Elusive Water leak

[janschutz]

I am trying to find a leak. Since I built the engine, I have always lost water. The radiator had a small leak and when I replaced it, I still had a leak. Turned out there was a bad weld in the new radiator. New Radiator then wreck then another radiator leaky water pump, ...

The leak seems to be getting worse. I saw a wet spot on the driveway under the front driver side of the engine. I can not tell where it is coming from. Thoughts?

wet spot under the fuel pump, not gas, smells like anti freeze.

Looks like I am leaking oil from the intake.

And a gas leak from the carb

Looks like I have a lot of work to do.

 

[AzPete]

Clean the engine, dry it, and sprinkle baby powder or like product where you think the leak is tracking thru. Follow path up to leak. I would guess timing chain cover/water pump area.

 

[SAC69]

Clean the engine, dry it, and sprinkle baby powder or like product where you think the leak is tracking thru. Follow path up to leak. I would guess timing chain cover/water pump area.

+1, a friend's had a slow leak that we traced to one slightly-loose bolt at the 3:00 poistion on the pump, it was a long bolt that also went through the timing cover into the block. Check you pump/cover bolts for snugness.

Run your hand under the hoses too and check for seepage at the clamps.

 

[janschutz]

+1, a friend's had a slow leak that we traced to one slightly-loose bolt at the 3:00 position on the pump, it was a long bolt that also went through the timing cover into the block. Check you pump/cover bolts for snugness.

Run your hand under the hoses too and check for seepage at the clamps.

I think I had the same issue. A lot of the bolts were loose on the water pump. I tightened them this morning and so far, no drips. I need to re-clean the engine bay and then look again for signs of leaks.

 

[janschutz]

Cleaned the engine bay this morning. After driving it to work, no signs of water spray. Looks like I am good to go on this one. :thu


Now I need to find time to pull and reseal the intake manifold.

 

[janschutz]

I went to the Farm last night. 127 highway miles. It did not overheat but it blew the water out the radiator cap. The coil tops are now above the water level. Looks like I still have a problem.

 

[Midlife]

Do you have a water catcher container? If so, it takes a different cap than what was used originally. The newer caps allow water to flow out of the top of the radiator into the catch can and sucked back in when the engine cools off. The older caps would only allow outward flow.

The flow goes out a small nozzle just below the top of the radiator cap area. Normally, a hose attaches to this nozzle and either drains downwards (old style) or into the catch can (new style).

If water is spewing out from the cap, you probably have a clog in the nozzle or a bad cap that isn't sealing correctly.

 

[janschutz]

I am using the cap that came with the radiator. It is a champion radiator and car. I will checck the nozzel tomorrow moring before I head back to Dallas.

It was 104 at the farm today. But I did get all the fences fixed. Had to move the donkeys to a new field. The grass was gone where they currently were.

Thunder storm clouds teased me this evening but no rain.