Thread: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet

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  1. #1 coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    Hi there,
    2007 GP, with 126k kms. For years the coolant reservoir level would drop a little, having to top up, now.
    We changed the elbows several years ago, but I'm not sure if its that, we used oem ones.

    I've noticed the black plastic shield at the bottom spots, more now, the rad hose has some now,
    underneath the overflow tube was a bit sticky,

    Since we got the car, brown residue in rad cap/air, like a slow air leak.

    Video

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B22...ew?usp=sharing

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B22...ew?usp=sharing


    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B22...ew?usp=sharing

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B22...ew?usp=sharing
    This is is very wet behind, maybe the lower rad hose?


    Thank you
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  2. #2 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    That could be the timing chain cover gasket gone bad. That orange spot on the block by the lower radiator hose connection looks to damn familiar. Look up my bad water pump thread from last week.


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  3. #3 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
    Killa Bee Scottydoggs's Avatar
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    that could be the timing cover leaking. id spray it down good with brake cleaner, it will dry it up and make it dull looking, fill the rad up and run the car and look for the new trail of coolant.

    98 Buick Regal GS, F body brakes, Caddy STS wheels, tinted tails L36 bottom end, lightly ported heads, 1.95 roller rockers, headers, gen 5 N* 3.0 pulley, FSIC, 42 lb injectors, a BrandonHall rebuilt trans, DHP tuned and AEM water/Meth injection https://goo.gl/gpV5kW
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  4. #4 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    Yes do some testing before you dive into that.


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  5. #5 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    Thank you markpa and Scottydoggs.

    I had another look the last few days, and noticed it wet underneath the rad cap, and the overflow hose to the radiator.
    recently changed the rad cap out, to a spare one that I used, which I think is the newer one.

    checked again today seemed better. I always noticed the rad caps seem really hard to tighten, is that normal for your cars too?
    I'm wondering if I should get another in case?

    Thank you
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  6. #6 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
    Killa Bee Scottydoggs's Avatar
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    tight is good in my book, like hard to turn at the last 1/4 turn.

    98 Buick Regal GS, F body brakes, Caddy STS wheels, tinted tails L36 bottom end, lightly ported heads, 1.95 roller rockers, headers, gen 5 N* 3.0 pulley, FSIC, 42 lb injectors, a BrandonHall rebuilt trans, DHP tuned and AEM water/Meth injection https://goo.gl/gpV5kW
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  7. #7 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    hi all, thanks for the advice, we changed the clamps lower hose, and since refilling and bleeding it a few times, air got into the system again.
    I'm trying to bleed the air out as:
    open rad cap,
    open bleeder screw
    squeeze the upper radiator hose
    and refill as needed.

    I changed the radiator cap again, and with the new one I noticed that with it on and I squeeze the upper rad hose I don't hear any noise from the coolant reservoir.
    I ask this because with the old radiator cap, it would do it. I'm thinking maybe the new rad cap isn't allowing coolant to get sucked back in after?

    How is it for you guys?

    Thanks
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  8. #8 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
    Killa Bee Scottydoggs's Avatar
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    you open the bleeder when the engine is up to temp, if the fans come on you know the t stat is open.

    you should hear nothing when you squeeze the upper rad hose. your old cap was shot.

    98 Buick Regal GS, F body brakes, Caddy STS wheels, tinted tails L36 bottom end, lightly ported heads, 1.95 roller rockers, headers, gen 5 N* 3.0 pulley, FSIC, 42 lb injectors, a BrandonHall rebuilt trans, DHP tuned and AEM water/Meth injection https://goo.gl/gpV5kW
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  9. #9 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    thanks Scotty, I have tried that and

    I've tried many different ways,
    rad cap off, open bleeder squeeze hose, close bleeder, release hose and fill rad,


    tried rad cap off, bleeder closed, running the car till tstat open, and filling coolant,

    still after the car is cold, and I open the rad, its a little low.

    will it take time for the air pockets to purge?
    in addition the temperature goes up to about halfway then drops below the second tick, heat is less, then gets a bit better later, I still think there is air.

    Thanks
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  10. #10 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
    Killa Bee Scottydoggs's Avatar
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    you could flush the heater core it might have some air. and if you think its not bled fully take the t stat out and fill the lim up through the hole for the t stat.

    98 Buick Regal GS, F body brakes, Caddy STS wheels, tinted tails L36 bottom end, lightly ported heads, 1.95 roller rockers, headers, gen 5 N* 3.0 pulley, FSIC, 42 lb injectors, a BrandonHall rebuilt trans, DHP tuned and AEM water/Meth injection https://goo.gl/gpV5kW
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  11. #11 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    Thank you Scotty, that could be something to think about, maybe when its warmer, I tried again opening cap, filling it, seems to be fuller than before have to check in a few days.

    Thank you for the advice.
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  12. #12 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    hi, just an update, I used to find it wet around the thermostat housing, so going to try another gasket, got a felpro one, should I use rtv waterpump around the housing and on the gasket to be safe? on both sides?
    what if coolant spills onto the rtv, as its messy, would it still seal properly?

    Though I read on these posts that only around the seal.
    http://www.grandprixforums.net/threa...ousing-sealant
    http://www.grandprixforums.net/threa...-gaskets/page2

    as I read online the tapered edge of the seal to the engine block?
    We already changed the tstat and rubber once, and with air in the system, the tstat doesn't need changing again?

    thank you
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  13. #13 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    For the thermostat housing, I used the regular thermostat seal around the thermostat by itself and then I put a Victor Reinz C31349 gasket on the flat part of the thermostat housing.
    Last edited by J7319M; 04-18-2017 at 03:45 AM.
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  14. #14 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    hitnf,

    I recently noticed that even though I replaced the coolant elbows a few years ago with the metal ones, mine were still leaking. When I removed the elbows, the rubber seals had clearly deteriorated. I replaced them and the leak is resolved. Check your elbow seals.

    For the thermostat, I also used to get slow leaks out of mine. To seal it up I remove the housing and soaked up the coolant that was sitting inside the block right where I wanted to do the RTV. I soaked it up with a t-shirt until the level dropped a decent amount. With the RTV it has never leaked again. It is tough to separate the housing so do it right the first time - put a new thermostat and gasket in before rtving shut.

    I have a 2008 gp base for reference. Good Luck.
    2008 Grand Prix Base: Engine cover delete , flipped dogbone bushings, Transgo shift kit, Hayden 403 trans cooler,
    Quote Originally Posted by Yarbeau View Post
    we are all anal about our vehicles. Otherwise we would not be on an extinct platforms forum debating 3000 dollars cars!
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  15. #15 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
    SE Level Member GPmanter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scottydoggs View Post
    that could be the timing cover leaking. id spray it down good with brake cleaner, it will dry it up and make it dull looking, fill the rad up and run the car and look for the new trail of coolant.
    I have a similar issue on my Dad's 2006 GP. Antifreeze was down on the subframe but couldn't see where it was leaking. Do you know how hard it is to fix if the timing cover is leaking?
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  16. #16 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
    Killa Bee Scottydoggs's Avatar
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    its not all that bad, id make damn sure thats the leak before diving into it. its not a quick job.

    balancer, p/s pump, alt and its bracket then un bolt it all and take it off.

    98 Buick Regal GS, F body brakes, Caddy STS wheels, tinted tails L36 bottom end, lightly ported heads, 1.95 roller rockers, headers, gen 5 N* 3.0 pulley, FSIC, 42 lb injectors, a BrandonHall rebuilt trans, DHP tuned and AEM water/Meth injection https://goo.gl/gpV5kW
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  17. #17 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    Thank you GPmanter, Scottydoggs, Stocker, J7319M, @stocker, I do remember checking around the elbows it looked okay. I do have to look at it again sometime. As for the placement of the gasket, just rtv on the metal parts, and the don't have to rtv the gasket itself?

    I used to get leaks from the radiator cap, overflow hose. We will try to look into this soon.
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  18. #18 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    The way I found my leak was fluorescent dye. After I used that I found exactly where the leak was


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  19. #19 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    Thank you GP Manter, so we ended up doing the Tstat and rtv with it. Now in cold weather even the last few winters I noticed the heat not so warm, the t stat was changed in 2015, hooked it up to a scanner, and it runs around 79 C (174 f) 81 C (177 F) degrees celsius on the highway in cold weather, -1 C. While the Tstat is a 195 F.

    Now its cold to do work, unless I get access to indoors. The coolant stills seems to not to siphon coolant from the reservoir, and the level seems lower, and the heat not as great. I did end up cleaning the reservoir quickly, in the passed its been very dirty. For the heater core the top pipe is much hotter than the lower one, and the same for the radiator hose.

    For the Victor Reinz gasket, does the notch part go face down?

    please and Thank you everyone
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  20. #20 Re: coolant leaking? passenger side block wet 
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    Sounds like air in the system if you aren’t getting full heat from the car


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