FleaDog Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 HI guys dumb question I know but ive got a new coolant leak that developed recently - it is dripping off of water pump housing above where the thermostat and elbow pipe under the t-stat. I am figuring this is the pump, but wanted to ask if there are any other hoses above or in that immediate vicinity that could be leaking and fooling me. second thing - can I swap the pump without removing the timing belt? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 While it's running and leaking, get under there with a rag and wipe the leaking coolant off. Try to find exactly wheer it's coming from before there's coolant all over the place. You can also use ultraviolet dye, but just a flashlight and rag you can probably find it. You cannot replace a waterpump without messing with the timing belt. At that point, may as well just do a full timing service, new tensioner, idlers, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 The thermostat housing like to warp and can leak. Make sure its not coming from the seal between the thermostat housing and water pump housing. This is an easy fix, jut get a new thermostat housing seal and that usually takes care of it. If it is the pump the timing belt has to come off to replace it, just plan on doing a full timing job if it needs a pump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I hve never seen a warped thermostat housing. Unless one had been installed improperly there is an elbow hose just above it that may be leaking at a clamp. It may be oil soaked. Depending on mileage, age, or coolant change intervals, the water pump may be leaking from the shaft or weep hole. It would not be a bad idea to consider replacing the water pump as routine as more often than not a timing belt failure is caused by a seized water pump or idler pulley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I've seen a whole bunch of warped thermostat housings. They're crappy plastic. A new seal will stop it for a while, but it'll leak again. If it's at all warped just replace it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishy Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I had a leak in that area on my Impreza but only after the thermostat opened at temperature. I thought it was the housing or gasket but it turned out to be the hose clamp on that end of the hose. Thanks to our salty roads the hose clamp had rusted in half and become 'loose'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry in Australia Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I had a leak from the "weep hole" on my water pump on my 1995 Liberty (Legacy) and there was a dull ringing noise coming from the front of the engine that sounded like a bad bearing. The PO had just had the belts and pulleys replaced (poorly, a mobile mechanic installed the belt and messed up the timing and the car wouldn't start) so I knew that they were good, and after having an overheating issue, I decided to replace the water pump. I found this article really good, and read it several times before I attacked it myself: http://lovehorsepower.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48:1995-subaru-legacy-outback-timing-belt-and-water-pump-replacement&catid=10:subaru-legacy&Itemid=64 When I re-did the valve timing, I left the timing belt covers off in case I'd messed something up, so today it wasn't a huge job to remove the radiator and all the belts to replace the pump. As I intended to start the car before I put the radiator back on (to make sure I'd done the timing correctly) I connected the oil cooler hoses for the auto tranny to an old motorcycle oil cooler I had in my garage, to avoid losing a litre of transmission fluid all over the floor like I did last time. Oops.... Anyway, it was good that I replaced the pump. The old one was dead, the bearings were shot and the engine is much quieter now. I'm having a bugger of a job "Burping" the cooling system and it's still overheating though, (no water in the oil, or oil in the water, so I'm assuming I don't have a blown head gasket) I've tried to do it as per some suggestions I've read here, but to no avail, so I'm going to try this method tomorrow: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/fill-and-burp-your-cooling-system-burpcoolingsystem-198487.html?s=be5680692cc9d8ce2f64d8fdaa046915& Anyway, bottom line is this is not a hard job, and not expensive, either. I bought a new pump on eBay for 68 bucks that came with the gasket and thermostat seal, I tested the old thermostat and it worked fine, so I didn't buy a new one, but I did buy new "Gates Racing" alternator/power steering and aircon belts, because mine were old and cracked. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have the cooling system properly burped, and take it for a drive! Cheers, Terry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FleaDog Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 Thanks for the great tips, gonna buy one of the timing belt/water pump kits, etc. on eBay for like $135 shipped. Wiped everything down good started the car and it looks like coolant is somehow leaking slowly out from around water pump gasket/mating to the block; not bypass hose, or T-stat flange/gasket/elbow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Probably has a paper water pump gasket on it. This is what the paper gaskets do. Get a gasket from a dealer (its rubber coated stainless steel). Or make sure the kit you order has a dealer style gasket. I know MizumoAuto sells dealer style gaskets with some of their kits. I know the Aisin water pump comes with one. Aisin is OE for many Japanese and Asian vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FleaDog Posted August 26, 2013 Author Share Posted August 26, 2013 Ok guys I got the Job taken care of. Strangely got a p0115 coolant temp sensor code when letting the motor warm and refilling radiator/system with coolant. The very first time the fans cycled The motor sort of momentarily slowed down and picked back up. I went and glanced in the cabin and saw the cel so grabbed th scanner and got that. Erased it and started back up and continued with the refill without it poppin back up again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FleaDog Posted August 26, 2013 Author Share Posted August 26, 2013 Ok guys I got the Job taken care of. Strangely got a p0115 coolant temp sensor code when letting the motor warm and refilling radiator/system with coolant. The very first time the fans cycled The motor sort of momentarily slowed down and picked back up. I went and glanced in the cabin and saw the cel so grabbed th scanner and got that. Erased it and started back up and continued with the refill without it poppin back up again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 but it turned out to be the hose clamp on that end of the hose after an engine swap, i had this problem. there was no leak when cold, but at operating temp it would drip. i tightened the clamp. good work on the fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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