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318 coolant leak, middle/rear of engine

General23cmp

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Guys,

I haven't been able to get under it yet, but my car is leaving a few drops of coolant daily. The weird part is the location. I know that fluid can flow and drip from anywhere, so it could be coming from somewhere more obvious like the pump, but the drip is almost directly under the engine, maybe even toward the back. Also, if on one side, it may be on the driver's side more than passenger. Any guesses? My fear is something difficult to get to, like a rear freeze plug. The heater hoses look great and I don't see anything at first glance under the radiator/pump area. The drip is clean-looking green coolant, too. Thanks.
 
More-than-likely it is a core (freeze)plug.It always seems that it is the one behind the starter.:BangHead: Not saying that it is but can be.Hopefully it's not the ones that you have to pull the tranny.:mad:
 
Check your exhaust manifold bolts. They go into the water jacket. I had an issue there on my 318. It was easier to fix than a freeze plug.
 
More-than-likely it is a core (freeze)plug.It always seems that it is the one behind the starter.:BangHead: Not saying that it is but can be.Hopefully it's not the ones that you have to pull the tranny.:mad:


It can be worse...it could be the ones at the back of the block, that you have to remove the transmission to get to.
 
Thanks. I'll look around. With my luck, I can guess which. I do have the starter out as I just pulled my power steering box (leaking as well). So, maybe it'll be easier to find. Curious, how do you address the exhaust bolt if that's it? I'm new to these engines.
 
Guys,

I haven't been able to get under it yet, but my car is leaving a few drops of coolant daily. The weird part is the location. I know that fluid can flow and drip from anywhere, so it could be coming from somewhere more obvious like the pump, but the drip is almost directly under the engine, maybe even toward the back. Also, if on one side, it may be on the driver's side more than passenger. Any guesses? My fear is something difficult to get to, like a rear freeze plug. The heater hoses look great and I don't see anything at first glance under the radiator/pump area. The drip is clean-looking green coolant, too. Thanks.
Get a pressure test done you'll find out pretty quick then where its coming from
 
To fix the leak at the exhaust bolt, I just removed the bolt and drained the anti freeze to the point that is was not running out of the bolt hole. I cleaned up the bolt hole with a rat tail kind of wire bruch and cleaned the threads on the bolt itself on a wire brush wheel on the bench grinder. Then after everything was clean and dry, I put it back together with some Copper RTV. It hasn't leaked since. That was like the second time since the new milenium that something worked out in my favor on the first attempt.
 
Get a pressure test done you'll find out pretty quick then where its coming from
Yes on this...at the least get a telescoping mirror and flashlight and check it after driving, when the system is hot and still under residual pressure. It can drip out at the water pump onto the pulleys/belts and get flung into the most obscure places..
 
It could be more than one spot, but I definitely have a leak at the rear of the passenger side head’s freeze plug. It’s taking a long trip down and dripping under the rear seal. Not sure there is a great way to fix this without removing the head or worse, the engine.
 
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