Ok, what am I missing, why is coolant still leaking?

princetonprep17 · 09-12-2005, 12:31 PM

The 44 has had a constant coolant leak since like a week after the cooling system had been gone through to find the cause of my overheating. It was fine up until about a week ago when it started a slow constant coolant leak. I just spent the last 2 hours out in the sun trying to figure out where the leak is coming from and I couldnt find a damn thing. The leak is on the drivers side and is pooling right around where the first air slat for the belly pan is. Any ideas where to check for the leak? I checked the drain plug there but there was no fluid on or around it and it felt tight to me. I checked the upper hose to the radiator as well as the reservoir hose and nothing, no leaks indicated there. I dont have the resources currently to pull the belly pan to get straight up under it although I think that's what might end up having to happen unless you guys have any suggestions for what to check from above. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

tobster1911 · 09-12-2005, 01:04 PM

You really need to get the belly pan off and see where it is coming from. If it is behind the timing belt cover chances are it is the water pump about to go out. Mine just did this. You really need to see where the leak is to find the problem.

princetonprep17 · 09-12-2005, 01:25 PM

It's def not from the water pump. It's on the opposite side of the timing belt cover. I know they are a PIA to fix when they go out though. I think that once I get my slave replaced (just been one of those months with break downs) I will be taking it to have it pressure tested with the belly pan off to see if I can figure out where the leak is coming from. I'm hoping it's not a cracked fin in the radiator, but with my luck the past few weeks it will be something major.

AFJuvat · 09-12-2005, 05:21 PM

Cracked radiator, or more likely, a leaking thermoswitch, or a cracked hose nipple - all are located on the upper, drivers side of the radiator.

AFJ

princetonprep17 · 09-12-2005, 06:19 PM

A leaking thermoswitch requires a new switch or would some teflon tape suffice to stop that leak?

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

is it possible that the reservoir somehow got a crack in it?

princetonprep17 · 09-12-2005, 07:43 PM

Based on where the leak seems to be coming from I dont know that it is likely that the reservoir has a crack in it. However I will check it out tommorrow. If the cooling system wasnt bled would it possibly cause a leak? I bled the system earlier and a fair amount of air came out of it.

AFJuvat · 09-12-2005, 07:48 PM

you usually replace the thermoswitch if it is leaking - do not overtighten - you can crack the radiator.

AFJ

Granite 944 · 09-12-2005, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by princetonprep17
The 44 has had a constant coolant leak since like a week after the cooling system had been gone through to find the cause of my overheating."

What WAS the cause, and fix?

"It was fine up until about a week ago when it started a slow constant coolant leak. I just spent the last 2 hours out in the sun trying to figure out where the leak is coming from and I couldnt find a damn thing."

Visual inspection only?, engine hot or cold?.......I assume you didn't use a coolant pressure tester?

"The leak is on the drivers side and is pooling right around where the first air slat for the belly pan is. Any ideas where to check for the leak? "

That tells us alot. Oh crap........the "belly pan" thing again. Get the pan off.......LEAVE IT OFF, SO you can FIND/SEE........the leak/s.

"I checked the drain plug there but there was no fluid on or around it and it felt tight to me. I checked the upper hose to the radiator as well as the reservoir hose and nothing, no leaks indicated there. I dont have the resources currently to pull the belly pan to get straight up under it although I think that's what might end up having to happen unless you guys have any suggestions for what to check from above. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Nope.........see above. If you don't/can't looky to see where .........you will no findy for sure.........its a crapshoot otherwise. Coolant leaks CAN be hard to find. System should be hot........pressurized........ and sometimes over time at that........mirror inspection sometimes required. Sorry.......no "easy" way out. Good luck!

princetonprep17 · 09-13-2005, 06:29 AM

Faulty thermostat was the cause but the radiator had been taken out and pressure tested at that time, water pump taken off and looked over, thermoswitches checked out. I don't have a pressure tester up here at college with me so no, the system has not been pressure tested yet. I will get the bellypan off as soon as I can but the post was more towards asking anyone else who has had a coolant leak on the drivers side where they found out it was leaking from.

Granite 944 · 09-13-2005, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by princetonprep17
Faulty thermostat was the cause but the radiator had been taken out and pressure tested at that time, water pump taken off and looked over, thermoswitches checked out. I don't have a pressure tester up here at college with me so no, the system has not been pressure tested yet. I will get the bellypan off as soon as I can but the post was more towards asking anyone else who has had a coolant leak on the drivers side where they found out it was leaking from.

Well then, most likely senario is either one of the hoses didn't get reseated good enough, or the gasket under the thermofan switch (if reused) didn't seat well enough. I've had the thermofan switch leak from their gaskets before, and found that someone had used a much smaller/thinner gasket than the stock one. Didn't really show up till system was hot and pressurized. This can be harder to see and find sometimes. Also you have a couple of hoses right above it that could be the culprit. Good luck!

bearone2 · 09-13-2005, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by princetonprep17
Faulty thermostat was the cause but the radiator had been taken out and pressure tested at that time, water pump taken off and looked over, thermoswitches checked out. I don't have a pressure tester up here at college with me so no, the system has not been pressure tested yet. I will get the bellypan off as soon as I can but the post was more towards asking anyone else who has had a coolant leak on the drivers side where they found out it was leaking from.

i had 2, #1 from the nipple/seal into the rad for the recovery tank, #2, a small crack just below the thermoswitch.
i tried jb weld and no worky, replaced the rad from partsheaven.

neither leaked much but over time the level in the recovery tank would go down.

at the time i also thought i had a bad cap on the '84, wouldn't hold 13 psi so i replaced it with 1 for a later model that is a 13# system and had leaks where i'd never seen them before.

the old cap was ok/lower pressure and with the replacement rad, new nipple-seal/rec tank, the system was tighter than dick tracy's hat band.

i got some rhino ramps from checker for $25 and luv 'em.

princetonprep17 · 09-13-2005, 10:44 AM

My guess is going to be thermoswitch. I hope anyways, lol! Will have time to pull the pan tommorrow afternoon so i will keep ya'll posted. thanks!

princetonprep17 · 09-24-2005, 04:24 PM

Alright, well I finally got the pan off and saw that it did look like it was coming from one of the fins. From what I got from it it appeared a nice sized rock had nailed and damaged one of the fins. I tried some of that radiator fix stuff and it stopped the leak. That very next day on my way home I noticed the temp gauge constantly go up and that both of the fans were on. $%it, she overheated again. I opened up the hood and there was coolant all over the engine bay again. Think time I think the water pump is the culprit as I was hearing some squeling like a glazed belt (belts replaced maybe 3 months ago). Now I'm thinking the squelling I heard was in fact the water pump bearing going. I had to have her towed home and have had nothing but tests since Tuesday so that got my main attentions. Tommorrow will be the day I go out and check it out. I know to look for fluid coming from the timing cover. She was leaking it appeared mostly from the passenger side which really scares me because I'm not all that psyched to replace a water pump. Would I have to pull the radiator to replace that pump?

princetonprep17 · 09-24-2005, 04:31 PM

Well upon consulting my haynes manual I am convinced that it was in fact a faulty water pump that is the culprit. The give away was that is said that bearing failure can sound like a belt squeeking, which is exactlywhat I heard. I read through the process of disassembly and install and I dont know that I have the tools to be able to pull this off by myself in my apartment parking lot. Plus I dont have any of the tensioning tools, etc. Any idea what I'm looking at to have one replaced?

Granite 944 · 09-24-2005, 06:03 PM

Just take the car down, and have a "professional" look at it.