I’ve done 5+ headgasket jobs on 3.4 equinoxes. Current job has coolant stain on side of head. Close to water port from head to intake. I see torn gaskets on almost all my jobs. This could cause an external leak? The suv has an overheating situation. 200-220f temp swings. I plan on doing the heads as I don’t think the intake
I’m presuming you’ve already done a compression test, and you don’t see any clearly defined cylinder head/block interface leak. hmm … well, you could do the obvious experiment, replace that gasket, put everything back together, and give it a drive-test. That’s about the only way to know for sure whether the intake manifold/cylinder head interface problem is the actual cause of the engine overheating. The downside risk is the engine may still overheat, then you’ll have to take everything back apart remove the head anyway, wasting your time.
The intake gasket is plastic and is is in fairly good shape except for ribs on end. You can still buy new plastic gaskets and also steel versions. A new plastic one will work fine for a long time. I’m just thinking about what an external coolant leak could do to cause overheating. A leak would result in lower system pressure and cause overheating? I just got suv so I have no history. Seller was original owner.
Well, new headgaskets would be nice. For peace of mind.
I expect any car’s cooling system would have great difficulty to maintain the coolant temp within the normal range unless the entire cooling system is air tight. You’d think for a really small leak, other than having to add coolant once in a while, it could handle that; but the problem probably is the leak isn’t constant, comes and goes, changes with temperature, so those changing conditions makes maintaining the cooling system temperature within a narrow range more difficult.
My truck’s cooling system wasn’t maintaining the proper temp range 2 or 3 years ago. No leaks I could see. Then I noticed the radiator cap’s gasket had some minor cracking. Replaced the cap, problem immediately solved.
Removing heads at this point is fairly easy. Only thing that is issue are rusty manifold coupling nuts/studs. I usually break 2 of 3. I heard a talented person could remove both heads and leave pipe in place. Seems very awkward.
Where my Corolla’s exhaust manifold output connects to the exhaust system’s right angle pipe is located in a difficult to access location, so I could see why it might be pretty awkward. Maybe requires some purpose-built tools, and if you don’t have them, it is easier to just bite the bullet & remove the pipe.
Yeah but when they get older their back will be calling them stupid for doing so… 
It would have to take 2 maybe 3 guys to do it though, the 3rd guy gets a head handed off to them or something…
I guess you could always rig up a jig to hook a cherry picker to lift it out of the engine bay…
The hex on studs makes removing them pretty easy. After the hex nut shears off. Napa sells studs with hex and without
Whatever you decide, be sure to replace the oil pump drive o-ring while you have the intake off to avoid future oil leaks.
I had a leak on a gm 3.1 from that o-ring. In 2000? The o-ring is for oil control. There is also a steel coolant pipe that has o-ring and it’s real close. The pipe could leak and be cause of stain on side of head.
