flashkl

Please somebody tell me this isn't what it looks like...

All the pics
http://picasaweb.google.com/flashkl/Leak

Basically what I found


This is the passenger side rearmost outer headbolt.

I'm leaking coolant fairly quickly, enough to drip on the ground when I park for a few minutes. The trail of the leak starts above the head gasket (which I just replaced) so I thought it was a hose or something, so I stuck a camera down where the exhaust manifold obstructs the view from above and find... a headbolt with coolant coming out from under it!! Now, the pool looks like it's got more coolant bubbling up into it, but then again it could just be the vibration from the engine. Please someone tell me that my bran spankin reman'd head isn't cracked...

flashkl

bumpy bump

TNRabbit

Are you sure it isn't dripping onto the head bolt from above somewhere?

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

well.. it don't look good man. Did you have a shop replace the heads? if so, looks like a warranty issue. Maybe the head gasket is comprimised by the bolt and its leakin up and into the bolt hole. I'm pretty sure there's no coolant hoses in that area. Good luck man.

flashkl

That's what I'm hoping, but I can't think of anything that's right above that head bolt...

Arrrrghh well I don't see how that could have happened... but it was a DIY job... the reman head's under warrranty, my labor isn't...

flashkl

Well, I don't have the time or money right now to redo the job, and the leak is slow enough that I'm only losing about half the overflow reservoir a week, so I should be OK for the time being. I need to drive 9 hours up to Vermont come August so hopefully it'll hold up. Once I'm up there, I can pursue options i.e. a 3.4 swap (hopefully).

RMA

Just clean the area real good with some brake parts cleaner or something like that and start checking to see if you see the leak from up above the head bolt some where.

I might have missed it but did a shop do the work, if so take it back to them if they did.
totally sucks dude.

Jay351

You sure you torqued that bolt correctly?

flashkl

I did the work myself, so no warranty. And yes, I torqued it correctly (believe me, I'm pretty anal about torquing stuff down...) Ugh...

ZUK

iTrader: (1)

In your situation, I might try some of that head gasket stopleak stuff I keep reading about.

Blurr

X2. don't freak out until you have located EXACTLY where the leak is coming from. there are a bunch fo small coolant hoses on the rear of the intake, could be one of them. Do NOT pour any stop leak or anything like that into your radiator.

Team420

That would b the last thing I would do.... those things usually work for a couple days/weeks, but end up causing worse problems down the road.

Lumpy

I don't like them either, I have had to clean up the mess of PO when after having the car for a few months. I have heard other success stories though...

TNRabbit

It WILL clog your radiator, thermostat, and heater core!

flashkl

Yeah, I tried Bars stopleak when I found out originally that my HG was leaking. Didn't clog anything, but didn't fix anything either. All I know is I'm not doing another HG job on this motor if I can help it. I'm seriously considering some sort of an engine swap down the road, I just need this to get me to Vermont in August. As for pinpointing the leak, I will on my next day off. I'm still half hoping that there's something dripping from above...