Coolant leak coming from somewhere

[04RubiOR]

I noticed a tiny puddle in my driveway after I had parked for about 10 minutes. It wasn’t oil but was coolant. Popped the hood and I could see where coolant appeared to leak and the fan sprayed it on the passenger side of engine. Oil filter, intake hose, coil rail, and both hoses going to heater core had dried white chalky coolant on them. It looks like that somehow some coolant that runs from the hose that goes from the water pump to the heater core leaked, and like I said the fan blew it all over. Not a lot of coolant, but enough to notice.

While I was looking for the leaks, i was running the engine and had the heater on and noticed that the ac lines felt like they were freezing up. I could hear what sounded like the ac compressor clicking on and off every 6 seconds. Turned heater off and ac lines felt like they were thawed out. Not sure if related.

 

[MountaineerTom]

If you have worm gear hose clamps in that area try tightening them up a little. Mine leaks a little bit this time of year when the the temps fluctuate cold and warm.

I’m going back to the constant tension hose clamps when I redo my cooling system.

 

[04RubiOR]

Thanks for the response. Mine are already the constant tension type. Last summer I replaced the whole cooling system following the guide from this site. Never had any problems.

 

[MountaineerTom]

I’d check to see if the weep hole on the underside of the water pump is leaking. It’s hard to see though. Maybe clean everything up, let it run a little while then shit the motor off and try to look under there with a small inspection mirror for signs of leaking.

Also look at your gasket areas of the thermostat housing and water pump.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I’d check to see if the weep hole on the underside of the water pump is leaking. It’s hard to see though. Maybe clean everything up, let it run a little while then shit the motor off and try to look under there with a small inspection mirror for signs of leaking.

That'd be my first suspicion. There's a weep hole on the front of the water pump, hidden from view by the pulley, that leaks coolant once its bushing goes bad. Once that bushing goes bad it's not usually long before the water pump starts coming apart internally and then you don't have much time to get it taken care of before it completely fails.

 

[04RubiOR]

That'd be my first suspicion. There's a weep hole on the front of the water pump, hidden from view by the pulley, that leaks coolant once its bushing goes bad. Once that bushing goes bad it's not usually long before the water pump starts coming apart internally and then you don't have much time to get it taken care of before it completely fails.

What are the chances that almost brand new mopar water pump would expierience a bad bushing?

 

[MountaineerTom]

I'd say less likely that autopart store brands, but I guess anything is possible. It's just a place to start.

 

[Farmergreg]

Thanks for the response. Mine are already the constant tension type. Last summer I replaced the whole cooling system following the guide from this site. Never had any problems.

Did you replace the metal tube that comes out of the pump toward the heater core?

 

[04RubiOR]

Did you replace the metal tube that comes out of the pump toward the heater core?

I believe I used the same tube from previous water pump. I just replaced the Teflon tape. It’s like it just puked from somewhere. I cleaned it up and have been checking after driving to see if I can see anymore coolant anywhere in engine department, but so far nothing. I’m perplexed.

 

[Farmergreg]

I believe I used the same tube from previous water pump. I just replaced the Teflon tape. It’s like it just puked from somewhere. I cleaned it up and have been checking after driving to see if I can see anymore coolant anywhere in engine department, but so far nothing. I’m perplexed.

I'm in the rust belt and my tube was pretty thin so it's new along with all the other stuff.
Just brainstorming other spots of possible leaks.

 

[04RubiOR]

I found the leak. It is coming from the heater core hose that meets the tube on the water pump. I’m not sure why it’s keaking. I slid the hose as far as I could over the water pump tube. Hopefully it stops leaking. It was just dripping out of the end of the hose and leaking all down the side of the motor. Like I mentioned before, it has a constant tension clamp. I’ll take a pic tomorrow to see if anyone can spot something that looks off. Not sure why it’s leaking from there.

 

[MountaineerTom]

There might be a little corrosion on the pipe, not allowing it to seal good.

I don't know why they designed that pipe like that. The pump has to come off to remove it. I don't know why they didn't just put a threaded nipple on there and they just make the heater hose longer and curved to go onto in. It just mold the nipple into the pump housing. I have seen where people have bought parts and made different hose that made it a little more service friendly.

This is from a XJ Cherokee, but I don't see why it would work on our TJ/LJ's. Add a piece of hose to that nipple, then splice that into the factory heater hose with a barbed fitting and a couple more hose clamps. You could cut the metal pipe off, remove the threaded end and reinstall everything without having to remove the water pump.

 

[Farmergreg]

You'll either have to pull the hose, or add a screw style clamp. Are they new heater hoses? If aged hoses maybe the constant tension clamp isn't enough. But I hate to over clamp and ruin the hose.

I've also seen permatex gasket sealer work (the kind that stays pliable) applied to the nipple then slide the hose on and clamp.

 

[04RubiOR]

You'll either have to pull the hose, or add a screw style clamp. Are they new heater hoses? If aged hoses maybe the constant tension clamp isn't enough. But I hate to over clamp and ruin the hose.

I've also seen permatex gasket sealer work (the kind that stays pliable) applied to the nipple then slide the hose on and clamp.

New hose. I’ll try a screw style clamp and see if that helps. Thanks guys