96 Chevy 4.3L water leaking from timing chain cover

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LibbyChantel - 24 Dec 2007 00:14 GMT

96 Chevy 4.3L V6 water leaking from timing chain cover at front of
engine. 180,000 miles on engine.

It is trickling from the sides of the cover. There is no water in the
oil, and the water pump leak hole is dry. Would this be an intake
manifold gasket leaking? I don't see how water would get into the
timing chain cover otherwise. Maybe someone that knows this engine
could advise me on the probable cause and solution.

Thanks for your help!
Libby

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tom - 24 Dec 2007 00:24 GMT

Soft plug ?
Goose neck Hose ?

> 96 Chevy 4.3L V6 water leaking from timing chain cover at front of
> engine. 180,000 miles on engine.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Thanks for your help!
> Libby

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Whitelightning - 24 Dec 2007 02:39 GMT

> 96 Chevy 4.3L V6 water leaking from timing chain cover at front of
> engine. 180,000 miles on engine.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Thanks for your help!
> Libby

Sounds like intake leaking but never seen one leak on both
sides before. Another possablity is the thermostate housing leaking, or
as the weather is cold, leaking hose clamp on the upper hose. There is
a lot to be said for the 'spring" style hose clamps vs the screw type.
many parts stores now let you "borrow" tools, a cooling system pressure
tester is usually one of them they do this with.
Water leaking is odd tho, you do have antifreeze in the coolant I hope?
Is it just water, or is it coolant?

Whitelightning

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Steve W. - 24 Dec 2007 03:07 GMT

> 96 Chevy 4.3L V6 water leaking from timing chain cover at front of
> engine. 180,000 miles on engine.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Thanks for your help!
> Libby

The water isn't coming from inside the timing cover. There is a leak
above the cover and it is coming down around it. Likely suspects are the
heater lines next to the thermostat housing. Upper radiator hose. The
thermostat housing gasket or the intake manifold gaskets. Could even be
a pinhole leak in the back of the water pump spraying onto the area and
leaking down.

Signature

Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York

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Jon - 25 Dec 2007 19:08 GMT

Upper radiator hose connection is a possibility, but mine was the thermostat
gasket. Had one in 4.3 in a 91 Blazer, stumped me until I had a chance to
really check where it was coming from.

Jon

>> 96 Chevy 4.3L V6 water leaking from timing chain cover at front of
>> engine. 180,000 miles on engine.
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> leak in the back of the water pump spraying onto the area and leaking
> down.

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