1997 Lumina - is it my Water Pump?

[bleepster]

1997 Lumina
3100 engine
123,000 miles

got home from work last night and notices a huge puddle of antifreeze under the car. appeared to be dripping from the passenger rear side of the engine.

i popped the hood, put my ear by the water pump, and i could literally hear "drip.........drip.......drip"

i then fired up the engine, and with in 30 seconds, water was dripping all over - again - showing up on the rear passenger side of the engine compartment.

i felt all over trying to find the leak - with no success.

i suspect either a heater hose rotting out, or the water pump, and somehow the water is migrating to the rear of the engine.

i don't suspect lower intake, as i have had that replaced 2x now on this vehicle, and both times, i never had puddles. i could just smell it, and noticed the antifreeze level was getting low.

what are your thoughts?

[jeffcoslacker]

Get a small mirror and have a look up under the WP pulley from underneath...

[bleepster]

its my timing cover that is leaking.

having it fixed, and having the water pump replaced, might as well seeing how its all apart right now.

[rhandwor]

Their should be a small rubber hose where the air cond. drains condensation. If the heater core is leaking it will drain out of this drain tube. Normally it will also fog up your windshield.
You could get a pressure test to look for leaks. Use a flashlight and look closely. Water pumps sometimes start leaking stop for a week and start again.