coolant leak

The past couple of day's I've been smelling coolant. Knowing that I replaced 90% the coolant hoses last May, my mind say's, damn must be the heater core.

 

Well today when I shut the car off in the parking lot, I see a flume of smoke from the driveside rear of the hood.

 

Grab a flashlight, pop the hood, the fire wall is dry where the heater hoses are...I look under the tmic as best I can...nothing there.

 

Check the radiator hoses, dry...

 

Think to myself, ok, where are the known leaks..."top of the turbo"...sure enough, looks like the oem hose clamp is high on the hose where it mounts to the turbo...could I have not put that all the way down last May... grab the hose, yep, it slides up/down, and drips.

 

I use my thumb and index fingure, squeeze the clamp and move it down...I'll be changing the clamp today. In between the rain storms.

 

Just want to say thanks to this forum, I had a clue where to look.

Both my upper and lower turbo hoses were leaking after my motor haul.

 

I didn't replace the hoses. Instead I used a worm clamp.

I just walked over the Maintenance dept and got a couple of hose clamps. I'll throw one on before I drive home.

guess what, it was my fault, here's the proof. That clamp on the coolant hose was in the same place, today. Amazing, I didn't notice a leak sooner.

 

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x40/92Si/DSCN4783.jpg

guess what, again today a flume of coolant smoke came out from under the hood, now it was more up front than in the back.

 

I'll have to look more tonight when I get home...I wonder if the radiator is finally going ?

Anytime you use a new hose and are using worm clamps you have to retighten them after a few days... Weeks.... The rubber softens some, clamps lose tension, and tend to leak... Just something worth checking.

Thanks. I'll re-tighten them all.

 

When I got home last night, no smoke flume, no coolant smell on the drive.

I had to tighten down the one I used on my oil return line at least twice, but Im pretty paranoid since all the work I did. and then theres the fuel line ones, had to tighten them again too.. at least I angled them all so I can get to them without removing anything

I think I finally fixed it today. While changing the tranny fluid, I noticed coolant on the AVO steering brace.

So I got a bight light, looked over the tranny, it was dry, looked up saw everything on the back of the block was dry.

Looked up under the oil pan and saw some moisture, looked further forward and found the hose from the cross over tube to the water pump was not fully seated.

 

It is now and I moved the clamp so it's on fresh hose.

 

Hopefully that is the final time to chase that leak.

 

While under there I noticed one of the chassis grounds was broke. I'll make up a new one tomorrow at work. I should make up two and change both of them out.

 

I also cut the bottom of the heat shield on the right exhaust manifold off. It was rattling form time to time. I didn't want to remove the O2 sensor, so I got the right angle cut off wheel, removed the bolts and slide the bottom piece back and cut it so I could remove it over the O2 wire.

 

I left the top of the shield on so it will keep some heat from the oil cooler.

Well after shutting the car in the parking lot at work, that pesky flume of coolant smoke is still there.

 

I wonder if it's the water pump ?

 

When I pull the plastic bottom cover to replace the ground cables I'll have to look up further and see what's up...

Man this sucks. Do you have any idea how much you're leaking?

Very slow, a few drops, there's no coolant on the ground. The lower engine cover had some in it, but nothing that would dump out, just moist.

 

The pump was new when I did the shortblock 20,000 miles ago.

 

It was in the Gates kit.

Probably not your issue here, but I would consider replacing the coolant hose for your turbo. Mine wasn't noticeably leaking coolant, but it was sucking in air slowly. That resulted in coolant overflowing the overflow tank. My coolant hose was kinda spongy, too.

 

It gave me a scare the first time my overflow tank overflowed. I thought my water pump had blown a gasket. I, too, had just put on a Gates water pump. I used the Subaru gasket though. I accidentally dropped the Gates felt gasket in my Muck Bucket.

I think I replaced that hose last May when I did the short block and replaced a bunch of coolant lines.

 

I'm pretty sure it's the water pump now. It seems to be dripping and putting out more smoke when it hits the crossover pipe for the exhaust.

 

Guess I'll have to drive the Spec B more this week.

I had two leaks when i did my swap. one was the radiator overflow (fixed with new hose and worm clamp) second was driver side under/behind the intake not sure if i just forgot to connect hose or tighten clamp.

 

good luck and hope its a simple fix.

Best thing to do is put it on jacks and let the car run until you start seeing the leaks. It could also be a water pump gasket leak or thermo leak, the only way to tell is to sit there and watch it.

Best thing to do is put it on jacks and let the car run until you start seeing the leaks. It could also be a water pump gasket leak or thermo leak, the only way to tell is to sit there and watch it.

 

That's tomorrow night plan.

 

I did email my parts guy at the dealers and he's a water pump for me with gasket and t-stat gasket.

Well, after about 5 minutes coolant began to drip down the front of the block onto the oil pan rail above the t-stat.

 

So now I need to decide if I want to mess with it or pay the man...I did pick up the OEM pump and gasket's today.

I wonder if your gates pump went the same way as mine, either way, good luck with it.

Well all fixed.

 

Friday on my way home I stopped by my trusted mechanic, told him the wagon has a coolant leak, I think its the water pump. There's a new OEM water and gaskets on the front seat, I'll drop the car Saturday.

 

He said he's busy Monday and Tuesday, but Wednesday looks good.

 

Well it's Tuesday, he called at 11:30, said the cars all done. "It was the water pump", they saved the tensioner. Took his guy right at 3 hours. That's what I figured it would take.

 

I'll pick it up on my way home and come back and get the Spec after dinner.

What was leaking on the water pump? Was it the pump housing itself or the gasket?

I'll find out in a few hours when I see the old part and talk to him, but I'm thinking it was the pump seal.

 

It was a Gates pump, a few other guy's on here have had problems with them too.

Hey Max Capacity you seem to know pretty much everything about these engines, do you know by chance the size/part number of the coolant hose on the right of the picture the one that bends around and has the wrinkled foil wrap on it? Mine seems to be leaking if I squeeze the clamp with engine running, and I have been having it burn off the up pipe for a couple weeks now.

You should be able to find the part number here,

 

http://opposedforces.com/parts/legacy/us_b13/type_7/intake_and_supply_system_turbocharger/turbo_charger/

Awesome thank you its #1 in the diagram