Best way to chase a leak????

[Morpheus]

I have an antifreeze leak. it leaks a little at a time but after a few hours it adds up.I checked all the hoses and it isnt leaking from them. I checked the t-stat housing,no leak...I see green antifreeze on the lip of the oil pan.near the block drain. any ideas?

 

[andrewv]

Rear of the valley pan gasket and coming down the back of the engine?

 

[Morpheus]

Rear of the valley pan gasket and coming down the back of the engine?

Nope....in the front. opposite side of the oil filter.....I just see a few drops on the oil pan rim but it leaks...alot

 

[EXPetrush]

easiest way to check for leak it to clean engine then add some coolant dye.. available at most big box auto parts stores.. Run for a while, up to temp, then get a $2.99 black lightbulb from CVS & install it into you work light. It will be obvious, the source of leak...

On what you have told us, that it is coming from the front, I would guess your water pump is starting to go.. the weep hole in the pump is usually the first place where liquid starts to seep when the pump starts to go...

 

[Morpheus]

easiest way to check for leak it to clean engine then add some coolant dye.. available at most big box auto parts stores.. Run for a while, up to temp, then get a $2.99 black lightbulb from CVS & install it into you work light. It will be obvious, the source of leak...

On what you have told us, that it is coming from the front, I would guess your water pump is starting to go.. the weep hole in the pump is usually the first place where liquid starts to seep when the pump starts to go...

I dont know if thats good news or not.....is the waterpump an easy job?

 

[EXPetrush]

water pump on D1 one is pretty easy.. the hardest part is getting the fan off (reverse threads & not easy to get to...) ... if that comes off easy.. you are looking at 3 hours max... Search the site for tools you'll need.. a $14.95 water pump wrench, ford.. think it was 36mm super long & thin...

While you are at it, you can flush coolant, change surp belt, & therm.

 

[Morpheus]

I got it!!!!!! its not the waterpump. Ok I found the source of the leak.... wht water pump bolst to a housing, that housing in turn bolts to the engine block. that gasket mucst be shot because I can see it dripping from that joint.. anyone else have that problem?

 

[Surgeoh]

I got it!!!!!! its not the waterpump. Ok I found the source of the leak.... wht water pump bolst to a housing, that housing in turn bolts to the engine block. that gasket mucst be shot because I can see it dripping from that joint.. anyone else have that problem?

The housing you're talking about is the timing chain cover. Inside there is oil. If you're leaking coolant there, then you've got bigger problems than a coolant leak. I think you should keep looking. It's common for water pumps to fail at the weep hole like Ed says, especially with the weather changing like it is.

 

[Morpheus]

The housing you're talking about is the timing chain cover. Inside there is oil. If you're leaking coolant there, then you've got bigger problems than a coolant leak. I think you should keep looking. It's common for water pumps to fail at the weep hole like Ed says, especially with the weather changing like it is.

I hope your right about the waterpump. Im going to dye the coolant this weekend and blacklight it. Im hoping that the coolant on the engine i see IS the waterpump and just blowing onto the engine,however I dont know because it leaks for a while after its been siting. I came back from lunch yesterday at noon. went out there at 2:30 ish and I could see it dripping.thats probably not good news...although the engine runs fine. I changed the oil last week and it seemed normal