99 GA water pump leak??

[mike32526]

I have a 1999 Ga. I have noticed that my engine coolant is leaking out from under the car. My low coolant light comes on again like 2 days after i fill it up. it only leaks when the car is running or is warm/cooling down. Anyways it isn't the radiator because its coming from the back of the engine and dripping down were the oil pan/ transmisson is under the car...does anyone have an idea to what this might be. i'm not sure where the water pump is but i was thinking it may be that or maybe the hose that runs to the heater coils or possibly the thermostat. i'm just not sure. i've look behind the engine and seen water on the block under the headers but i can't see where its coming from. such a hard space to try to work in or even see.............any ideas anyone?
:???: :???: :???:

[Dargasonus]

the water pump is at the front left corner of your engine, im at college now so i can't point it out with a pic, but when mine was leaking, the coolant dripped down onto the splashguard on the bottom of the engine, and ran back, and came out at the back side of the engine. so that could be how it's getting back there.

[rixGAphx]

If it's on the back of the engine, I would very much suspect the heater hose connections at the heater (the damned thing is plastic, and the nipples crack) OR a blown head gasket.

STOP DRIVING before you cause VERY expensive damage to the engine.
Even if it is a head gasket, it's cheaper to fix now than if it gets worse.

Take it to a reputable mechanic, and get his thoughts and an estimate to identify the problem.

The fact that you're asking these questions leads me to believe that further DIY investigation is beyond your present abilities.
I would hate to see you ruin your engine with 'on-the-job-training' trying to discover the problem, and regardless of the problem, it's going to be beyond your repair capability (I don't have a 4-cyl, but I understand the waterpump is a very inaccessible and difficult R&R procedure).

Good luck.
-Rick

[mike32526]

Hey guys. i appreciate the two comments. I am kind of thinking it may be the heater hose now. i can't really get a good look though. I filled up the coolant today and turned the engine on and its still saying low coolant when the coolant is full. thats kinda of got me pondering :???: anyways i'm getting under the car tommorow to se eif i can hget a better look at where its coming from but its definately somewhere right under that heater hose where the rubber connects with the metal. i'll let ya know what i find out when i can take a look. thanks again for the replies. i appreciate it. - mike

[mike32526]

its the lower intake manifold gaskets i'm thinking. its right under the heater coil hose where the engine block is bulted to gether. there a little bit of water that pushes/seeps out like every second. is that the LIM gaskets?

[rixGAphx]

You don't have a LIM, nor a LIM gasket.
Only the V-6's, '94 and up, are blessed with those worthless contraptions.
LIM = Lower Intake Manifold.
UIM = Upper Intake Manifold.

God intended gasoline engines to have a simple, compact, one-piece aluminum manifold to carry air/fuel from the carburetor or throttle body to the cylinder head.
GM came up with the idiotic notion to cast this in two pieces for the V-6's.
Where the lower half bolts to the heads, the stresses are so great that they pull the bolted parts away from each other, and the gasket in between them leaks.

Therefore, LIM gasket failure.
Only GM V6's do this.

Ford made the manifold for its V6's out of one-piece plastic.
Their manifold itself just plain CRACKS :eek:.
* * *

Your 2.4 has a 'conventional' single-piece aluminum Intake Manifold.
It has a gasket between it and the head, and it CAN leak, but rarely does.
I *think* your Intake Manifold, as well as the Thottle Body and the rest of the intake system, is on the FRONT of the engine. Therefore, the exhaust is on the rear.
So if coolant is leaking there, it can NOT be your intake manifold.
But then, I don't have my book handy, nor any photos, so I don't know for sure where your intake manifold is.

I *think* what you describe is the horizontal line, where the head is bolted to the block.
This is the head gasket. It can 'blow', and leak coolant to the outside.
$$$ to replace, since everything on the 'front' of the engine (timing case and chains, waterpump, etc.) and the entire cylinderhead must be removed to get to it.

This is so extreme and $$$ that you should do a 'search' and find out all you can on this issue.
there are additional steps to perform to check for a blown gasket.

Good luck.
-Rick

[matts]

i've got the same problem right now as we speak on my 99 2.4. except it's my fiance's car, im 2 hours away from her, and she just told me that it ran hot for the first time. not "hot", but it's hotter than it normally runs.

i had her water pump replaced about a year ago im thinking. it's been leaking coolant, but everytime i try to see where it's coming from i can't find it. i do know that its not going in the engine, so that's a good thing.

i told her to carry it to my uncles shop and let him take a look at it. it very well could be one of the hoses and/or connections. but the car is so low to the ground i haven't really been able to get under it and expect it.

when i had the water pump replaced last time the chain tensioner went bad when they put it back in the car. cause when the cover was off he told me the chain was a bit wore (had about 100,000 miles on the car) so i had it replaced since the cover was off. he put the old hydraulic tensioner on and it started making a tapping noise. thankfully he took the car back apart, and replaced the tensioner and only charged me the cost of parts.

i just got off the phone with him and he said the chain shouldn't need to be replaced and the tensioner has about a 50/50 chance of losing prime and not working right this time.

if you find out what's wrong with it pretty quick go ahead and post up and i'll check that problem on my car. im HOPING it's not the water pump, but i just got taxes back and got some cash in the bank.......im sure it's gonna take it all :P

[adamD]

ok...the water pump is bolted to the back side of the engine and to the timing chain cover its hard to see cause its under the exaust manifold. coolant leaks can be a mofo to find with out a coolant system pressure tester. i think they have cheap ones at sears and you will need the special adaptor. i dont know if u can rent one. the water pump on the 2.4 is a bit treaky to change and if u have high milage u should change the timing chain to.but lets not jump to conclusions. u need to find the exact source. i highly doubt its a head gasket. check all the lines and around the pump. u can see it from under the car behind the transaxle.

[matts]

my uncle has a pressure tester. he told her to bring it by his shop monday and he would see if he could find what was wrong with it

[mike32526]

I have about a 100,000 on my engine.. i went and bout some liquid aluminum. haven't put it in yet b/c its been so damn cold here.

[adamD]

i wouldnt put that crap in my car unless it was like life or death..lol

[mike32526]

Oh man don't tell me that...I had High hopes for it. Is it bad or whats the deal with it??

[99 Pont GA SE]

Hope its not the water pump...Before I bought my GA, I looked at several others, including a lot of Twin-Cam 2.4's. My mechanic steered me away from them saying it's really expensive to replace the water pump cause of the position of the engine.

Good luck to ya!

[Prospeeder]

DO NOT use that aluminum ina bottle clog fixer garbage, your just asking for problems, it will just clog UP the system, get it fixed properly, dont do bandaid fixed, they can cause more damage then good!

[mike32526]

too late. i already put the sealer in and everything seems to be working great. No leaks. I don't care if its temporary or not. i'm looking at chevy tahoes at the moment anyways. but if it seals the leak forever then that good too. thanks for all the advice guys. i appreciate it