Been searching for a hidden leak for some time now. I've pressure tested twice and found nothing. Leak isn't consistent, I've got a reminder set up on my phone for Saturday mornings and with steady driving routine, level can stay consistent for a month or a week without having to top off. I get a call from wife last week that there was smoke coming from under the hood. I take her another vehicle and first thing I look at is coolant level - it's fine. As expected, I start it up and get nothing so I just drive it home and back it into drive (first time I can remember) figuring I'll search this out and take care of front shock bushings I've been putting off a few weeks. Car is parked and hasn't been started up since I put it in the drive. I come home for lunch the next day and I notice a steady drip from the front end of the motor, puddle is about 6" in diameter, which is puzzling (not what I'd have expected from the drip I was seeing over a 24hr+ period). I check it again when I get home later that day and puddle isn't much bigger, has started to evaporate and there's no drip. Next day nothing new, no drip and no puddle. Yesterday I jack it up and start the bushing job and about halfway into the first one I've got my head in the wheel well and I notice a small puddle - sure enough the drip is back. I finished up the bushings and start looking and I've got a small puddle and no drip. Nothing so far today, but I'm leaning toward the leak being a bad bearing seal on the water pump, figuring it's breaking seal or holding it somewhat randomly (explains inconsistency I'm seeing). Any thoughts? I'd looked at WP before but with no visible leak during pressure tests and fact it and rest of front end coolant components were upgraded and replaced as part of timing, and tensioner replacement few years back had written it off.

 

Sounds like a classic small break in the thermostat tower. Maybe time for new water pump, thermostat and housing and hoses (the purist answer) or a tad of BAR'S LEAK Liquid Aluminum (I can imagine Brutal, Bob, Sean and a couple of others spitting their coffee . . .but somethings work).

 

BAR'S LEAK....keyboard's covered in tea!

J's said it. time for the updated tower, possible hoses and pump. Not expensive, not hard to do and will cure it 99% of the time. To get a clear picture, park it over paper with the aero undertray removed.

 

Could be any of those things, but check a/c condensate. A/C can cause condensed water to gather on parts nr the rear of the engine. This could be the "leak." Jacking the car up could have allowed any remaining water to find its way to the drip point causing what appeared to be a second leak. Worth a look.

 

Already have the new aluminum Thermostat tower, new thermostat, new cross over, water pump, and all hoses including one of the poly coolant lines from radiator to expansion tank replaced when I did a full timing replacement a couple years back. Hoses were first thing I checked

 

It's Orange Dex Cool that's dripping, I get the regular condensate drip from the firewall area just forward of the steering wheel, this drip is falling just below the crankshaft pulley at the front of the motor. I installed New WP, hoses, 1 new radiator to expansion tank line, thermostat, cooling fan, rebuilt ABS unit and upgraded to Aluminum thermostat housing when I did a full timing job a few years back. Leak started showing itself about 8 months or so afterwards. Second leak was either what you think or if it leaked to at or below leak point in WP, fluid level shifted back above it when I jacked up front drivers side. Based on that it's either a bad seal at the pulley shaft or I've got a leak on the passenger side of the gasket seal. Either way I'm going to have to pull it to find out.

 

OOPS. Have re read your post and yes, you did say under front of motor. My mistake, - apologies.
Regards
Richy.

 

Sounds like some bolt is not torqued correctly. Is the weep hole on top?

 

Weep hole?

 

OK now I'm truly baffled. Car hasn't been started since I parked it last week, and concrete has been dry since second drip evaporated Sunday. This morning I grab newspaper and turn around to the same fresh 6" puddle. No active drip, but it definitely leaked overnight with temps just below freezing.

 

Google or search here: replacing thermostats or just thermostats.

Weep hole is a bleed hole that should be at the top *12 o'clock* position when the thermostat is replaced, if it is on the bottom, fluid leaks out.

I still think you have a bolt (probably water pump, but maybe thermostat tower and housing) that is not torqued or has a tear in the gasket. The leak is under the front engine dampner, ne?

 

. . . and by now Sean B has dried out his keyboard: two tablespoons of Bar's Leak Aluminum. No more or you will f up your heater and the float in the radiator bottle.

 

IME, Dexcool (and other newer coolants) can be a real PITA when it comes to small leaks. Often times the goo they're made of solidifies around the leak and it'll stop, then eventually it gives way and you get a leak again. By way of example - and maybe something to check - my Audi has a tiny leak at the seem between the radiator core and end tank. Sometimes weeks or months go by with zero loss, then suddenly I'm a cup or two low in the reservoir. When it's not leaking, I can see a small trail of goo from where the leak is. When it stops leaking, the goo has broken loose and the radiator is clean again. It's like a glacier breaking off.

 

I figured that was what you were referring to. All the work has been done for a while so whether up or down I can't confirm. I'll check it when I get a chance. I could see that allowing fluid to flow back to WP but not cause of the leak