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 Post subject: Car Question
PostPosted: Sun 11-26-2006 8:32PM 
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Gear heads, see if you can figure this out:

My Jeep has begun to leak antifreeze. The leak seems to be near where the lower radiator hose meets the water pump.

The strange thing is, it only leaks sporadically. It started yesterday back in Joplin. I made about a 5 mile drive to Wal-Mart, and when I came out there was about a quart of antifreeze.

I drove it the 5 miles back to my girlfriend's house and me and her dad looked over it. Not a drop was coming out anywhere. I made about 3 more trips that day for a total of around 15 miles, and I checked every time for leaks, finding nothing.

This morning, I come out to find about a pint of antifreeze under my car, coming from the same spot. I lopped off a portion of the hose where it meets the water pump, hoping that would fix it. I drove for about 5 miles and found no fluid leaking.

Then, I made the ~170 mile drive from Joplin to Rolla, and when I got here, I found it to be leaking from the exact same spot. But, the whole drive here, my temperature stayed pretty much where it always is while driving on the highway. This leads me to believe that it only leaks when I've stopped the car, rather than while it's operating.

So, I think I need to replace my water pump. Does anyone else have any other possible ideas? Mybe my thermostat is sticking? Would that cause a leak? Does anyone think the powdered radiator sealent would fix it?

Edit: I forgot to mention that about an hour before the leak began, I had replaced the heater valve (or whatever the hell it's called; it's the valving that runs coolant to the heater core). But, as the valve is on the upper, rear passenger side, and the leak is on the front, lower, driver side, I'm don't know that it would be part of the problem.

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PostPosted: Sun 11-26-2006 9:51PM 
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I had a similar problem, after 3 years I finally got around to putting the AC condenser back on my truck and that caused it to get much hotter during the summer. It would leak sporadically and I couldnt really find out where it was from until I let it idle for a long time and just watched it when the temp got up to around 240. Turns out it was swelling out of the reservoir, but only when the temp got hot enough.
Long story short, eventually found out it was because of the radiator cap. I had used an old one that didnt seal right with the corvette radiator, so it didnt pressurize the system, and when it got hot, would just blow right through the overflow hose and fill up the reservoir and overflow, then go right back down within a minute.

If there is a chance that the fluid is running down to that lower hose from the reservoir, I would check your radiator cap. Also doublecheck your hose clamps, make sure they are good and tight, but not crushed.

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PostPosted: Mon 11-27-2006 11:18AM 
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If you're leaking antifreeze from where the hose meets the pump, you need to change the hose. They get old and they have to be changed periodically. If you get the hose off and the pump outlet is severly corroded, sometimes you can put a light coating of Permatex within the inner edge of the replacement hose to get a better seal. If you suspect your thermostat is stuck, bring the engine to operating temperature (hot) and feel the upper radiator hose. If it's plenty hot, you know the thermostat has opened and coolant is flowing through it (that's good). Watch out for the fan. The heater valve will not affect the problem. The only possible error you could have made was to install it backwards; this will only affect coolant flow into the heater core.

Do not use radiator stop-leak products, or any stop-leak products for that matter. Anyone who disagrees with this comment is foolish.


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PostPosted: Mon 11-27-2006 12:39PM 
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jeff wrote:
Do not use radiator stop-leak products, or any stop-leak products for that matter. Anyone who disagrees with this comment is foolish.


Exactly, you're just masking a problem with a quick fix. the feeling of the upper coolant hose is a good idea. You may have a leak somewhere in the system causing it to leak out when pressure is built up again. Can you not pinpoint EACTLY where the leak is.....clear up the area really really well then warm up the car and turn it off. Stick your head under the car and wait.....if you can pinpoint the place it could be an easy fix. The water pump gasket may be out.

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PostPosted: Mon 11-27-2006 1:17PM 
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jeff wrote:
If you're leaking antifreeze from where the hose meets the pump, you need to change the hose. They get old and they have to be changed periodically. If you get the hose off and the pump outlet is severly corroded, sometimes you can put a light coating of Permatex within the inner edge of the replacement hose to get a better seal. If you suspect your thermostat is stuck, bring the engine to operating temperature (hot) and feel the upper radiator hose. If it's plenty hot, you know the thermostat has opened and coolant is flowing through it (that's good). Watch out for the fan. The heater valve will not affect the problem. The only possible error you could have made was to install it backwards; this will only affect coolant flow into the heater core.

Do not use radiator stop-leak products, or any stop-leak products for that matter. Anyone who disagrees with this comment is foolish.


Yeah, I've heard the stop-leak products suck, but I've never used them myself and wanted some feedback.

The thermostat is probably not stuck, as my upper radiator hose gets plenty hot as the car runs.

I'm just curious if anyone has any ideas why it would only leak when the car is off, and (usually) only for a short time. Any time I start it up and start running it, the leak stops. I would think that if it's a hose or gasket problem, it would leak worse with the engine running.

I'll probably replacing the hose tonight to see if that stops it, but I can't see anywhere along the hose that looks corroded at all, and the leak seems to be coming from a point above the hose clamp. I know the hose clamp is plenty tight, so I don't think the hose itself is the problem.

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PostPosted: Mon 11-27-2006 1:21PM 
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When you have a seeping leak like this, it's actually quite common for it to only happen when the car sits. When the engine is running, coolant is constantly running through the engine and doesn't have time to find and seep through dried hoses. Only when the car sits for a while does the coolant have time to settle and seep through.


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PostPosted: Wed 11-29-2006 10:00AM 
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WATER PUMP BEARINGS! they go bad and you just have to replace the waterpump. look just a little further up the bottom radiator hose, you should see a hole in the waterpump with TADA ! radiator fluid leaking out. while your driving.... usually fine, whne you stop though.... it can pour out. just check it. i actually have an extra bottom hose around here somewhere.... might be in kc though now that i can think about it.


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PostPosted: Wed 11-29-2006 5:09PM 
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love2mud wrote:
WATER PUMP BEARINGS! they go bad and you just have to replace the waterpump. look just a little further up the bottom radiator hose, you should see a hole in the waterpump with TADA ! radiator fluid leaking out. while your driving.... usually fine, whne you stop though.... it can pour out. just check it. i actually have an extra bottom hose around here somewhere.... might be in kc though now that i can think about it.


Give this man a prize, because that's exactly what it was.

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PostPosted: Wed 11-29-2006 6:22PM 
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i found a different solution based on your original post...

make friends every 5 miles from here to joplin so you can stop & cool down.

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PostPosted: Wed 11-29-2006 8:19PM 
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did you replace it?


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PostPosted: Wed 11-29-2006 9:08PM 
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love2mud wrote:
did you replace it?


Indeed.

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