Waterpump question
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,529
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From: Howell N.J. Home of Redgar
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I went to Cruise-In V with Vetteweiser
Waterpump question
I have a question. I noticed yesterday when I was in the garage that there was a large puddle coming from the bottom of the Vette. I see its antifreeze and that its coming from right under the engine bey right about where the water pump is but I can't tell for sure. There is also plent of Dex cool in my reservoir tank . Not that that make a differance I don't know, but any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys!
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,615
Likes: 3
From: Tampa Fl
That means your Opti got wet if it's from the WP.You need to find it ASAP and don't drive it anymore,maybe your Opti will be saved.
If its your waterpump you may consider a new Opti anyways,I would also replace both the seals behind the opti and Wp and do the plug wires while your there
If its your waterpump you may consider a new Opti anyways,I would also replace both the seals behind the opti and Wp and do the plug wires while your there
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
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Yeah, I think you can get a new duralast aluminum pump for $50 at Autozone. Alot better price than an AC Delco.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,529
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From: Howell N.J. Home of Redgar
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Cruise-In IV Veteran
I went to Cruise-In V with Vetteweiser
That means your Opti got wet if it's from the WP.You need to find it ASAP and don't drive it anymore,maybe your Opti will be saved.
If its your waterpump you may consider a new Opti anyways,I would also replace both the seals behind the opti and Wp and do the plug wires while your there
If its your waterpump you may consider a new Opti anyways,I would also replace both the seals behind the opti and Wp and do the plug wires while your there
I don't understand because I haven't driven the car in over a month, and the leak just happened. How does the water pump go parked. I also have started it and have no problem. I don't understand.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Delta B.C. Canada
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I just finished fixing a leak on my ’92. Luckily, it was just one of the gaskets. I suspect when the PO replaced the pump just before I got it, some of the old gasket material was not completely removed.
To figure out if the leak was coming from the weep hole, I slipped a thin piece of cardboard between the pump and the Opti, then ran the motor until it got hot. The cardboard stayed dry, and that’s when I saw the coolant coming out of the gasket area.
Seems strange that you’ve got a ‘large amount’ of coolant on the ground if it hasn’t been running. Is it possible that this happened the last time you parked it, when the system still had pressure in it, and you just noticed it now? You’ll need to pressurize the cooling system, (or run it til hot), to find where the leak is coming from. Check the weep hole, hoses, gaskets, knock sensors. And don’t let your Opti get wet.
To figure out if the leak was coming from the weep hole, I slipped a thin piece of cardboard between the pump and the Opti, then ran the motor until it got hot. The cardboard stayed dry, and that’s when I saw the coolant coming out of the gasket area.
Seems strange that you’ve got a ‘large amount’ of coolant on the ground if it hasn’t been running. Is it possible that this happened the last time you parked it, when the system still had pressure in it, and you just noticed it now? You’ll need to pressurize the cooling system, (or run it til hot), to find where the leak is coming from. Check the weep hole, hoses, gaskets, knock sensors. And don’t let your Opti get wet.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 9,758
Likes: 49
From: Houston Texas
Believe it or not sitting is bad for seals they dry up, It was going anyway. Good luck
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Le Mans Master
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From: Orlando FL
Time to take action.
Run your fingers down in front of the engine and see if you can feel any wetness under the center of the water pump. The picture in post 9 shows you a view of the bottom of the pump and that’s what you’re feeling for.
If it is wet you have probably found the problem. If it is dry then perhaps there might be pin hole or split in one of the hoses.
Check to see if anything is wet above the pump and make sure the 2 coolant bleed screws are not leaking.
The ideal thing to do is to pressurize the system cold with a radiator pressure pump. If you don’t have one than you can try squeezing the large hoses and see if you can force a leak to see it visually. Or you may have to run it to temperature and just look to see if anything is leaking.
You may also want to look under the engine (jack up) at the freeze plugs and knock sensors to see if they are leaking.
It sounds like you are sure that it is coolant and not a water discharge from the A/C.
It looks like AZ is about $133.
Run your fingers down in front of the engine and see if you can feel any wetness under the center of the water pump. The picture in post 9 shows you a view of the bottom of the pump and that’s what you’re feeling for.
If it is wet you have probably found the problem. If it is dry then perhaps there might be pin hole or split in one of the hoses.
Check to see if anything is wet above the pump and make sure the 2 coolant bleed screws are not leaking.
The ideal thing to do is to pressurize the system cold with a radiator pressure pump. If you don’t have one than you can try squeezing the large hoses and see if you can force a leak to see it visually. Or you may have to run it to temperature and just look to see if anything is leaking.
You may also want to look under the engine (jack up) at the freeze plugs and knock sensors to see if they are leaking.
It sounds like you are sure that it is coolant and not a water discharge from the A/C.
It looks like AZ is about $133.
Last edited by pcolt94; Feb 16, 2010 at 02:29 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
From: Holtsville NY
Possible the water pump weep hole is starting to tell you it's time for a new pump. But before you tear down the engine and assume the worse check the hoses for hairline cracks or fractures, even the smallest slit is enough to make it leak. Especially if the car sits allot, that not good, things dry out, they are made to be driven. If the location of the drip is almost dead center under the pully's chances are it might be the WP.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,529
Likes: 1
From: Howell N.J. Home of Redgar
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
I went to Cruise-In V with Vetteweiser
Thanks everyone for your advice. I will have to check further this weekend. Just an FYI the car is driven and has its weeks when it bad out or it snows or the roads are all salted up ,but it goes out for its cruises. It has 58,004 miles on it, and has been to Kentucky on numerous occasions. Its just been so bad down south Jersy this year . Over 60 inches of snow so far this year in my town alone. Again thank you all and I will let you know what I find. Another FYI I did some checking the day I saw it for the first time and it did not seem like the water was coming from the water pump but somewhere undernieth it all, WP ,and Opticrap. 
Last edited by DINO; Feb 17, 2010 at 03:31 PM.
