in the intake. You can drain all the coolant out of the engine, point the rear of the vehicle up hill, and use a garden hose to flush out the system, with the drain open in the radiator. You must get all the coolant out of the engine. Purchase a can of "K&W Block Seal" from a parts store, and follow the instructions on the can to the letter. This stuff works good, but is a quick fix. It may go a year before it starts leaking again, but sooner or later it will. This is some good stuff, and I'll promise you it will work. I would try to torque the intake bolts down about 1/2-3/4 of one turn before I did anything. This might fix the problem, but don't tighten them any more than what I say, or you stand a risk of warping the intake, and you don't want to do that.
Getting rid of the vehicle will fix it for sure.
Glad to help out, Good Luck!!!

Source(s):

Certified Master Mechanic, Shop Owner, 40 yrs. experience.

[Papa Smurf]

Lunk... You have a leak at you intake gasket (between you intake and head) Its hard to detect with a pressure gauge.

You should be able to smell the anti freeze burning off through the exhaust...(kinda of a sweet smell) 5.3 are bad for this. My Yukon needs a gasket right now.

[largerthannormal]

Start it up and see if the exhaust is excessively white.

Usually head gasket

Have you performed any other tests?

[Eddie_m63]

That's from yahoo answers...I have a silverado too with 80,xxx.

[largerthannormal]

I wouldn't put any type of quick fix in it if you plan on keeping it


Wats from yahoo answers?^^

I would eliminate cracked block if no coolant in oil.. but depends where

Just pull the intake n heads n check

[sixfootseven]

find a cheap guy on craigslist to do it. A headgasket is a headgasket.

[Lunk1]

find a cheap guy on craigslist to do it. A headgasket is a headgasket.

Looks like its around 1000-1200 normal fix

[sixfootseven]

yeah is that at a dealer? Found a guy on craigslist who dis a head-gasket for my dad for $600

[Lunk1]

No...small mechanic shop...very reasonable so Im not sure the total yet!

[Lunk1]

There is NO coolant in oil!
No excessive white smoke!
NO leaking on the ground!
Mechanic said it doesnt run through the intake on this type so it is most likely head gasket although he is checking water punp and another pump on the front before tearing apart the heads!

[Shol'va]

You might ask the guy on here who hates fords ....

[Shol'va]

Nope never mind you are out of luck he hates all American vehicles as well but like Toyotas

[Soar]

You might ask the guy on here who hates fords ....

Lol who doesn't hate Ford?

[Shol'va]

Yeah I forgot there is more than one hater on here of Fords

[Lunk1]

My next will most likely be a Titan...Nissan has it figured out!

[Tron3219]

Eddies yahoo answers is actually a pretty good start. If your sure u don't have any leaks, try changing ur radiator cap. If its not pressuring up the coolant can evaporate. When it's put under pressure it raises the boiling point.

-TroN-

[Lunk1]

Eddies yahoo answers is actually a pretty good start. If your sure u don't have any leaks, try changing ur radiator cap. If its not pressuring up the coolant can evaporate. When it's put under pressure it raises the boiling point.

-TroN-

They pressure tested it...all good! No leaks!

[Tron3219]

How did they pressure test it?

-TroN-

[Lunk1]

How did they pressure test it?

-TroN-

Connected a pump with gauge to the fill container!

[dan991]

Dear Lunk... buy a new car, love Dan.

General Malfunction warranties end at 36,000 miles for a reason. Your truck has outlived its designed life x2. Be happy you weren't walking home a long time ago.

[Tron3219]

Connected a pump with gauge to the fill container!

Did they check the full cap itself? Just try it, go to autozone buy a 10 dollar cap, full it up, put it on and see. I've had cars come and say they spent a grand on it and didn't get fixed...i put a cap on it and it stopped loosing coolant.

-TroN-

[bdos]

Did they check the full cap itself? Just try it, go to autozone buy a 10 dollar cap, full it up, put it on and see. I've had cars come and say they spent a grand on it and didn't get fixed...i put a cap on it and it stopped loosing coolant.

-TroN-

Dont you just feel like the man when it works out like that everyones scratching their heads and the simplist thing fixes it, then theres the days when your greased upto your eyeballs and nothings working for you. Each dint in your tool box has a story lol

[Tron3219]

Dont you just feel like the man when it works out like that everyones scratching their heads and the simplist thing fixes it, then theres the days when your greased upto your eyeballs and nothings working for you. Each dint in your tool box has a story lol

Lol yeah, I find it humerus...but I've been on the other side of that too...literally dreaming about something I could fix. Then literally driving to the shop at 2am to go work on it because it came to you in a dream! Lol those r usually electrical issues tho. Yeah...fvck those dents lol

-TroN-

[Lunk1]

Lol yeah, I find it humerus...but I've been on the other side of that too...literally dreaming about something I could fix. Then literally driving to the shop at 2am to go work on it because it came to you in a dream! Lol those r usually electrical issues tho. Yeah...fvck those dents lol

-TroN-

You really think that plastic cap could cause the loss of nearly a gallon every cpl weeks??? This doesnt have a radiator cap like the older GM's it's sealed and you fill it through the plastic overflow tank!

[Tron3219]

Oh alright, I was thinking its old enough to have a cap lol

-TroN-

[< <Samson> >]

Keep on looking, it's there - Somewhere.

I was the cheap guy on CL. I was doing that shit a year ago before I got into my other "business".

Heater core, intake manifold, block, heads, all of the meeting gaskets, radiator, and all 101 hoses < that's where your leak is. At least somewhere in between. Never had a leak I couldn't find, AC to Oil.

[Lunk1]

Keep on looking, it's there - Somewhere.

I was the cheap guy on CL. I was doing that shit a year ago before I got into my other "business".

Heater core, intake manifold, block, heads, all of the meeting gaskets, radiator, and all 101 hoses < that's where your leak is. At least somewhere in between. Never had a leak I couldn't find, AC to Oil.

Its not a leak...nothing on the ground...most likely head gaskets but I was hoping for a cheaper problem...not my luck!

[dan991]

Its not a leak...nothing on the ground...most likely head gaskets but I was hoping for a cheaper problem...not my luck!

Go buy a Honda or VW already and quit whining...... sell the truck for parts on ebay, lol

[diesel101]

If you loose heat in the cab now and then it's probably a head gasket.

[Lunk1]

If you loose heat in the cab now and then it's probably a head gasket.

Yup...exactly what happens. Got a call this morn. It is the head gasket...pressure checked #6 cylinder and it filled the tester up with fluid! Plug looked nasty!

[diesel101]

I been a mechanic for 25 years and its my experience that if one of the head gaskets are leaking the other isnt far away.I would put both of them in if you plan on keeping the truck.IMO
By the way love the avi!

[Lunk1]

I been a mechanic for 25 years and its my experience that if one of the head gaskets are leaking the other isnt far away.I would put both of them in if you plan on keeping the truck.IMO
By the way love the avi!

Yep..they are doing them both and of course intake gasket as well!

[lovbyts]

Yep..they are doing them both and of course intake gasket as well!

Good plan. I have done to many myself in the past to count but thats back in my teens when iit was just a weekend job and easy to do. I hate getting greasy anymore and dont have the time.

[Lunk1]

Good plan. I have done to many myself in the past to count but thats back in my teens when iit was just a weekend job and easy to do. I hate getting greasy anymore and dont have the time.

The only thing I can tear apart and fix has a firing pin!

[jimmyinkedup]

When you turn on heat do you smell antifreeze? Heater core or head gasket would be my guess. Oh and btw head gaskets (plural) on a v6 or v8 a lot more than on a 4 or a straight 6 (only 1) to the poster saying it was only like 600-800 bucks.

[Lunk1]

When you turn on heat do you smell antifreeze? Heater core or head gasket would be my guess. Oh and btw head gaskets (plural) on a v6 or v8 a lot more than on a 4 or a straight 6 (only 1) to the poster saying it was only like 600-800 bucks.

Yeah...no smell but it's def head gasket leaking into #6 cylinder! Info I found says its an 800-900 fix even if done yourself. If done right since the heads will be getting re planed if needed!

[largerthannormal]

i win... ps i dont think an upper end gasket kit is 900.

shit silicone half them crappy gaskets. especially at the corners.