Intake/gasket or head gasket?

Burninriverdiver · Feb 15, 2014

Hey guys I've searched all over the site and online but seem to be getting all kinds of mixed opinions. I have a 96npi motor basically stock. I have coolant in all four spark plug holes on the drivers side, nothing on the passenger side. No milky residue in the oil, no bubbles coming from the coolant reservoir while running, and minimal white smoke out of the tail pipes (it is cold outside, this may be why?) not running hot, and I recently replaced the thermostat. It doesn't look like the thermostat is leaking, or anything else at the top of the engine really. Could this more likely be a head gasket, intake, intake gasket, or anything else? Thanks for any help!

Musturd · Feb 15, 2014

Your thermostat may be leaking ... My old npi shit box liked to leak there and do similar things , your intake manifold could also be leaking , they also like to crack but I don't think that's the case . It could have cracked around thermostat ... Fire it up and see if you can pin point the leak .... Grab a pressure tester and pump it up to like 25psi you find the leak

Burninriverdiver · Feb 15, 2014

Musturd said:
Your thermostat may be leaking ... My old npi shit box liked to leak there and do similar things , your intake manifold could also be leaking , they also like to crack but I don't think that's the case . It could have cracked around thermostat ... Fire it up and see if you can pin point the leak .... Grab a pressure tester and pump it up to like 25psi you find the leak

Thanks I will check that out, I keep reading stuff like this, making me more hopeful it's not the head gasket!

Musturd · Feb 15, 2014

Oh I highly doubt it's the head gasket buddy ... She would be running awful mine would misfire when water got in the spark plug boots do cool stuff like shoot flames

Burninriverdiver · Feb 15, 2014

Lol well that's comforting.... No flames yet, but if that happens its gonna stay that way till the insurance can total it out!

96blak54 · Feb 15, 2014

You probably didnt take caution when changing out t-stat to keep coolant from spilling out running down the head. Ive done that too. No biggie! Pull wires out and soak up what you can with towels and/or vacuum it out. Then take plugs out to let dry. Be sure to wipe down the plugwire boots too. Double check everything to be sure all moisture/water is dry.

Burninriverdiver · Feb 16, 2014

96blak54 said:
You probably didnt take caution when changing out t-stat to keep coolant from spilling out running down the head. Ive done that too. No biggie! Pull wires out and soak up what you can with towels and/or vacuum it out. Then take plugs out to let dry. Be sure to wipe down the plugwire boots too. Double check everything to be sure all moisture/water is dry.

You gotme thinking, and I believe you are correct. I changed the thermostat a few weeks ago and haven't driven since (until today). That's gotta be it because I know I was being careless and got coolant everywhere. Thought I vacuumed it up ok but not down the plug holes apparently. Don't know why I forgot about this, thanks

96blak54 · Feb 17, 2014

Your welcome and to be honest every mod owner experiences this....just a quirky modular thing. These modulars absolutely do not like water under the hood.