89 SSE water leak
 

Happy turkey day all! So here is a strange one ( aren't they all ), noticing a small puddle of water under the car after any length useage ...seems to be towards the right, just inside of where water pump sits directly above. Water pump is two months new and seems fine..also notice water on top of intake manifold...I see where thermosat is at end of radiator hose on the left, so I am thinking maybe something there or ....hard to trace it with all the injector stuff on top of manifold....any suggestions? Thanks... :D

If you aren't dumping coolant on the road, could it just be condensation?

water
 

If you mean clear water, I don't know any systems that use water.

I'd assume 50/50 for coolant, but if it IS a coolant leak, I don't know what would cause it to separate.

If you are running your air conditioner there in sunny southern California, it may be condensation from the AC system that you are seeing. If you have no leaks, and you are using antifreeze and not just straight water in the engine's cooling system, this is the most likely cause. Condensation from the AC system is normal.

Bastard said what I was going to suggest - I always have condensation after running the air conditioner. In fact, it will leave a trail in the parking lot as I stop and back into a space. ;)

It can leave a trail like that if it drips onto the control arms, then drains out as you start moving.

The next time you arrive at a destination, look under the car. If you see it dripping, pop the hood and see all the condensation on the AC lines. ;)

ac
 

There is a drip hole tube in the bottom of the ac ductwork.

89 SSE LEAK UPDATE
 

sorry for delay in my response, at office all day...ummm, the fluid is coolant, I am sure of it...there are times it doesn't drip, but lately it has been...so what are the options...head gasket? what else?

Big difference between water and coolant.
When my water pump failed it leaked out of the weep hole behind the pulley at the bottom of the water pump snout. I had to use a mirror to verify that was where it was coming out. It would get on the belt and the coolant would sling everywhere. With the engine off, using a mirror you may be able to see tracks of rusty or green discharge on the underside of the water pump snout. Just because your water pump is new doesn't mean it can't be defective. I'm not saying that's it for sure, but it is possible. I'm pretty sure mine was original and the bearing felt fine, no play or noise at all. There is also the possibility that the water pump gasket is leaking, did you use a quality sealant?
As water pumps go, these are pretty easy ones to change. I didn't remove the overflow bottle because I like a challenge, but it would have made it slightly easier to reach.

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When the cooling system gets pressurized, it can squirt out a tiny stream of coolant that can barely be seen. If the stream is pointing at something hot, like an exhaust manifold, it will evaporate on contact. When the engine is cold, there isn't enough pressure in the system to make it squirt, just when it warms up and pressure builds.
I'm sure there are other possibilities, or it could be a combination of several of these faults.