coolant leaking AGAIN

dutch · Mar 13, 2009

So I replaced the w/p a month ago because it was going out.. leaking like a sob.
Spent 3 hours doing my best to clean the gasket surface, had it shining all the way.. used rtv on both sides of the gasket and tightened the bolts in pattern with the right torque specs! so should be good no?! :dontknow:

went fine for about a month, just this wednesday I got in my car, started it.. LOW COOLANT :sad5: and there was a small puddle where I started the car (it had been sitting for a few days). So I drove couple miles (refilled the reservoir at service station), got back and nothing was dripping anymore.

started it again today, popped the hood while it was idling. Not much gone from the reservoir, but again a small puddle right after start up! So not 1 minute later I drive it up the curb to look underneath and it stops leaking!

I don't get it?! what the hell is going on. Seems like the same spot as last time (wp weaphole) but the inner ring of the wp-pulley feels dry and it seems to stop leaking after 10 seconds?! Which seems odd considering it emptied the entire reservoir in 2 weeks and I hardly drive the car.

CC'S95GT · Mar 13, 2009

dude you got a bad WP. i think when the car warms up the seal swells and stops leaking. imagine how much faster you'll be able to do it this time. sorry man that sucks

topless95 · Mar 13, 2009

my water neck was leaking after replacing it twice, so I had to re do it a third time. On the third attempt I used very, very little rtv and tighten the bolts snug then about 6 hours later tightened them to the final torque, and no leaks since.

BTW what rtv are you using??

Win · Mar 13, 2009

Did you overheat your car you could have also warped the block. I Think i have a bad WP on mine this will be the 4th one on this car. Or my block is warped. Are you using RTV black ???

dutch · Mar 14, 2009

I don't think the car ever overheated, at least not in my ownership! The RTV that I was using was a heat resistant liquid gasket.

uncltrvlnmatt · Mar 14, 2009

You have a cold water leak. It may be a bad waterpump. If you replace it again do not use any RTV on it, unless it is called for by the manufacturer. The gasket is good enough. Sometimes RTV can do more harm than good.

dutch · Mar 14, 2009

I'm still unsure if it's the gasket or the weaphole.. I can't imagine the remanufactured waterpump being bad again already, but I can't imagine my sealing skills leaking either... I need to get it up a bridge or something

dutch · Mar 14, 2009

lol started it again today... no leaks and no visible drop in fluidlevel in the reservoir..
This keeps getting stranger..

Check again tomorrow.

Blck945.0 · Mar 14, 2009

IIRC there are two gaskets that need replaced. One where the WP mounts to the front cover/spacer or whatever it is called and one between that piece and the block. Mine leaks just like yours does and I only replaced the one gasket I figured the other one would be fine but I'm pretty sure it is whats leaking on mine.

topless95 · Mar 15, 2009

if there is no visible leak, check you oil to see if the level has risen(leak through the timing chain cover).

Win · Mar 15, 2009

Blck945.0 said:
IIRC there are two gaskets that need replaced. One where the WP mounts to the front cover/spacer or whatever it is called and one between that piece and the block. Mine leaks just like yours does and I only replaced the one gasket I figured the other one would be fine but I'm pretty sure it is whats leaking on mine.

There is only one gasket on the 94-95 5.0 on the older fox's there are 2 but not on ours.

topless95 · Mar 15, 2009

95convgt said:
Blck945.0 said:

IIRC there are two gaskets that need replaced. One where the WP mounts to the front cover/spacer or whatever it is called and one between that piece and the block. Mine leaks just like yours does and I only replaced the one gasket I figured the other one would be fine but I'm pretty sure it is whats leaking on mine.

Click to expand...

There is only one gasket on the 94-95 5.0 on the older fox's there are 2 but not on ours.

no there are two gaskets, the w/p gasket and the timing chain cover gasket(which coolant flow through)

Win · Mar 15, 2009

Timing chain cover you shouldn't have a problem with. Well normally that is. Do you have a Uv Light ??? Can you get up under it and see where there re any wet spots at all???? Do you smell coolant when your in the car???

dutch · Mar 17, 2009

Well I haven't driven it since saturday and today I had a look under the hood before I started it (tuesday). There's a small puddle of coolant underneath the wp-area. But when I start the car, there's no dripping at all... So it has been dripping while parked for 4 days... wtf?! Not a lot though, maybe 1/4" drop in reservoir level..

I might be able to check underneath the car when I have it up on a lift for the o/r H-pipe

Can't say I smell any strong coolantsmell or anything

This is weird, car is running fine, not overheating or anything.

CC'S95GT · Mar 17, 2009

i didn't know my WP was leaking either. what i did notice was the HB was wet with coolant.

dutch · Mar 17, 2009

excuse my ignorance.. HB?

The stupid thing is though, when my wp went on me it leaked when the car was running. Now it seems to leak when I leave it parked, cold. and it doesn't seem to drip when I start it.. at least not today

Win · Mar 17, 2009

Yeah some call it a Cold water leak. Basically meaning the car leaks when it is off. I would say thats your weep hole dripping the coolant. I would say Time for a New Water Pump.

CC'S95GT · Mar 17, 2009

HB- harmonic balancer

dutch · Mar 18, 2009

well I'll have a look when it's on the bridge friday.. sucks if I have to get another wp after just 7 weeks. But at least it's not as bad as the other wp that was leaking very badly when running. This seems drivable.