My '87 Maxima (250,000 miles and still runs pretty darn good!) is leaking coolant pretty bad. I've got a broken leg so I can't get under it very well to investigate where it's leaking from. I can see that it's leaking from the right side of the engine by the pulleys, and when the engine is running I can see a little bit of spatter of coolant coming up like it's splasking off the turning pulleys. Is that where the water pump is located appromimately? Do you think the water pump is shot and it's leaking? Or do you think it is just a cracked hose around there....thanks for any input! :::crossing fingers that it's not the water pump:::

 

bad news=its probably the pump. It is located through that area. usually when water is leaking and splashing on that, it is the water pump. They take about 2 hours to do if you got a lift. Thats how long it took me to do it. The book labor is 4.5 hours so it will cost a lot of labor-$200+, but check closer, you could be lucky!

 

i think that is it the water pump but if u cant get to it get it check out u know never hurt to try might hurt your pockets or get a friend where are u located at

 

A word of caution here. You need to take car of this problem soon for two reasons. One is that you run the risk of overheating the engine. Two, the t-belt tensioner is being exposed to moisture. This could cause it to seize and lock up. Thus, breaking the t-belt which will result in a MAJOR damage to the engine. In fact, I would recommend to change it while changing the water pump, if it has signs of water contamination.

 

On the left hand side near the middle, where the timing belt is kinda. When looking down from above youllsee the seep hole. Its the water pump. Mine did the same thing. I went to a shopand they did it for 150, even changed the timing belt, being that you have to take the Timing belt cover off to get to it.