Guys and Gals,

I've got a coolant leak that I can't seem to find. From what I can see it seems to be coming form behind the starter on my 89 L05.

Is there a freeze plug behind that starter that could be leaking and causing this? I don't think it could be a head gasket as the car runs fine and I'm not seeing anything in the oil or any funny smoke

I've checked all radiator hoses, heater hoses and can find nothing. The only place it seems to be coming from is behind the starter and then dripping down the side of the starter and onto the transmisison lines and then on the exhaust too.

I hate to take the starter off to check since it's such a PITA to get the starter off of this car. There's a brace that is you have to take off and it's a real PITA.

Suggestions Comments?

 

It could still be a blown head gasket. Is your coolant level normal or are you having to top it off every once in awhile? Do you hear any coolant gurgling near the fire wall when you're inside the car? I was losing coolant every once in awhile but, the car ran fine for months. I noticed a small coolant leak at the back of the engine on the passenger side head. One day my cars coolant temperature gauge went up to about 240* while driving so I pulled into a parking lot and noticed I lost a lot of coolant. I finally took my car to my mechanic and found out it was a blown head gasket near the last cylinder on the passenger side head. Just don't rule anything out yet.

 

Check your head bolts to make sure they're all torqued. We've had a few people find some loose bolts and coolant will leak out of them! They are tapped into the waterjacket so if they are loose coolant will be pushed out.
I find it easiest to turn the car on while cold and just feel for the leak. Blind but at least the block isn't blazing hot. Good luck and double check your oil to make sure no coolant. Is their any smoke?

 

Thanks guys!

I've checked all the hoses, heater valve etc. I'm just loosing a little bit of coolant. Topping it off every couple of days or so.

I guess it could be the head gasket or the freeze plug that I've found out is behind the starter.

No there is no funky smoke. Yet....

I hadn't thought about the head bolts. But I really doubt that's it since the engine has 185K on it. I've had it since 123K and have never had the valve covers off. If that was it I think it would have shown before now. But I could be wrong....It's happened before....

 

mine had the same problem... you can rent a radiator pump from auto zone with a 75 dollar deposit. just pump it up to about 16 psi and look around or feel around this way you dont burn your hand off in the process. mine turned out to be a bad intake gasket.

 

With these pressure testers it will create enough pressure that I should be able to feel/see the leak? Is that right?

Even if it's a head gasket or freeze plug?

 

with mine once i got it up to presure i could really tell where my leak was coming from. normally the only way you would get the pressure that high would be to have some one rev the engine while you looked around

 

Well I found the leak. It is the freeze plug behind the starter.

Now, how should I go about removing the old one? Hammer & chisel? Some special tool that I;m going to have to spend $$$ for??

I assume installing the new one is just a hammer and seal driver.

Suggestions?

 

I didn't see this post in time or else I would have told you about the freeze plug as well. I had to change mine about 3 months ago. I had to drop the exhaust Y to get the starter out. Also, do yourself a favor and replace it with a brass plug instead of that cheap piece of tin foil GM installed in it from the factory.

On a side note I found another one that was leaking. This one was behind the power steering pump...much fun to fix. But I was swapping out the p/s pump at the same time, so it wasn't too bad.

 

W41,

You are correct on the removal procedure. Remove the battery ground cable. Drain the cooling system. Remove the starter to gain access to the leaky plug. "Tip" the freeze plug in its bore with a punch and hammer. Remove the plug with pliers, then clean the bore. Apply some gasket sealant or Loctite PST sealant to the perimeter of the replacement plug, then drive it in straight with a seal driver.

I hope you have room for that... And yes, brass plugs are a good idea, but the originals have lasted this long, so you make the call. If you can't find a brass one in teh correct size, get a steel one and don't sweat it.

 

What Autozone have you been going to, and where in the country?!? (I'd like to start going THERE.) I've sinced purchased a good one of these testers from snap-on, but a year or two ago i asked the manager at autozone if they had one for sale or loan, and he looked at me like i was from the moon! Had no clue what i meant. haha... These are the same people who handed me a box of front brake pads when i asked them for brake shoes. Must be nice to deal with competent parts counter people...

Hellraiser

 

I think I can get it out pretty easy. I'm working on my 89 9C1 Caprice so I have som extras room to work with. I've got it up on jackstands in the front and have removed the right front tire to give me even more room to work.

Thanks for the tips guys! I'll report how it goes tomorrow.

 

W41,

SOOO, you've got an ol' SEO vehicle, eh? Still have the spotlight? IIRC, it should have a 350 TBI, right? Hold on to that setup. It's very adaptable.

 

You bet it's got the spotlight. It doesn't work right now but it would just take a second or two to fix. I'm lazy sometimes

It is 350 TBI and I will be keeping it for sometime.

I guess I need get a sig done up for here.

You can see my cars at http://notdadsw41.home.att.net

CD

 

OK it's in. But it was a PITA. Getting the old plug out took 1.5 hours of me on my back in the driveway. Lot's of foul words, a hammer, chisel, screwdriver and some needle-nose visegrips.

One very important thing for those who have never done this before. Only seat the new plug so that it's flush with the block..... I thought it looked like it needed one more good wack with the hammer.... It didn't. It went clear thru and was loose inside the block. Not good.

One other thing I learned. I learned why you hot tank your block when you rebuild an engine. The gunk that was located behind that plug was NASTY. The car is cooling down right now from a run of Prestone coolant system flush. I'm gonna do that two times in the hopes that I get as much of that stuff out as possible.

No me thinks it might be time to start thinking about a new motor for the 9c1....