Ok, for the most part this has been a good truck. It just has it's miles now. Power steering pump went out one cold morning, then while doing the 120k service I noticed the u-joint in the front shaft was on it's way out, so rebuilt that with greasable joints. Now a leak had appeared from nowhere and I fear head gasket. Honestly, it's probably time for them anyway. It's a strange leak though. Only seems to happen every once in a while. It runs down the driver side motor mount in a trickle. It looks like it is coming from the front corner of the head, although you can't see it from the top. No water in the crankcase, runs great, has never overheated. In fact even now the temp stays dead center on the gauge. Bottom of the water pump and timing cover looks dry. If it sits in the lot all day it gets about a tea cup saucer size spot of coolant under it. No warning lights, smoke, dirty antifreeze or anything.

Any ideas? Should I just do head gaskets anyway with the miles on this thing. Any other places I should check? I hit it with the black light and it's coolant I'm sure.

 

Check the 2 hoses going to the bottom of the throttle body and the gasket above them. I have about the same amount of mileage and I just had to do mine throttle body heater replacement.

 

Checked, it's good. I was really torn between water pump, timing cover, or head. I'm leaning towards head only because I don't see any fluid on the cover or pump. Looks bone dry. I thought maybe the timing cover was leaking and following the block/head joint. It just seems odd to me that it would run so well with no other signs if the gasket was blown. Is there a water jacket at the front of the head that is prone to leak?

 

Ok, I think I know where it's coming from and have a theory. It looks like the front of the head. My guess is the mechanic at the shop(I was going to do it myself but had to work) used an impact wrench to jackhammer the PSA bracket back on to the head. It looks like the water passage in the front of the head has a pretty small sealing area close to the bracket. I think the impact vibration shook the weak gasket enough to spring a leak. Long story short, the head is coming off. I might put it off for a bit and do the timing chain and clean out the oil sump all in one whack. Oh well, I guess it's time.

 

I just had the same problem. It was the head gaskets, same year same milage.