Leaking everything!!!

[dwd1985]

I noticed a spot on my driveway that was BIG, and decided to check it out. Turns out, I have an engine coolant leak. It seems to be coming from directly underneath the fluid reservoir, but I looked EVERYWHERE and couldnt find the exact spot. I spent about half an hour underneath my SVX trying to find the spot of the leak, and couldnt. It is definetly on the drivers side, somewhere between the middle of the engine and the firewall. But I couldnt find a drip anywhere, so I started it up and brought it up to temperature, and still had no dripping. In the process of doing this, I also noticed 2 other smal drips start from the passenger side. One is power steering fluid, and the other is oil. They are both very small, and the power steering one I have actually been aware of for awhile. Does anyone have any recommendations as to what I can do to try and stop a leak I cant find? Is there a stop leak kind of product that can go into the coolant and help out? Also, I checked the fluid levels, and with the exception of power steering and coolant, everything was good. So the oil one might not be a big deal (for now). Any help would be appreciated, and if anyone knows anyhting in the area that I have described above the might be leaking, please let me know. Could it possibly by the fluid reservoir itself is cracked?

[SilverSpear]

If I recall correctly, i think you have problems with your SVX every 2-3 days, right? ... you must be having bad luck with it...

1- for the water leaks, you should see what kind of fluid you are seeing on the ground (is it dark greenish fluid or mild geenish fluid?) if it was the dark kind, then you should check the coolant hoses and follow them from the bottle to where they end up. Try to reshape the hoses looking for cracks to appear...
but if they were the mild kind, then it is most probably the water pump leaking. 90% of the radiator water/coolant leaks are caused by the W/P failure, it starts leaking without the car even being turned on. If it wasn't the pump, then check the lower side of your radiator, try to pinpoint with your finger trying to spot some water/coolant leaks. if this also didn't work out, then you should check the hoses and especially if there are any cracks where you tighten the belts of those hoses on the level of radiator and engine.
BTW, when you heat up your engine and drive your car, are you having overheating issues? is your radiator LOOSING water/antifreeze? maybe it is the antifreeze and you are thinking it is the coolant... If you have over heating and water loss problems, then you should check the radiator/enigne system. if not, then you have A/C coolant issues.

2- As for the ATF fluid, the most probable cause the P/S O-ring which should be changed on the level of the connection between P/S tank and P/S pump. You can order it from subaruparts.com , I think it is about 0.5 - 1$ ?? you can check it out there.

3- As for the oil drops, it can be anywhere from the engine, but most probably the O ring also of the engine's CrankShaft. for this you should remove your timing belt and change it because it is located underneath the pulley. It is a pain in the neck thing, it should take the whole day to change it (unless you already have experience with engines and can reinstall the timing belt by yourself and you have all the necessary tools...etc).

Have i missed anything???

P.S. Never put additives in the EG33. You are dishonoring it by doing so...

[Chiketkd]

Originally Posted by dwd1985

Could it possibly by the fluid reservoir itself is cracked?

Is the fluid in the over-flow reservoir extremely high or very low? The reservoir cracking is a possibility especially as parts get older...

The over-flow line that runs into the reservoir, have you checked to make sure there's no leaks in the connections? It's best to remove the entire battery to give yourself proper working room...

-Chike

[dwd1985]

Wow, thanks for all of the info. Yes, I am pretty much having bad luck with my SVX, it is one thing after another after another. And some of the other things I havent even fixed yet. I was going to adjust the brake band to take care of a braking effect I was having during my 2-3 shift, and then this thing came up, and now I want the coolant leak fixed first, so that is my project first. So far, in the 3 months I have had my SVX, I have had to replace the engine temperature sensor and the fan relays to make my engine cooling fans work, replace my alternator and battery because my old alternator died, which also killed my battery, replace my knock sensor because #2 went out, clean my TPS and MAF because of a weird idle (which still isnt all of the way gone), replace my transmission resistor because of a blinking power light, hunt for wiring gremlins because my center console shift indicator lights only come on sometimes, put in new fog lights, and this is all on top of the fact that I need a new windshield, some body work on the front left fender, new tires, new main window control panel, new hood props, new sun visors, and some other little things, like installing my aftermarket stereo, and restoring some of the little trim pieces inside, like the trunk release lever and the seat release levers. Some day when im not so poor (working about 30 hours a week while attempting to get through my junior year at CSU), I want to put on a shift kit and a transmission cooler. So you might say I didnt know what I was getting myself into when I bought my SVX, but im just dealing with these problems one at a time.

[dcarrb]

Are you sure the coolant overflow reservoir wasn't overfilled? If filled to the brim, it'll overflow when the engine gets to operating temperature. Check for proper level and keep a very close eye on things 'til you find out what's happening.

dcb

[SilverSpear]

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!! i suggest go and part this car and buy yourself a new one... maybe it is the best choice you can make.

[dwd1985]

Ok, so I opened the radiator cap (should have thought of this awhile ago), and there is essentially nothing in there! Great! Awesome! Super! Im going to kill myself! UGH! Ok, so this means a cracked radiator right? If that is true, then why is it that the coolant is leaking from the middle of the engine bay? And I didnt think it was antifreeze, because the coolant tank was almost empty when I checked the fluid level. So this also wouldnt account for the coolant overflow reservoir. Also, I have yet to have an overheating problem, but most of the trips I make are short, maybe 10 miles tops, and the weather has been pretty cool recently. The longest trip I made recently was last saturday afternoon (5 days ago), and it was about 100 miles. Not a single incident of overheating at all. Anyone got any other ideas about this? Please please please tell me that I dont need a new radiator...

[dwd1985]

I found some old paperwork that I got with my SVX when I bought it, and according to it, the radiators were just replaced in my SVX 15,000 miles ago! But unfortunately, it was also in July of 2002 (it didnt get driven alot before I bought it), so there is no hope of a warranty. On a side note, I cant get it to leak anymore. Its been sitting in my driveway with a blank board underneath the spot where it was leaking all morning, and there is not a drip to be seen on the board! What the heck is going on here? No fluid to be seen when I take the radiator cap off, and no more leak? What the heck is this?

[benebob]

Where is it dripping? Our race car leaks coolant (only when cold) from the center of the engine (behind the oil pan directly in the center). It'll only do it until it gets below the level of the leak. Still haven't located it (we though it might be the t.b. but bypassed that a while back but of course the leak returned.

[dwd1985]

The leak is at about the center of the engine. So far, its been about 5 hours since It has leaked (which includes a short trip around the block), but what is odd to me is that the level of coolant in the coolant reservoir seems to be dropping? Maybe its a trick with the lighting in the difference between day and night, or maybe its the coolant settling and pushing air out or something, but its odd. I just filled the radiator back up and am waiting for some results...fingers crossed.

[SilverSpear]

Have you checked my thread above? re read it and compare to your car...

[dcarrb]

Originally Posted by dwd1985

TSo far, its been about 5 hours since It has leaked (which includes a short trip around the block), but what is odd to me is that the level of coolant in the coolant reservoir seems to be dropping?

As coolant is lost from the radiator/cooling system it will pull coolant from the overflow 'til eventually there's none left. Typically you top-off the system by adding to the reservoir, not the radiator.

dcb

[Ricochet]

this is humorous

[SilverSpear]

Originally Posted by Ricochet

this is humorous

no need to be sarcastic Brian, not all people know that.

[Ricochet]

Guess I should have explained, I wasn't making fun of anybody. The part about looking for a problem and it stops, then when you don't look it starts.. that was funny . I've been there too many times