Weird issue 700 miles from home

[Thewespaul]

Just arrived at our destination for the next day, and was checking over the truck when we arrived. Noticed a couple things, the cdr tube was a little kinked so I loosened it and fixed that issue, little bit more blowby than is normal but I am at double my typical elevation and power seems normal. No oil used this week in the 1500 miles I’ve driven so far. Then I noticed a little puddle under the truck, coolant is leaking from the front main seal when the engine is shut off, no oil in the water or vice versa just a slow weep from under the balancer. No noticeable loss of coolant or temps being out of the ordinary. Water pump isn’t leaking everything is dry around the balancer. It’s an odd one for sure... maybe cracked block? Like to hear your thoughts oilburners.

Wes

 

[DrCharles]

Can you pressurize the cooling system (with the engine hot) and look for the actual leak while it's happening? The IDI is the worst vehicle I own to see where a leak is really coming from... like a roof leak, it's nowhere near where I thought

If it's not from the water pump and its gasket, could it be the front cover? Or even sneaking down from the thermostat housing?

 

[Thewespaul]

This truck doesn’t leak anywhere except for a slow weap from a valve cover, so it was pretty obvious when i saw it dripping. I checked both water outlets and they are dry, I have just my roadside tool kit with me so I can’t pressure test it, but I’m sure it wouldn’t hold pressure. I can see a consistent stream dripping from behind the balancer so I know it’s coming from that area. Front cover could be leaking, but it would be hard to get that to leak externally and not mix with oil, and I don’t think it just rusted through because of how clean it was when I had it apart 40k miles ago. Weird.

 

[DrCharles]

That is weird... especially since there's no cooling passages near the front main seal that I can think of! I don't know how antifreeze could get back there from a crack and not mix with the oil, also.

How big a leak is it (can you drive it home?)

 

[Thewespaul]

It’s very bizzare. I wonder if the increased blow by is related or coincidental. Once the truck is running the leak slows considerably, and haven’t lost a noticeable amount of coolant in the rad so far, so as long as it doesn’t get worse it should be fine on the way home, just don’t have an answer for what would cause that.

 

[Thewespaul]

It’s in the 40s here, but the coolant dripping down is cold, like it’s been sitting outside the block for awhile. No moisture on the road or high humidity for it to be condensation, tastes like coolant.

 

[DrCharles]

And you're positive it is not from the bottom of the WP gasket, trickling straight down to the front seal? The only things I can think of that leak less when warmed up would be a gasket/loose bolt, or the WP seal itself
Will be interested to know what you find once home... start taking stuff off the front until you can see it?

 

[Thewespaul]

I’m going to retorque the water pump bolts once the engine cools and see if it changes, it would be nice if that’s the issue. Don’t know when I’ll have time to tear this thing apart so it would likely get parked for awhile

 

[Randy Bush]

Pits when you have to work on your own stuff. will be interesting to see what is wrong. I kind of wonder if it is not the water pump gasket . Hopefully maybe just retightening the bolts help.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

If it's coming directly from the front seal, then it can't possibly be coming from a coolant passage. The seal is located only in the front engine cover. The only coolant that flows through it is right behind the water pump. That is a strange one for sure. Not that it makes any difference, but what truck did you drive there? I'm just curious. I just had another, maybe far fetched, idea. What if there's a pin hole in the radiator that doesn't really leak until the engine is shut off and builds a little bit more pressure in the cooling system. What if it happens to squirt out and hit the water pump or the front cover just below the water pump? I know that that was really reaching, but just when you think you've seen it all, then that damned Murphy will prove you wrong.

 

[Thewespaul]

It’s the shop truck, with no fan or shroud I can see the whole rad clearly and it’s all clean, just water dripping down the balancer... I’m thinking a water pump gasket is the likely culprit. I’m gonna use my phone in the morning to take a video and see if the gasket is seeping.

 

[BrianX128]

This is exactly how my water pump started leaking before the pump started to get wobbly. If you loosen the belts does the water pump have any play?

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Then that has to be it. There's nothing else above the front seal. Of course I don't need to tell you that.

 

[Thewespaul]

Pump probably has 50-60k on it so that’s likely what it is. Because of the circumstances I’m here I didn’t have much time to really look into the issue, but it’s heavy on my mind. I don’t have a fan on the pump to wiggle but I can replace the pump at a parts store if I have to. I’d rather use some of my nos pumps I have on the shelf at the shop...

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I’d rather use some of my nos pumps I have on the shelf at the shop...

Can't blame you on that one.