hi. this is on a 82 firebird 2.8l v6 engine...
well lately whenever i park the car after driving it a while, i have noticed it leaves a puddle of antifreeze there.. so i got under the car and see where it is , its from the gasket on the very bottom of the engine, right by the bottom of all the belt wheels... near the front.

it leaks quite a bit...

how is a cheap way for me to stop this leak..

i was just thinking of some typ eof epoxy stuff to cover it, will that work?

thanks,

-matt

 

just a WAG but i'd say you need a new water pump. if it is a gasket leaking you can't patch it only thing that'll work and last is to replace the gaskets and repair anything else t hat may contribute to the leak.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
MM Black Diamond 538 F&AM

 

im not sure this car is worth the effort to replace those gaskets seems very hard to get to, id practically have to life the engne out..

but im going to check on that water pump..

can i do this without draining my antifreeze out?

 

First of all, there is no coolant flowing through the bottom of the engine, its dripping down from either the water pump, your lower radiator hose, or some plumbing on your intake manifold.

Yeah, you're going to have to drain the antifreeze. Find exactly where it is coming from first. If its the water pump, I'd estimate you can get a new one for about 50 bucks.

If the antifreeze is dripping onto and beeding up on the lowest part of the lower radiator hose, either the water pump is bad, the gasket on the back is leaking, or the lower radiator hose leaks(isn't tight enough or broken). On the other hand, if the antifreeze is actually dripping down the engine onto the oil pan, one of the gaskets where the pump connects to the block is bad OR the heater hose connecting to the intake manifold could be loose/broken. Any broken gasket is going to make you take the pump off.

 

I bet the antifreeze is leaking from the water pump/hose above the oil pan, and dripping down on th oil pan. these gaskets are not hard to get, and you can get a brand new water pump from advance auto for $25. You don't need to lift the motor out, you can change these in the car. You shouldn't need to drain the anti freeze out of the radiator, but you will lose a lot if changing these things. You will just have to find a way to plug the holes. However, if your lower radiator hose is leaking, you will have to drain the coolant, there is no way you can change the hose with out draining it. The oil pan gasket is not busted. If it was and antifreeze is leaking out, you've got bigger problems...like a head gasket.

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'86 IROC 5-speed
305 LG4
edelbrock performer rpm intake
edelbrock 600 cfm carb
msd pro billet hei distributer
'95 3.23 rearend
hotchkis rear suspension
PST front polygraphite suspension
"speed kills. buy a f@&d, live forever."

 

I would not recommend attempting to ethnically engineer a cooling system leak. That's a one-way ticket to a place sitting by the side of the road with a destroyed motor from overheating.

Find the leak, and fix it right. It's probably either the water pump or the timing cover. Any of that is real cheap like the other posts point out.

You'll have to drain the coolant no matter what. You couldn't even rig it with the coolant still there, sealants don't stick to wet surfaces.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

i cant find the water pump, i looked in my chilton's manual and it is a really ****ty picture cant even tell what it is or where it is.. the only good pic is for a 2.5L engine...


anyone?

 

Look for the crankshaft pulley, it's the one on the very bottom. Directly above that is another pulley. That pulley is attached to the water pump.

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89 iroc-z 305 tbi
k&n filtercharger, open element air filter. nuffin' else

 

i gota take the radiator and/or cover off, and all those belts to get to it or what?

 

if you dont have an electric fan, its the thing that the fan is bolted to...

 

Not meaning to sound like an *** , but if you can't find the water pump..maybe you should have someone else look for it and fix it.

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R
and 2 POS commuters...

R.I.P. #3
"He can see air"

 

heh i think i can handle it... just needed to know where it is...

 

it has a few hoses coming into it, the lower rad hose and a heater hose. right in the front on the engine.

 

i believe i'll side with rb and engineboy here. if you can't find the water pump, can't trouble shoot where a leak is maybe you ought to give it to someone better able to fix it befroe you end up broke somewhere like rb said.

 

Ede is right ! Take it to a shop ! Or ask a buddy to fix it for ya and buy him a case of beer or something!

 

If you've got the interest in fixxing stuff, just get somebody to help that's done it before. You've got to start somewhere.

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Jeff

'85 Berlinetta, Special Beater Edition
Mods include a 4bolt 350 with 280*, .460 lift cam, Vortec heads, Comp Cams roller tip rockers, Edelbrock TES headers, no other exhaust . Also, rusted parts on all 4 corners, and crumpled fenders, thanks to the previous owner.

 

fixed it this morning, 27 for pump and gasket shucks auto.. will see if it leaks soon..

thanks, for all help!

 

85 is right, if you want to learn how to take care of your own car, you have to start somewhere. Replacing the water pump is as good a place as any; it's something every car needs more or less regularly. In most RWD cars, including these, it's not out of reach for a beginning mechanic to do successfully. However, to go into it with the attitude that you're going to deliberately rig it, is a very bad idea.

First see if you can identify exactly where the leak is. Easiest way to do that is to take it to the quarter car wash and blast the whole area around there until it's sterile. Then it should be much easier to see where it's coming from; and easier to work on too, because you won't be immersing yourself in 20 years worth of schmutz.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

very good advice. should clean the engine up alittle its really dirty..thanx