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Coolant leak when cold, not when hot: Water pump?

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I've been trying to track down a small coolant leak in my '87 GL (EA82, SPFI). There's occasionally a small puddle of coolant under the car, but when I get it good and hot, it doesn't leak at all (no steam, no drips... well, coolant drips).

 

I don't see any obvious hose issues, so... could it be the water pump starting to go? I've got almost 150k miles on it.

 

-=Russ=-

weep hole on the wather pump. when the car is warm its drying off faster than it can drip. the puddle under the car would be the overnite accumulations of drips off a cold motor

i had a 86 spfi fwd sedan ,that when it got real cold out 10-15 below the water pump would leak , but warmer weather it would not

I've been trying to track down a small coolant leak in my '87 GL (EA82, SPFI). There's occasionally a small puddle of coolant under the car, but when I get it good and hot, it doesn't leak at all (no steam, no drips... well, coolant drips).

 

I don't see any obvious hose issues, so... could it be the water pump starting to go? I've got almost 150k miles on it.

 

-=Russ=-

 

Typcially there is a small hole on the water pump housing that will weep fluid, often when cool after shut down. This is often a sign of impending water pump issues. Since they are cheap I think, might want to get one now for when it happens so you aren't scrambling.

  • Author

*nods* Thanks. I think I'll look at replacing the water pump this week.

 

-=Russ=-

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