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The local indy shop replaced a water pump for me as I didn't want to tackle the job myself. I didn't like their part quote so I bought the part through British Atlantic and they installed it. After driving away and reading the fine print the labor isn't warrantied which sucks. I knew the part would'n't be but was surprised the labor was not. Especially since I was smelling coolant straight off the shops lot which I figured was spillage. Looked under the hood when I got home and found the cooling fan harness unplugged on the drivers side which was irritating. I plugged it back in and could not find any coolant leaking.
It's now been 2 or 3 weeks since the repair and I've not driven very far as it's not my daily driver. Every time I drive it smells. Today I slide under it and found dripping off the skid plate. After removing it I found the steering rack a bit wet. The hosing where the oil filter sits also seems a bit damp above it. All the pulleys, belts and hoses are dry.
After ripping out the air box, the fan shroud and engine cover I can see a bit of coolant behind the water pump (guessing it's that because it's the cleanest thing there) on the passenger side. There is also some coolant deep in near a triangular structure I cannot identify - maybe the t-stat?
All hoses are within 2 - 3 years old max. All are dry, none are cracked. Radiator is new and solid as is the coolant tank.
So, I filled it up after doing a partial bleed. That's to say, loosening the bleed valve on the tank when it was cold (step 17 or 18 in the process - skipping the entire draining part) and then started the engine, ran to temp, etc. It did not take much coolant but it was low.
Any help in tracking this down would be helpful. If I need to remove the TB and the water pump pulley to look then I guess I'll go that route since there is no warranty.
Labor is usually never warranted with customer supplied parts.
When was the t-stat housing/crossover tube replaced? Those leak more often the water pump. Pump tends to leak down/forward. housing tends to leak on top and back. There is also a hose out the back of the water pump that could leak, but its not directly attached to the pump so it would not be related to pump replacement. Just a very small, well hidden hose.
I’ll have to check the records but if memory Serves, the entire e fine was rehosed at the same time the radiator was done. Pretty sure the t-stat was done the same time.
What’s the procedure for checking that tiny hose? Remove everything in the way of the water pump, etc?
Not the t-stat, the t-stat housing. Its a large part. OEM only should be used as aftermarket tend to fail in short time (not always, but enough people have said they do).
This is the part I am talking about, cant miss is.
As for that hose. The housing above comes out to inspect. My buddy has a mouse chew his, caused it to blow out.
The housing is not hard, EXPECT the bolts can be corroded and nasty. So there is finger crossing and patience involved. New bolts, no I dont know the size, may be a good idea... AB can help for sure I think. The hose... well shop procedure is to remove the intake I think. That is why I devised the string idea, which worked like a charm.
Yeah, all you can do is look super close. A hot engine is the worst for coolant leaks since any leak can evaporate quickly. Recommend checking before you even start it to maybe see anything. Then drive it.
06-18-2022 | 10:40 PM
LR3 Coolant Leak
