'85 TE - something started leaking

[thebartman]

I bought this car on a Wednesday.

They never told me it was made on a Friday 🤣🤣

So now I've got a new, properly affixed front bumper; re-vamped alternator that stays in place, all cooling/temp stuff sorted, fans working, etc.

so I thought I'd take her or a short but spirited journey on a sunny day.

Upon return, a trail of liquid on the tarmac appeared. After the engine cooled, leaking stopped. Smell/touch/taste (not XTC) eliminated oil. So now I have to discover where coolant may leak from (doesn't leak when static).

Could I get some advice/tips on how to diagnose in order I can, once again, adopt the Lotus position and fix.? For reference, the puddling upon my return seemed to follow the floor pan/under tray, but have not yet sourced the leak, which clearly has to have started from above 😞 

TIA,

 

[CarBuff]

Look CAREFULLY for 'coolant trails' that show leakage.  Often, a loose jubilee clasp will only leak when pressure builds in a warming cooling system (but not when the circulating coolant is fully warmed).

 

In the USA, you can often borrow cooling system pressure testers from auto parts stores, for free (after a deposit). Using the pressure tester decreases the amount of time spent in the Lotus Position.

 

Pay attention to hoses clamped to aluminum components, like the pipe that go through the backbone chassis.  These get 'bumpy' when they corrode, and will not seal well, unless you coat them with non-hardening Hylomar Blue.

[Sparky]

From engine end?  If so, +1 for chassis pipes.  Drop the tray, get the car in the air, you'll find it soon enough.

[thebartman]

Thanks @CarBuff & @Sparky

[Sparky]

Always happy to depress a fellow owner.

[eeyoreish]

Chassis pipes, hmm...☹️

Did those on my Stevens car a while ago. At least they come out from the front so it was possible with the engine in. Not sure if the G cars are the same? Most importantly on mine it turns out that the slight bend in the length of the pipes is important, which I didn't discover until the new ones were in and I couldn't get the gear translator back in! The new SJ pipes were supplied straight...

 

[910Esprit]

1 hour ago, eeyoreish said:

Not sure if the G cars are the same?

Well it all depends!   Main coolant pipes only from the front.   Heater pipes also 'doable' from the rear (with the engine in), but some finagling required.     

Also check the 'tell tale'  (The small hole under the water pump).

[ChrisJ]

I had a very similar issue - turned out to be a pinhole leak in one of the very short rubber connecting pipes. Only opened up when warm. There were two of them. I'm looking at the parts manual on here - section 46 - Could have been any of the really short pipes.

[Chillidoggy]

Best to be on the on the safe side and change all the coolant hoses just to be sure. 

[Sparky]

And the head gasket.

[andydclements]

I do hope that @Sparky & @Chillidoggy don't volunteer to staff phone lines for Samaritans, those cheery soles wouldn't really dissuade anybody from looking at the worst possible outcomes.

p.s. I don't have any cheery message either. 

[Sparky]

3 suicides during my last stint at the Samaritans.  And 1 of them was a wrong number.

[Chillidoggy]

18 minutes ago, Sparky said:

3 suicides during my last stint at the Samaritans.  And 1 of them was a wrong number.

Outstanding!

[thebartman]

In the image - the pin-hole has clearly been weeping at some point (red circle) but the coolant seems to be coming from the water pump/gasket (yellow circle) - I can't pinpoint the location exactly as everything is (obviously) in the way. 

What does the pinhole do/show ?

I'll order a gasket - presumably a tricky job 🤔

If all else fails - I'll just have to have a go at the glovebox 

 

 

[Sparky]

If the water pump relief hole isn't showing signs of active leaking, don't worry about it.  They can occasionally weep during extended periods of rest, then seal themselves during regular running.

Make absolutely sure the 2 hoses above aren't leaking.  Likewise the thermostat gasket.  You really don't want to be removing the pump unnecessarily!

[Sparky]

Whoops, ignore the thermostat comment!  Just remembered what you're driving.

[Chillidoggy]

That looks like a fun job. It's at times like these that you wish you had an eye on the end of a finger. Get a skip load of expletives ready!

[andydclements]

Phew, for a moment there I thought both doom-sayers were going to sound 100% up-beat on this.

 

@Sparky, don't you even wish to comment on the copious amounts of what appears to be black silicone RTV that mush have been used (and so risks breaking free into the oil)?

[Sparky]

Dammit, I missed that!  That car could spontaneously combust at any moment.  Julian, park the car in a steel container and never approach it again.  It's for your own good.

[Chillidoggy]

 I was going to mention the RTV but thankfully checked myself in time. I don’t want to get a reputation as a doom-monger.

[snowrx]

I'll monger some doom-

[Sparky]

Oooooh, I love a double portion of doom.

Prolific RTV users should hunted down and fed some.

[thebartman]

Thanks to all,  

As always, from many special "Forum-contributors", I am now beleagured/inundated with useful information and associated tips-'n-trix, for which I can only thank you, as I continue my apprenticeship  😉  🙂 

Now the car is SORN'd - I can get to this issue - and move on with the A/C project and heater matrix revival.

All I need is some dry weather, a following wind, some bolt-loosening-shrinking sparkles, a version of the infinite-improbability-ancilliary-remover, good luck, replacement knuckles etc. etc. Oh!, and  suitable working replacement part(s). (I already have way more expletives than is good for one person ... )

On a slightly more practical note - where is the best place to get the pump refurbished, or are there any newer/aftermarket replacements ? and what about gaskets?

As always - TIA 

 

 

 

[Sparky]

PNM.  That is all.

[thebartman]

Had an attempt to get to grips with this - after reading/studying various threads on the matter.

Wow !! I can't believe how little access there is - but at least I have confirmed that the leak is from the weep hole on the water pump (and leaks whilst just stood there)

I can't see any way this can be removed w/o engine out (due to my skill level/knowledge/facilities) as there is so much other stuff in the way which I would prefer not to disturb - so the next step is to find a cost effective way of getting the car to someone who can 😞  

I guess sometimes there are jobs that are beyond individual capabilities ...