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Tate (Tate)
| | Posted on Friday, April 19, 2002 - 10:11 am: | 
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While looking under the hood last night to check out my work for this weekend (spring swap and oil cooler hose replacement) I noticed a considerable amount of moisture originating at the uppper, front, left of the engine. It seems to be coolant, it's dripped all the way down the front of the engine and blown back over the axle, etc. Coolant level is now about 1.5 inches low. The problem is, I can't seem to identify what's leaking. It seems to be coming from just behind the alternator mounting brace, somewhere below the rocker covers. What's going on in this area, coolant wise? Since light was bad, the only thing I could see is a pipe that is probably a heater hose that runs in between the alternator brace and the block. Is this a common leak area? Any other ideas for the source? |
gp (Garrett)
| | Posted on Friday, April 19, 2002 - 10:19 am: |
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not sure if my leak is similar to yours, but i have narrowed the bastard down. i was smelling it at first of course and crawled under the truck to see the white residue on the cats and exhaust. it was also leaking down on the front U joint and coming down along the tranny housing. i cannot see the exact location, but it is underneath the coil pack on my '96. the coil pack (ignition) is blocking the view. but i believe there is a 'back seal' on the left rear of the motor. (if you are looking at the engine) i think i am replacing my rocker arms on monday anyhow, so this will be done at the same time. it is only leaking while driving and only very little.
do you have any fluid in the 'valley' between the heads and below the plenum? |
Tate (Tate)
| | Posted on Friday, April 19, 2002 - 10:35 am: |
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Garrett,
Good luck on yours, but I think it's different as mine is coming from the front left of the engine (front left when looking at it from the front). It's just to the upper left of the water pump (BTW, mine is a 4.0). My manuals don't cover the 4.0, so if anyone could supply me with a diagram of what's going on cooling-wise behind that bracket, I'd be most appreciative. |
Kingfish (Kingfish)
| | Posted on Friday, April 19, 2002 - 12:51 pm: |
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It sounds like it is probably one of the heater hoses. There are various connections back there (a very crappy design). I have a slight leak (hopefully I fixed it) leading from the heater return, back to the lower radiator hose. I have a long metal tube running behind the water pump connected on both ends by hoses. Maybe that's where your leak is. You can try replacing the hoses and clamps, as they are not too expensive and need replacing every so many years, anyway. |
Bill Bettridge (Billb)
| | Posted on Friday, April 19, 2002 - 02:42 pm: |
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Tate - also check the weep hole in your water pump. If the shaft seal has gone bad, coolant will drip/spray from that hole. I just replaced the pump on the wifes RR and it was hard to tell where it originated from, but that was the culprit.
Bill |
Wes Legaspi (Wes)
| | Posted on Friday, April 19, 2002 - 03:55 pm: |
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Just got back from Roverland in SF and Philippe the owner stated that if coolant is coming from that seep/weep(?) hole, that's a sign that your water pump is about to go bad. Don't quote me on that thou, but he does have 17 years working on Rovers.
wes |
Tate (Tate)
| | Posted on Friday, April 19, 2002 - 04:05 pm: |
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Bill and Wes,
I've heard of the weep hole on the water pump before. I'll get a better look at things tomorrow when it's daylight and I can see. I thought about this, but the only thing that's inconsistent is that it seems to be wet higher on the left side than the water pump. Now, I'm not ruling out spray while driving, but it seems odd for the liquid to go up. I'm really suspecting the termination of the heater hose/pipe in that area, but the challenge is getting a look down there. I'll see either later this evening or tomorrow. I hope the rain goes away. Thanks for all the suggestions. |
doug james (Dgj95lwb)
| | Posted on Friday, April 19, 2002 - 07:09 pm: |
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I too, had a leak, and it developed at the time that my coolant reservoir started 'hissing' as I removed the cap. It did not do this before the 'leak'. Close inspection revealed that a hose clamp-pass side-low, from behind the water pump, needed tightening. Took a minute or so.
Leak cured. Hissing cured. Check and Tighten your clamps.
Cooling after each run, created vacuum/suction; then removing the cap vented the pressure.
cheers- doug 95 @100k |
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