It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

[Need4Camaro]

2002 Pontiac Firebird, 3.8L V6...

Exactly what the thread title says. I am on my THIRD new water pump. The mechanic turned my crank pulley and it turned freely. He checked the oil himself and didnt find antifreeze... so the headgaskets might be okay...but...

Whenever we fill the radiator up, car off (it won't start), 5 seconds later we get coolant just pouring out the bottom of the engine, but its not coming from the water pump, its somewhere behind the water pump toward the center and driverside of the motor. We can't seem to find exactly where though EVEN WHILE SITTING UNDER THE MOTOR.

Does this sound like the front cover gasket? or a freeze plug?

[battousai]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

how about the knock sensor? or maybe a cracked head?

[Need4Camaro]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

how about the knock sensor? or maybe a cracked head?

Would a cracked head begin leaking as soon as I started pouring antifreeze in?

[flamingchicken]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

knock sensor. or a freeze plug.

if you look right behind the engine mount, the cylinder thing protruding down is the knock sensor. and on either side are freeze plugs

[Cool81z28]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

I'd bet it's a freeze plug

[Need4Camaro]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

Can you replace Freeze Plugs without pulling the motor?

[96blackmaro]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

Try the easy stuff first try the little plastic coolant elbow thats a part of the tensioner assembly, those things blow out all the time. Its in the dead center of the engine above the water pump. You'll have to take off the whole assembly to get it out of there but its a 4 dollar plastic 90* elbow that are junk.

[Need4Camaro]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

Try the easy stuff first try the little plastic coolant elbow thats a part of the tensioner assembly, those things blow out all the time. Its in the dead center of the engine above the water pump.

yeah but wouldnt it be leaking all over the passenger side of the engine if it were those?

I'll check into those though. How do I get to them? Pull the alternator and tensioner?

[Need4Camaro]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

When you say whole assembly, what parts exactly are you implying?

Also, its leaking almost as soon as I pour antifreeze in... And I mean a pretty hard down pour aswell. Wouldnt those need to be under pressure for them to DOWNPOUR? Its not just dripping, it's coming down pretty hard.

[96blackmaro]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?



The elbow goes right into that on the right side, although it wasn't in in this picture. Its the only picture I have of it. As far as the leaking it was pouring out of firebird, even as we were filling it.

[flamingchicken]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

Try the easy stuff first try the little plastic coolant elbow thats a part of the tensioner assembly, those things blow out all the time. Its in the dead center of the engine above the water pump. You'll have to take off the whole assembly to get it out of there but its a 4 dollar plastic 90* elbow that are junk.

dont give bad advice. he said it was leaking on the drivers side of the engine. also if you replace that part, then you will need a intake manifold gasket set, which last time i bought one was about 30 bucks, and it took like 2 hours to do.

back to op, the best thing i can tell you to do. get a new mechanic. turning the crank pully only ensures that the combustion chambers are not full of water. a good mechanic would run a compression test on all 6 cylinders. i cant exactly remember the figure off the top of my head but i know its here somewhere, cause i have posted it before. do a search for compression test. its 10% like if the highest is 170 lbs, then the lowest shouldnt be any less than 153lbs (170-10%=153)

as for the coolant leak. go to any parts house, and rent a pressure tester, put water in it and then put some pressure to it to help you find the leak.

also freeze plugs can be done with the engine in the car. its not that big of a deal. any "competent" mechanic could do it for you. or it could be a weekend project.

[96blackmaro]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

Replace the intake gaskets?:slap: It's a 12 min job to change that little thing, You take off the alternator and then the bracket. You don't have to touch anything else. I just changed it for, get this, a whopping $4.23. I say try the easy stuff first. When they go out they leak right down the center. Ask any tech that has worked on 3.8s those little plastic pos's break all the time and it is also why there are stocked almost everywhere. I'll leave now though since clearly I know nothing about these things.

[Bandit127]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

Not to be a pita, but those are not freeze plugs. They are casting plugs, and by no means were they ever designed to 'pop' when coolant freezes to save the engine block. But they do, occasionally.

[Need4Camaro]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

dont give bad advice. he said it was leaking on the drivers side of the engine. also if you replace that part, then you will need a intake manifold gasket set, which last time i bought one was about 30 bucks, and it took like 2 hours to do.

back to op, the best thing i can tell you to do. get a new mechanic. turning the crank pully only ensures that the combustion chambers are not full of water. a good mechanic would run a compression test on all 6 cylinders. i cant exactly remember the figure off the top of my head but i know its here somewhere, cause i have posted it before. do a search for compression test. its 10% like if the highest is 170 lbs, then the lowest shouldnt be any less than 153lbs (170-10%=153)

as for the coolant leak. go to any parts house, and rent a pressure tester, put water in it and then put some pressure to it to help you find the leak.

also freeze plugs can be done with the engine in the car. its not that big of a deal. any "competent" mechanic could do it for you. or it could be a weekend project.

Is there any way to do the compression test outside of a mechanic / shop? I already spent a good chunk getting my car towed to where it is currently and I can't afford to have it towed all over the city...

[Cool81z28]

Re: It turns out my headgaskets didn't blow... but whats this leak from?

you can buy a compression tester for $20-$30.