coolant leak, overheating

[Cmnky16]

The car has been reaching the line on the upper side of "normal" operating temp for a few months. It took a while to get hot and would cool of if I was driving above 35 mph. I had the coolant flushed and changed the thermistat. It was still running hot. Yesterday, the low coolant light came on. I noticed a puddle of coolant under the car after parking it. It drips steadily from the passenger side, just to the right of the idler pully. It seems to be coming from the head gasket. I searched the site this morning and many people instantly suggest LIM for coolant leaks, but I have NO coolant in my oil and most of the LIM leaks I have seen on here come from the drivers side. How could I pin point the problem and approx. how much would head gaskets cost to get replaced.

[tenspeed]

I'm no V6 expert but I'd be checking out that water pump real good before I tried to replace the headgasket.

[Cmnky16]

The water pump is completely dry. That was what I first thought it was, but there is not liquid at all around the water pump and the coolant leaks very steadily.

[nice96gt]

If you have checked everywhere possible and have ruled out the LIM, waterpump, heatercore, hoses or cap, then I would have a look at it being the timing chain cover. I had a leak there and that's exactly the area that you are discribing. It's not very common but it can happen.

[Cmnky16]

How hard was it to fix?, how much if you don't mind? It is just a coolant leak and the coolant is running down from above the drive pulley. I couldn't see very well. I haven't ruled out LIM or head gaskets.

[mikem220153]

I had a similar leak on my 97. I finally found it to be the coming from one of the nipples on the coolant tank for the bypass hoses. These are the 2 smaller hoses on the top of the tank and it would only leak after the car was turned off and set for a while.

[Cmnky16]

Mine leakes while running. You can not even see the moisture from the top of the engine. I saw it coming down the side below the alternator through the wheel well.

[nice96gt]

I didn't change it. Probably could have but I let someone else get dirty. Cost me about $800 CAD. so that would be around $650 or 700 USD. That is if it's the LIM. I'd take it in, have someone check it out for ya. You will probably have to remove the alternator to get a good look at where it is leaking from. That's what we had to do to mine to figure out that the timing chain/crank case cover was leaking around the gasket. You will probably have to do the same for the LIM. I would triple check all hoses first though and make sure that the WP isn't leaking. That seems to be your area. Is it where is the highest point on the motor that you can see the leak?

Here is the area where mine was leaking from the timing chain cover. This is reall all I could see from up top. Hopfully it's just a hose...:( http://www.gaownersclub.com/forum/attachment.php?s=&postid=370764

[Cmnky16]

That looks close, i'll have to look again.

[Cmnky16]

so it was your LIM leaking? I am confused. You timing chain cover is leaking or you LIM is leaking at the timing chain cover. Mine was leaking from this exact place, I watch liquid coming down.

[Cmnky16]

After reading again, I'm pretty sure you Timing chain cover was leaking, but the way you said that it would cost me $650-$700 if it is the LIM lead me to believe you had a leak fixed in your LIM gasket. The $650-$700 was for timing chain cover right??

[Cmnky16]

closeup

[Cmnky16]

BTW it looks like my motor mount is missing a nut. Is that bad??

[nice96gt]

Sorry I haven't seen this post at all. I haven't been on much lately. The pic of the leak I posted was from the timing chain cover. I ended up haveing both the timing chain cover and the LIM leak at the same damn time. I was very lucky :mad:

I had the "leak" fixed which was thought to be just the LIM which cost $600-700. But then a week later I still had a leak and it turned out to be the timing chain cover also.

As for the bolt...uh yeah it looks like yours has been snapped off :???: