Coolant Leak

dmad_dood · Postby **dmad_dood** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:27 pm

hi there, i parked my car when i got home from work today and a saw a small puddle of coolant under my car, then i took the under tray off and saw a drip....drip.....drip...maybe a drop every 3 seconds. The drop was coming from between the sump and the lowest belt (not sure which one) but it might only be dripping from there because its the lowest point. I put a new rad in about 6months ago and that seems to be still good and all the hoses are in tact and not leaking.

If the waterpump was leaking would it leak green coolant or water?

Or if not the waterpump any other guesses?

Cheers,

Jono.

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:33 pm

Any leak from the cooling system will be coolant (assuming its unning coolant and not straight water), regardless of if it's the water pump, hoses, radiator, etc.

Basically, coolant will dilute with the water, so you'll never really get a separate coolant and water leak.

As for the leak happening, the location would suggest the water pump since it's uphill of the crank pulley (lowest pulley on front of engine)
The other place to look is the thermostat housing since it's up there too.

Have you felt around the hoses etc to see if any are damp?

tescoking · Postby **tescoking** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 6:00 pm

When was the last service? Could there be any possibility that the clip on the hose is not tighten enough?
You could wash and dry your engine bay. Then start up your car, and it might help to find out where exactly the leaking coming from.

dmad_dood · Postby **dmad_dood** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 7:25 pm

its due for a service soon ish like in 2000km all the hoses are very dry and clean (when i replaced the radiator i replaced the top hose).

Are there any common spots for a leak?

Cheers,

Jono.

tescoking · Postby **tescoking** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 7:51 pm

dmad_dood wrote:its due for a service soon ish like in 2000km all the hoses are very dry and clean (when i replaced the radiator i replaced the top hose).

Are there any common spots for a leak?

Cheers,

Jono.

It is really hard to tell, if the hoses are new and all the clips are tighten. Then it could be from the water pump. We can't tell much as we didn't see any image of it. I had a similar situation to me once, I thought there were leaking around the coolant box but at the end I found out it was just the water level a bit too high so when the water get boiled it just spilt out around the box.

dmad_dood · Postby **dmad_dood** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:12 pm

Fair enough with the photo i dint even have a chance, hmm i just topped up my coolant and i took alot more then i was expecting - theres nothing in the overflow and i put in about 250ml and it can still take a lot more. i think i might have to call this one in, i need my car for work as its a daily driver

I found this pic on the net and thats what it looks like under my car except for the water being green..

MrRevhead · Postby **MrRevhead** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:44 pm

Based on the location of the water in that pic, I suspect your water pump needs replacing (providing you cannot see any fluid around the bottom of your thermostat housing).

If you're unaware when the timing belt was last changed, you might as well change that with the associated seals and pulleys at the same time you're replacing the pump.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

tescoking · Postby **tescoking** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:51 pm

Funny, the thing that I was talking about happened again.
I was driving on freeway with the A/C on. I believed this is the reason that the coolant got really boil and spilt out, beside I was parking at the slope. So the coolant level reached almost the top of the box. And of cause the coolant "escaped" from the hole that for the same purpose (over filled).

tescoking · Postby **tescoking** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:55 pm

Oh, forgot to say. On mx5mania can get the whole service kit. Thats come with the water pump. Since you are going to service, get the whole package and save some time.

dmad_dood · Postby **dmad_dood** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:02 pm

MrRevhead wrote:Based on the location of the water in that pic, I suspect your water pump needs replacing (providing you cannot see any fluid around the bottom of your thermostat housing).

If you're unaware when the timing belt was last changed, you might as well change that with the associated seals and pulleys at the same time you're replacing the pump.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Supposedly the timing belt was changed before i got the car (why he didnt do the waterpump beats me.. ) is there anyway to check if the timing belts was changed?

If the thermostat is behind the intake tubing, behind the radiator, then thats fine - drizabone.

Will i only really no if its defiantly leaking once i take the car apart? As i said all i can see is the coolant draining from the lowest point.

Cheers,

Jono.

MrRevhead · Postby **MrRevhead** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:40 pm

dmad_dood wrote:Supposedly the timing belt was changed before i got the car (why he didnt do the waterpump beats me.. ) is there anyway to check if the timing belts was changed?

You can check the condition of the timing belt, but it is hard to check the underside. If you're replacing the water pump, and you have no record of when the belt was changed last, you might as well do it all while everything else is off.

You can obtain some good quality timing belt kits with idlers, seals, water pump & belt for~$180 delivered from the US on Ebay. That way you can pay for labour only if you decide not to attempt the service yourself.

As I am time poor with work and also use my car daily, I have my car booked in 2 weeks time for my timing belt change. I am supplying everything (belt, idler pulleys, pump, valve cover gasket, woodriff key, all seals, alternator/ac belt, thermostat, coolant, oil etc) and have been pre quoted $400-450 just for the labour. The parts have set me back just over $200 with a bit of shopping around (contitech belt, GMC pump/pulleys etc).

Also, refer to this thread on Miata.net (http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=456405) which looks to be very similar to what you're experiencing.

dmad_dood · Postby **dmad_dood** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:55 pm

Thanks for that link, its really good.

Umm yeah i'm thinking book it in as i need my car asap - i work full time and work in different places everyday. Expect the worst hope for the best! Every source i look at, the more i think its the water pump thats gone judging by descriptions and photos.

I also sorta need to buy parts from the shop although they do everything i need in a package as i'm rushed for time.

Oh well..hopefully the weather holds so i can use my motorbike to commute..

OurCognitiveSurplus · Postby **OurCognitiveSurplus** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:56 pm

I got my car at 100,000. The arsehole previous owner did the belt, but not the pump. I re did the pump at belt at about 125000 from memory. Pump was totally shot.

Crimes against MX5s to do the belt but not the pump. Sentenced to life without sports car.

dmad_dood · Postby **dmad_dood** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 11:15 pm

OurCognitiveSurplus wrote:I got my car at 100,000. The arsehole previous owner did the belt, but not the pump. I re did the pump at belt at about 125000 from memory. Pump was totally shot.

Crimes against MX5s to do the belt but not the pump. Sentenced to life without sports car.

I second that!!!

The pr**k did the same thing to me!

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 9:00 am

I wouldn't call a person an arsehole because they only changed the timing belt on an MX5

Most cars manage to not kill a waterpump every 100,000km, so most people would assume the MX5 to be the same. Not their fault there's an inherent flaw there.
And unless they spend time on forums, with club, etc they wouldn't have a clue.