So I had a problem with my car overheating this week. It seemed like a thermostat gone bad so I changed it. My car didn't overheat the whole way home. I parked it and left for the weekend only to come home to a giant puddle of coolant in my driveway. It wasn't leaking anymore and when I checked my radiator fluid level, it seemed fine (well not fine, but I wasn't bone dry in my reserve and I could see fluid to the top when I removed the readiator cap). When I started my car it started leaking a stream from the front of my engine near the bottom, (not the radiator) and stopped after I turned the car off. Could this have been caused by me changing the thermostat? Could it be the water pump? I'm kind of baffled.

I would appreciate the help.

 

My guess is the water pump, but check the bottom radiator hose and the thermostat.

 

So I got under the car to check my hoses and water pump, but they were dry. I thought it may have been a core plug. I pulled my air intake, cooling unit, power steering pump and some hoses and noticed that the leak was coming from the gasket between block and the intake manifold when I blew on my radiator hose. My new question is how do I know if my lower manifold is damaged or if its just a gasket issue?

 

sounds like a manifold gasket, if you can't tell if its coming from a hose or the water pump, I would suggest going somewhere and have them pressure test the system. I had mine diagnosed at a chevy dealer for $50, took it to another shop and had them replace the intake manifold gasket for 400 something which is what the dealer found to be the problem. Don't wanna run that engine too hot and destroy other gaskets.