2000 xterra vg33e intake coolant leak into valves

[cptbarkey]

Bought a 2000 xterra about 8 months ago and finally getting to it. The presumption was a head gasket failure, plenty of coolant in oil. Engine runs okay but lots of white smoke. I drained what looked like 6 or 7 quarts of oil/coolant.

I took the plenum off, and behold it seems coolant is just into cylinder #5. Could I be lucky and just be dealing with a failed intake manifold gasket?

It has actually been into before, it has fel pro gaskets and evidence that someone else was in there, but its not easy for me to tell if the gasket failed, it looks okay. Maybe it was never torqued correctly, but all bolts/nuts seemed appropriately tight when i was removing them.

 

[AZjeff]

Can't answer your question about the leak but by all means while you've got it this far apart replace the valve cover gaskets. And check all those hoses under and attached to the upper plenum and replace if at all suspect. Heck, just replace them.

And the timing belt is replaced every 105K usually with the water pump. If you don't have documentation it's been replaced do it. They will break and it's an interference motor.