IGGUS

So I was in Philly last weekend (about an hour and a half away from where i live) and I walk out of a club at about 6 in the morning, drive with myself and some friends to a gas station, refill, and notice this nice little (OK, huge) river of coolant flowing from my car.

So I try to see if I can fix the problem, patch something, so forth and so on. No solution. Finally figure it's the water pump. Obviously didn't have the tools, resources, patience or sleep to do anything myself. So I brought it to Pep Boys (not my first choice, but my mechanic lives hour and a half away), get the water pump replaced. Everything seems to be working ok several hours later. Get home without a problem.

But then I (being the cautious Maxima driver we should all be) continuously checked on the coolant level just to make sure everything was as it should be, and find that of course, it's not. Well, right now i'm on "vacation" (business convention) in Cali, and expect to go home to an empty coolant container. Any clue as to what the problem may be now, or any sort of solution?

-IGGUS

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

Have them check the freeze plugs on the block. these are common to go out. many people think it's the water pump, as some are in the same general area.

Bryan91SE

what year Maxima?

Bryan91SE

I was thinking about this. Maybe your coolant simply settled in your system after you drove it away from Pep Boys? After your engine cools, check your tank level and top it off if needed. Same with your overflow tank. Then re-evaluate and see where your level is. Once your system gets pressurized, the radiator gets filled up, the hoses, etc. I didn't see you say that it is continuing to leak on the ground, hence my theory.

IGGUS

Well in answer to your first question, I have the same as you Bryan, a 91 SE. Second is kinda hard to answer, at least so far, can't give you a full answer till i get home in 2 days.

When I first got the car back, and I was in the Pep Boys parking lot, I looked under the car, and there was leaking coolant. (Very little mind you, and so I let it go, figuring it was much less then the waterfall i had been earlier experiencing, and i still had gallons of coolant in containers in my trunk I had bought when wildly trying to fix the problem) It didn't seem to be a problem, so I was able to drive home. When almost halfway home (maybe 50 or so miles) I got out of my car just to check the level, and it had gone down. Not to anything near bad, but down. I figured it all just had to regain pressure and everything, so i filled it and went on my way. A day later I checked under my car at a friends house and saw a very small puddle. It was dark, and I didn't know, but my level was fine (about the same as the day before) so I let it go. Right before I left on my trip I checked it again in my driveway, didn't see a puddle (it had rained that day) but the level looked a little lower. So I dunno. Either everything will be fine when I get home, or there's going to be jack left in my container.

You can all guess what I'm praying for, but what I'm also expecting.

-IGGUS