Intake or Head Gasket?

[trailshredder]

I have been loosing coolant for some time on my car. I noticed there is some thick whitish tan crap on the oil fill cap. Can a bad intake gasket cause this or is it likely a head gasket? I am not the original owner and have only had it for a year so I do not know the history related to overheating or anything.

[shawngtp]

Pull your dipstick and see what color your oil is. If it milky then yes it is a head gasket. If you have oil in your coolant overfill bottle or on your rad cap then it is an intake gasket. check your intake plenum to see if it is cracked too. get some brake cleaner and at idle spray around the intake and see if the idle changes. If it does then you have a cracked intake plenum. I know they go bad over time too. If you need to change you head gaskets maske sure you get the complete upper gasket set dont go cheap either on the gaskets. Felpro is good .

[Bio248]

the coolant is going in your oil, you need to change the lower intake gaskets or youll have a new bottom end to buy.

[trailshredder]

Is the upper intake gasket re-usable or should I plan on replacing both upper and lower?

[Bio248]

replace both.

[TorqueAutoMotiv]

just get Both upper and lower gaskets and make sure to get the aluminum lim gaskets not the plastic
you should also do the throttle body gasket while its apart and the injector orings and you will need a new coolant elbow
and if you notice any oil leaks from you valvle cover might aswell do that

[trailshredder]

just get Both upper and lower gaskets and make sure to get the aluminum lim gaskets not the plastic
you should also do the throttle body gasket while its apart and the injector orings and you will need a new coolant elbow
and if you notice any oil leaks from you valvle cover might aswell do that

As for the injector o-rings, upper or lower set?

[trailshredder]

just get Both upper and lower gaskets and make sure to get the aluminum lim gaskets not the plastic
you should also do the throttle body gasket while its apart and the injector orings and you will need a new coolant elbow
and if you notice any oil leaks from you valvle cover might aswell do that

Also, both elbows? Are they both the same?

[Bio248]

change both coolant elbows too.

[blueguy]

You can get the coolant elbows at O'Riellys