Leaking and dirty coolant. Need help asap.

Ok heres the deal, about 1 week ago I bought a 98 lumina with 122K on it. There were no signs of leaks or anything at all.

Fastforward to today, I go to check my tranny fluid when I open the hood theres brownish fluid on the left passenger side of the hood. It looks as if the belt (thats attached to the engine) flung it there.

SO.... One thing leads to another and I clean it up and decide to take it for a decent drive seeing that coolant level was fine. I took a 1 hr trip on the highway and stop and go traffic and the fluid did not re-appear.

I open up my coolant resevoir and its the same exact viscosity (if thats what you want to call it) and color. Therefore im 100% sure what I had found earlier was drops of coolant.

Now heres my question. Whats more likely wrong? Theres no overheating and the car runs super smooth. It also doesnt appear ive lost much to any coolant despite it obviously being the same stuff.

I bought this car last week and have little to no money. I saw on another forum that it could possible be the water pump (cheap fix I can do myself).

Or it can me the lower intake manifold (dont have the tools or knowledge to figure that part out).

The coolant in the resevoir has a rusty look to it. I dont believe its oil or even tranny fluid as it would not appear mixed in like this.


Any suggestions offered would be great. This is my first car and im a student so this has me worried crapless! All fluid levels are under constant check to make sure I dont overheat or anything.

for starters, i sympathize with the broke student problem, but you need to put a little money into the car. first, since the coolant is a rusty/brownish color gunk type stuff, flush the cooling system. you will be replacing the coolant anyway if it turns out to be a bad water pump. as for finding the leak, would help to know what motor is has...since you are mentioning the intake, i would assume it is a 3.1/3.4. locate water pump on engine(standing on passenger side, looking at engine pulleys and so on, is on right hand side). feel under the pulley(MOTOR OFF), and see if there is any slime/residue there. if so, confirm pump is leaking from weephole, and the pump is bad. is leaking from gasket, may just need new gasket...but pumps are cheap so might as well replace anyway if gasket is leaking. also, look at lower intake manifold where it contacts head(all 4 corners). if gasket is leaking externally, you will see trails of fluid residue running down heads. if it is leaking internally, you will have coolant mixed with oil. keep an eye on it. post back what you find.

Thanks for replying.

Im willing to put some money into the car, dont get me wrong. At the moment I just cant afford someply like a lower intake repair.

I do have the V6 3.1 3100 series engine. I went out to the car today and see what I could find out and the antifreeze is basically sludge, I read this is typical of DexCool so this may very well be the problem right there.


I figure ill flush it out, replace the coolan and order a water pump, Then when it gets here Ill go through the process of that. I didnt feel an actual leek but its very nasty near the water pump, wherease my entire engine is pretty damn clean. I find this stuff simple enough to do myself so here to hoping its not the lower intake.


If thats the case, would it be safe to drive with a cracked intake until i scrape up the funds? I dont drive heavy 20 miles a day to school and back.

Anyways thanks again!

Pull the oil dipstick and look at the oil level and color.

Pull the oil dipstick and look at the oil level and color.

Oil level and color are all good. I recently just had an oil change too. Ive heard that oil can get into the coolant if the gasket is broken which can also produce "sludge coolant".

The local place here is willing to do a flush and re-top for only $60 (dont have the stuff to do it here). I may just do that and see if it re-appears.

Im open to any and all suggestions. Thanks!

Not sure on where or why you had a fluid spill into the engine compartment. It wouldn't hurt to have the coolant flushed as far as the water pump. I see no indication its bad.

Ok heres the deal, about 1 week ago I bought a 98 lumina with 122K on it. There were no signs of leaks or anything at all.

Fastforward to today, I go to check my tranny fluid when I open the hood theres brownish fluid on the left passenger side of the hood. It looks as if the belt (thats attached to the engine) flung it there.

SO.... One thing leads to another and I clean it up and decide to take it for a decent drive seeing that coolant level was fine. I took a 1 hr trip on the highway and stop and go traffic and the fluid did not re-appear.

I open up my coolant resevoir and its the same exact viscosity (if thats what you want to call it) and color. Therefore im 100% sure what I had found earlier was drops of coolant.

Now heres my question. Whats more likely wrong? Theres no overheating and the car runs super smooth. It also doesnt appear ive lost much to any coolant despite it obviously being the same stuff.

I bought this car last week and have little to no money. I saw on another forum that it could possible be the water pump (cheap fix I can do myself).

Or it can me the lower intake manifold (dont have the tools or knowledge to figure that part out).

The coolant in the resevoir has a rusty look to it. I dont believe its oil or even tranny fluid as it would not appear mixed in like this.


Any suggestions offered would be great. This is my first car and im a student so this has me worried crapless! All fluid levels are under constant check to make sure I dont overheat or anything.

Not saying it isnt coolant, but on left side under hood is where a leaking PS pump will throw PS fluid as well.
And if that year also has a heater metal pipe running around lower frame rail on that side, it can get a rust leak and spray coolant on belt and deposit it in several places, along with the under hood area. I had at different times a bad water pump and a rust pin hole in that pipe, and the pipe was the one that threw coolant up on underside of hood, tho all depends on where it rusts at. So no way to know to further inspection.

Not saying it isnt coolant, but on left side under hood is where a leaking PS pump will throw PS fluid as well.
And if that year also has a heater metal pipe running around lower frame rail on that side, it can get a rust leak and spray coolant on belt and deposit it in several places, along with the under hood area. I had at different times a bad water pump and a rust pin hole in that pipe, and the pipe was the one that threw coolant up on underside of hood, tho all depends on where it rusts at. So no way to know to further inspection. Well,
Much to my dismay, I wake up to see I have absolutely no power steering. Im assuming youve hit it on the dot. Im leaking PS Fluid everywhere! I can say that for sure as my PS resevoir is pretty much empty now. SO....

Now for a solution.... Hoses, pump what?

Is this a fairly cheap fix?

You'll need to isolate the leak and where its coming from. Wipe down the components and get a bottle of PS fluid and pour it in. Start the engine and look with a flashlight (if needed) to see where its leaking from.

You'll need to isolate the leak and where its coming from. Wipe down the components and get a bottle of PS fluid and pour it in. Start the engine and look with a flashlight (if needed) to see where its leaking from.

Tried that and saw smoke, not sure if I should let it go much further (car was running).

Wiped everything down again aftwards and crawled under the car, The cloest thing to a suspect I found was potentially a hose. Im more likely just going to let it sit in the drive way until I can afford to get it checked out.


Do these type of repairs usually cost a lot? Lets say in theory its either a hose or the pump, or whats the worst case scenario. Gotta have an idea so I know how much money I should gather up to do it. I know its shoot and miss but a rough idea will help.

I appreciate everyones help big time, im usually a very technical person. I dont know if its my nerves or what but I just cant seem to figure this out on my own.

Tried that and saw smoke, not sure if I should let it go much further (car was running).

Wiped everything down again aftwards and crawled under the car, The cloest thing to a suspect I found was potentially a hose. Im more likely just going to let it sit in the drive way until I can afford to get it checked out.


Do these type of repairs usually cost a lot? Lets say in theory its either a hose or the pump, or whats the worst case scenario. Gotta have an idea so I know how much money I should gather up to do it. I know its shoot and miss but a rough idea will help.

I appreciate everyones help big time, im usually a very technical person. I dont know if its my nerves or what but I just cant seem to figure this out on my own.

whenever you check your fluid levels what needs adding is usuually leaking. also always make sure you add the correct fliuds.whenever adding if you spill on engine it will smoke until oils/fluids burned off. power steering hoses usually blow and spray fluid every where.never mix red/orange coolant with green coolant... this repair will be expensive if new P.S. pump is required this usually occurs because pump will be damaged by running with low/no fluid...........

Well,
Much to my dismay, I wake up to see I have absolutely no power steering. Im assuming youve hit it on the dot. Im leaking PS Fluid everywhere! I can say that for sure as my PS resevoir is pretty much empty now. SO....

Now for a solution.... Hoses, pump what?

Is this a fairly cheap fix?

It all depends, if its a hose, as to where its leaking, it could be sraying on the belt and slinging it on the hood, or it could be the pump shaft seal. I believe a new pressure hose is under 30.00 as for pump, depends on if you want a new one, or go with a junk yard one. BUT... new ones usually do not come with a pulley on them, as multipal engines use same pump, and different pulleys. So you use your old pulley, and to do that, you need a special pulley removing tool to do it. So... its possible the place you buy the pump, like Advance Auto, or Auto Zone, which does have the tool usually for rent, may change it in store for you, or will rent you the tool to do it yourself if they wont, I rented the tool once, i believe it was 45.00, but of course you get all that back when you take the tool back.
And be aware as i said, you can get pumps from other motors in the junkyard, but if its a different motor, you still may need to transfer your pulley onto it, so renting the tool is a must again.
I put a 91 Buick 3.8 litre pump on a 91 Lumina that had a 2.5 4cycl engine in it. Had to change pulley, and change the fluid tank, which is only held on by 2 slide on clips, one on each side, changing that isnt hard to do, no special tools needed except maybe a screwdriver and small hammer to tap clips off and on.
Why tank needed changed was because the return line nipple was in wrong place to work.
Hope all this helps ya a bit.

Well,
I had a mechanic come take a look at my car. He said I need to replace the puulley and pump as it should not be moving and clicking when you apply a little pressure on it. He seemed highly knowledgeable and said it should cost me under $125 with parts and labor.

He says the hoses dont appear to be the problem so im more likely just going to let him take care of it as $125 isnt that bad of a hit.

... the antifreeze is basically sludge, I read this is typical of DexCool so this may very well be the problem right there.

Actually, it's NOT typical of DexCool. It's typical of neglected DexCool. If the concentration, pH, and DS are tested every year, and the cooling system is drained and flushed every five years (or when the pH or DS increases beyond limits) there will not be a problem.

As previously warned, do not mix any other type of coolant into the system.

Actually, it's NOT typical of DexCool. It's typical of neglected DexCool. If the concentration, pH, and DS are tested every year, and the cooling system is drained and flushed every five years (or when the pH or DS increases beyond limits) there will not be a problem.

As previously warned, do not mix any other type of coolant into the system.

right on!

Just an update in case anyone ever has a similar problem.

While the power steering issue has been diagnosed professionally, I realized now my water pump is now leaking coolant. I felt right under the water pumps pulley and my hand got wet with coolant; if the lower intake gasket went, would it be leaking here? I will say that both my PS pump and water pump have some "give" when you try to wiggle the pully, which im told means they are shot.


Is it just a mere coencidence that both P/S and Water Pump went at the same time or are there any common known issues that would cause such a thing.

Im really praying when my mechanic swaps everything out on Sunday, it fixes my issues. Im taking it to get professionally flushed afterwards too. My mechanic obviously knows his stuff, but I just want to see what you guys have have to say.

Again, all your responses are very much appreciated, THANKS!.

A tensioner could induce bearing failure by allowing the belt to whip rather than run under consistent tension.

A lower intake leak should show up on the timing cover, not under the water pump. I just had a '95 Lumina with a LIM gasket leak today (yes, Sunday). I was hoping it was a water pump, since I couldn't get gaskets today. No luck for me, but you might be good with a new water pump and verifying a good belt and tensioner.

A tensioner could induce bearing failure by allowing the belt to whip rather than run under consistent tension.

A lower intake leak should show up on the timing cover, not under the water pump. I just had a '95 Lumina with a LIM gasket leak today (yes, Sunday). I was hoping it was a water pump, since I couldn't get gaskets today. No luck for me, but you might be good with a new water pump and verifying a good belt and tensioner.

make sure the correct belt is used [correct length] if this is too short will damage water pump and other bearings on pulleys. tensioner should be in mid range.