my 2002 monte is leaking anti freeze. It appears to be coming from the top rear area on the drivers side. Is there any hoses in that area?

 

No hoses, but could be something like an intake manifold gasket going bad. A picture is worth a thousand words as they say. Any chance you can snap a pic for us?

To help isolate the actual leak location, I'd suggest borrowing a radiator pressure tester from a local auto parts store (sometimes they charge a deposit which you get back upon return). It allows you to pressurize the system with the engine cold & not running so you can peak around with a flashlight to see where fluid is leaking.

 

Possibly your TB gasket.

Also in that area are all your hoses and thermostat, but if it is further back then it could be the TB gasket.

 

Got a pressure tester. It appears to be leaking at the rear top further back from the thermostat housing. Can't really get a pic theres to much crap in the way. I could barely see the leak with everything blocking it. I think I might have to remove some things to get a better look. Sounds like a weekend project.

 

it's a 3.4 if that makes a differance.

 

On the 3400, there is a black pipe that comes up from the water pump, runs along the front valve cover and makes about a 90 degree bend and shoots back (this is known as a heat tube, as it connects to one of the two heater hoses). Off of that are two tiny hoses that take coolant in and out of the throttle body (they run under the throttle body).
That might be an area to inspect (a mirror may help with that).

Personally, I dislike that concept of flowing coolant in and out of the TB. The early 3100 (that the 3400 is based off of) does NOT flow coolant in/out of the TB and works fine in many different weather situations.

 

I just had a similar thing with my '02. I recently replaced the thermostat. I found the thermostat housing was very slowly weeping antifreeze. I ended up taking it off, I replace the o-ring/gasket on the thermostat, and them applied some of that black permatex gasket maker to the housing.

I buttoned it up and as of tonight no leaks!

That may be the issue.

 

Can you do a coolant bypass on the throttle body? If so how is this done?

 

If it's driver's side, more than likely it's the L.I.M. gasket

i've never had a 3.x liter gm that didn't have a leaking manifold gasket