coolant leak

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diymirage

diymirage

HP@idle > hondaHP@redline
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hey fellows

i got an issue with the duster today

i got her out of storage and fired her up for the first time in a few months

after idling for a while i found a puddle underneath it, which turned out to be coolant

best i can tell, its coming from the top of the timing cover

20210310_123503-jpg.jpg


(you can see it running down towards the freeze plug)

best i can tell it is leaking out of the red circle, the green circle is dry
i figured if it was the crossover hose, or the thermostat housing, it would be wet up there

so, any reason to believe it is not the timing cover?
id really hate to dig that deep into it but it doesnt look like im overlooking anything simple
 
The timing covers have been known to corrode and leak similarly- not saying that's what it is and not just a gasket, but be prepared... :(
 
If you need a different timing cover, let me know. I have 2 or 3 extra ones in my garage.
 
IIRC that red bolt penitrates the water jacket, maybe just pull it and add proper sealer to the bolt?
 
Dana67Dart said:
IIRC that red bolt penitrates the water jacket, maybe just pull it and add proper sealer to the bolt?
Click to expand...

i would imagine that Mike (MRL) put some decent stuff on there when he build the engine 4, 5 years ago
i sure do hope that will solve it
ill look into it tomorrow, wouldnt hurt to pull that bolt off and put some aviation permatax on it


jazak5 said:
bite the bullet now/cover/chain/pump/thermo clutch and use a anode in radiator drain plug and enjoy the summer and save your core plugs !!!
ask me how I know

https://www.bing.com/aclk?ld=e8AKq2...z&rlid=bab11df9f5c71a8a00d57db0cddcca41&ntb=1

View attachment 1715705395

shoot, that looks rough
lets hope it doesnt come to that, but ill do what i have to

man, i am not looking forward to trying to get that pan properly sealed again

View attachment 1715705396

View attachment 1715705400
Click to expand...
 
And when you're all done and the leaks are fixed, don't use tap water in your cooling system. Use distilled water along with a good quality antifreeze in a 50/50 mix.
 
diymirage said:
so, any reason to believe it is not the timing cover?
id really hate to dig that deep into it but it doesnt look like im overlooking anything simple
Click to expand...
What is "digging that deep" mean that's a 20 minute job to get that timing cover off
 
Dana67Dart said:
IIRC that red bolt penitrates the water jacket, maybe just pull it and add proper sealer to the bolt?
Click to expand...

i pulled that one bolt out, and when it came out, i could hear it gurgling
that tells me it was sealed (at least with zero pressure in it)

i slapped some sealant on and put it back in
all other bolts seemed pretty tight


Princess Valiant said:
What is "digging that deep" mean that's a 20 minute job to get that timing cover off
Click to expand...

even when i have to drain and remove the radiator
pull the water pump
pull the balancer
and drop half the oil pan


shoot, if you put it like that, it doesnt sound like a lot of work
but, like you said, im not much of a mechanic, and im honestly more worried about getting it back together and sealed up, then i am about getting it tore apart
 
diymirage said:
shoot, if you put it like that, it doesnt sound like a lot of work
but, like you said, im not much of a mechanic, and im honestly more worried about getting it back together and sealed up, then i am about getting it tore apart
Click to expand...

To defeat the engine, you must become an engine and get in there.



And yes, even with needing to drain and remove the radiator, it's a very small job. How long does it take for a radiator to piss it all out.
 
Princess Valiant said:
To defeat the engine, you must become an engine and get in there.



And yes, even with needing to drain and remove the radiator, it's a very small job. How long does it take for a radiator to piss it all out.
Click to expand...

Fair nuff
Any advice on how to make sure the oil pan seals again?
 
diymirage said:
Fair nuff
Any advice on how to make sure the oil pan seals again?
Click to expand...
Usually when guys ask me for mechanical advice:



But in your case, I don't think you need to drop half the pan, you only need to reseal under the new timing cover and a daub on each side will do it justice. Just a cute little dot of sealer and all the gremlins will run away.
 
Got it

I guess if things don't magically improve overnite, I'll dig into it over the weekend
 
Did you use coolant that had corrosion inhibitor in it?

If not, this could be a great example of why it is a good idea....
 
Bewy said:
Did you use coolant that had corrosion inhibitor in it?

If not, this could be a great example of why it is a good idea....
Click to expand...

im honestly not sure
i can almost guarantee you it was basic off the shelf prestone
and knowing me, i probably added tap water when needed
 
I'd pop the timing cover off. It's probably corroded, which is causing the leak. Use DI or distilled water from now on.
 
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