water leak

Topic: water leak (Read 1621 times) previous topic - next topic

water leak

May 03, 2005, 08:35:32 AM

hey guys i have an 86 cougar, 3.8 v6 tbi, and it has a small water leak coming from the rear of the engine right behind the front wheels. I was thinking water pump but that would leak toward the front of the engine right? maybe a radiator hose? any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Re: water leak

Reply #1 – May 03, 2005, 11:21:14 AM

Trace and check all of your cooling system hoses. There are hoses that run to/from the heater core from the firewall. Find the problem before the hose compleatly fails and leaves you stuck somewhere.

Re: water leak

Reply #2 – May 03, 2005, 11:49:46 AM

my dad wagon does that, but it is either a cracked block or cracked heads.... Hopefully not your problem. I would definately look into it.

Re: water leak

Reply #3 – May 03, 2005, 01:00:27 PM

check for a rubber bushing on the passanger side firewall down low below where the heater core hoses enter.
there will be a small rubber hose sticking out of it which releases condensation from your AC system when its operating. If you heater core has a slight leak, its possible that coolant is dripping from there.

also,, if your still running your engine with those factory heater core "metal pipes" that run along the pass side of the intake,,, then check for a leak at a short elbow just behind the passanger head.
shiznit can those metal pipes and redo with a straight shot of heater core hoses.

just another opinion to include with the previous suggestions.

Re: water leak

Reply #4 – May 04, 2005, 08:34:43 AM

If those areas are okay then get a flashlight, slide a mirror under the car, and have a look at the "freeze plugs" in the lower part of the engine block. My "block heater" (hiding behind the starter) was leaking, as the bolt holding it in had rusted, and was just barely holding on.

Re: water leak

Reply #5 – May 04, 2005, 02:17:11 PM

jcassity you were right i think. It only leaks when the heat's on so i imagine its the heater core. I dont really have to fix it right? I just wont use the heat(its summertime...almost) and when i do ill throw some more coolant in. I dont think its a freeze plug cause they leak a ton whenever the engine is running right?

thanks for all the help guys and let me know if you have any more advice.

Re: water leak

Reply #6 – May 04, 2005, 07:00:23 PM

I had the same problem. It was leaking from the moiusture drain hole on the A/C evaporator box. Just not using the heat will not stop the leak. There is coolant flowing through there all the time. Until I can get busy tearing the dash apart, I just bypassed the heater core at the rear of the engine.

Definately find the exact source of the leak before you make a hasty descision.

Re: water leak

Reply #7 – May 10, 2005, 09:40:00 AM

i dunno. It seems to only leak with the heat on, but just to be safe, how do you bypass the core? Just connect the hose going in with the one going out?

Re: water leak

Reply #8 – May 10, 2005, 09:42:14 AM

and it is definately the heater core i had it up on my cousin's lift its leaking from the Air conditioning evaporator letoff.

thanks for the help :-)

Re: water leak

Reply #9 – May 10, 2005, 10:20:10 AM

Quote

but just to be safe, how do you bypass the core? Just connect the hose going in with the one going out?

That's about it

If you have not done it yet, do so. Mine took a dump on me a few years ago after driving around with a slight leak for about a month. Then the waterfall came as I started it up one morning. Now I run the heater at least once a week to ensure that fluid circulates through it and hopefully prolong it's life......

Re: water leak

Reply #10 – May 10, 2005, 10:42:55 AM

if you want to blow off doing the heater core change,,,,,,,,like me,,,, and im not usually the lazy or intimidated type,,
then install a pvc cut off valve inline with the hose closest to the driver side. (this will be your "IN" hose). In the summer just cut off the heat valve.

im currently using my AC core as the heater core cause im just plain not wanting to do the core change.

Re: water leak

Reply #11 – May 11, 2005, 12:07:12 AM

Wicked nice idea with pvc valve. Im just gonna do that. Yeah im just way too lazy to change the core, plus i dont want to spend the dough on a new one. I dont drive the coug in the winter anyways, so i really only need heat for defogging. So whatever ill just bypass it and that will stop the leak. no worries:-), hopefully my AC core wont break too.

Thank you so all so much for your help.

ps. ill be sure to need more in the future haha. thanks again