I have a major problem, this just isn't a minor leak, a broken coolant cap, blow off hose, etc.

This happened the other day on my drive home from school, it's only a 25 minute drive (a couple miles on a main road, then 15 miles on the expressway.) On the expressway, my car started to run hotter than normal (didn't bother me as a couple degrees is nothing) hitting the white line.

As I got off the expressway, the temperature came back down, but was above the factory "temp" marking. I pulled up to the light right outside my subdivision and as I took off from the red light the temperature gauge spiked to within 1mm of the red critical on the far right, as I upshifted to 4th, it came back down.

I pulled in the the garage 2 blocks later and immediately shut off the engine. As I got out of the car the coolant was spilling on the ground and burning off into white smoke.

After letting the engine cool down, I popped the back to find coolant all over the belt and engine block. Further examination by pouring a single cup of distilled water into the coolant tank revealed a major leak near the bottom of the engine. It literally ran the cup out within 30 seconds flat (meaning there is no coolant in the system as it sits.)

Jacking the car up, I've narrowed the leak down to coming from directly behind the bottom most driver side pulley on the engine (between the engine and the pulley.) I double checked with a cup of distilled water watching from the engine compartment and from under the car.

Here are a couple pictures of where it is coming from, from the underside of the car.










Can anyone tell me what this can possibly be from? Cracked block? Bad seal?

And I'm still trying to figure out how to remove everything to get to that pulley to remove it and see exactly what it is myself as I can't afford for a shop to look at it for a couple grand just to diagnose it.

 

you need a new water pump....don't run the engine until you do the repair

 

definitely looks like the WP crapped out. to emphasize the above WARNING: do not start/run/drive the car again or risk bigger repair billsa good HOW-TO here for WP R/R: http://www.renntech.org/forums/tutor...p-replacement/

 

Thanks for the fast replies! Is there any way to verify that it is the water pump itself, or could it just be the gasket?

Long story short, being out of work, I want to make sure I get it correct before I go off ordering a pump from suncoast and end up not needing it.

 

I ran into the same exact issue last summer. Definitely the Water Pump. The pictures I took is literally same as yours. I bought my WP from Pelican parts...not sure if they're cheaper than Suncoast, but at least you can compare.
Good luck with the fix.

 

Even if it was just the gasket, which is very rare, you might as well replace the WP while your there and not have to do it again for many more miles. You have to take it out anyway. Its one of those peace of mind things. If it were the gasket it would have gone out pretty soon after a WP replacement. Sometimes they may not seat completely when installed. It only takes once to do that wrong before you make sure you put plenty of sealer on the next one, lol.

 

Thanks everyone for the quick and knowledgeable responses. One more question for everyone:

What are your thoughts on going with a Porsche OEM from Suncoast for $268 or an aftermarket/reman like CARDONE for $120?? Or a Beck Arnly for $154??

Needless to say, I don't want to have to deal with it again after it's done, but being out of work, $150 is a big difference.

 

Go with the Porsche, hands down no questions asked. Been there done that with the cheapies. And +1 it's your water pump, also replace the gasket.

 

+10000...do it right, do it once. best of luck.