Coolant leaking from oil pan gasket?

[maestro123]

Is that even possible? I had a steady drip of coolant coming from the oil pan gasket area. It's on the driver's side of the oil pan, meaning the leak puddles are directly in the center of the van. I didn't have the leak until today, and the only things I did today were removing my camshaft and all head bolts off my cylinder head, in preparation for removing my cylinder head (because of a blown head gasket and no compression in cylinders 3 and 4). Having done that, I got underneath the car and noticed the leaking coolant. How could there even be coolant leaking from there?

Here are some pictures:

http://i.imgur.com/xWFGPop.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/yrYo4BL.jpg

[pdgizwiz]

Did you drain the coolant before removing the head bolts? With the head bolts loosened, the seal that the head gasket makes between the head and cylinder block will likely open up, allowing coolant to leak out. My guess is that it's leaking out of the seam between the head and block, along the lower edge, and creeping downwards to the area in your photos.
Drain the coolant from the block by cracking open the valve in front of the sump, near one of the engine mounts, with a 10mm socket. Catch it in big pan. Don't let your pets get to it. It's sweet and poison.

[maestro123]

Wow yes, that makes sense. I didn't drain the coolant from the block, only the radiator. Originally I thought it might not matter, but with the engine on its side, now I can see that was a bad assumption! I'll see if I can find that engine block drain...

[TheMAN]

engine block drain is right next to the exhaust manifold... I believe near #1 and #2 cylinders

[maestro123]

So I ended up not taking off the engine drain bolt because it looked like the coolant had already drained out. Honestly, it's also because I couldn't find it either :)>:

Edit: Going to put my question in my blown HG thread.