Another coolant leak…

  • waynedwops42
    waynedwops42
    Senior Member
    • 103

    Another coolant leak…

    Just finished refreshing my engine recently. New oil pan seal, rear main seal and all gaskets except for the passenger side head gasket. After finding and replacing a leak in the hard line that runs under the lower intake mainfold I thought I was done. At idle there are no leaks and the engine sounds almost quiet.

    After running it through some more tests I decided to maintain about 4000 rpm for about five seconds, and suddenly a huge column of steam shot up from the engine and the driveway got soaked in coolant. I had someone hold the car at about 4000 rpm again while I watched for the leak, and god help me it looks like there is coolant coming out from the valve cover. At idle there is no evidence of a leak, though. I can't tell for sure because of all the steam but there is coolant pooling on top of the driver side exhaust manifold after these tests. I'm going to find a pressure tester to know for sure but I'm having doubts as to whether or not I can get the cooling system to leak the way it did with a handheld pressure tester. Haven't seen any white smoke or milky coolant yet but anything is possible. I'm hoping it's a loose throttle body coolant hose but they all seem tight, and I know there are no coolant lines besides the turbo below the valve cover… Any ideas?
    '85 2+0 Turbo
  • Wilsonthesphere
    Wilsonthesphere
    Senior Member
    • 208

    #2
    There is coolant lines in the engine valley which could cause it. I was able to find coolant like by connecting the air compressor to the radiator reservoir tanks overflow tube. Dont shoot with 100psi it would blow up. try giving it 15-20 psi should help you find the leak.
    Own:
    1986 Z31 2+0 Turbo GLL ---- spearco IC ,3" exhaust, Poly everything with solid subframe and diff mounts, HX35/40 Holset Turbo, CLSD, Nistune with 1220cc FIC injectors on E85.
    1993 Jeep Cherokee 4X4
    Owned:
    1995 Z32 2+0 NA Black
    1985 Z31 2+0 turbo Black
    1986 Z31 2+0 NA Red
    1988 Z31 2+2 NA Auto
    1988 Z31 2+0 Turbo White ---- Stripped for all of its goodies.
    1984 Z31 2+0 turbo Brown
    1985 Z31 2+0 NA Black
    2003 Nissan frontier D22 supercharded vg33e 4x4
  • waynedwops42
    waynedwops42
    Senior Member
    • 103

    #3
    Thanks for the suggestion, using a compressor I found that the coolant is leaking from a throttle body hose.
    '85 2+0 Turbo
  • waynedwops42
    waynedwops42
    Senior Member
    • 103

    #4
    As a follow up, seems like I toasted my O2 sensor from letting coolant soak in the connector overnight. Started the car up and it wouldn’t idle, unplugged the O2 sensor and it idles fine. Great....
    '85 2+0 Turbo
  • FrozenZ
    FrozenZ
    Senior Member
    • 584

    #5
    worth just trying to scrub the connector clean with soap and water and then some contact clear before shelling on a new O2....