Anti freeze leak ?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 92
Likes: 3
Anti freeze leak ?
My car seams to be leaking anti freeze but I can't seem to find where the leak is. The hoses are dry, the water pump is also dry. I did find some anti freeze on the drivers side rear of the engine block. I removed the scatter shield and it is perfectly dry and no issues there. Could I possibly have a head gasket leak and if so what are my option. The engine is original with 12K original miles with aluminum heads.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,842
Likes: 230
From: SANTA CRUZ CA
What is the year of your vette?
12K miles?
See if this info helps:
http://www.benplace.com/pressure_test.htm
12K miles?
See if this info helps:
http://www.benplace.com/pressure_test.htm
Last edited by don hall; Apr 10, 2016 at 10:14 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
His avatar shows what appears to be a yellow '86 Indy Pace Car (door decals).
A head gasket leak is a possibility. By "scatter shield" do you mean the inspection cover at the bottom of the auto trans bellhousing? Coolant in there could point to a leaky freeze plug at the back of the block. Did you look at the block freeze plugs below the cylinder head?
You might want to get a cooling system pressure tester (AutoZone will have them for rent) and put something like 16-20 psi of pressure in the system. Then look for any leaks.
A head gasket leak is a possibility. By "scatter shield" do you mean the inspection cover at the bottom of the auto trans bellhousing? Coolant in there could point to a leaky freeze plug at the back of the block. Did you look at the block freeze plugs below the cylinder head?
You might want to get a cooling system pressure tester (AutoZone will have them for rent) and put something like 16-20 psi of pressure in the system. Then look for any leaks.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,430
Likes: 609
From: Minneapolis Mn
Pressurize the cooling system and listen and look for the leaks. I had a leak that turned out to be the hose that goes between the TPI and block behind the waterpump. I did find one thing that might help. Quite by accident after fixing that leak I was using a black light to see if I could see anything on a AC freon leak (looking for the dye). It showed the remnants of the coolant leak (didn't expect that). I don't know if you can rent them, but you can get a cheap battery black light flashlight off ebay for $3-$4.
Hope that helps.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 92
Likes: 3
What is the year of your vette?
12K miles?
See if this info helps:
http://www.benplace.com/pressure_test.htm
12K miles?
See if this info helps:
http://www.benplace.com/pressure_test.htm
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 92
Likes: 3
His avatar shows what appears to be a yellow '86 Indy Pace Car (door decals).
A head gasket leak is a possibility. By "scatter shield" do you mean the inspection cover at the bottom of the auto trans bellhousing? Coolant in there could point to a leaky freeze plug at the back of the block. Did you look at the block freeze plugs below the cylinder head?
You might want to get a cooling system pressure tester (AutoZone will have them for rent) and put something like 16-20 psi of pressure in the system. Then look for any leaks.
A head gasket leak is a possibility. By "scatter shield" do you mean the inspection cover at the bottom of the auto trans bellhousing? Coolant in there could point to a leaky freeze plug at the back of the block. Did you look at the block freeze plugs below the cylinder head?
You might want to get a cooling system pressure tester (AutoZone will have them for rent) and put something like 16-20 psi of pressure in the system. Then look for any leaks.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 92
Likes: 3
Pressurize the cooling system and listen and look for the leaks. I had a leak that turned out to be the hose that goes between the TPI and block behind the waterpump. I did find one thing that might help. Quite by accident after fixing that leak I was using a black light to see if I could see anything on a AC freon leak (looking for the dye). It showed the remnants of the coolant leak (didn't expect that). I don't know if you can rent them, but you can get a cheap battery black light flashlight off ebay for $3-$4.
Hope that helps.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 674
Likes: 235
From: Louisville Kentucky
2023 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist
2018 C4 of Year Finalist
2015 C4 of the Year Finalist
Intake manifold gaskets are known to leak coolant on L98's.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,110
Likes: 6
From: Red Sox Nation! RI
If the leak is near the driver's side rear of the engine block, I would check the following: Inspect the area where the head meets the block at #7 cylinder. If you have the optional engine oil cooler (KC4, I think), check the hoses going from the cooler to the metal cooling pipes and all around the oil filter. A pressure tester may help expose the leak, but if you have a working radiator cap, it probably won't make a difference. Drive the car til it's warm then park it over some cardboard.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 92
Likes: 3
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 92
Likes: 3
If the leak is near the driver's side rear of the engine block, I would check the following: Inspect the area where the head meets the block at #7 cylinder. If you have the optional engine oil cooler (KC4, I think), check the hoses going from the cooler to the metal cooling pipes and all around the oil filter. A pressure tester may help expose the leak, but if you have a working radiator cap, it probably won't make a difference. Drive the car til it's warm then park it over some cardboard.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 343
Likes: 9
From: Long Beach Ca,
My 85 had the same problem and I could not find the leak. Well the water pump let go and I thought that was it. Turned out it was the water pump gasket driver side. You might also look at the heater valve on the passenger side, I had too fix that back a couple of years ago.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 216
Likes: 8
I had a very slight coolant leak on my 91. I could not see anything obvious until I took a flashlight and one of those extendable mirrors and had a look around. I found the underside of the throttle body coolant bypass hose was wet and leaking. You might check that as a possibility.
Drifting
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 1,736
Likes: 31
From: Reno Nevada
GM used a steel manifold gasket with aluminum heads and manifolds in those years. It creates and electrolysis at the water jacket ports. Could be any of the other comments above but I've had this happen to me. Make sure and replace with FelPro blue should this be the problem.