Coolant leak on 2001 Taurus.Coolant seems to be coming from under the intake manifold and running down the water pump end of the engine. Is there anything beside the manifold gasket or head gaskets that could be leaking here?

its the water pump inlet tube , if its leaking coolant its more than likely the water pump if thats why you asking the question , worked on plenty of those engines and the weep hole for the water pump when the seal goes it leaks out and runs down under the intake manifold at the rear of the engine , timing belt water pump service end result

It is most likely the water pump, the air flow under the engine causes the coolant to go back under the truck. Fell under the front of the water pump for moisture or a slimy liquid.

If you have antifreeze leaking from what appears to be coming from the transmission bell housing, the leak is most likely (although possible) not at the rear of the engine.

There COULD be a freeze plug at the back side of the engine between the engine and transmission leaking. However, on the 4.6L engines, it is most commonly caused by either a water pump, heater hose, or intake manifold leaking at the FRONT of the engine.

Leaks in these areas will fill the area between the cylinder heads with coolant, which will run to the back of the engine and out the hole in the cylinder block that is located just above the transmission bell housing. This makes it LOOK like the leak is in the rear.

To verify this condition use a flashlight to look under the intake manifold just past the alternator. Sometimes it is also very helpful to remove the serpentine belt and remove the alternator (very easy to do) to verify that this is the problem.

Take a hard look at the coolant cross-over pipe on the front of the intake manifold assembly. These are notorious for leaking on both sides and VERY LIKELY to be leaking on the driver's side where the thermostat is located.

This problem is so common that an aftermarket company named DORMAN has come up with an aftermarket replacement intake manifold to correct the problem. The DORMAN part number for your vehicle is Part Number: 615-175 It is available at many aftermarket parts suppliers including AutoZone, O'Reilly's, and Advance, for around $230 (USD). (See picture below)

Hello, You do have a water temperature sensor and radiator hose on top of the engine. There is a simple tool for testing the cooling system. A radiator pressure testing pump can pressurize the cooling system and even check the cap.

Some of the autoparts stores like Autozone, Advance, and Oreillys have tool loaner programs for a refundable deposit. This tool is similar to a bicycle pump with fittings for the radiator cap opening. You just pump up the system to the pressure stated on the cap.

The test can be run on a cold or warm engine. I hope my solution will let you find your leak.

some 3.0 engines hive a head gasket leak on the rear head on the corner hear the water pump..

check the water pump weep hole on the bottom of the pump or the freeze plugs in the block,heater hoses going into the firewall,.

A crack in that area of the block, while possible, is highly unlikely. A crack in the block usually happens in between the cylinder walls on the side of the block. It is most likely leaking from the intake manifold gasket that connects the intake manifold to the heads, or if the upper radiator hose connects to the intake manifold, it could be leaking from the thermostat housing or hose. There are also coolant temperature sensors that are mounted in that area. Or last but not least, it could be leaking from one of the freeze plugs in the end of the head. Coolant runs through the block, heads and intake manifold.

coolant leak may be coming from intake manifold gaskets,4.3 is notorius for leaking coolant from behind the mainfold in those years

Coolant leaks can occur anywhere in the cooling system. Nine out of ten times, coolant leaks are easy to find because the coolant can be seen dripping, spraying, seeping or bubbling from the leaky component. So open the hood and visually inspect the engine and cooling system for any sign of liquid leaking from the engine, radiator or hoses. The color of the coolant may be green, orange or yellow depending on the type of antifreeze in the system. The most common places where coolant may be leaking are:Water pump. A bead shaft seal will allow coolant to dribble out of the vent hole just under the water pump pulley shaft. If the water pump is a two-piece unit with a backing plate, the gasket between the housing and back cover may be leaking. The gasket or o-ring that seals the pump to the engine front cover on cover-mounted water pumps can also leak coolant. Look for stains, discoloration or liquid coolant on the outside of the water pump or engine.Radiator. Radiators can develop leaks around upper or loser hose connections as a result of vibration. The seams where the core is mated to the end tanks is another place where leaks frequently develop, as is the area where the cooling tubes in the core are connected or soldered to the core headers. The core itself is also vulnerable to stone damage. But a major factor in many radiator leaks is internal corrosion that eats away from the inside out. That's why regular coolant flushes and replacing the antifreeze is so important.
oses. Cracks, pinholes or splits in a radiator hose or heater hose will leak coolant. A hose leak will usually send a stream of hot coolant spraying out of the hose. A corroded hose connection or a loose or damaged hose clamp may also allow coolant to leak from the end of a hose. Sometimes the leak may only occur once the hose gets hot and the pinhole or crack opens up. Freeze plugs (casting plugs or expansion plugs in the sides of the engine block and/or cylinder head). The flat steel plugs corroded from the inside out, and eventually eat through allowing coolant to leak from the engine. The plugs may be hard to see because they are behind the exhaust manifold, engine mount or other engine accessories. On V6 and V8 blocks, the plugs are most easily inspected from underneath the vehicle.
Heater Core. The heater core is located inside the heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit under the dash. It is out of sight so you can�t see a leak directly. But if the heater core is leaking (or a hose connection to the heater core is leaking), coolant will be seeping out of the bottom of the HVAC unit and dripping on the carpet. Look for stains or wet spots on the bottom of the plastic HVAC case, or on the passenger side floor.
Intake Manifold gasket. The gasket that seals the intake manifold to the cylinder heads may leak and allow coolant to enter the intake port, crankcase or dribble down the outside of the engine. Some engines such as General Motors 3.1L and 3.4L V6 engines as well as 4.3L, 5.0L and 5.7L V8s are notorious for leaky intake manifold gaskets. The intake manifold gaskets on these engines are plastic and often fail at 30,000 to 80,000 miles. Other troublesome applications include the intake manifold gaskets on Buick 3800 V6 and Ford 4.0L V6 engines.
INTERNAL COOLANT LEAKS
There are the worst kind of coolant leaks for two reasons. One is that they are impossible to see because they are hidden inside the engine. The other is that internal coolant leaks can be very expensive to repair.


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