fast coolant leak! diagnosis?

[ez at nova]

I drove my GN around Saturday, putting around through Valley Forge park actually, I hardly beat on it at all, maybe once for a few seconds. It was hot out so I kept the scanmaster showing the temp, and it never went above 190. I got home and parked, and the next day I opened the garage and the whole floor is covered in coolant! I looked and it is (was) a fast drip (a drip every 5 - 10 seconds) coming from somewhere around the pulleys behind the intercooler fan. What's the deal!? I was betting that the radiator got a hole, but that's not the case, as it's not coming form anywhere around there.
Water pump?? I don't think it's a head gasket since it's running fine and there's collant leaking fast, not bubbles in the reserve tank (that's now bone dry!)

Input is appreciated!
Thanks

 

[WarpSpeed]

"S" hose?



ps: I raced a WRX at Cecil earlier this year, ran a 13.3 on me. Surprised me how quick it was out of the hole and up to about the 1/8.

 

[ez at nova]

Hmm, maybe it is that, but I'm not thinking so. If what I'm thinking of is what you're talking about, it didn't look like it was coming from there... From what I could see around the clamp, it was still clamped on fine and it was dry.



warpspeed,
About the WRX, yeah it's a quick little bugger. Doesn't haul like the GN but it's great with the AWD. I just did some work on mine and gears 1-3 are scary quick, but it slows down a bit one I get into 4th. I expect to run just about 13.3

 

[WarpSpeed]

Yeah, I had my S hose spring a pin hole a couple years ago. It was tough to trace as it only pi$$ed a very fine stream off to the side, sorta. I suppose the water pump could have went. Can you tell if the weep hole underneath is wet?

 

[ez at nova]

hmm, hope I'm not showing my idiocy here, but I don't know what a weep hole is. I actually just had my Buick guy look at it, he glanced at it really quick and thought it was teh water pump, but he won't get to fool with it until Friday or so. Oh well, guess it's one of teh cheaper things that could go! Why does the car leak when the water pump goes though? I would think it would just....stop pumping water!

 

[WarpSpeed]

Well, the weep hole is underneath the "snout" of the pump. It's about a 1/4" hole,, you should be able to feel it, if you can reach it. That's where they usually leak, when the pump seal/bearing on the shaft goes.

 

[CanVan87GN]

Water pump

I would agree with Warspeed. My pump seal went a couple days ago and it left a puddle on the ground that was pretty big. I believe this "weep hole" is there so that the pressure doesn't build up causing more grief (I think)? Good luck

Shaun

 

[ez at nova]

Any estimates of what I should be paying to have this done? My guy always gives me great prices, but I was just wondering so I don't get sticker shock. Shouldn't be too much, right?

 

[CanVan87GN]

Cost

I believe the water pump is very inexpensive. I paid around $50.00 Canadian for it. When doing this though, it is a good time to clean out the front of the motor a bit and check for other leaks. Maybe even do the timing chain if need be, clean out the IC. If you just do the water pump, it is cheap