Coolant system leaks.

[fjgdk]

Water pump gasket: 16271-60012

View attachment 1600909

Ah ok thanks. Some shops say nla, some say they have it (oem gasket). I’ll try my luck with those that say they have it first.

 

[fjgdk]

Tightening the clamp doesn't stop the leak?

Damned if that didnt work ! I’m an idiot.

I got the loaner tool coolant system pressure testing kit from advanced auto last night. In 9 degree weather this morning I had to try it, I couldnt wait. This tool is the way to go!

Upon my first couple pumps obvious leaks came right up before I could even get close to the cap pressure of 13psi. I tightened up one hose clamp (on a new hose I replaced) and that stopped the major “bleeding”. Others then popped up and i simply tightened things down. Seems to have worked. Doesnt seem like that tiny oil cooler hose was the problem.

The gauge now seems to indicate holding a very very declining pressure in the 13psi range. There must still be a faint leak somewhere but nothing like what it was.


Starting gauge reading:

ten minutes later:

 

[fjgdk]

And twenty minutes after that...

I hope the tiny leak is still a hose and not a headgasket.

 

[mwebfj60]

Ah ok thanks. Some shops say nla, some say they have it (oem gasket). I’ll try my luck with those that say they have it first.

I got mine from the dealership in October.

 

[fjgdk]

Very weird that the gasket didn’t come w/ it. I might have an extra cuz I ordered one when I bought my Aisin from rockauto but one came w/ it. Lmk. I can toss it in an envelope if you want it.

Thanks for the offer for the gasket. I may take you up on it but I’m going to try the local dealer first (and buy more than one if they have them cheap).

I tightened up all the hose clamps I could and finally got a stable pressure reading. I drove around a bit and checked afterwards. Seems like everything is OK now. There was even significant pressure in the upper rad hose which I didn’t have for awhile.

I still have to fix the heater core pipes (current setup is to bypass front core), so I am going to get the ac evacuated then start the job from hell known as getting tonthe heater core. Since finding those pipes for sale is pretty much dependent on luck, I am going to try to fabricate something first. I have to get them out first to see what I am dealing with.

 

[fjgdk]

Before I dove into the heater core extraction (which I've done before and know it is aweful from that experience), I decided to try to fix the pipes extruding from the firewall with some silicon tape. I was hoping that the leak inside the cab was simply from the pipes sticking out being badly bent and nothing else. I used a swedging tool to re-round the pipes as they stick out, then wrapped some silicon tape taught on them and put on some hoses. I tested the heater core isolated with a low pressure water pump and saw no leaks in the cab or at the firewall connection to the hoses. I then reassembled and filled the cooling system fully (i.e. no heater core bypass) and applied the Motorad pressure tester to the system. Sadly for me, there was leakage inside the cabin from the pressurized system.

Looks like I will have to bite the bullet and pull out the core to see what's happening.