Coolant on Driver's Side Control Arm

[sixsixtwo]

I just recently finished a stock rebuild on a 97 GSX that I picked up. Everything is running fine, I'm just trying to track down a coolant leak and I can't quite put my finger on it. Most of the coolant is showing up on the driver's side control arm (obviously it's not leaking from the control arm!). The back of the block is bone dry, so it's not coming from above. Any ideas on where it could be coming from? I was thinking from inside the timing cover, but I honestly can't recall where there would be coolant flowing through there, and my timing belt is completely dry. Only other thing I could think of would be coolant leaking somehow from the filter housing? Maybe the water pipe?

Any comments are appreciated /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

dan

 

[14u2nV]

Water pump

 

+1 water pump or maybe the cooler attached to oil filter housing (that actually might be too far forward)

 

[fivestardsm]

Take the top belt cover off and see if it is wet at all inside the cover. Usually I have found that when the pump does go bad, it will seep into the T-belt cover.

It "could" also be the headgasket, but not as likely tho. I have had one leak right on the back side of the t-belt cover on the corner of the head.

 

[JNR]

Check your coolant overflow first (level), since the hose comes down near that area. I don't know how much we're talking about though, so that may not be it; although easy enough to check and the old addage of "check the obvious first" sure saves a lot of grief, lol

 

[grocery_getter]

JNR, on the 97GSX, the coolant reservoir is on the pass side, not driver side.

 

[JNR]

I guess I should read a little better then /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif (assuming galant)..So, scratch that off your list, lol.

 

[Armitage]

On our "1Gs", the oil filter housing is water cooled and fed by two small rubber hoses. These are prone to leak over time especially since they only have the clip-type hose clamps. Dunno if that applies to your 97 though.

 

Maybe one of the radiator hoses is loose, or the petcock on the bottom of the radiator isn't closed.

 

[sixsixtwo]

I replaced all of those hoses when I rebuilt the engine, but I will double check and see if any of those clamps are loose. Definitely going to check the water-pipe/o-ring, as those are my best guess right now. There isn't anything inside the lower timing cover that would leak coolant is there?

Thanks for all the responses!

 

[insane92]

Ya, water pump.

 

[Kenny_Kline]

Take the timing cover off and there is a good chance you will find your leak. If not there, then its coming from the oil filter coolant hoses (which I think are to low and out of the way to drip on your control arm).

Pull the cover and report back here with your findings.

 

[4nmscle]

sounds like the o-ring on the water pipe

 

[Dialcaliper]

Check your coolant reservoir level to make sure it isn't overflowing. Pop it open and make sure the straw is still attached to the cap. If it isn't, coolant will keep being sent into the reservoir by your cooling system pressure, but won't be sucked back into the radiator, and eventually it will start spilling out the overflow tube, which is right in the area on the driver's side that you are describing. The overflow is just a short tube that drains coolant onto the fenderwell near the tank, where it can spill out onto the road.

 

[turbowop]

OMG, Dialcaliper's reading comprehension pwns him. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowrofl.gif

He's talking about a 2g.

Sorry, you always post such good information, catching you on this one couldn't go without saying something. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jepherz]

Not only that, but JNR already double clarified that.

PWND*2