This weekend I replaced my coolant. Now I have a very strange leak coming from, what looks to me like, the back of the block next to the engine mount. I'm not sure how this is happening or if it is migrating from somewhere else. I drained the block and I see absolutely no wetness around the petcock on the block. I can't see any wetness above anywhere either. The leak is so slow that it can only be seen after the car has basically been sitting overnight. I checked it after a drive, no leak. Checked it about an hour or so later no leak. But this morning I came out and... leak. With a very small puddle on the ground underneath it. Anyone have any ideas? This just started happening after I drained and re-filled. I did use an Airlift tool so I'm wondering if the vacuum caused a leak? Image Unavailable, Please Login
The best way to find a leak like this is to pressurize the cooling system when cold (and everything has "shrunk" and/or become less pliable) -- Stant makes a small hand pump to do this. (It's very common to find other leaks that never show up normally as this condition, cold and pressurized, never occurs in normal operation).
When I was a teen, I pulled my Jeep CJ-5 with the V8 outside my father‘s shop. Was going to replace the water pump as it was dripping. Once the job was complete I fired it up and within five minutes I saw a slight drip once again. I probably pulled/replaced that new water pump four times trying to get it to seal. Then my Dad walked by and pointed to the upper radiator hose. All it took was a tightening of a hose clamp. So don’t assume where the drip lands, that that’s where it’s leaking.
I need to pressurize it. I'm REALLY hoping it's coming from the coolant tube that goes by the alternator. I removed it to replace the alternator, then drained the coolant. The drip is pretty far away from that tube though. The expansion tank is on the opposite side, driver side, the "drip" is on the passenger side.
It may be from the water neck hose couplings at that location. It will run down in that area. Check water pump too.
Look at your photo on the right side by the number 8. There's residue there that is coming from above on that side.
When you drain the block a lot of coolant ends up in that big cavity behind the motor mount. It can drip for a very long time. Also if there is a leak in the valley coolant runs down behind the water pump. It can drip off by the front crank pulley and that spot. Make sure the valley is dry.
Thank You! So yeah I pulled the wheel off, looked under the drain on the block exactly where you wrote and it was sticky with film all over. Cleaned that out. Going to take it for a drive and then wait and see.
Ok updating here. It's still leaking, and as far as I can tell the only place it is leaking is at that join with the motor mount. Is it possible there is a crack there or something? Image Unavailable, Please Login
That is the transmission case. There is no coolant in the transmission. Loosen the nuts so there is a gap, hose it down to wash out coolant and tighten it back up. Like I said, when coolant gets in there it will drip out for a very long time.
Ok thanks man will do! I sent you an email as well, but just disregard... I didn't think about it being trapped in that cavity, was just thinking about it being moving around under the drain.
