1989 Accord DX Coolant Leak

I came home today after driving and had coolant in the driveway originating from the left side front dripping near the oil pan bolt. I put the car on ramps and tried to find the leak. The leak does not occur when the car is running, only after you shut it off (which is common for a water pump). I saw some fluid leaking from the pipe that goes into the back of the water pump which is sealed with an o-ring. Has anyone ever seen this seal go? The car has 160,000 miles. It could be the water pump but it doesn?t look like it is weeping from there but it is hard to tell. The pipe that comes from the water pump has other pipes connected to it, but it doesn?t look like they are leaking. It looks impossible to get at the pipe that comes out of the back of the water pump. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I plan on taking the shroud off so that I can get a better look at where the leak is.

Reply to
nospam
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nospam wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@nospam.com:

That's the thermostat-to-water-pump pipe.

Yes. Due to either

1) neglected coolant changes, or 2) rust, or 3) age drying out the O-rings.

#1 and #3 are most common.

Those hoses feed certain engine controls. They don't usually leak. At least not catastrophically.

Do that. The pipe can be removed once you take off the thermostat housing.

Reply to
TeGGeR®

Reply to
nospam

nospam wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@nospam.com:

You are not checking carefully enough. The lower rad hose terminates at the thermostat housing.

Reply to
TeGGeR®

that is the thermostat housing. honda have it on the return, not the feed like most other manufacturers.

it's held in by the thermostat housing being positioned correctly. the only thing that's sealing it is the o-ring.

Reply to
jim beam

It does? UPPER rad hose goes directly to the 'stat housing on my 3gee Accord...

Reply to
Matt Ion

Matt Ion wrote in news:YYfAg.306315$iF6.53448@pd7tw2no:

Check again. Follow the lower hose carefully to its connection at the engine.

The engine end of the upper hose only looks like a thermostat housing. It's not.

Reply to
TeGGeR®

The pipe that goes to the back of the water pump on the carb version of the

1989 Accord DX goes to the lower radiator hose. I verified it > Matt Ion wrote in
Reply to
nospam

nospam wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@nospam.com:

The thermostat housing is the big aluminum thing between that pipe and the lower rad hose. It must be removed in order to replace the pipe.

So long as you can find O-rings that are the right size and of a material that is compatible with antifreeze, you can just replace the O-rings. That presupposes that the pipe will be in sufficiently good condition to reuse.

My general advice when it comes to cooling system components is not to skimp. Too much risk to the engine from skimping. I'd be inlcined to get a whole new pipe, myself.

By the way, make sure the seats in both the water pump and the thermostat housing are clean and smooth when you perform the service, and lube the new O-rings with antifreeze prior to installation.

Reply to
TeGGeR®

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