Overheating -- blown LIM side gasket?

Just had my 03 GT nearly overheat on me. I was able to limp it to a parking lot where I popped the hood and heard hissing from the passenger side. After letting the larger part of the steam flow off I took a look and found what appeared to be the side of the LIM gasket blown. Could this cause an overheat?

Could just be RTV that you're supposed to apply in the corners.

Side LIM gasket would just cause a slightly oil leak and vacuum leak.

Much more likely your LIM gaskets are shot and the UIM is cracked and leaking.

Replace those with the coolant elbows and consider replacing the VC gaskets and grommets, they're probably in rough shape too.

This is granted you have an internal coolant leak.

Pressure check cooling system, inspect rad, ensure fans turn on, ensure proper ducting in front of rad is in place etc.

Oh it was definitely steaming from that hole. I replaced the LIM once before, guess I need to buy a better gasket this time around. It just seems odd that it was steaming coolant. No coolant is supposed to go through there, is it? I'm slightly concerned it's a head gasket, but I would guess that would be a lot of pressure to put under the intake manifold to blow the side of the gasket.

Hmmm, didn't think about the actual manifold being shot, either. Ouch. I hope that's not major money.

Can't leak from that gasket, there's no coolant there. The coolant is much futher in and higher up on the lim. I would suspect your coolant elbow is bad.

Elbow? (sorry for my ignorance)

In your picture it's the left side, halfway down the pic. That is a plastic coolant elbow. Prone to leaking.

Oh duh, the one that ties into the water pump, right?

not the water pump, the lim itself they go into. coolant elbows are pretty easy and inexpensive to do.

One goes from the lim through the alt bracket to the heater core and the other side comes back through the bracket into the timing cover.

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

One goes from the lim through the alt bracket to the heater core and the other side comes back through the bracket into the timing cover.

Yep, that was it. They practically crumbled when I pulled them. Once I realized what you were talking about I realized I had to change them once before at about 120k (I'm now at 218k). Today I'll be doing the valve cover gaskets and plugs. Should I do them at the same time? I seem to remember someone mentioning that while the valve covers are off you can rock the engine forward a bit, making it easier to get to the rear plugs. Might be remembering it wrong, tho.

If the front cover is off, so is the dog bone bracket.

Once thats off, you have nothing to hold the engine in the forward position.

Do the valve cover gaskets then the plugs.

Do you have new grommets as well?

You can rock the engine forward with the VC off or on. It does make it easier to get to the back plugs

make sure you have new grommets

Yeah, I've got the grommets. Thanks for the tips, it'll make the job much easier. I'm tired of being under the hood of my cars, though so I'm gonna hold off for a week or two.

BTW, I just have to say a huge thanks to the team on this forum. I've saved thousands doing things myself, and honestly I prefer to take care of jobs (that I can handle) by myself.