Two ways of checking for leaks. One is using a UVdie in the coolant and running the vehicle for awhile then using a UV light with with special glasses to find the leak. Or you can pressurize the system and look for coolant coming out. Check the color of your oil, make sure it isn't looking like Butterscotch pudding. Coolant in the oil. Most likly cause is the intake gasket has took a crap.
the intake gaskets on these motors are known to break and coolant will run along the intake and head down the back of the motor.
There is a heater hose that goes to the back of the intake, Check the fitting that the hose hooks to. It is probley cracked. The vortec engines are none for the intake manifolds to leak coolant from the back corners, need to look at that real close. But I don't think that's the problem here.
There is a heater hose that goes to the left rear top side of the intake manifold and that fitting leaks engine coolant sometimes and it will run down the back of the intake around the distributor. If that fitting is not leaking then the intake manifold gasket is leaking coolant in the corners of it. REplace the intake gasket. That's all that can leak coolant on that year engine. If coolant is leaking out between the transmission and engine block then you have a freeze plug leaking in the back of the engine, between the transmission and block. Must remove the transmission and flywheel to fix it.
you need to have the intake resealed,mine pulled the same stunt a year ago
it might be the intake gasket
It is on the back of the intake manifold.
try the back of the intake!!
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.
Sounds like a loose connection at the coolant temperature sender. Or, the truck is low on coolant and air bubbles are passing by the sensor. This, along with a gurgling heater core, is a classic symptom of coolant that is too low before the truck overheats. Paying attention to these clues allowed me to fill up a friend's truck with coolant as it was almost a gallon low, and he didn't even know it was leaking (Dexcool). If you are losing coolant, you may have an intake leak. It is a common problem around 65 to 80 thousand miles. I would have this checked, you most likely won't see a leak, unless you look from below by the back of the intake. It ususally drips out there.
The intake manifold is leaking from the water jacket. That is a common problem on V8 and V6 engines over a period of time. That is the only thing that can leak water back there. There are 4 water jackets in the intake, 1 on each corner of the intake front and back. Hope I helped. NEED TO REPLACE INTAKE GASKET
back of the intake manifold ...back of the engine center top
u need to replace the engine coolant thermostat