97 grand am weird coolant leak location?
#1
97 grand am weird coolant leak location?
so i bought this 97 grand am se with the 3100 v6 engine in it, when i bought it had a very small coolant leak, leak a couple drops, last couple days ive been driving her hard and this morning i drove about 5 miles and my low coolant light came on, went home filled it up and watched it and it dripped steadily quite fast, underneath the passenger side of the car. So i removed the wheel and splash guard and watched where it was dripping down, it was dripping down at the bottom left pully that had the serpentine belt on it, underneath the alternator. Its leaking behind this pully then down onto the ground. Anyone have any idea where the leak could be coming from or what part may be doing this? I thought it was the water pump, so i decided to check where the coolant buildup was. There was no coolant buildup on the water pump itself, but there is alot underneath it, underneath the power steering pump, and underneath the alternator. Anyone have any ideas on where this could be coming from? much help is appreciated, i have attached pictures to show the pully and where it is leaking from.
#2
Senior Member
True Car Nut
when you have a bad leak best to clean everything down with degreaser, some simple green and a hard bristle brush or toothbrush to get in the cracks, then look for drips and you know for sure where its coming from
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Tech II (02-22-2015)
#3
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
Very good chance its the lower intake gasket that'* leaking. Id remove the alternator bracket and reposition power steering pump to further inspect. Also another possibility is the head gasket. A simple check is your engine oil. If it looks contaminated or worse a milkshake, then intake gaskets are a sure bet.
#4
Very good chance its the lower intake gasket that'* leaking. Id remove the alternator bracket and reposition power steering pump to further inspect. Also another possibility is the head gasket. A simple check is your engine oil. If it looks contaminated or worse a milkshake, then intake gaskets are a sure bet.
#5
Senior Member
Head gaskets changed 5K ago? If done correctly, shouldn't be head gaskets or lower intake gaskets.....sure it'* not the water pump flinging coolant? Sometimes hard to see coolant coming out of the weep hole.....remove belt and 4 bolts to pulley, remove pulley and get a good look at that weep hole......not too hard to do....
As JW said, clean the area with something like Brake Klean......then put a pressure tester on this and look for the source.....
As JW said, clean the area with something like Brake Klean......then put a pressure tester on this and look for the source.....
Last edited by Tech II; 02-22-2015 at 11:10 AM.
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WilliamE (02-23-2015)
#6
Head gaskets changed 5K ago? If done correctly, shouldn't be head gaskets or lower intake gaskets.....sure it'* not the water pump flinging coolant? Sometimes hard to see coolant coming out of the weep hole.....remove belt and 4 bolts to pulley, remove pulley and get a good look at that weep hole......not too hard to do....
As JW said, clean the area with something like Brake Klean......then put a pressure tester on this and look for the source.....
As JW said, clean the area with something like Brake Klean......then put a pressure tester on this and look for the source.....
#8
I was worried about that too, but actually that'* not correct, I flushed my cooling system yesterday there was no buildup in the radiator no buildup in the thermostat no buildup in the coolant tank either
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