I just replaced the starter. I removed the U/L manifold as one piece. I replaced the coolant bridge, lower manifold gaskets, etc. There is coolant in the valley between the heads. The pipe between the F & R coolant bridges Is dry as is the starter. No obvious broken hoses or fittings. Any ideas or guidance would be very much appreciated.

 

Check smaller diameter hose that connects to throttle body (on the right facing the engine).
I also had a upper radiator hose leak, it looked fine, but it was original on my 99LS w/250K miles, after I replaced it, leak stopped. But radiator hose woudn't leak into the gallery, check all small hoses, by the firewall too, where the heater valve is...

 

Thanks for the reply! I checked the TB small dia hoses. Upper rad hose is ok. Heater hoses are ok also the flanges from the heater core. Something strange though, I found a part under the car, I have no idea what it is or where it might have come from-


Some type of flange? Any ideas?

 

Ok, that's an eyelet that inserts into a rubber grommet on the heater valve mount-not an issue. I'm in the process of reassembly. So far I don't see anything out of place, broken, etc. Fingers crossed (maybe that's it) LoL

 

Not sure of the layout of a 98 through 2000, but on my 1996 I managed to break the seal(while changing my starter)(it must have been very old and brittle) by horsing around on the hoses on bulkhead side of the motor. It was a hose that goes onto a pipe that runs the entire length of the valley of the engine- into the back of the coolant pump assembly(were the seal resides). I actually heard a crack sound as I was twisting that hose off. When I reassembled everything, I had a leak out the back of the coolant pipe that exited the car at the drain hole at the junction of the engine/tranny. Took me two more tries taking off the intakes to attempt to clean off the area inside the coolant pump. Might have been easier to take off the pump- but that has it's own horrors. Any way, you are kind of cleaning it blind, as it is in there a ways.

Here is a picture- at the bottom of the picture is the starter. To the left of the starter is the pipe that runs the length of the valley of the engine and into the coolant pump. Sorry if your engine is configured different.

 

I pressure tested the coolant system and it seems to be ok. The pipe running through the valley is ok. Ran into other problems so I'm putting the project aside for now. Thank you for your help.