I couldn't tell where the coolant was leaking from its just when it was leaking it was going into the flex plate shield. I found a thread where a guy had a similar problem. I emailed him so hopefully he can tell me if/how he fixed it. https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/cool...lp-needed.html

Also if it where to be a head gasket, wouldn't it be leaking all the time?

I drained the oil, put a new filter on and also filled up the new filter.

Whats the pre-lube method?

 

It is always fun with fluid leakages, in this case coolant, where they appears can be far from the origin.
I will not start to blame the head gasket, because you did run so short (25 sec.) I think that this will be a bit strange. (to fast)
Head gasket leak for several reasons but it will leak only with the engine running, say the coolant is under pressure. In short, the head gasket will not leak all the time.

I would say that the next most possible leak area is the two rear coolant passages at the manifold.
You can try to fix a bit more the two rear bolts at the manifold.
I think to the manifold gasket because it would be easy to have a leak there and the coolant will run down via the rear engine flange.

I don't know if you did, but all the vendors advice to put a bit of sealant (RTV silicone) at the manifold gasket there where the coolant passages are located.

OIL
Pre-Lube means "upfront lubrication"
Sorry if I use estrange words, I come from Spain and I live in The Netherlands and a combination of all the three languish some times make it a real mess.

What I mean here is that it is better to have the engine well lubricated before start it. I know that you engine has not have a full re-build but the head area need to have oil.
They sale some pump primers, like this one:
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...0&autoview=sku
But an old distributor shaft will do the job.
The oil pump is not self priming and some time is take a wile before it start to pump oil.
In a new engine build I put at the pump gears some "Petroleum gel" to help the priming. But you don't need to do this.

To get oil at every rocker you will need to rotate the crank by hand during the priming with a hand drill (cord one) it need some power.

At my site you can see some pictures about, how much smoke it come from a cord hand drill when you are priming (Pre-Lubrication) of a new engine.

Some shops use to have a pressurized bottle with oil on it, they connect this bottle to the Oil pressure gauge or switch connection at the engine.
They open the bottle valve and push all the oil in the engine, easy and fast.
They use this specific for the new engines that don't have access to the oil pump because they don't have a distributor.
Perhaps you can rent one, so that you don't have to remove the distributor.


I hope this help.
Regards,
Cobra289

 

Good call Cobra, it is infact leaking from the rear of the manifold. I had my brother start the car while I had my hand back there and felt the coolant leaking out. Now we just need to fix that and track down the exhaust leak. Thanks.

 

Thanks!
Good to hear the you found it.
How is the oil pressure?
I hope that you solve that too.

Regards,
Cobra289

 

I started her up just a few mins ago, and there are no leaks. Oil pressure looked good, about 30-35.

I still have a small exhaust leak. I can also hear a ticking noise which could be from the exhaust leak, or maybe the valves?

 

Today was the first day that Ive been able to work on the car since school started last week. I re-tightened the y-pipe bolts, and still have a leak. So I'm thinking its got to be the manifold gaskets. I probably didn't use the right ones, what exhaust manifold gasket set should I get?