When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I just can't find where I am leaking coolant out of.
Hey guys, I noticed I have a coolant leak (Kinda obvious) and I cant seem to find out where it is coming from because it is sprayed all over. I just changed my coolant because when I bought it used the guy used water and there was all sorts of rust and all in the system and I noticed it a few days later.
I seems to be concentrated towards the back and center. I checked the heater hoses and they seem fine but maybe you all have an idea.
The bipass pipe on the left side of the engine, underneath the fuel plenum has a rubber o-ring that likes to leak. You can disconnect the back end (probably the end that leaking if this is your problem), it'll drop down far enough to take a hooked pick to fish out the old o-ring, put a new one in...I used a little RTV for added measure, and reattach it with the hardware that came off it.
After you run your engine to operating temp, check in that area and look for the leak.
Alternatively, if that isn't your problem. Degrease your engine really good, then spray baby powder on everything. You'll see where the leak is coming from then. Youll just have to hose it off later.
The bipass pipe on the left side of the engine, underneath the fuel plenum has a rubber o-ring that likes to leak. You can disconnect the back end (probably the end that leaking if this is your problem), it'll drop down far enough to take a hooked pick to fish out the old o-ring, put a new one in...I used a little RTV for added measure, and reattach it with the hardware that came off it.
After you run your engine to operating temp, check in that area and look for the leak.
Alternatively, if that isn't your problem. Degrease your engine really good, then spray baby powder on everything. You'll see where the leak is coming from then. Youll just have to hose it off later.
I am trying to figure out where the pip and O ring you're talking about is but I am not having any luck.
I am trying to figure out where the pip and O ring you're talking about is but I am not having any luck.
It's kind of a booger to get to. Look through the top of your engine, while reaching with your left hand under the plenum. It's just below and behind your thermostat housing about 3 inches back. Feel for an upturned pipe with two bolts...It's that one. You can see it looking through the top of where the plenum connects to the head, and you'll be able to see your hand touching it.
The o-ring is inside once you pull the two bolts. It's a dealer only part, and costs $6 or $7, but they'll probably have it in stock. If that's where your leak is anyways.
Last edited by AppalachianOffRoader; Aug 13, 2015 at 07:00 AM.
There is also a cast iron plate on the back of the head that has coolant running through it,that bolts to the back of the head. This was a hard to find leak in the past for me. When I finally found it,turned out one of the bolts was about to fall out. It's dark and hard to see back there.
So I think I found the it is the hose where it connects to the port under the throttle body.
My buddy says that I should be able to just connect the port from the left of the thermostat and the port on the side of the block (from the water pump) and just bypass all that junk completely.
Sounds like it should work to me, any objections to that?
Does your buddy speak Japanese? Does he have at least a Masters in Engineering? If not, do you still think he's smarter than the engineers in Tokyo who designed your truck?
Okay, desperate times call for, well, you know. I suspect that the coolant flow in the throttle body is to improve driveability in cold weather, so as long as you stay where it's warm you might not be able to tell the difference. Or, it's an old truck (ALL of our trucks are old trucks), and you don't care, you just want it to limp along.
Your truck was built by some very smart people. The reasons above to modify your truck from the way it was designed are valid, but you ought to DECIDE to do that. Don't do it just because you're in a hurry and don't want to be bothered fixing it right.
All that said: is it leaking at the hoses, the connections, or is it leaking from the throttle body itself? You can replace hoses and tighten connections without much. If you have a cracked throttle body this is likely to be a very temporary fix.
I'm with Terrys87, replace them all. I did recently and I used standard straight hose on everything but the bypass, which I already had. And I would have used standard hose on that too if I didn't have it.