Alright I ran a search and didn't come up with anything helpful. So I'll just ask.

I'm leaking coolant and it's dripping down from the front crossmember. I have a new water pump (AC Delco) and hoses, and they're all nice and tight. So where could the coolant be leaking from that it would drip down onto the crossmember? It's summer time down here in Miami, so I really need my cooling system to work right! Thanks a lot.

 

I had the same problem with mine a few years ago...turned out to be the frost plug.

 

What/where is that?

 

On the sides of the block.

 

Alright, thanks a lot.

 

If you can get your hands on a coolant system pressure tester it might make stuff go easlier.

 

Where would I get one of those?

And was reddawg talking about the freeze plugs?

 

Parts stores sell them. Autozone probably has them on the loan-a-tool program.

Yes.

 

You can improvise with a pipe bushing and a schrader valve screwed into a coolant port in the intake. Put a few lbs into it with a bicycle pump and see where it leaks.

The use of compressed air with this method is strongly discouraged.

 

Leaks are common from the water neck, weep hole on your (new) water pump, if it either wasn't new or is defective, water pump gasket, heater diverter valve, TB coolant system and upper radiator hose as it enters the radiator - its usually the plastic connector on the radio that gets brittle and an unseen crack develops.

Usually if a freeze plug rots out its more like an ocean under the car.

How sure are you on the water pump repair?

Feel the underside of the pump under the pulley with both the car on and off (watch your fingers!!!). You'll feel a hole and if coolant is coming out, your replacement water pump is bad. If you get under the car and look up it helps a bit to see where the leak is.

 

The old water pump started leaking from the weep hole before we replaced it and I'm sure the new one isn't leaking from there. I've tightened all the clamps on the hoses and they aren't leaking either. The drip is coming down from the crossmember (I can see the drops hanging down) and leaving little puddles under the car. That's too far back to be coming from the hoses/pump. I'll try to get under the car this week and check all the plugs, and try to get one of those pressure testers.

And thanks a lot guys.

 

Had to lift the motor on mine to get at the frost plug...wasnt flowing out like an ocean,just a steady drip(lucky me).I'm not saying that is what your problem is...just saying maybe...Good luck Scotty

 

I found the problem. The coolant is leaking all the way down from the passenger side cylinder head...damn. Hopefully I can just retorque the heads and fix it. I checked the freeze plugs too, they're good. Thanks guys.