| Author |
Message |
    
Daniel
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 - 11:53 am: | 
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Here's a problem I hope someone can help with. I came back to my truck in a parking lot yesterday to find the coolant in a puddle under the truck. It looks like the leak is coming from just under the rear of the plenum. Neither my mechanic or myself can locate the exact spot, though. Anyone happen to know where to look? Also, where could I find any possible parts for replacement? I mean if it IS the thermostat, where can I get a new one, if it is a gasket, do I have to go to the dealer, etc???
Thanks in advance.
Daniel
p.s. If I have to pull the plenum, might I (the mechanic actually)just as well replace the leaky head gasketrs while I'm in there or is this going to be another big labor charge? |
Kyle
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 - 12:11 pm: |
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First off just tighten the bolts. That ussually stops it.
Kyle |
Daniel
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 - 12:22 pm: |
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Kyle,
Are you talking about the allen-wrench type bolts that are on top of the plenum?
Thanks,
Daniel |
Kyle
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 - 12:24 pm: |
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No , your issue isnt with the upper plenum but rather the lower intake that it sits on. There are bolts all the way around it that hold it to the heads. I believe they are 14MM head (Dont hold me to that). Tighten them and I am betting your leak magically gos away.
Kyle |
Kingfish (Kingfish)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 - 12:37 pm: |
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Here's something to think about: A leaky thermostat housing will drip coolant out and it will run/trickle UNDER the plenum, towards the back and trickle down the side of the engine near the firewall. It happened to me once. If it's a small leak, you wont even see it, unless you put a small mirror under the housing. The coolant trickles along the bottom of the plenum. I'm getting to know all about coolant leaks, damnit.. |
gp (Garrett)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 - 12:46 pm: |
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i have the same leak as Daniel. does not leak all that much, so i have not put forth much attention to it. kingfish...i know what you are saying. that was my first guess, but i know it is not running down the plenum like i was actually hoping. mine is coming from the back seals and running down over the transmission housing and on to the cats. you can see the burnt coolant......turns nice white like my tires!!
but maybe kyle's idea will work for me.
ps: why am i getting •••••• when i type the word t-r-a-n-n-y? |
Daniel
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 - 12:59 pm: |
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Thanks again all. I'll try to tighten the bolts you mentioned, Kyle. If it matters, though, I have a rather large leak. I generally don't worry about the standard issue leaks, but this one leaks a bunch.
I'll write back to let the others w/similar problems know the results.
Daniel |
Kyle
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 - 01:01 pm: |
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I think it will take care of it daniel. I am fairly certain you are going to find the bolts loose. And Garrett , I hate that word...
Kyle |
gp (Garrett)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 - 01:05 pm: |
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so sorry kyle. i will do better next time. but i was not using it in your typical context.....transsexual. |
Kyle
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 - 01:06 pm: |
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lol , bastard..........
Kyle |
Daniel
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 - 05:20 pm: |
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O.K. One last question on the subject.
(the coolant leak, not trannysexuals)
Do I need a torque wrench to tighten to a specific degree. Last time I monkeyed around over my head I broke a bolt.
Daniel |
Daniel
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 - 08:45 pm: |
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Kyle,
I know I said that was my last question, but I lied.
I did look under the hood to try to locate the bolts you talked about. I think there are 8-10 of them. They are 13mm I think and I cannot figure out how to get to the ones on the driver's side. They are completely inaccessible to me under the intake hose and throttle stuff. Any tips? Do I need to remove the upper part of the plenum? If so that opens up a whole other can of worms... |
Daniel
| | Posted on Thursday, May 30, 2002 - 09:02 am: |
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I'm bumping this one up. I still can't get to those bolts to save my life. |
Daniel
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 05, 2002 - 01:59 pm: |
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Well, Here's the end of the coolant leak story (I hope.)
I couldn't get to the bolts under the plenum, so I took it to an import "specialist". Diagnosis, blown valley gasket. Fortunately the extended warranty covered all but a couple hundred bucks.
I am getting an updated valley gasket, and the updated head gaskets along with a couple of other seals and brackets. I actually saw the old gasket and there was an obvious section where the coolant got past it. I don't know if it would have been corected by tightening the bolts or not, but the head gaskets were leaking like hell anyway, so this actually killed two birds.
As a side note, he showed me the rocker arms under the head covers. They were all gunked up, and I change my oil pretty regularly. He is going to do some kind of acid cleaning to get all of this crap off and recommends Castrol GTX only for oil and NGK plugs. Anyone know anything about this acid cleaning or NGK plugs? |
Ed H
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 05, 2002 - 07:39 pm: |
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Daniel,
I had the same leak as you did. I took Kyle's advise and it worked. I had to remove the bolts to the spark plug wire holder to get to the center intake bolt in the rear.
Thanks Kyle |
trevorgriffiths
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 05, 2002 - 10:58 pm: |
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I would be willing to bet that the acid wash is also known as carb cleaner. You soak the item and it loosens all the sludge-everything is clean to bare metal. We use Castrol GTX and NGK plugs in all of ours and our customers Land Rovers and most all of the sports cars. |
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