Help, Leaking coolant though bolts (+pics)

[gontix]

While searching for a coolant leak, I came accross this bolt which was leaking coolant. Its located behind the starter motor (See pics). Bolt size is 3/8", and there are 6-8 of them on both sides of the engine.
I'm just wondering what these bolts are for and wheither its normal for them to be leaking coolant?

[Ozzie]

Looks like an inlet manifold bolt?

One things for sure.. that aint your starter motor its ur alternator.

[gontix]

Well shows what I know. Anyone know what this is for, and wheither it is normal for coolant to be in there? Or do I have a blown head gasket or something?

[Ozzie]

Its hard to tell from those pics.

Might just be your inlet manifold gasket by the looks of it.

Does the exhaust blow white smoke?
Do you get oil in the radiator?

[gontix]

No oil in radiator, and no white smoke.

[keza87]

It is definitely your intake manifold gasket. I had the same issue in my VR but it also had water in the oil and that's the next indication.
Either way the intake manifold needs to come off to replace it.

[gontix]

If there was coolant getting into the inlet manifold, why would it be forced out of these bolts? Wouldn't it just sit at the bottom of it?

Also, say my gasket needs to be replaced, how bad is it for the engine if I kept driving around like it is?

[greenacc]

Coolant under pressure will go anywhere it finds a path...
If the leak is bad enough your cooling system won't hold pressure and you could overheat the engine, so yes, potentially very bad. make sure you keep the coolant topped up until you do the gasket.

[BxTom]

Get somebody to pressure test your system for you. It is quite likely that the radiator, a hose or the pump is leaking and blowing coolant back over the motor giving the appearance that the manifold gasket is leaking. This could explain why there is no water in the oil or white smoke. Could save you a lot of unecessary time and expense.

Cheers,
Tom.

[gontix]

Cheers, but I have new radiator/hoses/etc. I could acctualy see the coolant comming up from the bolts. How many bolts hold the inlet manifold on anyway?

What about those radiator stop leak additives? If it stops the leak is it fixed???

[vsl67]

try taking the bolts out and putting permatex on the threads,some mannuals recomend this on bolts near water jackets and dont be stingy with it

[vsl67]

Forgot to mention clean the bolts up with a wire brush on a drill first

[VEEARR]

Similar thing just happened to me, i replaced the inlet manifold gasket, and forgot to put silastic on the threads of the bolts, handy hint i learned on this forum

[James39]

handy hint i learned on this forum

Except for the part where you do not bump old threads :P