97 Lumina 3.1 leaking coolant

[dadof4]

OK, To all my friends in Auto forum land I have narrowed down the location of leak. This morning I took the passenger side tire off, remove the splash guard and searched for the leak. It is coming from behind the timing cover and more specifically behind the serpentine belt tensionner. Now I need all of your help to find the actual source of this leak. What is behind the timing cover and is it easy to fix? I look forward to you suggestion and thanks for all your help.

[jeffcoslacker]

http://www.autozone.com/addVehicleId,2343501/initialAction,repairGuide/shopping/repairGuide.htm?pageId=0900c15280090d24

You'll still have to determine the source...it could be the cover, or it could be the intake leaking and running down the cover...did you get a mirror behind the belt-driven accessories and look closer?

[dadof4]

Thanks Jeff, I did look behind the belt and it’s definitely coming from behind the serpentine belt tensionner. I don’t know if it’s the cover or something behind it. What is behind the timing cover that circulates the coolant or is there a freeze plug behind it?

[Scrapper]

yah that would be water pump....

[dadof4]

Isn't the water pump outside the timing cover?

[jeffcoslacker]

Is it behind the side where the arm mounts, or the pulley itself?

Usually a water pump will leak and run down the side of the timing cover casting, and drop down around the crankshaft...

If it looks like it's coming from the area under the mounting point for the tensioner arm, then it could be the timing cover, but you'll have to look upwards very carefully, the point where the heads and lower intake converge is just above that, and a leak there would travel down behind the casting and drop off around the area you describe, most likely...because the timing cover bulges up and outward at the top to accommodate the internal coolant passage that arches over the timing chest...so a leak at the top would pool behind that feature, and then run off down the right (rear) side, near the tensioner arm....

[dadof4]

Hi Jeff, I am truly impressed, you described it 100% correct. It is coming from behind idler mounting point of tensioner arm, but it’s also dripping on/from the crank shaft. I will look at it again this afternoon.

[byrnet]

I tore the intake off to realize that the stream of antifreeze was lower. Somewhere behind the timing cover is a hole that shot a stream of coolant out. I'm Trying to see if it's worth pulling the cover off (If I can) to replace that gasket. Bad enough to remove the intake manifold, now I would have to try and remove the pulley on the crank it there is room for a pulley puller. If I proceed I hope not to find a crack in the block or the housing