small antifreeze leak
 

Hi all,

This is my first post... and my first Vette - a 91 automatic w/74000 miles on it that I bought about 1 mth ago. I'm no handyman when it comes to car engines, so I plan on turning things over to a mechanic when the going gets tough...

I first noticed a few small drops of antifreeze in my garage about 2 weeks ago. Brought it immediatley to the garage and told them to check hoses/belts. They said hoses/belts were fine and the problem was the radiator cap so they installed a new one. This seemed to work, until today I noticed a few drops in the garage again! It runs a little hot when in traffic, and although it's been hot here in Charleston, SC, I haven't been running the AC much (gas is MUCH more expensive when you put in the good stuff!).

So, any thoughts as to what it might be and what I should do next? I know this may be indicitive of everything/nothing, but I'm curious as to what others think...

Thanks!

RE: small antifreeze leak
 

maybe a little overflow? I know first hand how hot it is there. On my wedding day we spent to much time at the local pud (the Griffin) and was running a half hour late! My vette got me there in time for the walk. car was running hot and shedding a little overflow from reserve. She cooled down soon ( the vette, not wife) for the race back to the hotel for the honeymoon:D

RE: small antifreeze leak
 

Thanks eggbutt... Charleston is great but everything sure does get hot (the Vette, the weather, the wife...). Should I just keep checking the garage for spots and check the levels to ensure I'm not hemmoraging antifreeze?

RE: small antifreeze leak
 

Where is the drop hitting the floor in relation to the engine. May be leaking from the weap holes on the waterpump if the pump is going out. Keep an eye on it what ever you do. These cars run hot enough as it is(197-230) and with loss of coolant can over heat quick. Good luck, Cheers

RE: small antifreeze leak
 

Could be several things. Water pump seal, radiator, heater control valve. Have you noticed the proximity of the leak in respect to your car?

RE: small antifreeze leak
 

Thanks for all the replies... the drop was very small and if I drew a picture of the hood, it would be close to the middle, maybe a little bit towards the passenger side. It has not leaked since that day it got real hot, so I'm hoping that maybe it was just a little overflow and that it's not related to the water pump. The car only has 74700 miles on it, so I'm hoping the water pump isn't going. Could it just be related to the engine getting too hot and a little overflow collant came out??? I hope???

Thanks!

RE: small antifreeze leak
 

[X(]Theres a small hose near the oil filter that keeps the oil cool. There may be a pinhole in that hose.

RE: small antifreeze leak
 

Hi again all,

About a month ago I was having a problem with a little coolant leaking. Well, it doesn't happen often, but it's still leaking a little from time to time. This time, I have pix (please see below).

Background: 1991 with 76,000 miles on it. I've had belts and hoses checked, radiator cap replaced, and clamp on lower radiator hose adjusted. I can't see where the leak is originating from looking from the top or bottom, but maybe from these pix you all can help. It's not running particularly hot, and there's still plenty of coolant left in the resevoir. Any thoughts????
Thanks!
Mike

RE: small antifreeze leak
 

This is really strange. Did they show you leakage indications coming out from under the radiator cap? Of course not!!! Ya' gotta ask questions dude. "How is a new cap gonna' stop my leak that's not there?"

This is what the consumers do - not the mechanics... buy new parts to toss at the problem, and hope it works. "Seems to be better...".

NO, it ain't NO BETTER, and you didn't hit the jackpot. Keep your fully automatic assault wallet in your pocket!!![sm=shootshoot.gif][sm=violent053.gif]

I'd get the $$$ back from that mechanic, and go elsewhere.


Your leak is between the intake manifold and the cylinder head.

RE: small antifreeze leak
 

hello my vette had this same promblem, started off a small leak and became a big problem. i found out in the early 90's chevy didnt plain the block very well and this can caues problems later. my vette decided to leak between the block and the head. hope this is not the issue but it may be somthing to check out. i ruined one of my pistons because of this.

RE: small antifreeze leak
 

Jordan,
Any advice as to how to check this out before it becomes a big problem? What exactly was leaking?I would like to try to avoid ruining one of my pistons if possible... it's been pressure tested twice and the garage still can't find the leak! (This is a different garage than the one that replaced the radiator cap... long story but I ain't going there anymore).
Thanks for any advice...

RE: small antifreeze leak
 

i wish i had great advice, my garage had to basically pull my car apart before they found the issue at hand, and mine was in the big problem stage. it is a hard problem to diagnose. i feel the best advice i have is to have them run the car untill the can physically track the leak. i know it is a pain but mine ended up in a enginerebuild. hope you can track this down.

RE: small antifreeze leak
 

Has the system been pressure tested? I'd like to think so and that this is also how they found your defective cap. Even so, leaks can sometimes be tricky to run down when they're not constant. The cap may or may not have been contributing to the problem. But if it didn't hold it's proper pressure (or any) it was correct to replace it. Having worked on everything from car engines to 16 litre diesels, I can tell you that cooling system problems in general and even things seemingly as simple as a leak, still can sometimes present quite the challenge. Such problems can be the kind that separate a real technician from a parts replacer. And the difficulty of seeing certain areas on these cars doesn't make it any easier. Hopefully you're in good hands. A methodical approach will eventually find the source.

RE: small antifreeze leak
 

Thanks much to everyone for advice/comments.
C4 ownership is a privilege and a responsibility - I'm learning!

Picked it up today from the shop, and here's the latest:
-They have done pressure tests and looked at it over a two day period but can't find the leak.
- It's not leaking consistently, it's not getting hotter than normal, and the leak is so small that the reservoir has plenty of coolant in it.

Mechanic suggested I keep an eye on it and when it starts leaking more consistently they would find it. He thinks it might be the water pump. I trust this guy (he came on a recommendation and hasn't charged me a dime). Still, I worry that if I wait, it'll be something very serious (see Jordan's post).

So, is it something I can keep an eye on and take back in when it leaks more than once every 10 days~2 weeks, or should I take it somewhere else and let them take everything apart to find the leak now? Any thoughts?
Thanks again...
Mike