OK two weeks ago I posted about not getting the Fuel pump to work. Having the help of you great slueths, I traced it to a ground off the Oil pressure sensor, which allows the pump relay to work.. Well the car started.. YAY.. and when It did, I shut it off and proceeded to fill the radiator full. Now the engine ran only 30 seconds before I shut it off.. SHouldnt have been long enough to do any real damage.

As I was filling the radiator up, I heard a drip drip drip on the concrete.. It is leaking coolant between the engine and the Transmission. ARRRRrrrrgfrickinggggggg... you get the idea.

I looked where the TB ties into the UIM and found no water leaking. no trace dry dry dry....
there are only two -ok three possibilities now..right?
1- the UIM did go bad- but where is the water coming from?
2-Freeze plugs not put in correctly?
3-cracked block? not likely as the block was in good shape when i brought the car in. it has never overheated as far as I know in its life - as I know the past owner and he wouldnt have sold it to me if he knew there were any problems with it..

Again this is the so-called mechanic- that did the install ...and I have went thru two Pick a part runs to get bolts he either lost or more likely didnt want to put in...
NOW what- suggestions etc appreciated.
I will pay a mechanic if he didnt mind going over what has already been done in the houston area. I have cash and cards handy...

thanks in advance!
Mike

Not sure on the Bonnie but often one or more of the exhaust manifold bolts protrude into the water jacket and needs to be sealed, if that helps.

unfortunately it is coming from between the block and the tranny- its all dry between the exhaust manifolds from what i am able to ascertain..

I am more than willing to pay- yes pay someone in the houston area to complete this job now- and believe me I have paid- DIckering * over getting this thing running is not an option- HELP!

When you say between the block and the tranny, I presume you are referring to the flywheel end of the engine. If you are certain the coolant is coming from between the block and the tranny and not from above (like from a corner of the lower intake manifold, or from the throttle body to UIM gasket or from a corner of a head gasket) the only source I can think of are the freeze plugs in the back of the block. At least I think I remember seeing freeze plugs back there. But I have never heard of one going bad. Likewise, head gaskets failing on these engines are also unlikely but possible. Since either the engine or the trans is gonna have to come for those plugs, it makes it especially worthwhile to make sure of the source of the leak.

What a bummer!

thats what it looks like to me right now- its coming out at a pretty rapid - (like read open hole - think of a small spring- not river yet)) .. it breaks me up to think of the heathen that did this work. He should be buried in a ant bed covered in honey.. and then stir the bed around to get the ants pi&&ed off.

Ill investigate more thoroughly tomorrow afternoon after work. but I have the torque /flywheel cover off (another thing he didint install back) and from what it looked like earlier, it was coming off the back side (toward the passenger compartment) ...

it was just like a small spring with all the water coming off.

this guy gives mechanics a bad name...

Ill get it done.

are there any other possibilities/locations to think about? I will recheck all the bolts for the exhaust- just in case any of them are the culprit. Heck it wouldnt surprise me at all to find other crap hes left off.
man oh man-
Im even at the point of dropping the oil pan and checking the torque on the rod and crank bolts. but first- the water leak- Im laffing now( it hurts too much to do anything else and having worse thoughts could land oneself in jail nowadays- so thats OUT of the question)

OK, its off to the races now

Really double check. Dry everything off and look right from the start where it'* coming from. Invite a couple friends to assist in the looking.

First thoughts would be intake gaskets, throttle body gaskets...and things can run strangely on the engine.. never underestimate a leak starting on the left and showing on the right.

Look carefully and find it...once you find it..fixing is easy......ish..

It sounds like a freeze plug to me, but I hope it'* not.

Because if it is, the engine and trans will have to come out to fix it.

I might be tempted to try some stopleak product first. It'* almost certainly not going to work, but...

i would be tempted to try z stop leak as well except for one small detail.. ITs coming out at a rate that would seem to be at least 1/4 to 3/8" in diameter from the flow that is going to the ground. I am still hoping its an exhaust bolt or bolt that intersects a passageway

that to me is some serious plugging on par with diverting Niagra falls-LOL.

I do appreciate it and all options are on the table. Ill get my neighbor to help me this evening.

BTW- towards the end of the build - I was pestering him ( i mean he never returned calls- for WEEKS ON END) to let me see where he was and he said he had some plate or something that goes on the back over the seal area. He said it wouldnt fit so he had to take it to his shop to grind it. THAT IN ITSELF leads me to believe the MORON MECHANIC (MM)) ground on something he shouldnt have...

BLOODY MM!

Plate....flex plate maybe?

there is a plate that goes on the back of the block that covers up two water passages. And I believe there is one or two freexe plugs in the back as well.
the flex plate attaches to the crankshaft outside the area of the plate.
Sorry I didnt clear that one up- I never thought in a million years GM would have a plate in the back for this purpose- and exactly what purpose is it for?

first things first- make SURE the coolant isnt leaking outside the motor (crossing fingers that it is- for access sake).

thanks guys-if it is from the inside of the block- physical limitations (knee)will force me to send this to a new mechanic....

Mike