Hey guys. Last night I noticed my '96 Max was leaking a significant amount of coolant, dripping down from between the front of the oil pan and the back of the AC compressor. I could not find the source of the leak.

My first guess is the water pump. I read that there is a weep hole near the water pump. Could this be the source of the leak?

Car has 280,000 miles.

Thanks!

 

I like your car ramps. They are very effective.... and I like your clean garage floor. I never had a leak like this so someone else will have to clue you in. It's nice to know the car will run that many miles.

 

Your water pump O-rings are shot, common problem on 4th gen.

 

^^^^ What he said.

 

I think it's your water pump seals too Ptatohed, but I have no personal experience with this stuff.

Hope you don't mind me posing a scenario in your thread Ptatohed. Don't feel a new thread is needed....

A friend of mine did the following while doing a basic coolant drain and refill: He had his Maxima running, then pulled the drain plug from his radiator, and let the car run until the coolant mixture stopped gushing out of the radiator and became a steady and constant drip. I'd say it was a good 15 to 20 seconds after the radiator was empty and the remaining coolant in the system came out at a good flow rate (but not a heavy gush). He turned the car off while it was still dripping quit heavily, but far from gushing out. His water pump then leaked immediately after he filled the radiator back with coolant and water and turned the car on. By doing what he did (letting the car run almost dry), did he kill his water pump o-rings?

What do you guys think?

 

Thanks everyone. Looks like I'll be changing the water pump. :I

 

O ring goes bad and there is a 'weep hole' it Will come out of. And that's what you're dealing with. Just did mine last sumer.

 

Could also be the WP shaft seals. The pump itself has a weep hoe to eliminate leaking shaft seals from contaminating the oil. Just replace the whole pump with OEM.

 

^ So no water pump from ebay for $27 shipped?

 

I went for the refurb'ed $35 1 year warranty one from Autozone.

 

Well it's as if OP laid on the ground and took pictures of my car yesterday. Except my lower oil pan is brand-new and it doesn't leak. My car just ticked over to 350,000 miles.

I just spent two days replacing both of my valve cover gaskets (along with the intake manifold collector gasket), and both heater core outlet tubes.

The upper heater core outlet tube broke while I was driving down the freeway (at 80 mph), and I didn't know it until the engine overheated and shut itself down.

I think the water pump spun dry long enough to ruin the bushings and seals, because yesterday when I got it all together (and it started right up), I filled the radiator with coolant and it poured out in a steady stream exactly where OP pictured it. So I know I have to replace the water pump.

My question is, the service manual doesn't mention anything about being careful to not let the camshafts or crankshaft slip timing when you take the tensioner completely off, and the water pump completely off. Is that something you just don't worry about with Maxima?


Just before it hit 350K

Back together after changing gaskets

The dreaded water pump leak