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Leaking Radiator Coolant

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Old 10-27-2008, 09:12 AM
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Leaking Radiator Coolant

I have a problem with some coolant...well not some...alot of coolant. It was a consistent drip when the car was running and it happened out of no where. We dismantled the plenum and everything the week before to work on the fuel injector harness and plus the hesitation problem prior to this past weekend. When I came home on Friday night I noticed a giant puddle of liquid down the side of my car and I thought it was just run off from the lawn. Sunday when we actually put the engine back together, my friend (Mofoaka) noted that it was coolant coming from the engine near the crank. So now I'm wondering where the leak could come from and how it could happen on its own like that without being run the entire week. And before that the car was sitting for a few weeks. Any ideas what it could be? We're thinking it could be the water pump but would it leak while its just sitting like that? I'll get pictures of the area that it spilled out onto. I think it's still spilling and I put something underneath to catch it and I washed out the area with water to prevent animals from drinking the radiator fluid.
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Old 10-27-2008, 09:14 AM
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You need a new water pump...
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Old 10-27-2008, 11:08 AM
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Yeah I was afraid of that. I read the procedure for it and it sounds like a doozy.
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Old 10-27-2008, 11:08 AM
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haha man.. means we have more work ahead for us ..
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Old 10-27-2008, 11:09 AM
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go order it from internetauto! btw i think we need new ground wires.
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Old 10-27-2008, 11:19 AM
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Originally Posted by tv4184
Yeah I was afraid of that. I read the procedure for it and it sounds like a doozy.
Yeah, it's not fun, be prepared for about 3 or more hours of fun if you have never attempted it before.
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Old 10-27-2008, 11:27 AM
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my plan is to drop the engine from the cross member 3-5 inches and support it from the oilpan with a jack.. then we'll have more room for the water pump to come out. we'll take off all the necessary pulleys and belts and replace it like that. (sounds easy) we'll see when we get there.. too bad you can drive it to my house with all the necessary tools! it'll be a lot faster!! jk
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Old 10-28-2008, 07:26 AM
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Don't go and bye a water pump right away. I had the same exact issue and it turned out just to be the radiator cap not keeping the pressure in the system and would just leak onto the floor. Try that 1st. Its only a few bucks. Let me know.

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Old 10-28-2008, 09:01 AM
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Originally Posted by projectviper255
Don't go and bye a water pump right away. I had the same exact issue and it turned out just to be the radiator cap not keeping the pressure in the system and would just leak onto the floor. Try that 1st. Its only a few bucks. Let me know.
Thanks for the suggestion but I just replaced my radiator cap due to it breaking on me last month.
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Old 10-28-2008, 09:32 AM
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Originally Posted by projectviper255
Don't go and bye a water pump right away. I had the same exact issue and it turned out just to be the radiator cap not keeping the pressure in the system and would just leak onto the floor. Try that 1st. Its only a few bucks. Let me know.
why would a broken radiator cap cause a leak by the crank area?
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Old 10-28-2008, 09:34 AM
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Originally Posted by mofoaka
my plan is to drop the engine from the cross member 3-5 inches and support it from the oilpan with a jack.. then we'll have more room for the water pump to come out. we'll take off all the necessary pulleys and belts and replace it like that. (sounds easy) we'll see when we get there.. too bad you can drive it to my house with all the necessary tools! it'll be a lot faster!! jk
VE right?
try not to support it w/ the oil pan unless you have a block or wood or something to brace it. the oil pan will dent and then you'll have more problems.

also why are you doing so much more work with the crossmember? does the job need THAT much room?
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Old 10-30-2008, 07:56 PM
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I do recall the FSM saying to apply thread sealant to the block drain plugs (2), so you may want to do that too if you opened them. Probably not the source of the leak - but while your at it.
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Old 11-07-2008, 08:15 AM
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Originally Posted by 1993-VG30E-GXE
I do recall the FSM saying to apply thread sealant to the block drain plugs (2), so you may want to do that too if you opened them. Probably not the source of the leak - but while your at it.
I didn't open up the block drain plugs. I used the radiator to flush most of the system. Is it normal that it's still leaking coolant. It's been almost 2 weeks or more now since it started leaking and its still wet around the car...concerning...
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Old 11-07-2008, 08:30 AM
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i just did my injectors, and it leaked, and it was because there was two small vaccuum looking coolant lines that i didnt connect, there was anti freeze dripping in weird spots because it ran down the manifold to the front of the motor and down the timing cover and onto the tranny, there is one that goes up under the upper manifold on the drivers side back, you will see a bleeder screw on top. and the second, i coulnt even see, was under the intake elbow that goes to the intake hose, there is three lines under there, i believe 2 vaccuum and one coolant.
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Old 11-07-2008, 01:28 PM
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Originally Posted by tv4184
I didn't open up the block drain plugs. I used the radiator to flush most of the system. Is it normal that it's still leaking coolant. It's been almost 2 weeks or more now since it started leaking and its still wet around the car...concerning...

Dumb question, but have replaced the water pump yet?
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Old 11-08-2008, 10:53 PM
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yea.. i just finished replacing the waterpump with an autozone lifetime warranty one. and let me tell you greeny.. this sure was a pain in the butt job.

I didn't have air tools to take off crank pulley.. therefore had to take off starter keep the flywheel/clutch from spinning as i torqued off the bolt from the crankshaft pulley.

after i took off all the belts and the belt pulley tensioner..i was able to maneuver the water pump out. Once that was done.. putting the new one on was a PAIN. I could NOT for the life of me put that waterpump in so i had to unbolt the front motor mount and lower the motor about 1 inch. after this, it was still a pain to put the water pump in. once i got it in, it started to get dark so i had to wrap it up. this definitely should have been a 5 hour job. its unfortunate i started at 2pm and finished up at 6pm since there was lack of light. I will update when the car is done. i should be the last of the headache for this car.

Injector harness repair CHECK!
Waterpump CHECK!
Coilpacks CHECK!


what's left.. MORE vacuum hoses... and more maintenance crap..and ISB
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Old 11-08-2008, 11:09 PM
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i was able to maneuver the water pump out. Once that was done.. putting the new one on was a PAIN. I could NOT for the life of me put that waterpump in
Uh? ..........................

If you can get the same sized thing through a hole to remove it, what is preventing you from doing the reverse?
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Old 11-09-2008, 12:27 PM
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Originally Posted by LvR
Uh? ..........................

If you can get the same sized thing through a hole to remove it, what is preventing you from doing the reverse?
no need to be a smarty pants, i'm sure i could have but it was just more room to just drop the engine an inch to give me a little more room.
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