Seems I have picked up an leak that's somewhere @ the back of the engine. According to this diagram....


I have had to delete the diagram because it scrolls since I copied and pasted from alldata.



....the only thing external would be the throttle body. I have not actually taken a look for myself. I thought I'd ask if anyone had experiance with a leak from this area prior to breaking my back leaning over?

BTW is # 5 actually the mechanical water pump or is this a another electric pump?

 

I can tell you from experience, a common failure point for our cooling system is the water distribution pipe. On your diagram there, It is number 8. It holds the thermostat, the sensors and distributes the coolant to different sections of the engine from the upper hose. It cracks alond the top of it. You may be able to find the leak there. In my photos, if you take a look in my profile, you will see the part in question, and I have pointed out in the photo where the crack is. Check it out, maybe that will help. BTW, if this is the problem, it is not expensive to buy, and with basic tools like sockets, the swap is EASY.

 

oh, this part is under the throttle body.

 

I don't think so.... The diagram I posted and had to delete was drawn as an overview, not direct representation of the actual locations.

 

I know what you mean, but number 8 on that diagram was the thermostat as it explained. It was correct. Where the thermostat is, is typically called the thermostat housing, of coarse. If you look under the throttle body (remove the engine cover), you will see this unit (attached photo, bad view). This unit is actually called the coolant or water distribution pipe. The thermostat goes in the large diameter hole, the thermostat housing attaches to the front of this unit, where you see the three holes for the bolts.

This entire unit fails by cracking, on the top, on the thermostat part of the assembly. I will attach a photo of this crack, from the inside of the unit.

Im not saying this is the problem you are having, but it is possible.

I do want to ask, how are you determining that the leak is from the back of the engine and not just from the front and running down the belly cover on the bottom of the car?

 

The leak was pressure tested and was leaking down the back of the engine while the area of the leak remained invisible.

 

you ever figure out this problem?

 

No Josh I certainly have not. Between my back and left hip I have pretty much been stand tall the past few weeks. No bending @ the waist. I need to buy an adapter for my pressure tester before I narrow this down. Thanks for asking.

As soon as I find something out I'll post.