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WATER LEAK PROBLEM..PLEASE HELP

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 6:04 am
by jaskel
Hey guys,

My car (1990 liberty ej22 non turbo)was leaking water at a fair rate, I put it up on ramps and had a look, It apears to be leaking from a hole that looks like a breather or somthing on the side of the block..just above where the lower radiator hose goes and what looks to be the thermostat...I have taken some photos of it and if any of you guys can see what it may be please help me...

It looks like a bolt hole or somthing...maybee i should try to plug it up...

Please let me know...im desperate...

Look at this one first;

http://members.iinet.net.au/~jaskel/pub ... 20shot.jpg

then this one a bit of a close up;

http://members.iinet.net.au/~jaskel/pub ... cLOSER.jpg

and this one is a real close up..u can see the hole..it is a perfect round hole..like a 6 or 8 mm hole;

http://members.iinet.net.au/~jaskel/pub ... e%20up.jpg


Thanks guys I really appreciate any help.

J

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 8:19 am
by THAWA
hmm, I believe that's the weep hole on the water pump. Could be wrong, but that seems like what it would be. Whats the mileage on that \water pump?

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 8:32 am
by jaskel
yeah but why would it leak out of there?? seems strange..

Mileage is 180 000 km

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 8:57 am
by THAWA
it's supposed to leak out of that hole as a safeguard when the pump is beginning to die. Bearings or something. At anyrate if there's 180k kms on there I think you should change it. isn't the recommended interval like 60k miles or a lil less than 100k kms?

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 5:11 pm
by petridish38
Yes, that is the weep hole. If that is leaking, there is nothing you can do but replace the pump.

While replacing the water pump, it would be a good idea to replace your timing belt and the cam and crank seals since they look to be leaking a bit.

Andrew

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 6:19 pm
by elkaboom
Sounds like the water pump is definitely going -I can testify to the symptoms and attached pics as being exactely the same as those I experienced when mine went.
Often, there is an associated "squeeling" that can be mistaken for drive belt slippage but is, in fact, the water pump bearings.
As THAWA pointed out, the coolant leaking out of the weep holes is evidence that the seal has failed.
Replacing it isn't all that difficult, but it is fairly labor intensive.
While you're at it, you might wanna consider replacing the timing belt and thermostat when you're down there; better to replace those things now rather than later (besides, with 180k on the clock it's high time). Kinda sucks to have it all apart and then have to do the same thing two months from now :?

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 1:07 am
by jaskel
Ok thanks guys, I am selling the car very soon so I might leave the timing belt as it was done at 140000km.. But i will fix this water pump problem.

Cheeers

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 3:16 am
by petridish38
While you are in there you could do the seals too. That would be another selling point on the car, plus it should get rid of those ugly oil stains on the bottom of the engine. It might be worth it depending on how cheap you can get the seals for...

Andrew

Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 6:41 am
by 94L_wagon
IMHO there is no point in doing the water pump and leaving the timing belt, unless it was done very recently. Its a $40 part, and it has to come off to get to the water pump anyway.

Same thing with the cam/crank seals, its only a few extra minutes while you are in there and $10 or so for the 3.

Its sods law that if you leave them, you'll spring a serious oil leak or the timing belt will snap just before you come to sell it!