Hello,

I've an issue with a small dripping coolant leak at the front of the engine. It runs down the crank pulley and onto the CPS. The issue is I just cannot find where the leak is after searching from above and below, using a mirror and strong light. I replaced the coolant hose and verified that there are no leaks that I can see or feel on them. I believe the leak only occurs when pressure is in the system. After running the car for ~5-10minutes, I noticed the leak occurring at about 0.5 drip per second off the CPS. When removing the cap at the crossover pipe, there was a little bit of pressure that caused coolant to spill but after that the leak either went away or slowed significantly. The coolant level was about 2 inches below the cap.

Are there any areas here at the front that I should try to focus on to see where this is leaking from?

 

Water pump bearing seal or water pump bolts if the gasket is leaking.

Put the car on ramps, rear wheels chocked, and run the engine. Crawl under with a strong flashlight. You can usually find the leak that way.

 

I did check the water pump seal but did not check the bearing seal too closely, didn't know that was a leak area. Thanks, I will definitely give it another look.

With more searching I'm worried its a more major problem like a blown head gasket. I don't get any white smoke or overheating but when starting the car cold with the cross over pipe cap removed, coolant fountains out.

 

That fountaining out is fairly normal. You'd also likely see white smoke at the exhaust, and/or your oil turning milky if your head gasket was bad.
Water pump bearing seal failures are common for any water pump.

 

+1 to likely being the water pump. There is a weep hole on the casting to the water pump just behind the pulley, where coolant will drip out from if the internal seal has failed. I did post a pic of this on another thread. I can't remember if it's possible to see it directly with everything installed in the car, even with a torch & mirror.

 

Thanks all! I think that must be it, after another inspection it looks like there is wetness below the pump. Hard to see with all the grime and can't spot where its coming from, but I'll replace the pump and gasket like I probably should have done when changing the hoses. The cooling system on this car was quite neglected and was rust water when I flushed it.

Thinking that since I'll pull the rad I might as well replace it. Anyone have any experience with the rad from Alloyworks? Price seems too good to be true.

Edit: link troubles

Edit 2: Can't find info on the above rad, trusting that to mean its junk or a scam, ordering one from Wizard.

 

Very important to use loctite on the fixings when you replace the pump, both on any bolts, and studs that come out, and on all nuts. I had one pump I put in leak appallingly after a few hundred fast miles, and the same happened to the professional who replaced my effort for me. Once all fixings loctited, no more trouble.

I have a vague memory that there may be a rather tricky giant pozi screw used in one of the fixings, if there is and I may be mistaken, you absolutely must have the right sized pozi bit for it.
Finally, one of the fixings has the tensioner for the power steering pump on it, and to remove the pump you have to first remove the tensioner, then the nut underneath the tensioner banjo end which is what is holding in the water pump at this point.

 

Greg,

Thanks for the heads up. Would thread sealant also work? I'd be concerned with loctite if it ever needs to be removed again. I'm already dreading removing it now as the thermostat housing bolts were completely corroded in place and snapped with minimal effort.

And yes, I have a pozi set purchased just for this car. Not looking forward to removing that either but at least it cant snap!

 

Using blue medium strength loctite 242 will be fine, as it does come undone. There is lots of vibration and pressure on the pump and I would not trust anything esle to hold it. Luckily the bolts and studs on the water pump are thicker and stronger than the thermostat housing, which I have also had trouble with...

https://www.henkel-adhesives.com/us/...ctite_242.html

 

Thanks all for the input, removed the radiator and water pump in a couple hours. The weep hole under the pulley was the culprit. Already have the new pump and gaskets to install with RTV over the next couple of days.

Surprisingly easy job getting these out, was a welcome change. Any recommendations for other work I can do to take advantage of the access to the front of the engine? Already replaced the CPS and all belts.

Thanks again!

 

Good for you.
I suggest that you renew the crosspipe rubber hoses, the bottom hose, clean out the gap between the rads if not already done, renew the thermostats if not already done. Check under the rad on the cross member for corrosion. Clean up any earth (ground) points to shiny metal, fix the earth leads back on and spray with white grease. Separate and clean any loom connectors in that area, etc etc.

 

fan clutch?

If you wanted to get rid of the oil cooler...

Really not too much else, other than hoses.

 

Look's like I've done things the hard way and took care of these when access was limited.

I'll do a once over on the electrics, curious about the oil on the front of the engine. Would that be from leaking cam covers? Or are there any plugs to check over? There was no obvious source but a uniform coating of oil over most of the front.

 

The oil on nthe front is most likely coming from a perished rubber plug that covers the access hole to the timing chain tensioner release see pic attached, my IEM rubber plug has been replaced by a ally version, which you can still buy in the aftermarket.


Otherwise, the cam cover gasket or PCV outlet might leak.