Last December my camaro started leaking coolant both internally and externally. It is leaking into the cylinder(s) I think on the passanger side. I know that because coolant comes out of the exhaust and rotted the muffler. It will run but I can what seems to be coolant going into the cylinders. So it hasn't been started since the day after Christmas, when I put it into storage. It also leaks on to the ground a lot, I'm not sure were its from but it looks like from the lower intake/head area, passenger side. Also there is no coolant in the oil or vise versa. My engine is a 3.8 series 3 from a 05 Buick park ave. It had 45,000 miles on it and about 3,000 on all gaskets other than head. I used plastic fel pro on the lower intake. My questions are if the lower intake blew could coolant get into the cylinders or did my head gasket blow? Also any other general knowage about the problem would be nice.

 

Anyone have any input?

 

Coolant can get into the cylinders in various ways. Through the valves via the intake, usually due to a bad intake gasket, bad head gasket, warped head or block deck, cracked head or cylinder wall. As for mufflers, they all eventually rot out regardless of whether or not coolant gets into the exhaust. As for the leaks under the car, we can see nothing from where we are, so you will have to make the supreme sacrifice by getting under the car and taking a look see. lol

 

Ok so what would be the most Lilly cause on my engine? I read that head gaskets rarely blow on 3.8's. What would be the best replacement lower intake gasket?

 

Can't go wrong with a good brand replacement, such as Felpro.

 

When I put the new engine in I uses fel pro all around. And the intake gasket is what might have went. But that was the plastic one, they also make a metal framed gasket I think. Which would not go out. What would make it fail so early?

 

do a compression test on all cylinders.

 

Can I do the test with the engine cold? I don't want to run it in fear of damaging it.

 

yes make sure to unhook the coil and the injectors so your not dry firing anything.

 

Keep in mind that doing a compression test on a cold engine will give you inaccurate results, so don't pay attention to the numbers if they seem a bit low. You're concerned with finding drastic differences from one cylinder to the next.