So, my wife just got home in our '90 Legacy and said the check engine light was on and it was pissing water out the belly. I have to leave myself pretty much right now so I can't do a thorough diagnosis....I pulled up the hood, the water isn't coming from the top or bottom radiator hoses nor is it coming from near the throttle body (there is a coolant line on the passenger side)....the radiator was purchased new last year..........ideas where my issue might be?

 

Thanks...

 

I gotta go but will check this later on....

You didn't mention if the gauge showed an overheating condition - which could point to the overflow bottle being the source of the coolant. Yeah, you need to do some detective work. Off the top od my head, check the radiator cap (especially if its the original!), check that hor air actually come from vents if heater is on, the rad fan function when operating temp is acheived. Collapsed hoses when circulation starts. Bubbles in radiator when circul;ation starts, white vapor in exhaust, one plug with distinctly different appearance then the other 4.... depends on where these things lead you.

 

oh, of course the trouble code from the ECU (I dunno how the initiate that on you car - someone else here will.)

 

good luck

You didn't mention if the gauge showed an overheating condition - which could point to the overflow bottle being the source of the coolant. Yeah, you need to do some detective work. Off the top od my head, check the radiator cap (especially if its the original!), check that hor air actually come from vents if heater is on, the rad fan function when operating temp is acheived. Collapsed hoses when circulation starts. Bubbles in radiator when circul;ation starts, white vapor in exhaust, one plug with distinctly different appearance then the other 4.... depends on where these things lead you.

 

oh, of course the trouble code from the ECU (I dunno how the initiate that on you car - someone else here will.)

 

good luck

 

I wasn't in the car...all I know is the check engine light came on...my quick look under the hood showed the overflow bottle nearly empty and the radiator cap on tight (I literally filled them both yesterday).

 

Thanks for the input....

I had a quick look....I appear to have a leak on the top part of the motor just under the throttle body intake on the driver's side....about 18mos ago a plastic t-fitting broke off in a similar position on the passenger side....it was a real PITA to find that little part (no close u-pull it yards).

 

This make sense to anybody....I have very little time to work on this...I am home now but alone with my 1 year old....

Maybe the intake gasket is blown.

It appears that this thin pipe joins on one end to a hose that connects to the underside of the throttle body and on the other end joins into a large pipe that snakes under the "arms" of the intake manifold and I have a sneaking suspicion ends at my A/C pump. It looks to me like the small pipe/large pipe junction is one piece so I'll have to replace it all.....

 

thoughts?

The big pipe under the intake manifold is the coolant cross pipe. There is a pipe that comes up from the water pump. There is small line that comes off of that. It goes to the throttle body, then from the throttle body to the IAC valve, and then back into the cross pipe.

 

Your leak is somewhere in that piping. Check all the smaller piping/rubber lines.

The big pipe under the intake manifold is the coolant cross pipe. There is a pipe that comes up from the water pump. There is small line that comes off of that. It goes to the throttle body, then from the throttle body to the IAC valve, and then back into the cross pipe.

 

Your leak is somewhere in that piping. Check all the smaller piping/rubber lines.

 

The leak is in the little pipe from the main pipe to the hose that connects to the throttle body. WHY COULDn'T IT HAVE BEEN THE HOSE!!! I totally don't have time to take off the intake manifold....the local shop quote? $318...$60 in parts...ugh!

The leak is in the little pipe from the main pipe to the hose that connects to the throttle body. WHY COULDn'T IT HAVE BEEN THE HOSE!!! I totally don't have time to take off the intake manifold....the local shop quote? $318...$60 in parts...ugh!

 

Get creative! is it in a spot where you could hacksaw out the offending part, use some short pieces of hose and hose clamps, and insert a 'T' of some kind? maybe something cut out of a junker at the yard? Some kinda copper plumbing fitting or something?

 

Carl