Hey, I've been refurbishing my 86 TA with 4bbl. I just replaced the radiator, all hoses, heater core. Everything went well and no leaks until I just took it for a test drive. When I pulled back into the drive, I've got smoke coming up from the driver side exhaust manifold. When I looked under the hook, I think I see coolant spurting out just above my #1 spark plug. There's a heat shield just above it. I can't see where the leak is from the top or the bottom. The spark plug looks dry but the heatshield is wet. Coolant is dripping down the motor mount and through the crossmember. Any idea where it's coming from? Is there a freeze plug there? Head gasket?

Thanks

 

Probably the corner of the intake manifold.

 

u can speculate forever, that won't fix it. There are lots of different places that could be coming from, temp sender, head gasket, water pump intake manifold, hell yer block or head could be cracked..... it has to be taken apart to fix anyway, so get the tools out and you'll have yer answer

 

Thermostat area, or maybe manifold, or maybe water pump. In that order.

 

I'm really hoping it's the Gauge Sensor, because:

 

So I tried to run it in my garage yesterday for at least 20 minutes and enough time for the thermostat to open and go on noticeable leak. I know it not any hose I replaced which was all off the, not the intake that I can see looking all around. I do see some coolant in what look's to be a freeze plug on driver side behind water pump. I guess I'm going to need to hit the road to see it again. I've had my phone in every cranny I can reach to try and find the source. I'll let you know. Hope it's not the head. Although I might get motivated to do this LS swap thing.

I forgot that I replaced the t housing and sensors in it. It doesn't leak.

 

from personal experience, I had large amount of coolant steam coming from under my hood with my old 305. after some searching, the source was obvious that the intake manifold gasket had worn and it was blowing out coolant. could be a possibility.