Ok I just bought a 2000 Frontier crew cab V6 about 4 weeks ago and i find a puddle under my truck this weekend. I said no way at first, but i checked and saw radiator fluid running all down the back of the engine and dripping into a puddle about the 12" wide. I was instantly pissed off and thought what could it be. It looks like a head gasket because of the location of the leak. But i cannot determine the location of it completly because it is realy hard to see in such a tight spot. So i let it sit for about a day, and i drove it to school because my car would not start. It drove fine, no leaks, no knocks, no nothing it ran fine. Now i have not seen any leaking or anything??? I am clueless at this point. Does anyone have a clue of some heater hoses or anything twords the rear of the engine compartment? Because with my diagnosis it seems like a blown head gasket or intake manifold gasket, and that would make the truck run crapy by now, or still be leaking. Somebody please help me out!!!

That doesn't sound comforting, except that this intermittent leak has not reappeared..

Yes, there are heater hoses back there.
How big was the puddle?

Was it hot in FREsno ? Maybe a little burp from the overflow bottle was all it was.

Where'd you get the truck from- dealer/private party?

Could also be a freeze plug that is seeping. 50 cent fix, but will take a weekend of labor to get to it if its one on the back of the engine.

it wasn't leaking out of the radiator overflow right?

quote:

Originally posted by reaceracer:
Ok I just bought a 2000 Frontier crew cab V6 about 4 weeks ago and i find a puddle under my truck this weekend. !

condensation from the AC drain line will do that. Or was the fluid greenish, like coolant?

Ok i took a very detailed look at it today. It is no mistake. There is a leak and it is comming from the back of the engine (radiator fluid). No overflow or anything like that. From what i can tell the leak is comming straight out of the intake manifold gasket. I am very skeptical of the previous owner because i have only had it a few weeks and already something major. Servs me right for buying used. So I am most likely out quite a few greens on this one. Has anyone ever done this on their truck before and know how much i am looking at? I am really mad because i have an 86.5 hardbody and never had the motor touched. Just change the oil and beat the hell out of it and it still kicks but. SO this is really suprising and frustrating??? Thanks for your help everyone.

I've never looked at how accessible the intake mounting nuts are on the V6. Any way you can tighten them up to the proper torque spec? WHatever that is?.

It looks like changing the gasket is probably in order, but you never know where your luck may be hiding.

Yea my book just came in the mail a few days ago and I will see what the tightening spec is for those bolts. Knowing my luck I better start saving! But i will see what happens.

don't forget the freeze plug check. maybe nneed one of those telescopic dental mirrors to see it/them.

If the manifold is leaking, and depending on how long it has been eroding the gasket/parting faces of the manifold and cyl heads, it still may not seal.