My 02 Blazer started running hot again, so like I do every fill up I added 1/2 gal to the coolant reservoir. Drove home and saw a trail of water to the driveway. Not the hoses on top... Jacked it up and saw rusty water coming out of the bottom behind the engine. From a whole bunch of places.

Rusty water? I just put in a new radiator a few months ago. What is happening?

 

I take it from the pic that the third pic is of the idler arm. Which means the fluid is on the passenger side. There are a lot of places for water to come out on that side. Check your heater core lines and where they connect to the heater core to make sure the stems aren't broken (off). that or maybe the lower radiator hose. Just putting more fluid in isn't enough. you probably need to get that flushed thoroughly to get the rust crap out. You could have a crapped up heater core or just corrosion inside the engine. Do you have the dex cool or switched over to green. Also WHY did you replace the radiator? was it clogged? did it leak?

 

The water pump is in that general area. Maybe check that? Also check the freeze plugs. I've seen some badly corroded ones. They don't generally leak at the front of the engine, though.

 

Checked this morning, after pouring a gallon of water into the radiator. The cap and lip had a lot of "rust colored" flakes but they are unaffected by a magnet, so IDK what they are.
The highest leak is where the thermostat housing meets up with the block(?) is there is such a place. Maybe a gasket? from there the coolant runs down. The water pump is right there but I can't see exactly because the alternator is blocking the view.

Edit: removed a hose to get a better look. Kind of looks like water is coming out from some corrosion on the block but that could be all wrong. It might be coming from higher up, maybe the gasket?

 

Brought Blaze to the shop, . Result: leak is not just the gasket, the manifold itself corroded out. They looked around for a new or used one, no luck! Now what? Anyone got a lead on a lower intake manifold?

Edit: I found a LIM on ebay $100 delivered. I am guessing it will look pretty nasty! Any tips for checking it out and cleaning it up?

 

I have successfully repaired gouges in aluminum gasket surfaces with this stuff but it takes some practice and patience:

https://www.neverseezproducts.com/ca...BoCaB4QAvD_BwE

George

 

First off. You are in Houston. I lived there fron 89 til 2012. Check LKQ. Formerly Pick-A-Part. They have a lot (the big one) in the northwest just outside the 610 loop. They also have a nother lot (the small one) just inside the beltway on Off of 45. I've pulled MANY parts from them (including the entire front end for my old 95 jimmy). If nothing else I have a complete Lower intake on up out of a running 2001 blazer (my son's old truck that the tranny crapped out on and we junked). I'm just north of dallas.

 

You guys are awesome. I might need both of your resources of this ebay intake don't work out. It's supposed to be here Friday. I have some mag wheel cleaner I can try on it. Shop wants $550 labor to replace it, I supply intake and gaskets.

 

here is what's left after the old LIM came off

 

I got the Blaze back. Not till they added $200 to the cost because the cleaning up was excessive and the injector nozzle had to be drilled out. I think the real issue was the initial estimate figured only 4 hours labor and it probably took twice that, What bothers me though is the intake that supposedly had corroded through looked fine to me. I think they just did not want the job.