Coolant Leak, unknown source.

[DeeTees]

Afaics, I have 2 separate coolant leaks.
I have the underbody protection pan off.
With leak nr 1
When underneath looking up, I see the coolant dripping out from the bottom of the twin pulley, behind it to be more accurate. That's where the coolant drips out. It's not clear how it gets there. Afaics, the visible hoses and the water pump look okay.

I suspect the thermostat housing.
In the Terrano PDF manual, chapter on Engine Lubrication Cooling page 31, there's a graphic of the set up. There's a rubber seal and a gasket. My theory (I'm wide open to alternatives) is that somewhere there I have a leak, it creeps down and exits just behind the twin pulley.

I was thinking to take off the thermostat housing and check out the seal and gasket. It appear there are 3 bolts to remove as well as the hoses.
Do I have to take off the fan as well to gain access to the bolts?

2nd leak is somewhere else, I haven't an exact clue where. I have a LHD auto. It's about midway, left side. I can't make out from what little I see, possibly that's where the starting motor is?
a wild guess is that it's from a core plug. But ATM, Leak nr 1 is a bigger issue.

 

[R1cho]

it usually drips down from the very bottom of the water pump onto the bottom pulley making it look as though that is where the leak is coming from

 

[cncfabs]

Could be water pump or thermostat housing as if its plastic type they can split and if its alu they can corrode through.take the housing off should be easy to see water pump leak less obvious as water gets blown everywhere

 

[DeeTees]

You're right, I was mistaken, having another look, the water pump is the suspect nr 1.
So I guess it comes off and the gasket is renewed?

The leak is more noticable when jeep is being driven.
It would be easy to tail me
Just a drip... drip... drip, when stationary.

 

[R1cho]

You're right, I was mistaken, having another look, the water pump is the suspect nr 1.
So I guess it comes off and the gasket is renewed?

The leak is more noticable when jeep is being driven.
It would be easy to tail me
Just a drip... drip... drip, when stationary.

its usually a case of needing a new pump

 

[DeeTees]

Seriously?
That could mean a write off repair job considering my finances.

 

[R1cho]

its not a big job and an easy diy job too

 

[DeeTees]

its not a big job and an easy diy job too

I think I can do the job myself, but the cost of a water pump?
http://seekpart24.com/nissan/terrano-ii-r20-92/2-7-tdi-4wd-5400/water-pump-100091

The cheapest one is for Eur123, which isn't too bad, then double that at a minimum for where I live.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

My symptoms were exactly the same as you describe, and it was the water pump...

Only thing is, when I took it all to bits, to replace the pump, I found one of the water pump bolts were missing, so I will never know if it was leaking from the pump bearing, or the gasket.

 

[R1cho]

half the price and ship worldwide

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-MAVE...rts_SM&fits=Model:Terrano&hash=item2325b61ffd

 

[DeeTees]

Thanks for the link R1cho, that's half the pain gone already, just in one click

 

[Terranical]

Thanks for the link R1cho, that's half the pain gone already, just in one click

Mine was the water pump too, I don't think the thermostat very often gives a problem and anyway, Murphy's law applies here - it will always be the most inaccessable and expensive part that goes first!

 

[zippy656]

Thanks for the link R1cho, that's half the pain gone already, just in one click

Its all part of the service you get for your£10

 

[jims-terrano]

Checkout the workshop downloads in "quick links", theres a cracking how to change water pump guide:thumb2

When you say LH Side of engine, is that LH stood in front of the car looking into the engine bay. If so check the oil cooler on side of engine, someone changed starter for me and removed the dipstick but didn't replace the bolt that holds the dipstick tube bracket. This bolt also holds the oil cooler and caused a coolant leak.

Best of luck:thumbs

 

[glanrichbex]

half the price and ship worldwide

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-MAVE...rts_SM&fits=Model:Terrano&hash=item2325b61ffd

I bought a cheap one and in 6 months leaky leaky - ended up buying a new one at £90 and doing the job twice.

 

[stinka]

More likely water pump as said

I paid £70 for a decent QH part that I know will last me life of truck

 

[DeeTees]

I ended up buying an oem water pump from a local supplier as the price was favourable in comparison.

I'll never know if it was the pump or gasket, as the gasket was broken. But I suppose once you get that far (water pump off) you don't want to go back there in a hurry and who knows what bolt calamity lies around that corner.

When attaching the new pump, one of the pumps 12mm securing bolts, the uppermost one, just didn't get securely tight. I unscrewed that bolt off and out came 2 threads with it.
50- 100 curses later, I measured the hole and found that I could use a longer 12mm bolt. There were threads to spare in the hole, that the stock bolt didn't reach.
Worked a treat to use the longer bolt.
Unfortunately during all this, I broke the bigger of the two temp sensors on the thermostat housing. The engine check light stays on when engine is running, but I haven't driven yet.
The leak at the front is fixed and also the leak coming down around where the starting motor is, has stopped as well. A leak from one source, coming out in two different places is a strange one, but I'll take it.

 

[R1cho]

:clap:clap glad ya got it sorted, the reason it comes out in two places is it gets blown around by the fan

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Well done, it's amazing how fluids creep round the engine.

When I took my water pump off, it was missing a bolt, so the gasket was not sealed against the surfaces. Will never know if it was the pump or the lack of bolt/gasket, but like you, having got that far, it was just as easy to change the lot.

If you have only snapped the spade terminal off of the temp sender, it is possible to solder a short length of wire onto what is left of the terminal, and then put a spade on the end of the wire... you can do it in situ as well, so no worrying about coolant loss.

I used the Dremil to make sure the old contact area was nice and clean, then just soldered the wire on. I cable tied the wire back onto the temp sender, so there was no load on the joint.

 

[rustic]

Stripped threads...

If it happens again, invest in a helicoil set. Various sizes available.
Drill Hole.
Tap with special tap.
Fit helicoil, which looks like a small spring, using tool provided.
Use original bolt or replacement.

Job done.

IF the base is aluminium, then the fixing will be stronger than the original.
In steel, just as strong.
So don't despair.

best regards,
Rustic