Hello,
A mechanic I know recently rebuilt my boyfriend's 3.0 VZE. It has 200 miles on it. It is leaking coolant. If you are under the vehicle, you can see green coolant leaking down the sides of the oil pan and also on the the transmission. The oil looks good and the coolant looks clean. The pics are on the passenger side just to the left of the spark plug closest to the firewall. We think we found what the source of the leak is. I have posted some pics. If someone could please assist I would greatly appreciate it. One of my concerns is that there is a hole that has threads in it...and I doubt it is supposed to be like that. Sorry for the lack of knowledge, I am just trying to sort out this nightmare.
Thanks,
smilee03

 

i cAnt see any coolant in the pic but the black part appears too be the passenger side valve cover (shouldnt have coolant coming from there) only thing i can think of would be your coolant temp sensor, or possibly a U-shaped cooolant hose about 3 inches long thats down below and to the left of coolant temp sensor.

 

Check ALL Coolant Hose Clamps all along the firewall. Especially when the engine is hot. If they are leaking, you won't see it with the engine first started up and cold. You will need the Hot Pressure to see it leak in real time.

Coolant is sent over the top of the engine, and under the Planum to the firewall, to a coolant temp sensor, if you have an Auto with O/D.


First guess....because this has happened to me!

So....do you have an Auto or Standard?


.

 

Take another pic from a wider angle if you can. There are a few places with blank threads on an engine. If you don't have an answer by Friday I'll check mine and compare.
I also had my engine rebuilt by someone else and had leaking coolant in two places. One was where the rubber hose meets the brass tubes that come out of the firewall for the heater core. You may also want to check under the dash inside the cab to see if the carpet is wet.
Last question - how often are you losing fluid and are you running hot?

 

Update: Mechanic that rebuilt it was in town and stopped by, mentioned that the intake gasket on the passenger side didn't feel quite right when he put it in, thinks that's the source of the coolant. Am having it pressure tested and inspected Friday by a garage to be sure, then back to taking apart the top of of the engine again.


Read lots of horror stories about the U shaped hose being a source for leaks, will definitely be giving it a close inspection as long as the intake's off anyway.

It's an Automatic w/ O/D

No chance at a wider angle, pic from outside the mess of hoses are very out of focus. It's just towards the firewall of the passenger side head cover (plastic), I think just oil passes through there? Aforementioned mechanic states it's a place for bolts to aid in engine removal.

Adding fluid daily, not running hot since the thermostat is rigged open due to initially being defective and not opening. So was showing hot on temp gauge but not anymore and not due to this leak..though I though the leak was related, and did have hose clamps on the water bypass outlet replace as may have been pushed off in the added temp/pressure.

No Steam, no white smoke, dropped the oil - was clean, leaking coolant is vibrant green. Hopefully nothing serious, but not knowing is killing me.