Hi all. My 2000 Venture, 130k miles on 3.4l engine, has sprung a coolant leak. It runs down beneath the left side of the timing chain cover when viewing the engine from pulley side. I can't get a good view of the exact breach. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Pictures:




This is not my engine.

Possible gasket failure?

 

intake manifold gasket leaks will do that. if you replace them...they have redesigned from a plastic frame to metal frame gasket....get the metal frame!!

if you do it yourself...the intake and exhaust pushrods are different lengths....don't mix them up.

 

The 3.4 is notorious for head gasket failures. Paid about $3000.00 to have a shop to do the work on my wife's Equinox with about 150k miles on it.

 

Yeah, my research made the head gasket problem with GM 3.4l engines very obvious. Thanks for replying tech2 and SBchevyfan. I was holding out hope that my 3rd picture down in my original post showing the possible water gallery openings might be the situation with the timing cover gasket failing. Various internet submissions/anecdotes tell of people doing the head gasket hard fix to find it was the timing cover gasket and vice versa. I'm trying to be absolutely sure of the exact cause but it is difficult to see the actual leak. I have no oil in water or water in oil showing. The leak is not pooling in the obvious places related to head gasket failure that I have found and these following pics describe. Again, this is not my engine. These areas on mine are bone dry.