Antifreeze leaking!! Is it that bad??

[89_3SFE]

Alright, I've got an 89 GT and after I got the water pump replaced by my mechanic I noticed that the car's leaking antifreeze and it's dripping on the ground right behind the front passenger side tire. It looks like it's leaking from the passenger side of the engine and I don't think it's any kind of hose or the overflow reservoir or anything. Could this be really bad or is it most likely just a loose gasket or something? I'm taking it in on Monday to my mechanic but I just wanted to see what all of you guys thought. Thanks for your help.

[89CelicaGTTurbo]

Well, this could be bad. leaking fluids is usually always bad. its kind of hard to tell were its leaking from cause no coolent lines go through that side of the engine. if i were to guess, it might be the water pump because its located on thet side of the engine and it might not have been installed properlly.

[toyomoho]

This area is where the water pump would drip. This is not normal. Take it back to the shop, have them check it out and fix it.

[89_3SFE]

Alright, just talked to my mechanic. He said he couldn't tell what it was w/o pulling the timing belt cover off and he can't do that until Wednesday so I need some advice from all of you intelligent people out there. He said when he hooked it up to his pressure machine it leaked much worse than if he just let the engine run at its own pressure. He said it was leaking in the front and in the back. He said it could be a faulty water pump that they replaced a couple months ago or it could be a head gasket leaking on the outside.

Has anyone had this happen before and if so, what was wrong? Does anyone have any ideas? What are the chances of it being just a faulty water pump, or a bad head gasket? How much is a head gasket replacement goona cost me? Also, if it is the head gasket and it doesn't leak bad when the engine's running, can it be something i can just not replace for a little while and run the car that way it is? Please help me b/c I need some sort of relief, if I can get any. Thanks!!

[toyomoho]

It sounds like the shop knows what they are doing, diagnostic wise. Let them pull off the timing cover and look at the water pump. It could be the water pump bearing shaft seal. There are also some gaskets associated with the water pump and housing that might leak. If it is the water pump or gaskets associated with the water pump or its housing. I would think the shop should warranty their work.

The gaskets should have been replaced at time of repair. The pump last over 60K miles. A shop can get a bad pump from their supplier. They don’t like this because it costs them time and money. In this case a water pump, the mechanic may not have been able to tell it had a problem at the time of the installation.

The TN Camry site covered blown head gaskets, its symptoms and diagnostics, and replacement costs (which should be similar). Plus water pump problems. The 3SFE was used in Gen 2 Camry and the 5SFE, which is very similar, in the Gen 3 and 4

There are tests that can be done to determine if it is a head gasket. A web search will reveal a lot of info. Don’t limit your web search just to Toyota. Blown head gaskets happen on all makes of cars.

Can you see any water leaking out between the head and block (front, back side)? Is white steam coming out the exhaust pipe?

A blown head gasket usually gets worse over time. If water is getting into the cylinder, it can cause scoring of the walls. Not all head gaskets problems leak water into the cylinder though. The mechanic should be able to determine the extent of the problem.

You will have some time to decide what to do. Usually the leak will just get worse to a point where something must be done. It takes 5-7 hours shop time to remove/replace a head gasket plus gaskets at say $120+/-.

But before all this, find out what the problem is. It could be something else completely.

[Doctor J]

There is one issue with 3SFE/5SFE water pumps. If the mechanic replaced just the part where impeller, bearing and pulley is without touching the other part othe pump housing, he could dislocate the o-ring seal on the bypass pipe or the large one located between pump and block. The correct procedure for pump replacement is to remove the pump assemby with termostat housing, separate the "pump part", replace it and bolt assembly to the block, using the new o-rings (they usualiy supplied with the pump). The head gasket external leak could be stopped with the Blockseal, however, the radiator needs to be removed and back flushed after that.

[89_3SFE]

Thanks for your replies everyone!! They do make me feel a lot better.

Quick questions, though. If the head gasket is leaking on the outside, does the Block Seal help with that? Is it a temporary fix, or something that will last as long as the car does? Also, how exactly is the Block Seal applied? I'm hoping I won't have to use the Block Seal, but I want to do it right if it is the head gasket that's leaking.

[Doctor J]

The Blockseal is one of the product of K&N brand line, cost about $10 and available in autoparts stores. It contains fine metal dust suspended in sodium silicate solution. Prior to the application, complete draining of antifreeze is required (it can be poured back after treatement).It claimed to make permanent repair, but, of course, it depends on the size of leak. The best place for adding it is to pour it into disconnected coolant bypass hose,the short section between metal tube and upper rad.hose outltet. Disconnect the upper radiator hose, if possible, and place its open end in the some sort of duct or bucket to avoid radiator contamination.
I used the Blockseal in my shop 3 times, one with success.

[89_3SFE]

The car leaks hardly at all when it's running on its own power but when he pressurizes it 10 psi more than the engine can do, it leaks more. Is that a good sign that this stop leak stuff should work? I think I caught the leak fairly early, so I'm optimistic, but I wanted to see what you all thought. Thanks in advance for replying!!