Wierd water pump leak?

slosurfer · 01-13-2007, 09:54 AM

I have a wierd coolant leak that I think I have traced back to the water pump. It doesn't seem to leak while I am driving, either that or what little is leaking is being burnt off, but I don't seem to lose any coolant while driving. It doesn't leak when it is cold, (ie nighttime, early morning), but if it is sitting in the driveway during the day it will start to slowly leak. It seems to be coming from behind the thermostat housing, but between the water pump and engine block. Where exactly are the weep holes on the water pump?

I am actually planning on doing the water pump/ timing belt soon anyways, but I thought this was weird and am not sure if it is the waterpump. Any suggestions? It is so hard to see in there.

Another ?, I want to do a coolant system flush. Should I do the flush right before I tear into the waterpump/ timing belt or should I flush it right after. I think it would be nice to have it flushed before and instead of refilling everything, do the waterpump, etc.. and refill after. Thoughts?

This ad is not displayed to registered members.
Register your free account today and become a member on Yotatech!

Targetnut · 01-13-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slosurfer

I have a wierd coolant leak that I think I have traced back to the water pump. It doesn't seem to leak while I am driving, either that or what little is leaking is being burnt off, but I don't seem to lose any coolant while driving. It doesn't leak when it is cold, (ie nighttime, early morning), but if it is sitting in the driveway during the day it will start to slowly leak. It seems to be coming from behind the thermostat housing, but between the water pump and engine block. Where exactly are the weep holes on the water pump?

Actually it is not that wierd. waterpump leaks can be very finnicky as you have found. and a leak like that can go on for a long time or start dumping sometime later today.

Quote:

Originally Posted by slosurfer

I want to do a coolant system flush. Should I do the flush right before I tear into the waterpump/ timing belt or should I flush it right after. I think it would be nice to have it flushed before and instead of refilling everything, do the waterpump, etc.. and refill after. Thoughts?

Depends on how rancid your coolant is. if it is really nasty I'd flush it thoroughly before the waterpump.

4Crawler · 01-13-2007, 10:55 AM

Weep hole is on the bottom of the housing where the pulley attaches to. Hole is there to let any coolant that leaks past the inner seal (and bushing) drip out so you know the seal is leaking. Coolant will wash any lube out of the inner bushing and it will not last long like that.

slosurfer · 01-13-2007, 06:27 PM

I can't tell if it is from the weep hole or from the gasket but either way I am going to do the wp/ timing belt. 103,000 miles and I am pretty sure it is the original for both.

It is time for a coolant flush also, the coolant looks fine, but I don't know the last time it was flushed so I think I will do the flush except for the final refill, then I will do the wp. That way when I am done with the wp/timing belt, I just have to refill and be done with it.

Since this isn't our DD anymore, I should be able to take my time and with the help of yotatech, do it right.

006roadster · 03-31-2007, 09:55 PM

Could be a hairline crack in the block; when it's hot the metal expands and seals the crack; when cold it starts to leak.

slosurfer · 03-31-2007, 11:04 PM

Ended up being the waterpump. Put a new one on 03/11, went to Death Valley the next weekend and jarred the heck out of the 4runner on the washboard roads, has been leak free since. I could see that it had been leaking out the weephole once I got down to the WP. I didn't know that the weephole is actually offset to the driverside and that is why it leaks out that way. I always thought the weephole was directly below, so I was confused why I wasn't seeing coolant there.

006roadster · 04-02-2007, 09:11 PM

Belive it or not I'm getting a similar leak; too weird. The leak only happens when the truck is sitting for a couple of days. When you said it leaked from the drivers side did you see the leak coming between the themostat housing and the crack pully?

slosurfer · 04-02-2007, 09:26 PM

not sure what the crack pully is, but the coolant was (looking at the front of the engine) to the left of the thermostat housing. At first I thought it was from the thermostat housing but then I could tell that it was coming from higher up, so that left either the wp or the wp gasket.

slosurfer · 04-02-2007, 09:34 PM

http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=146310

not mine, but the picture looks just like how mine did when it was leaking

006roadster · 04-03-2007, 09:10 PM

Thanks for the pitcture, that's exactly where the coolant is coming from. I guess I need to tear appart the front end. It's a little worrying the that timing belt runs the water pump. If the water pump fails so can the timing belt and the very quickly the engine.

01-13-2007, 10:55 AM	#3 (permalink)
4Crawler Contributing Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 7,828	Weep hole is on the bottom of the housing where the pulley attaches to. Hole is there to let any coolant that leaks past the inner seal (and bushing) drip out so you know the seal is leaking. Coolant will wash any lube out of the inner bushing and it will not last long like that. __________________ 1985 Toyota 4Runner SR-5, 22REC engine, dual t-cases, 4.88 gears, dual ARBs, 33x10.50 BFGs or 35x12.50 MTRs r.c.brown@ieee.org TruckEditor@tlca.org Project: 4Crawler 4Crawler OffRoad Gettin'Off 4WD Club

01-13-2007, 06:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
slosurfer Contributing Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Los Osos, CA (we can't agree on crap!) Posts: 2,155	I can't tell if it is from the weep hole or from the gasket but either way I am going to do the wp/ timing belt. 103,000 miles and I am pretty sure it is the original for both. It is time for a coolant flush also, the coolant looks fine, but I don't know the last time it was flushed so I think I will do the flush except for the final refill, then I will do the wp. That way when I am done with the wp/timing belt, I just have to refill and be done with it. Since this isn't our DD anymore, I should be able to take my time and with the help of yotatech, do it right. __________________ Chris 7th Annual Pismo Jamboree: Sept. 25-27, 2009 '93 4runner SR5 3.0 Auto 4WD '07 Tacoma Dcab 4x4 TRD offroad '89 F250 4x4 w/utility bed M416 1/4 ton military trailer "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem." Ronald Reagan Semper Fi SLO 4wheelers

03-31-2007, 09:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
006roadster Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Calgary AB Posts: 20	Could be a hairline crack in the block; when it's hot the metal expands and seals the crack; when cold it starts to leak. __________________ 1988 Toyota 4runner 3VZ running 33x12.5 on 10" rims, Performance Accessories 3" body lift, daylighter 7" off-road lights, X-plode sound system

03-31-2007, 11:04 PM	#6 (permalink)
slosurfer Contributing Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Los Osos, CA (we can't agree on crap!) Posts: 2,155	Ended up being the waterpump. Put a new one on 03/11, went to Death Valley the next weekend and jarred the heck out of the 4runner on the washboard roads, has been leak free since. I could see that it had been leaking out the weephole once I got down to the WP. I didn't know that the weephole is actually offset to the driverside and that is why it leaks out that way. I always thought the weephole was directly below, so I was confused why I wasn't seeing coolant there. __________________ Chris 7th Annual Pismo Jamboree: Sept. 25-27, 2009 '93 4runner SR5 3.0 Auto 4WD '07 Tacoma Dcab 4x4 TRD offroad '89 F250 4x4 w/utility bed M416 1/4 ton military trailer "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem." Ronald Reagan Semper Fi SLO 4wheelers

04-02-2007, 09:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
006roadster Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Calgary AB Posts: 20	Belive it or not I'm getting a similar leak; too weird. The leak only happens when the truck is sitting for a couple of days. When you said it leaked from the drivers side did you see the leak coming between the themostat housing and the crack pully? __________________ 1988 Toyota 4runner 3VZ running 33x12.5 on 10" rims, Performance Accessories 3" body lift, daylighter 7" off-road lights, X-plode sound system

04-02-2007, 09:26 PM	#8 (permalink)
slosurfer Contributing Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Los Osos, CA (we can't agree on crap!) Posts: 2,155	not sure what the crack pully is, but the coolant was (looking at the front of the engine) to the left of the thermostat housing. At first I thought it was from the thermostat housing but then I could tell that it was coming from higher up, so that left either the wp or the wp gasket. __________________ Chris 7th Annual Pismo Jamboree: Sept. 25-27, 2009 '93 4runner SR5 3.0 Auto 4WD '07 Tacoma Dcab 4x4 TRD offroad '89 F250 4x4 w/utility bed M416 1/4 ton military trailer "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem." Ronald Reagan Semper Fi SLO 4wheelers

04-02-2007, 09:34 PM	#9 (permalink)
slosurfer Contributing Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Los Osos, CA (we can't agree on crap!) Posts: 2,155	http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=146310 not mine, but the picture looks just like how mine did when it was leaking __________________ Chris 7th Annual Pismo Jamboree: Sept. 25-27, 2009 '93 4runner SR5 3.0 Auto 4WD '07 Tacoma Dcab 4x4 TRD offroad '89 F250 4x4 w/utility bed M416 1/4 ton military trailer "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem." Ronald Reagan Semper Fi SLO 4wheelers

04-03-2007, 09:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
006roadster Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Calgary AB Posts: 20	Thanks for the pitcture, that's exactly where the coolant is coming from. I guess I need to tear appart the front end. It's a little worrying the that timing belt runs the water pump. If the water pump fails so can the timing belt and the very quickly the engine. __________________ 1988 Toyota 4runner 3VZ running 33x12.5 on 10" rims, Performance Accessories 3" body lift, daylighter 7" off-road lights, X-plode sound system

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
leak from water pump gasket ,water pump	dcmbsc	86-95 Trucks & 4Runners	10	08-06-2007 08:46 AM
antifreeze leak. I'm thinking the water pump...	Charger92	86-95 Trucks & 4Runners	12	10-18-2006 02:48 PM
replaced 22r water pump, now oil leak	FenderJazz	86-95 Trucks & 4Runners	7	06-05-2006 07:31 PM
93 4Runner Power Steering Pump and Water Pump/Thermostat Replacement	Lucky_13	95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners	6	11-17-2005 09:37 AM
93 4Runner Power Steering Pump and Water Pump/Thermostat Replacement	Lucky_13	Maintenance & Repair Archives	1	11-16-2005 04:26 PM