So the other night I went and pulled a stuck Wrangler out of the power linea that run next to my house. When I got back I noticed the truck was steaming. Went to check it out the next morning and there was a large puddle of coolant under the truck. Refilled it and cranked it up to try and figure out where the leak was coming from and all I could tell was that I had a drip coming from the front of the engine. So I let her sit till today. Today I start pulling thing apart to investigate my leak and notice coolant in the valley above the water pump(not a lot) and dripping down the drivers side by the water pump.

So I'm going to put the a/c back together and try and fire her up this week to see if I can pin point the leak but at this point I am really hoping for a water pump and not having to replace the valley gasket. Here is hoping for the best.

 

I've done both. I can tell you this.. I'll do the valley pan again before i go after that water pump and front cover again. Valley pan is much easier than it looks. worst part is torquing everything back down.

 

i would suggest you do not put the AC compressor back in place yet. front cover tend to leak and more than once i have seen them leak at the top, right under the AC compressor.
I would suggest you get a pressure tester and find the leak before you start putting thing back together

 

Any opinion on the composite vs. metal valley pan gaskets?

 

I would check the throttle body heater first, it is much easier to replace and is prone to failure.

 

Yeah I just replaced the throttle plate about a month ago so I can rule that out, but I am trying to get my hands on a pressure tester while its apart so maybe I can get a better look.

 

I'm pretty sure the factory valley gasket is metal.. it just has that composite looking coating on it. my original one was very tinny sounding when I threw it on the shop floor, it was also rusting due to that coating flaking off. the new one felt exactly the same.

 

x2 I'm pretty sure the factory valley gasket is metal.. it just has that composite looking coating on it.

 

That's what I'm seeing, too. But the "uncoated" pan gasket appears to be plated, the "coated" one does not. Does the OAT coolant attack the plated gaskets? I've not heard of the plated gaskets failing in older applications, but as has been pointed out here, once the composite coating delaminates from the metal substrate, the unplated metal seems to quickly corrode.

 

I'm not sure how far I would take the rust issue causing any failure. Age would be more like it. This is mine, not a very good image but I thinkthink it says enough.