Our Car Wet Itself
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 585
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Our Car Wet Itself
My wife and I took the '81 for about a four mile drive today after cleaning the carburetor. I ran the car fairly hard once it reached operating temperature. We pulled it back in the driveway, shut it down, and were immediately greeted by the smell of coolant after opening the doors.
Here's what I know:
- coolant was pouring out of or off of (almost squirting out in one spot) some place or places near the lower front of the engine block
- it appeared that I lost well over a gallon of fluid within a few minutes
- the car was not over-heated when we shut it down, but the temperature was about 210 - 225 (if I had to guess it based on the needle) ... this hasn't been unusual for this car since I haven't cleaned and flushed the cooling system yet
Any ideas on what or where the problem may be?
LO PHAT
Here's what I know:
- coolant was pouring out of or off of (almost squirting out in one spot) some place or places near the lower front of the engine block
- it appeared that I lost well over a gallon of fluid within a few minutes
- the car was not over-heated when we shut it down, but the temperature was about 210 - 225 (if I had to guess it based on the needle) ... this hasn't been unusual for this car since I haven't cleaned and flushed the cooling system yet
Any ideas on what or where the problem may be?
LO PHAT
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
- gasket(s) @ water pump to block.
- one of block's water pump bolt holes is Not blind & does enter water jacket.
- freeze plugs @ either side of block front, just below head decks.
- lower hose.
- very rare source but rear of water pump has a plate & gasket.
- one of block's water pump bolt holes is Not blind & does enter water jacket.
- freeze plugs @ either side of block front, just below head decks.
- lower hose.
- very rare source but rear of water pump has a plate & gasket.
Last edited by jackson; Oct 15, 2008 at 11:18 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
There are just too many ways for coolant to puke out without some kind of indication from you. Pop the hood, inspect everything from top to bottom near the radiator, including the heater hoses.
You should be able to find the problem. Of not, hose everything down with a garden hose...wait for it to dry, start the car, and look for a leak while tweaking the throttle.
You should be able to find the problem. Of not, hose everything down with a garden hose...wait for it to dry, start the car, and look for a leak while tweaking the throttle.
