Love_00_Max

I have a small coolant loss (150K on the orignal water pump) and haven't root caused from where it could leak. The timing cover right behind the tensioner is wet and with mud accumulated it is quite difficult to determine it is oil/grime picked up from the highways or actually a leaking water pump. Is there some tool that can accurately determine it is coolant (like luminol picks up blood).

Based on the previous coolant losses, pl. pitch in ur comments to a probable cause of leak (radiator and all radiator hoses are new).

S14-NEO

honestly the best and most accurate way to source a coolant leak is to use a collant pressure system tester..its a device you hook up to your radiator where your cap is connected to. once connected, you pump up the system with air using the supplied pump to say 15psi or so..and then start looking for leaks...its best to do this when the engine is stone cold. that way you can look around without fear of burning the **** out of yourself.

MAXIMA_STYLE

iTrader: (21)

Actually, most part stores sell some kind of fluid you pour into the radiator, and you need to use a special light and glasses to see the fluid, it glows a distince color under the light and helps you pinpoint the source.... thats what i would do but the pressure test would work too

baberabbas

Yes the tester is a good idea.. also get someone to rev up your car to like 4,000rpm and see if you can see any sort of smoke this will tell you the rings are going and well not a good thing.

Love_00_Max

OK. Finally figured out that there indeed is a leak and eventually making it to the oil. I threw in some UV dye into the coolant and after a week it showed up under UV light in the oil cap and some oil residue near the oil pressure switch.

I will be sending the oil for analysis to be sure the second time around.

Now as I said earlier I have 150K on the motor and have suspected the pump. Could a weak or leaking pump dump coolant ever so slowly into the oil?

foodmanry

iTrader: (15)

Possibly....you might have an o-ring leaking by on the pump. But more than likely it is your head gasket. Cross your fingers as you send the oil in for analysis....

Do you have any oil in your coolant? You can spot that easy by pulling the radiator cap and checking for a sheen on top or sheen spots. Or it may be in your overflow reservior.

Love_00_Max

Actually I don't see any oil in the cooling system. It is the other way around where coolant enters the oil. I am not sure a oil analysis will accurately determine the source of the leak, it will report coolant in the oil but nothing more. The coolant could be from the pump, head/timing cover gasket....

I am better off having the dealership earn my dollars on this job.

FlawleZ

iTrader: (1)

I was going to suggest that you likely have a very small leak on your waterpump and its drying before it drips to the ground but still leaving the "muddy" marks you were referring to. However, if you have coolant finding its way into your oil, you have a bad headgasket.

P. Samson

I would remove the coolant pump access cover plate and check for any sign of coolant around the pump. As someone suggested coolant could be leaking by the "outer" O ring into the timing chain case and into the oil. If you can find the weep hole (I've never found it, or had a reason to find it) there may be an indication of coolant there. The weep hole is at the juncture of the rear timing chain case, the front face of the block and the upper oil pan. In theory if the pump shaft seal starts to leak (or obviously the inner "O" ring) the coolant is supposed to run down and come out this weep hole, but if the outer pump "O" ring is damaged and leaking then coolant will get into the oil.

Love_00_Max

To rephrase the location of the weep hole what you meant was if I looked at where the RMS (where I do have a leak and it is another discussion altogether) mates with the tranny towards, facing towards the front of the vehicle where oil pan mates with the block, I should see if there was a leak.

Why would one route the weep hole all the way from the front of the engine to the rear if the pump actually is right on top in the front of the block?

P. Samson

Sorry, to clarify.......the weep hole is basically "under" where the coolant pump is installed in the front "end" of the block, on the front "side" behind the rad, about where the AC compressor is located. So if you find the timing chain main case/block splitline and follow it down to the upper oil pan/block splitline, it should be there. I believe when coolant leaks from the weep hole people find coolant, or signs of coolant on the AC compressor.

Love_00_Max

Great. I found significant gunk buildup between the timing case and the compressor. I wiped it clean by spraying brake cleaner on it. The very fact there was residue and grime buildup between the compressor and block gave me an indication there is something cooking out there. Grime from highways just cannot make it there since the slot between compressor and block is really 1cm.

I will get under and check if there is new buildup and also if there is an leak picked up from the UV lamp..

Thanks for your inputs.

Love_00_Max

Took the vehicle to the dealership in Bay Area, CA and the service person out there looked at the vehicle and changed the radiator cap while I was there. He explained how the coolant made it to the valve cover, his explanation was under pressure the radiator cap sprayed that all over the place. OK, I get that part and was impressed that he convinced me -- he also told me to keep the reservior level lower than what it presently is..

Then coming to how traces of coolant made it to the oil cap. He told me there must have been some kind of flashover in the engine resulting in the UV trace. He told me he has owned 3 generation of maximas' and never heard of a head gasket issue -- so he plainly told me to stay clear from that angle. If the gasket had compromised there would be tell-tale signs of failure.

I am supposed to go back if the coolant falls lower with a new radiator cap. Overall charge was $15+tax for the radiator cap, 10min while waiting for service at the dealership, he told me to go home and rest in peace.

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

More likely that imfamous W/P weep hole, clean your engine down and you may see some signs of Anti-freeze after you run it @ idle for 15-30 minutes! Do you smell it?