Anti- Freeze

From : speed

Q: heres the problem there is anti-freeze all over the bottom of my motor. i can not pin point where the leak is coming from it seems to be coming from the passenger side of the motor near the top of the bottom radiator hose. im going to replace the hose and see what happens. it may also be coming from the bolt area directly behind the top of the bottom radiator hose. is that the water pump could it be a seal gone bad the over flow is empty but not the radiator. the radiator still maintains its proper level. which is confusing as all hell to me.. with the radiator cap off the anti-freeze seems to wave back and forth and raise to the top and start to flow over is this normal thanks for any help. .

Replies:

From : budd cochran

year model mileage -- budd cochran heres the problem there is anti-freeze all over the bottom of my motor. i can not pin point where the leak is coming from it seems to be coming from the passenger side of the motor near the top of the bottom radiator hose. im going to replace the hose and see what happens. it may also be coming from the bolt area directly behind the top of the bottom radiator hose. is that the water pump could it be a seal gone bad the over flow is empty but not the radiator. the radiator still maintains its proper level. which is confusing as all hell to me.. with the radiator cap off the anti-freeze seems to wave back and forth and raise to the top and start to flow over is this normal thanks for any help. --- outgoing mail is certified virus free by avg and norton checked by avg anti-virus system http//www.grisoft.com. version 6.0.534 / virus database 329 - release date 10/31/2003 .

From : speed

thanks for the helpful reply!!! ill change the hose and have a pressure test done but i sort of think the hose would be to easy so im sure it has to be the water pump gasket.. grrr.. .

From : richardson brian

could be the water pump pee-hole blew it is designed to do that if your engine gets too hot and pressure rises enough to blow it out. your water pump could have failed for other reasons and blown the pee-hole as well. you should be able to see if the fluid is coming from there by looking on the drivers side of the water pump itll look like its coming from around the gasket at about 4 or 5 oclock if you are facing the engine if memory serves and it is the same as the 5.9 i used to have. i replaced the water pump several times on that engine not a fun process but not horrible either. heres the problem there is anti-freeze all over the bottom of my motor. i can not pin point where the leak is coming from it seems to be coming from the passenger side of the motor near the top of the bottom radiator hose. im going to replace the hose and see what happens. it may also be coming from the bolt area directly behind the top of the bottom radiator hose. is that the water pump could it be a seal gone bad the over flow is empty but not the radiator. the radiator still maintains its proper level. which is confusing as all hell to me.. with the radiator cap off the anti-freeze seems to wave back and forth and raise to the top and start to flow over is this normal thanks for any help. .

From : tom lawrence

there is anti-freeze all over the bottom of my motor. i can not pin point where the leak is coming from it seems to be coming from the passenger side of the motor near the top of the bottom radiator hose. im going to replace the hose and see what happens. it may also be coming from the bolt area directly behind the top of the bottom radiator hose. is that the water pump could it be a seal gone bad the end of the lower radiator hose opposite the radiator is the water pump yes. the best way to identify a leak is to pressure-test the cooling system. check with a local auto parts store and see if they will loan/rent a radiator pressure tester. it hooks up in place of your radiator cap and has a small hand-pump like a bicycle pump to let you pressurize the system to normal or above normal pressures - normal is usually around 16psi. once its pressurized and youve cleaned up all the old coolant beforehand you can snoop around and try and find the leak. a common failure is the seal inside the water pump so that could very well be where your leak is coming from - gotta check it to be sure though. the over flow is empty but not the radiator. yeah - an empty radiator or even a radiator thats not completely filled is a bad thing - many a head has been warped because of a simple problem like this going unattended for too long. the radiator still maintains its proper level. which is confusing as all hell to me.. well you re-fill the overflow everytime you notice it empty right you have a small leak - not a gushing one. with the radiator cap off the anti-freeze seems to wave back and forth and raise to the top and start to flow over is this normal yes - because the system isnt supposed to run with the cap off the coolant is in constant motion being circulated through the engine radiator heater core and hoses by the water pump. thats the waviness. its also turning into steam inside the engine because a its getting hot and b the system is at normal atmospheric pressure because somebody left the cap off when the system is closed the cap allows pressure to build up again to about 16 psi which raises the boiling point of the water usually enough so that it doesnt boil. any excess pressure is relieved by the cap into the overflow tube hence the spring on the underside of the cap - thats the pressure regulator and into the overflow tank. when the system cools the partial vacuum created sucks the coolant in the overflow tank back into the radiator maintaining its level. .