Issues with leaking coolant on back of block
#1
09-23-2011, 02:20 PM
Issues with leaking coolant on back of block
I have a 1993 Honda Accord LX 2.2L Automatic
There is a major coolant leak present. I have replaced the water pump, water outlet housing gasket, radiator, both hoses, thermostat and thermostat gasket, and it is still leaking coolant. It has had intermittent overheating issues since a few months after i bought it, and as i replaced everything one by one the situation seemed like it had been fixed for awhile, but one day it started to overheat with a vengeance (3 times in a single day with a total of 20 miles round trip) and i finally noticed that the leak was somewhere on the back of the motor. I haven't seen any coolant in the oil in the hundreds of times i have checked so that hopefully would rule out a bad head gasket or a warped head. Where could it be leaking from and what type of fix would be recommended? It only seems to happen when there is any kind of strain on the motor. after i replaced the water pump and thermostat and gasket, i let it sit and idle for about 20 minutes and it didnt leak a drop of coolant and the temperature gauge never went about 1/3 of the way up. I really need my car to be running right again, i cannot afford the gas in my roommate's truck...
There is a major coolant leak present. I have replaced the water pump, water outlet housing gasket, radiator, both hoses, thermostat and thermostat gasket, and it is still leaking coolant. It has had intermittent overheating issues since a few months after i bought it, and as i replaced everything one by one the situation seemed like it had been fixed for awhile, but one day it started to overheat with a vengeance (3 times in a single day with a total of 20 miles round trip) and i finally noticed that the leak was somewhere on the back of the motor. I haven't seen any coolant in the oil in the hundreds of times i have checked so that hopefully would rule out a bad head gasket or a warped head. Where could it be leaking from and what type of fix would be recommended? It only seems to happen when there is any kind of strain on the motor. after i replaced the water pump and thermostat and gasket, i let it sit and idle for about 20 minutes and it didnt leak a drop of coolant and the temperature gauge never went about 1/3 of the way up. I really need my car to be running right again, i cannot afford the gas in my roommate's truck...
#2
09-23-2011, 03:58 PM
I have the same car as you do...I noticed coolant on the ground behind the right front tire. After closely checking every hose, I found the leak was coming from the heater core inlet hose. It comes off the cylinder head on a fitting underneath the distributor, and runs back to the right side of the firewall to the heater core control valve. The leaking coolant was on the top and back of the engine block and transmission housing. The hose had split at the nipple end of the fitting on the head next to the clamp. I replaced it with an OEM Honda hose...$13.00. This could be where yours is leaking...Be sure you bleed the air out of the coolant...Read how in the DIY section.
#3
09-23-2011, 04:07 PM
You are going to have to find the source of the leak. There is a metal pipe that goes from the water pump to the thermostat that you should inspect. There are some coolant hoses on the back side of the engine that go to the heater core, the throttle body, etc..
Some parts stores carry a radiator pressure tester. You put down a deposit on the part and get a full refund when you return it. Call your local parts stores to see if they have one. Advance Auto Parts had one that I rented one day.
Try to pump the system to about 16 psi to put pressure on the system and try to find where coolant is leaking from.
Some parts stores carry a radiator pressure tester. You put down a deposit on the part and get a full refund when you return it. Call your local parts stores to see if they have one. Advance Auto Parts had one that I rented one day.
Try to pump the system to about 16 psi to put pressure on the system and try to find where coolant is leaking from.
#4
09-24-2011, 01:09 PM
I have the same car as you do...I noticed coolant on the ground behind the right front tire. After closely checking every hose, I found the leak was coming from the heater core inlet hose. It comes off the cylinder head on a fitting underneath the distributor, and runs back to the right side of the firewall to the heater core control valve. The leaking coolant was on the top and back of the engine block and transmission housing. The hose had split at the nipple end of the fitting on the head next to the clamp. I replaced it with an OEM Honda hose...$13.00. This could be where yours is leaking...Be sure you bleed the air out of the coolant...Read how in the DIY section.
#5
09-24-2011, 01:10 PM
You are going to have to find the source of the leak. There is a metal pipe that goes from the water pump to the thermostat that you should inspect. There are some coolant hoses on the back side of the engine that go to the heater core, the throttle body, etc..
Some parts stores carry a radiator pressure tester. You put down a deposit on the part and get a full refund when you return it. Call your local parts stores to see if they have one. Advance Auto Parts had one that I rented one day.
Try to pump the system to about 16 psi to put pressure on the system and try to find where coolant is leaking from.
Some parts stores carry a radiator pressure tester. You put down a deposit on the part and get a full refund when you return it. Call your local parts stores to see if they have one. Advance Auto Parts had one that I rented one day.
Try to pump the system to about 16 psi to put pressure on the system and try to find where coolant is leaking from.
#7
09-26-2011, 12:53 PM
Pulled the hose off, i've never seen a pressure hose do this... kind of cool in its own way, even though the situation wasn't all that pleasant. This the the engine side of the hose (after i had to cut it off) and it had the consistency of sponge cake.
#8
09-26-2011, 05:04 PM
That is really weird...Mine had split at the end of the nipple fitting on the head. It was old and worn, but not like the one in your pic...Maybe it was caused by engine degreaser or possibly old antifreeze rotting the rubber ??
Last edited by bigpat; 09-26-2011 at 05:12 PM.
#9
09-26-2011, 07:25 PM
If it is the one under the dist, I have to ask if there is oil leaking. Kind of looks like a hose that "soaked" in oil. Dist o-ring or shaft seals do go bad allowing oil to drip on to that hose.
This could be from a "while" back....just want to be sure.
This could be from a "while" back....just want to be sure.
#10
09-27-2011, 12:16 PM
It is the one right there underneath the distributor.
there was a pretty major valve cover leak prior to all of this, so i replaced the gasket, but when i originally did it, i didnt know you were supposed to rtv the corners over where it goes over the ends of the cam, but the old one had actually split on that side, so that could have been the issue. so far the valve cover hasnt leaked any oil since i fixed that detail, luckily the gasket was new enough that i didnt have to replace it. But i can definitely see that causing some excessive wear. When i took that hose off, there was buildup in the heater core inlet pipe that looked like rust... im glad ill be able to afford to put coolant in there now. Definitely will need to flush the system before i do that, though.
there was a pretty major valve cover leak prior to all of this, so i replaced the gasket, but when i originally did it, i didnt know you were supposed to rtv the corners over where it goes over the ends of the cam, but the old one had actually split on that side, so that could have been the issue. so far the valve cover hasnt leaked any oil since i fixed that detail, luckily the gasket was new enough that i didnt have to replace it. But i can definitely see that causing some excessive wear. When i took that hose off, there was buildup in the heater core inlet pipe that looked like rust... im glad ill be able to afford to put coolant in there now. Definitely will need to flush the system before i do that, though.