Coolant Leak Again!

[Nicutlass_Supremacy]

Hi guys!

 

I've been searching for a coolant leak for 2 months and I've changed every hose, LIM gasket, O-ring, etc. I'm guessing there's a leak between the engine and transmission, that´s where I can trace the leak. Does anyone know if there's a freeze plug there? I'll try to use some DIY pressure testing and try to isolate the leak. I need some guidance!!!

 

Thanks!

[rich_e777]

A pressure test would help find where its coming from, I have an intermittent leak around this area as well and will test when the weather warms up some. Ive read where the problem my lie in the lower manifold gasket, an o-ring and a particular hose but I havent dug into the engine enough to see for myself.

[Galaxie500XL]

Ultraviolet dye added to the coolant could help track down the source of the leak..

[jmjp5055]

Hi guys!

 

I've been searching for a coolant leak for 2 months and I've changed every hose, LIM gasket, O-ring, etc. I'm guessing there's a leak between the engine and transmission, that´s where I can trace the leak. Does anyone know if there's a freeze plug there? I'll try to use some DIY pressure testing and try to isolate the leak. I need some guidance!!!

 

Thanks!

sounds like it is a metal line that runs down and along the passenger side of engine compartment

From radiator to trans

The fix was to cut the bad section out and reconnect with heater type hose. To actually replace that line you would have to pull the engine.

Maybe this helps

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[55trucker]

I'm guessing there's a leak between the engine and transmission, that´s where I can trace the leak. Does anyone know if there's a freeze plug there? I'll try to use some DIY pressure testing and try to isolate the leak.

 

 

At the rear of the engine........which side do you see the fluid dripping from?.......the forward side (rad) of the trans or the rear of the trans (firewall).

 

Both cyl heads have freeze plugs located in the back end of them, you can't see them for all of the *extras* hiding them.

 

This might be the source of your leak, as far as I can remember the block has no plugs located at the rear.

 

[Nicutlass_Supremacy]

At the rear of the engine........which side do you see the fluid dripping from?.......the forward side (rad) of the trans or the rear of the trans (firewall).

 

Both cyl heads have freeze plugs located in the back end of them, you can't see them for all of the *extras* hiding them.

 

This might be the source of your leak, as far as I can remember the block has no plugs located at the rear.

 

It's leaking from the forward side, maybe it's that plug hiding behind the engine mount?

[55trucker]

Well.......to find out you're going to have to pull the exhaust crossover, then you'll be able to see the lower portion of the freeze plug, you'll have to pressurize the coolant system with a hand-held pressurizer, I assume that you don't want an earful of raw :Yikes_anim: exhaust noise while you're doing this.

[Nicutlass_Supremacy]

I've found the leak!!! It´s behind the flywheel, on the fron side of the engine. I've bought one of those usb endoscope cameras and took some interesting pics!

Surfing for pics of that back side without a flywheel I've found what it seems to be a lq1 without a plug!! But mine has one and maybe other one on the other side!!

[Nicutlass_Supremacy]

Now I need to fix that plug! Which is the easiest way to take that flywheel off? Is there a way to do it without pulling out the entire engine? I don´t want to uninstall the air conditioning and everything else not involved in this!!

[Imp558]

It might be possible but you're probably going to end up separating the engine and tranny. I don't see running the bolts out of the crankshaft without having the converter out of the way.

[Imp558]

A/C and power steering pump just hang off to the side, don't actually take them out. Pulling the engine would make for a great excuse to put a new alternator in given the difficulty of replacing it in the car.

[55trucker]

The engine doesn't necessarily need to come out, but.......

 

the trans has to be separated from the engine to get access to the flexplate/flexplate bolts by a long 3/8" breaker bar, I say 3/8" because it is less bulky than a larger 1/2".

 

The paraphernalia from above the trans has to come out, *battery, exhaust crossover*....etc.....the driver's side axle shaft needs to be pulled out from the transaxle, the right side released form the trans, the transaxle support bracket will need to be removed, the engine will need to be supported by an above hoist/engine bay support, one could put a support under the pan but I don't recommend it. Drop the starter, Pull the bolts that hold the trans to the back of the engine & slide the trans back enough to get room to get at the converter flexplate bolts and then the crank to flexplate bolts.

 

One could attempt to move the engine forward but the LQ1 engine mounts are a pain-in-the-ass to get to without lifting the engine up, it's a sort of *six -of-one-or-half-dozen-of-the-other* situation.

 

It's not a fun job at all, and not especially for what you're getting involved with.

[Imp558]

Balls

[Nicutlass_Supremacy]

Finally out!!

 

Now that is out, what do you recommend to change/check in the car? I´m planning to change de HVAC pipe line, check the steering, do some cleaning, check alternator..... what else do you think I could do?

 

Thanks!

[94 olds vert]

That oxygen sensor on the rear manifold. It will be so much easier to do now instead of later.

[55trucker]

Cam drive belt is an obvious choice, how many miles on that engine or belt?

 

the coolant passage shown seems to be filled with *gunk*, that should be flushed out before the engine goes back into the car.

 

the oil pan gasket appears to be weeping around the crank seal.

 

Have a good look at the insulation around the downpipe that keeps heat of the right front brake pipe. Because of where GM routed that line it can get exposed to heat from the downpipe if the insulation has deteriorated. Heat = expansion in the line = the right front dragging.

 

Given your location I suppose that you don't get exposed to salt, what is the condition of the heater inlet piping down on the frame rail near to the right wheel?

 

You could also pull off the plenum & inspect the vacuum hose that feeds the FPR from the MAP sensor, after 26 years it more than likely is not in the best of condition. The short vacuum hose that connects to the trans modulator could also be replaced, the injector harness was/is protected by split-loom, now's a good time to replace it all as it will be hardened/broken up sitting in there all in pieces (assuming it's never been replaced). All of the rest of the split loom around the engine could be replaced as well.

 

any coolant hoses that can be replaced could be done now. The rad hoses are still available, but the rest are not, the short vertical bypass hose under the throttle body is easy to replace from a piece of 3/4" heater hose as is the hose at the coolant pump manifold.

[Nicutlass_Supremacy]

Cam drive belt is an obvious choice, how many miles on that engine or belt?

 

It´s almost new, maybe 3000 miles, I´ve changed it last year

 

the coolant passage shown seems to be filled with *gunk*, that should be flushed out before the engine goes back into the car.

 

Before installing those new plugs I´ve cleaned and flushed all that gunk, it was a mess and it smell like hell!

 

the oil pan gasket appears to be weeping around the crank seal.

 

I´ve bought a gasket set that includes that pan gasket and I´m thinking to change other gaskets that seem to be leaking

 

Have a good look at the insulation around the downpipe that keeps heat of the right front brake pipe. Because of where GM routed that line it can get exposed to heat from the downpipe if the insulation has deteriorated. Heat = expansion in the line = the right front dragging.

 

Given your location I suppose that you don't get exposed to salt, what is the condition of the heater inlet piping down on the frame rail near to the right wheel?

 

I'm planning to get rid of that downpipe and install a good hose, because I've already change the hose that goes to the engine and I think the one going to the interior maybe going that way.

 

You could also pull off the plenum & inspect the vacuum hose that feeds the FPR from the MAP sensor, after 26 years it more than likely is not in the best of condition. The short vacuum hose that connects to the trans modulator could also be replaced, the injector harness was/is protected by split-loom, now's a good time to replace it all as it will be hardened/broken up sitting in there all in pieces (assuming it's never been replaced). All of the rest of the split loom around the engine could be replaced as well.

 

I´ve already changed all those hoses while I was changing the intake manifold gaskets, that gasket was my first guess while I was searching for the leak.

 

any coolant hoses that can be replaced could be done now. The rad hoses are still available, but the rest are not, the short vertical bypass hose under the throttle body is easy to replace from a piece of 3/4" heater hose as is the hose at the coolant pump manifold.

 

I've also change the rad hoses and that bypass too

 

Sometime ago I´ve flushed the power steering fluid and used that seafom liquid hoping to get a smooth steering but it didn´t improve at all. Do you think it would be wise to change the rack and pinion? power steering pump?

[94 olds vert]

I would check the hoses. I dealt with a bad hose on my Cutlass for a while. The rubber hose would collapse, and it stop fluid from circulating. The hose looked fine otherwise. 

[GTP091]

The high pressure power steering hose is a bugger to get out, might be worth it unless you know its been replaced before.

[55trucker]

Sometime ago I´ve flushed the power steering fluid and used that seafom liquid hoping to get a smooth steering but it didn´t improve at all. Do you think it would be wise to change the rack and pinion? power steering pump?

sounds as tho you covered the bases,

 

is the rack causing you any sort of issue?

 

when you say *smooth* do you mean that as you turn the steering wheel in either direction there is a studder being fed back up thru the column?

[Nicutlass_Supremacy]

sounds as tho you covered the bases,

 

is the rack causing you any sort of issue?

 

when you say *smooth* do you mean that as you turn the steering wheel in either direction there is a studder being fed back up thru the column?

 

When you are turning you hear this whining noise and you feel like you are doing to much force, and it´s the same if you turn right or left

[Galaxie500XL]

I may be way off base here...but I'd probably replace the engine mounts.

[55trucker]

When you are turning you hear this whining noise and you feel like you are doing to much force, and it´s the same if you turn right or left

The pump does whine to a certain degree, it's part of the characteristics of the pump (Saginaw Type II) used on the 1st gen cars, clean fluid does help to keep this controlled, do NOT use trans fluid.

There also is no variable assist so the steering IS heavy when at low speed, my wife has trouble turning the steering wheel under these conditions, one definitely cannot use *one finger* to turn the wheel, unlike my sons 2nd gen GTP where one CAN use just one finger to turn the steering wheel due to the variable assist.

Unless the the vanes in the pump or the pressure relief valve spring (in the pump) has failed there's not much else that could cause a low pressure situation

[Imp558]

The GS, at least in 1995 got a very light rack. I can turn the wheel with a finger easily. It's actually too light for my liking. The Regal rack feels nothing like it.