What are the signs of a bad intake manifold gasket?

I got the $100 Tracker running (swapped heads), but unfortunately it's leaking coolant like a sieve from around the intake manifold area.

My first suspision is that there is a loose/broken coolant hose... to the heater core or something, but if I can't find anything like that, what are the signs of a bad gasket? And can the gasket be fixed with a bit of RVT sealant or do I need a new gasket to be sure?

I think a leaking intake manifold gasket will result in irregular idle.  I wouldnt' think you'd have coolant leaking from there, but I'm not sure.

Of course that coolant pipe that the heater hoses and bypass hose attaches to is under the intake manifold.  I had an annoying dribbling leak there where someone used too large a heater hose(s) and tried to tighten it down to stop it.

You probably also have coolant running through some part of the throttle body (I guess that's used to help cold starts ).  If you have a leaking hose or throttle body gasket, it may be running down from there.

Just some thoughts.

If you can, get a radiator pressure checker and pump up the pressure without running the engine. Then find you leak. You will have to drain the radiator enough to be below the leak to remove anything.

So why not just use water till you figure it out? Save on the coolant stuff.

did you ever figure out you're leak. I have a problem that sounds just like it. None of the hose appear to be leaking. I have to find if any body I know has a set up to pressurize the system.

OK i can't find a radiator pressure tester. so this weekend I'm trying to replace all the coolant hoses. not fun

Let us know if that fixes the problem.

for one, if it is a bad intake gasket or intake to throttle body gasket they are cheap for the 8 valve at least. I just did a motor swap and I had to swap the intake and throttle body. It only cost me $9.16. If it is me and you aren't scared of wrenching I would pull the intake, then change all hoses or look to see where the fluid might be leaking, then put in a new intake gasket and throttle body gasket. I have another 8 valve and I know it has a bad head gasket, but when you rev it up the throttle is delayed afteryou take your foot off of it.

Well I think I found the problem. when it was put back together last time the guy used the factory spring clips and not clamps. the one holding on the bottom of the liquid choke line was soft enough I could loosen it with my fingers. So i think it was blowing by the clip at high RPM.  Go figure

that could be, but you shouldnt have extra pressure at higher RPM