I've replaced all my hoses, my radiator and my water pump on my 98 SE 190K 5 speed.

Last week I found a dribbling leak that looks as if it comes from the AC Compressor near the oil pan but if you trace it out actually emanates somewhere higher in the thermostat area. I tried a pressure tester, but that actually stops the leak.


This week the leak is very evident so my car is off the road and tomorrow I start disassembly. Am I right in thinking it's either the thermostat housing or the block drain plug which is in the same area?

Finally--this doesn't have anything to do with the water pump change out does it? If that leaked, I would have coolant in the oil which I don't have.

 

you'd have coolant in oil if your hg was leaking. it might be the water pump. any pics?

 

yes but the water pump is totally enclosed so if water was coming out the weep hole you would never see it as a puddle on the ground?
Thanks for your help!

 

The water pump has a weep hole that has a passage in the timing cover to let you know that it is bad. If it is leaking on the compressor and thermostat housing, your water pump is bad.

 

Thanks!

 

I also found a coolant leak under my 1998 Maxima. I traced the leak back towards my Powere Steering pump. Maxima has 215,000 miles. Could the coolant leak be coming from the engine block drain plug?

 

doesn't sound good bro, thats the water pump leaking. mine found its path exactly how your describing it paid 550 for mechanic to change out and it stopped.

 

Could very likely be the upper water neck. I had mine start to leak in the same area you described and at right around the same mileage as yours is now. It's an easy and cheap fix so you might want to just change it out..

Check this out..

http://www.courtesyparts.com/maxima-...1808_1811.html

You need this...
http://www.courtesyparts.com/13050p-...-p-130201.html

And while you in there you mine as well replace the housing with the thermostat that is pre-installed in the housing. When you buy it you will get the whole housing like how the first link diagram shows it. Not just the thermostat in the individual picture.. Amazing they only charge $20 for this piece..
http://www.courtesyparts.com/21200-t...-p-130206.html

 

No doesn't sound good, I had same symptoms and it was water pump, plus I did the thermostat while I was in there. Do it your self, the change out ain't that bad, why do I keep hearing dudes afraid to do themselves. I know there's alot of things in the way but it all goes back together if you take your time taking it apart/together. I saved 500 bones doing, really I didn't save 500 , I lost the 50 bones it cost for new wp/ atv sealant, coolant. Good wrenching my dude.

 

check ur expansion plugs behind the timing chain cover, u have three, and its a pita!

 

Hello,

I've been lurking and using the advice from this forum for several years and it has been immensely helpful. I have a coolant leak on my 98 similar to the one described here, and in a few other threads. It is small at this point, and shows up on the edge of the lower oil pan. I've had the splash guards off and looked everywhere I could to see if I could trace it back, but even after cleaning everything and letting it sit I can't really get a good trace on it. I can tell that it is not coming from thermostat housing, or any hoses that are visible. It does look like it could be running down in between the upper oil pan and the engine, but it is really hard to see in there without taking off the air conditioner compressor or the oil pan. From everything I read it sounds like this is consistent with the gaskets on the water pump going bad, but before I dig into that repair I wanted to see if there were any other places that I should be looking that don't require more time than replacing the water pump. thanks.

 

That's the water pump...unless you have a leak in your raidator or your coolant line in front. What I have learned from another org member that you only have to replace the o-rings because its very rare the water pump itself goes bad.