I may have a coolant leak. Though, after seeing the picture below probably not.

A little background... I did my LIM and UIM gaskets back in November. I hadn't done quite that type of job before, but my brother and I are mechanically inclined (and my AF training plus being able to follow directions) so it went smoothly. That was about 4k miles ago.

Today I noticed a dark spot on the block just above the water pump. It looked just like the dark spot that I had running down the bell housing which prompted me to do my gaskets. Mind you, that spot has since gone away now that fresh coolant isn't feeding it. The only problem is I can't figure out where the coolant may be coming from this time. It's possible it could be coming out of where the head, block, and LIM meet on the passenger side of the forward head. Coolant elbow looks good and it isn't coming from the water pump.

So I went inside to look at pictures of the engine apart to get a better idea of what might be going on with it. Then I see the same spots that got my attention today, only six months ago... (in red)



They haven't changed, as far as I can tell. What bothers me is that the coolant mark on the bell housing dried up, but this is the same... Maybe dirt? I guess I'm just looking for opinions, but the spot is still there.

I'm even doubting it may be coolant. The coolant flows through the other end of the LIM, not the passenger end.

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2004 Impala LS - got some mods
NAIOA Moderator

Making you think twice before picking on Impalas

mine got wet near there from the elbow, can you clean it up real well, and see if it returns?

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Steve
'97 GTP VS cam, ZZP PCM, and not much else yet

I plan on trying next time the engine is cool enough. A 200* engine isn't fun to reach in that spot on.

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2004 Impala LS - got some mods
NAIOA Moderator

Making you think twice before picking on Impalas

I did my LIM gaskets about a year ago. Since then, my coolant elbows have been weeping ever so slightly. I check the coolant in the radiator and overflow about once every two weeks. And maybe once every 2 months do I have to add any. That is slow to me. So I haven't fixed it yet.

But with all the problems everyone has with the coolant elbows, I would suspect that is where it is leaking from.

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1997 GTP - 200k+ miles, PEMs, 3" SS Exhaust w/ Borla Mufflers, 3.4", 180* stat(summer), FWI, 1.84 RR, PT, SLP hood, KYB GR2s, GMPP Handling Kit, etc...

I just replaced my coolant elbow that was leaking pretty good, that might be the culprit!

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2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GT -- 2008 Series III -- L36 intakes/tb -- K&N FIPK2 -- ZZP 180* -- ZZP PEMs -- GTX style tips -- R1 Concepts rotors -- GMPP STB -- black corners -- system

I've been keeping an eye on it and it isn't wet. I think it's dirt. The fact that it was there in the exact same form when I did my gaskets leads me to believe it isn't actually a leak. My elbows definitely are not leaking...

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2004 Impala LS - got some mods
NAIOA Moderator

Making you think twice before picking on Impalas