Coolant leak

"Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car" (pilot-and-car-guy) 04/01/2015 at 12:52 • Filed to: None

0

17

I'm leaking coolant. I think it's coming from the water pump seal. It's a very slow leak, making 6~8 inch puddles after 12~36 hours of sitting.

The car is not overheating, mixing oil and coolant, or burning coolant.

Any ideas besides replacing the seal?

To get to the water pump you have to jack up the engine, remove the motor mount, and remove the head. So I'd like to avoid that if possible.

Car is my 1998 Nissan Sentra GXE 1.6L I4 with 5-speed stick.

deekster_caddy > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/01/2015 at 13:03

0

Can you replace just the seal? Most water pumps the seal can't be replaced without removing the shaft, or pressing off the drive pulley from the shaft. Found a pic of your pump on rockauto, let's see if it shows:

I don't know how you would replace the seal without being able to press that drive flange off.

edit: here's the back of the pump, without a press I don't see you getting the impeller off either. The pump itself is cheap, if you are going to get far enough in there to pull a seal off it you might as well replace the whole thing.

Mattbob > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/01/2015 at 13:09

1

check to make sure it isn't coming from the vent hole for the water pump bearing if there is one. I have had this happen. If it is the case you need a new water pump too. Under no circumstances will you ever run stopleak in your coolant system. I don't say you "shouldn't" I say you "will not," because you are better than that.

This reminds me of a funny anecdote. I went to a local autozone to buy brake fluid to diagnose a brake leak. They guy behind the counter told me they had stopleak in the back. After giving him a dirty look and telling him that stopleak is always a bad idea(and honestly, in a brake system? wtf?), he proceeded to tell me "oh yeah, I had to spend $800 because stopleak ruined my radiator." My inner voice is screaming "THEN WHY WOULD YOU SUGGEST IT???" I just said "that sucks" and walked out with my brake fluid.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > deekster_caddy 04/01/2015 at 13:23

0

I guess I'll have to then. Any temporary ideas?

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > Mattbob 04/01/2015 at 13:24

1

I may or may not have already tried alumaseal

Mattbob > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/01/2015 at 14:09

1

*facepalm* good luck...

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > Mattbob 04/01/2015 at 14:17

1

Why?

What is the likelihood of damage? What sort of damage?

Mattbob > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/01/2015 at 14:25

3

products like that have been known to not only clog leaks, but also coolant passages, radiators, and heater cores. Kind of makes sense, it is designed to clog up stuff. They are bad news. I'm sure people from oppo have horror stories. I'll share this to get some more input.. Any stories out there?

crowmolly > Mattbob 04/01/2015 at 14:40

1

Depends on how long you plan to keep the car. If you need it to get you to work because you REALLY can't afford to miss a day for a short while, OK. But it's not a good long term solution at all.

I had a co-worker use it and he got some extra time out of an old van. Maybe a few months. Then he junked it.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/01/2015 at 14:42

0

I'm getting some rtv today wanna borrow it if i have any left? I have an oil leak coming from my low oil sensor fitting. I'm gonna rtv it until i can afford the $90 part

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > crowmolly 04/01/2015 at 14:50

0

This will be my only car for at least the next year and a half. I'm an idiot I guess.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 04/01/2015 at 14:51

0

Not sure if I want to take everything apart for only a temporary fix, especially give a new water pump is like $40.

crowmolly > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/01/2015 at 14:53

0

Nah, don't take it that far. Each application is different. ONE application of the stuff is not a good idea but is not god awful. Every further application can really be bad news.

When you end up changing the WP, do a good coolant flush and that may clean some of it out.

Did it make any difference in the leak?

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > crowmolly 04/01/2015 at 14:56

0

It seems to have slowed it down a (very) little. I still need to do a proper replacement I guess. I'm not looking forward to taking half (I exaggerate a bit) the engine apart for a simple little pump.

deekster_caddy > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/01/2015 at 14:57

0

When it's that far deep just to get to the thing... just replace it.

Temporary fix - the only additive I've ever been 'okay' with is "Bar's Leak" but even then I really don't like stop-leak additives. They never seem to go where they are needed and just fuck up your heater core down the road.

How often do you need to add coolant? Honestly just keeping the reservoir topped off until you can get to it is good.

Another thing though - not sure if these water pumps are like that (timing belt driven I assume?), but most water pumps have a 'weep hole' built in underneath the shaft, outside of inner bearing. If coolant starts to leak from the weep hole, you know the bearing is about to fail. It's a preemptive warning so you have a(n intentional) small leak instead of a big one...

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > deekster_caddy 04/01/2015 at 14:59

0

Not sure. I can't get a good look at it. I need to add between one and two quarts a month right now. I might just leave it until it dies on me but then it will likely take out the alternator. Not sure yet.

crowmolly > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/01/2015 at 15:01

0

I don't see in any of the writeups where it says the head has to come off.

This is for a '97:

http://www.autozone.com/repairinfo/rep…

http://www.2carpros.com/questions/1997…

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > crowmolly 04/01/2015 at 16:11

0

Huh. I guess I might have to do that then.