Where's the coolant leak?
 

This morning, I noticed a pretty big puddle of coolant from the right side of the car. I peaked around and the right lower half of the engine is coated in the coolant and its slowly dripping. I can't see the source, it looks likes it's almost behind the pulley. I checked the water pump and the timing tensioner covers and they seem pretty dry. Checked all hoses and nothing. The best I can describe it is it looks likes it's somewhere around the oil pressure sensor, because thats where it's mostly soaked. Can't figure out where though...anyone have any suggestions?

This just happened today, car hasn't leaked anything in 2+ years. And I usually never beat on it

Sounds like the water pump wheep hole. The covers wont be wet from coolant becasue the coolant leaks past the water pump seals when it gets old resulting in dripping coolant through the wheep hole

-matt

Yea, I was just reading on that...is it known to just go bad like this....? How long does it take to do this? I gotta do it myself since I just bought a $9000 R1 last month and a little strapped on cash right now...

The water pump seal(s) or O-ring is known to go on 4th gens.

BTW is it possible to temporarily "patch up" the weep hole?

No. It will back up and winde up going into your motor. Its there for a reason

-matt

does this mean the only option is to replace the water pump?

i've been dealing with the same issue for over a year now. it seemed to me the leak was coming from my water pump. when i took it in they swore up and down my radiator was cracked and leaking. i didn't notice any leaks for a while, but it came back. i tried to get the pump replaced but they said it looked fine. all my hoses are also in good shape. so i've just been driving around with a gallon of coolant in the trunk for when she gets hot. it's some damn annoying...not to mention ghetto.

well, go get your radiator compression tested for leaks. if it starts leaking major, then you need the radiator replaced, but if nothing comes out, its probably your water pump. when the water pump turns, it spins normally and then when you stop, the little wheel inside the water pump could stop at where the leak is letting out, and stop the leak temporarily until next time you drive it and it starts leaking again. what i suggest you do is probably drive it over some newspapers and make sure you see exactly where it is leaking, if it is kind of buy water pump, i would advise you to change the water pump. also, it takes some while to do, as you will have to change the timing belt as well. if you do it yourself it will be a pain in the *** for about 3 to 4 hours as a novice. you'd be able to pass it off in about 1hrs 30 mins to 2 hours if you knew what you were doing and had a little help. Or, if you were planning to have your timing belt replaced, ask them to change your water pump as well because it only takes like 15 mins to do once you get to timing belt.

So what is the mechanic supposed to charge for water pump replacement parts+ labor?

I paid $325, which from what i've been told, is a decent price.

Why do people keep thinking we have a timing belt? We have a chain, not a belt, the VQ never has had a belt nor will it.

A '62 Olds F85 came into our shop at school, when we took the motor out there was a damned drywall screw screwed into that weep hole. Some people, eh?

Is there any way I can check thats its actually the water pump leaking before I start taking things apart? I mean...all this work for a mystery coolant leak and then to find out that it wasn't the water pump would be quite a shame...

now THAT is some good information. it would perfectly explain why i will see leaks in my driveway sometimes and not others. i had assummed the occasional leak must have something more to do with the amount of coolant in the system. thanks...

hey man, what school is that?? i live in Knoxville. i was in Oak Ridge earlier today and saw a pretty sweet looking '99 red SE. that color looks so good with tinted windows and nice wheels.

It's TN Tech in Harriman, pretty good little school and we work on a hell of a lot of cars. I think we've got 6 or 7 lines up right now, a few transmissions, belts/hoses, steering rack, etc. I'm replacing an auto trans in a 4WD Pathfinder right now, it sucks.

Yea, there's a nice looking SE-L hanging around the Ridge, not really modded though. There's a few heavily modded 4th gens in OR, one with an awesome exhaust and some altezzas (eh, but if he likes it, that's cool). There's a 4th gen around here with a freaking 4 foot spoiler. Swear to god, it belongs on a MKIV Supra TT, it comes up to roofline.

You drive through OR often?

yeah i know about TN Tech. that is a good school. i wish i had more skills and knowledge about that kind of stuff.

the SE-L i saw today had tint, was lowered, and had some nice wheels but i couldn't tell what kind. i'm not a fan of the altezzas or jumbo wing either. what's he tryin' to do....take off??

i drive thru OR occasionally. i have some friends that live there. can't say i've ever spent much time in the city. mainly eating at Big Ed's.

You could always come and go to school at TN Tech :)

In reality, we do nothing but fix customer's cars for free, and sit aorund the first and last hour of the day, along with smoke breaks every hour or 1:30. There is book work to be done but it's quick and painless, for the most part.

If you're ever coming through OR and you want to kill some time or whatever, PM me on here and we can roll or kick back and bull**** for a while.

wow can you say off topic? hehe sorry about that belt thing. but yeah, the labor to actually replace it if you go to a cheap mechanic it will be done for like 140 to 160 bucks. if you find a coupon for a timing belt, tell them you need the water pump replaced instead of the timing belt ( chain in this case ), and the water pump probably costs about 40 bucks.

The best thing to do is going in a garage and tell them to put the pressure in the system and then you will see where the coolant come from. Of course be sure that the area is clean ( break cleaner will do or water) and dry before performing the test.

It could also come from the thermostat housing.

well i had startd to have a the coolant week last week, and i plan on changine my water pump this weekend.

but DO i have to change the chain, or mess around wit it while i'm in there????

I was thinking that too, but even if the pressure does cause it to leak more, I still wouldn't find the source since I can't see where the leak is coming from (physically out of sight) since it looks like its comes from behind the alternator/compressor. Thanks but is there any concrete test that I can do to see if its the water pump? I checked the thermostat and it looks dry to me. BTW, where is the weep hole?

No.

-matt

I have this same issue on my 99 Max. I would think its my water pump since I've checked most of the possible stuff....Thermostat Housing, Hose Connections Radiator(althought It can't be that) etc. If I ever have time, I'll be doing the work myself. But seeing that there's very little space for my big hands hmmmm. Lol. Maybe I'll just try taking off the Water Pump Cover off the Timing Chain Housing and observe from there.

sounds good...i'll hit you up if i'm up there cruising around.

Instead of starting a new thread i'll ask here. Approximately how much should i expect to pay to get the water pump and timing chain tensioner replaced at the same time? thanks