Check the freeze plugs. large round plugs on either side of the block. Those are there for if your coolant freezes, they will go instead of cracking the block.
i would check the freeze plugs on both sides of the side of the engine block.
Take it off buy a new gasket clean the mating surfaces, both sides, very clean install using permatex
Several reasons... It is produced by combustion. This normally will go out the tailpipe if the car gets warmed up. Condensation. Moisture from the air in both gasoline and oil. Leaking gaskets. Not as common, but can come from coolant. Bad thing, getting coolant into rest of engine.
UNFORTUNATELY, I have a 2001 Malibu and have had gaskets replaced three times now (intake and head) to fix coolant leaks. My sister and mom both have the same engine in their cars and have similar problems. Apparently this engine is prone to coolant leaks (which are pricey to repair).
Coolant is drawn into the water pump via the lower radiator hose, the water pump pushes the coolant thru both sides of the block and up into the back of both heads, thru the heads then out the front of the heads into the intake manifold then thru the thermostat and into the upper radiator hose into the radiator.
Seeing smoke from the tailpipe usually means your engine is leaking something thru a gasket. There are multiple gaskets as well that could be leaking. ou have to determine what fluid id leaking (coolant or oil (or both)). The color ofthe smoke helps tell what type of fluid is leaking. White - coolant / blue/black - oil. Coolant - usually leaks thru the intake gasket which is VERY VERY common on Alero's. They now have a better grade intake gasket available. I just replaced mine on my 99 (under warranty thankfully). It costs around $500. Oil - you could be burning oil from worn piston rings, crankshaft seal, gasket, cracked part or head gasket (where it mixes with coolant). To find out what is leaking - check the level of coolant in the reservoir and monitor the level over the course of a week or two. If it gets lower, you are leaking coolant. Same for oil. Get an oil change and then check the level every week to see if you are gradually getting lower. you can also have a shop do a compression test of the engine. Hope this helps.
there is no bleeding screw on a car that old but if you want to remove the fluid there is a petcock on the bottom of the radiator to drain it and there is a drain on both sides of the engine block.
The small plugs, on both sides of the engine block, at the rear edge of the motor mounts. A pita to drain. You have to remove the motor mounts.
Fill both, but only remove the radiator cap when the engine has completely cooled off. Obviously have the water pump repaired as soon as possible.
Most vehicles have a drain on both.
you will find the electrical plug on the top of the expansion / header / coolant tank (thay are all one and the same, some people call them different names) the coolant tank is in the passengerside corner of the engine bay nearest the windscreen the plug is remoned by squeezing both sides and pulling off i take it your coolant light is flashing on your dash!
Blown head gasket - warpped head - or both.