I have a coolant leak in a 97 Blazer 4.3, a bad one, but it is at the front of the engine. I assume it's the intake manifold gasket and from the fact that if I squeeze the upper radiator hose, coolant blasts out of the gap. It's almost like a piece of gasket was busted out as it is so obviously unsealed. Only ran for a few minutes to get gas and then noticed that the fluid had quickly escaped. There is no fluid evident in the oil and I haven't driven it since the fluid drained. Engine runs fine. No white smoke.

Thoughts?

Video also on YouTube:

 

Yes, that definitely looks like a blown intake manifold gasket. When you replace it, make sure you get the metal and rubber Fel-Pro set (I don't know the part number off the top of my head) so it doesn't fail again.

 

Tom, thank you... I've never seen a blown gasket as bad as this! When it went, it really blew out!

 

The stock ones are made of plastic that gets pretty crispy from the heat. They don't usually blow as spectacularly as yours, but I'm not too surprised to see it.

 

You are fortunate it did not burst into the lifter valley. That has ruined other engines with the same LIM (lower intake manifold) gaskets.