The motor in my truck is a 22RE from a 1992 pickup. It leaks coolant from somewhere under the distributor, before the upper rubber portion of the lower radiator hose. If I drive up a hill and then stop shortly after, it is very noticeable because some steam will come from under the hood when I'm stopped and it's wet around/under that area. The problem is worse after driving up hill / driving at high RPM. I have replaced the upper portion of the lower radiator hose recently, so it's not the hose at fault. Also, it seems like it's leaking before the rubber hose section. Does this sound like the water pump is going bad and beginning to leak? Or could something else be to blame?

Thanks a lot,
Josh

 

You'll have to search around, both on the site and on the truck. There should be a metal fitting there that likes to leak.

Get it nice clean and dry and squeeze on the hose you should be able to find it.

 

Ok, you mean between the hose and the pump? I'll have a look. Thanks

 

This page shows an intake pipe

This thread leads to , this diagram



Some of that stuff down there on the right hand side of the picture. The pump if it's leaking will be wet further over on the passenger side.

 

Thanks, I bet it has something to do with the orange pipe in a photo in the second link. Can that thing be tightened down or does it have a gasket to replace?

 

Thats off the side of the timing chain cover(?), notice it's the same color as the cover and looks to be missing any bolts at the ridge you can just barely see on the left side between the alt mount.

Not 100% sure on the routing. I think it goes straight to the back of the water pump thru the timing cover. So if it's leaking there it would be the water pump gaskets. Or just running down that pipe and looking like the gasket.

 

Hmm, ok thanks. I need to get in there and have a look. Didn't get that far today.

 

I got some time over the weekend to check out this coolant leak. I found two bolts that attach a hose running to or from the heater core to the metal pipe under the distributor. I was able to tighten them some, and I found a third bolt hole where there was no bolt. I put a bolt in that hole and tightened it down as well.

Yesterday I went for a drive, and checked the site afterwards. It was wet again, and now it looks like it might even be coming from the outside of the head gasket. I thought about putting some stop-leak in it, but I'm torn. The guy I got the truck from put this motor in it straight from his parts truck. It's never been rebuilt aside from a new timing chain that the same guy installed. The truck starts like the timing is too fast, though it does not run like it is. I wonder if the cam and crank aren't aligned properly. So maybe I should tear into the motor so I can also double check the timing chain installation. On the other hand, that is a lot more time and work than dumping in a can of stop-leak. Any thoughts? Thanks

 

Today I put a camera under my hood and went for a drive. I took some video of the leak area. Shortly after the video starts, you'll hear me honk. That's when I'm beginning up a long hill and the leaking begins. I'm still not 100% sure where it's coming from. Here is the link:
Thanks, Josh

 

Can't believe I just watched a video of some guys coolant leak. We need another one of you putting the camera there so we know where we're sitting, maybe.Thats the drivers side from somewhere near the firewall right looking at the exhaust?

Around the 24 second mark there is a horizontal gush of fluid at the round object just to the lower left of center frame/screen. Looks like the head gasket. Can you get the light and camera into where the light is sitting, shoud have a direct view on the leak maybe.

 

Also great Idea with the camera, I've been wanting to mount one on my rear end to see what my axel is up to when it feels like a skateboard on choppy sidewalk And yes I know it's my springs but just how bad are they is what I'm interested in.

 

Yeah it is the drivers side, looking under the distributor. I agree, a better angle, more light, better quality would help. Maybe Saturday. It was fun putting the camera in there. I just taped it to a brake line.

Thanks for your input. I am curious to find if it is really is the head gasket. Sure seems like a possibility

 

Over the weekend I ended up just putting some Barr's stop-leak in the truck. Wherever the leak was coming from, hopefully that takes care of it. I played with the throttle while it was parked and nothing leaked out. Haven't had time to go for a drive yet to see for certain.

 

Any news? What happened?

 

Well, for the first time since putting the stop leak in, I drove the truck today. When I stopped, there was some coolant burning off. I'm not certain if it was new leakage or old stuff burning off. Since the engine is a 4 cyl, I still have half the bottle left. It says you can do another round if the first try doesn't seal things up.

 

I drove the truck a good bit today and the area where the coolant leak was was dry. It seems the stop leak did the job. Thank you everyone for your input. Now on to the next fix!