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leaking antifreeze- baffled

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Old Mar 10, 2010 | 01:28 PM
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Default leaking antifreeze- baffled

I have my Z06 on jack stands. I have a very slight dripping of antifreeze off the driver's side front corner of the engine block. I have checked the water pump, the hose connections, and the reservoir. Nothing! There is no evidence of antifreeze running anywhere down the sides of the engine. I have cleaned the entire bottom of the engine block and there is no evidence of anti freeze except for the oil pan and the one aforementioned corner. I realize it is migrating from somewhere to the lowest point, but I see no defined path. Where could it be coming from? Would it help to pressurize the reservoir tank? The only thing I am fairly sure of is the leak is on the driver's side of the engine and most likely the side as the front of the engine is completely dry.
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Old Mar 10, 2010 | 02:00 PM
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Originally Posted by handy andy
Would it help to pressurize the reservoir tank?
Yep
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Old Mar 10, 2010 | 02:42 PM
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How long has it been sitting and under what conditions? Heated, climate controlled or is it a fluxuating environment as far as heat and humidity? Prolonged sitting can, especially under variable conditions, cause hose connections and gaskets to weep as they expand and contract. If everything is tight and you are not down a significant amount of anti-freeze, I would drive it and see if it stops. Fluids tend to find ways to leak when a car sits and sits. Rare is the winter I haven't found some fluid under my cars.
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Old Mar 10, 2010 | 04:19 PM
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i had the same exact problem with my car.. It turned out to be the water pump.. The leak was inconsistent.. There is an infared dye you can buy at the auto parts store.. Put it in your radiator,, You will be able to see exactly where the leak is
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Old Mar 10, 2010 | 08:54 PM
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Originally Posted by David426
i had the same exact problem with my car.. It turned out to be the water pump.. The leak was inconsistent.. There is an infared dye you can buy at the auto parts store.. Put it in your radiator,, You will be able to see exactly where the leak is
Yep, same here. The fluid was spraying a very fine amount of water/antifreeze that I had trouble finding where it was coming from but it was the water pump at 31K miles. Can't understand why it would give out at such an early age.
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Old Mar 11, 2010 | 02:16 PM
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Sorry for the delay. Thanks for the dye recommendation. I'll give that a try. The car was only on blocks a couple of days before I noticed the leak. There's a stain on right long tube which indicates to me that it may have been leaking for a while.I haven't started the car since it went up on jack stands. It leaks just sitting there. I will be surprised if it is the pump because as I mentioned, the front of the engine below the pump seems perfectly clean and dry.
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