Great... i found a coolant leak...what now? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

swagger_wagon468 · 07-14-2010, 03:54 PM

ok, so i was takin the black plastic pieces off from under the engine. (replacing them with ones i got from ASG) anyways... i take them off and i find a coolant leak.

so now what? ive never seen any on the ground. i had a coolant flush(whatever u call it) done like a month or so ago. what should i check now? pics below. i go to work in 45 min. so i will be on at about 11 pm. (eastern)

Nervous · 07-14-2010, 04:03 PM

Looks like a radiator. Check radiator hoses too (upper and lower ones), if they are original then they could leak. Anyway, first of all - find the exact location of the leak. And then - fix it.

swagger_wagon468 · 07-14-2010, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nervous

Looks like a radiator. Check radiator hoses too (upper and lower ones), if they are original then they could leak. Anyway, first of all - find the exact location of the leak. And then - fix it.

my guess is that they r original. cuz no-one did $h!t to this car prior to me.

so when u say check... just look to see if i see any hoses leakin right? goin to do it now.

swagger_wagon468 · 07-14-2010, 04:11 PM

correction... i actually have to be at work at 5. crap so now im late. i guess i will check tomoro...ugh. im off tomoro. so hopefully i can get it done. be on later tonight.

Nervous · 07-14-2010, 04:11 PM

My upper just cracked and leaked at the clamps. But later, after I removed the hose I found another crack in the middle of the hose.

***LynchburgCSI*** · 07-14-2010, 11:15 PM

Jack her up and take a look underneath. As the other guys said, I'm betting a radiator hose. And of course, keep an eye on the coolant overflow tank.

jordan7831 · 07-14-2010, 11:24 PM

Grab a big piece of cardboard (can be found in all grocery stores if you ask nicely) and stick it under to help pinpoint the leak. Are their any cracks on the plastic tank of the rad? If you had a flush a month ago, perhaps the drain spiget is not tightened enough, or the O-ring is missing (assuming that was used to drain it). If the radiator was flushed by removing the lower hose, check the clamps, it may be as simple as repacing it or tightening it.

Hope this helps, sorry if i dont make any sense, i just got off work myself

swagger_wagon468 · 07-14-2010, 11:29 PM

thanks for all the responses. i will try to check the hoses tomoro. ugh... one problem after another.

***LynchburgCSI*** · 07-14-2010, 11:40 PM

One problem after another... it's that way with anything mechanical. Oh well.

swagger_wagon468 · 07-15-2010, 04:01 PM

ok so get this... i go check the leak after runnin a few errrands this morn'...and no leak!

and there was NO puddle or any evidence of leakage this mornin. WTF?! not even any green on the hose anymore.

soo, now what?

oh, and btw, i would really like to get this done soon so im not drivin on the highway without those black engine protector things. lol.

Nervous · 07-15-2010, 04:09 PM

Could it be just a spill from your previous coolant flush?

swagger_wagon468 · 07-15-2010, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nervous

Could it be just a spill from your previous coolant flush?

well i just checked my reciept and it was actually may 10!

2 months ago. could it really be from that long ago?

73sport · 07-15-2010, 04:22 PM

^+1
If trapped in a spot is doesn't evaporate quickly. Could be you have no leak at all, just an old mess!

Didn't you just flush it? Was the old stuff sharp green like that?

Hose it off and check again in a few days. . . Also those spring clamps; I'd recommend returning them to thier original spot on the hose (both depth and orientation wise). If this wasn't done, it could have seeped for short period of time and sealed itself as the rubber got soft and clamp did its thing!

Agree, running w/out the shield opens the door to belts being derailed by rocks and small critters so I'd get em up soon.

EDIT: ok stupid statement; "Was the old stuff sharp green like that?" because the water will evaporate and leave it a darker green than when mixed w/H2O! I think it could hang for months if not hosed or blown off by something.

***LynchburgCSI*** · 07-15-2010, 04:25 PM

Meh, top of the res, and put the shields back on and call it a day.

swagger_wagon468 · 07-15-2010, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73sport

^+1
If trapped in a spot is doesn't evaporate quickly. Could be you have no leak at all, just an old mess!

Didn't you just flush it? Was the old stuff sharp green like that?

Hose it off and check again in a few days. . . Also those spring clamps; I'd recommend returning them to thier original spot on the hose (both depth and orientation wise). If this wasn't done, it could have seeped for short period of time and sealed itself as the rubber got soft and clamp did its thing!

Agree, running w/out the shield opens the door to belts being derailed by rocks and small critters so I'd get em up soon.

i didnt flush it my friends dad did,(he works at tiresplus, so i get like half off of everything) so idk bout the color.

hose it off, will do

. and what u mean by original spot? they r not there already? (i will look at the pics in a sec.)

and yea. i dont wanna chance anything like that happening.