Coolant leak from front of engine

[Zakowsky]

OK now this is strange - the pump is not leaking from the bearing at all, and it is tight with no play. But it is leaking badly out the pump body (now that I’ve relieved pressure on the system). Hard to see but arrow shows where it is coming out, about 2 big drips per second. It's dry under the bearing and pulley mount.

 

 

Looking at the new pump, it seems like it is coming from here:

 

What is this metal cap disc thing? Is it fixable? If my bearings are fine I’d much rather save the $400!

 

Just to mention, more for the boost problem threads, but I do in fact have a faulty one way valve, the one on the left in the T junction for the oil separator lines:

 

 

 

Under hard pressure it will work a bit but flutter; low pressure it flows both ways.

 

If the water pump bolts come out and are not seized this is going to be an easier job than I thought. Famous last words or what!

 

 

 

[lewisweller]

7 hours ago, Zakowsky said:

Thanks Thomas. I’ve never taken off the manifold, or even the throttle body. The main reason being I’ve read some stories saying if you move the throttle plate during this process your car won’t start and has to be taken to Porsche to have the throttle matched up with the engine again, and Durametrics can’t help you. But I did buy a throttle body to intake gasket, so I am going to have to try this time. There is an intake manifold gasket in stock in town, so if the pump goes OK I will give the throttle and intake a try. What are the chances of re-using the 100$ intake gasket? I would like to replace that line too, and would have to take it off to get to it. I considered doing the thermostat, but mine has always been rock solid in the middle so I figured don’t mess with it.

 

My parts came in early so starting tonight. Has anyone ever ordered an OEM Porsche pump? Mine looks kind of junky in my opinion. Is it normal to have scoring on the gasket face surface like this on a $400 pump? It doesn’t look like it was ground down and polished very well. Or is this to grip the gasket?

 

 

 

OK, time to drain the coolant and get started.

 

 

Mike have you already started ?

[Zakowsky]

Yes, took a break for the night, but back at it now. Can't figure out what that steel looking insert is in the body of the pump. Haven't taken the pump itself off yet, but most things are cleared away.

 

Posted some new pictures, maybe they got pushed to a new page....

 

Why do you ask? Do you think the new pump looks bad?

Edited August 2, 2017 by Zakowsky

[Zakowsky]

OK, now I am really not sure it is the pump. This is the spray pattern...could it be a leaking gasket (blue arrow)? The gasket looks fine but there is faint pink on it that you wouldn't expect. Two of the bolts were not tight. Or a leaking tube or the upper rad hose (red)? The bolt has more spray on the bottom than on the top, so probably it is going up rather than down.

 

 

Pump looks fine on this side:

 

 

This side looks fine:

 

 

And on this side it is hard to tell:

 

 

Has anyone seen a pump looking like this before? Could it be spraying from the gasket, hitting the engine at that big patch in the first shot, and then splashing back on the pump?

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2017 by Zakowsky

[ekstroemtj]

Strange. First impression viewing your pics, not the pump itself. Spraying from somewhere else looks like.  No other way IMO to continue to check the water hoses arround or really maybe just the gasket. The pic with your arrows looks for me like the surface of the block where the pump is connected has a different colour. 

[lewisweller]

2 hours ago, Zakowsky said:

OK, now I am really not sure it is the pump. This is the spray pattern...could it be a leaking gasket (blue arrow)? The gasket looks fine but there is faint pink on it that you wouldn't expect. Two of the bolts were not tight. Or a leaking tube or the upper rad hose (red)? The bolt has more spray on the bottom than on the top, so probably it is going up rather than down.

 

 

Pump looks fine on this side:

 

 

This side looks fine:

 

 

And on this side it is hard to tell:

 

 

Has anyone seen a pump looking like this before? Could it be spraying from the gasket, hitting the engine at that big patch in the first shot, and then splashing back on the pump?

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gasket leak Mike. 

Maybe the loose bolts, maybe a bad surface fit. 

 

Best to fit all new and torque correctly. Never need to worry about that part again. 

 

New pump face looks normal. 

 

Pulley got any cracks or signs of damage around the mating face and bolt holes? Mine exploded when the garage did the head gaskets work and refitted it, probably over tighten it and cracked it. A few people including pelican's DIY say to replace the pulley as a matter of course. 

Edited August 2, 2017 by lewisweller

[Zakowsky]

Thanks Thomas and Lewis. I can’t see any other hoses there it could be spraying from, and that was not a crack on the pump, just a mark in the dirt. When I released the pressure to the system it started dripping from the bottom of the pump. If you look at the picture on the very top of this page it comes of the lower edge of the pump and collects on the flat part below it, then sprays due to fan wind I guess. This is a close up, pointing to a drip.

 

 

So I am thinking it must be a gasket leak too. If it was from that flat metal disk, that means the bearing chamber is filled with coolant, which would destroy the bearings, but they seem fine. I have always thought I smelt a bit of coolant with this engine, so maybe it has been leaking from the gasket slightly since I got it, and now it is worse. But could this really be just from one bolt loose?

 

So I also learned that now I do have a new pump in there, but it is made by Laso, and it looks better made than the Porsche part. The Porsche pump is known to fail, so is the Laso actually better? I really don’t know what to do. I have to decide today if I should keep the Porsche pump or send it back for a 20% restocking fee. I guess I should trust the Porsche part and rule that out, as you say Lewis.

 

 

[ekstroemtj]

The Porsche oem isn't bad per se. If you can return the pump and save hundreds of dollars. Why not.  Anyway wondering why so expensive. Mine was less than half of your price

[Zakowsky]

It’s because I live in Canada! People often think it’s the same as the US, but its not. There are Canadian models of electronics (lacking a few features), Home Depot Canada carries way less than the US site shows, and the Canadian dollar is weak compared to the US, and many things cost more because they are shipped up from warehouses in the US. There is no Porsche warehouse here, everything comes from California. So the pump is 270$ from Pelican in the States, converted to CAN$ is 340$, plus $50 for shipping and it works out about the same, plus if it gets held up at the border you can wait weeks.

 

So I’m just going to install the new one, one less thing to worry about. And I did head the warming Lewis and I bought a new pulley as well. Took the day off work to get this done, so might as well go do it!

 

[Zakowsky]

To give a post-op wrap up, the new pump is in, checked the torque on the bolts 5 times, no leaks as of yet and seems fine. Didn’t do the vacuum re-fill of coolant; when I drained it I siphoned out the expansion tank, and then just unbolted the pump and caught the coolant in a pan as it spilled out. Just refilled through the expansion tank, ran it for a while then added another liter. It’s holding at full and engine temp is steady where it should be.

 

There was so much coolant everywhere up front I lightly pressure washed the front of the engine. Figured the water might damage the pulley bearings, but it is better than coolant drying there. Engine squealed once when I started it right after, but hasn’t since.

 

Finally had the nerve to clean the throttle body, very careful not to move the plate, but got most of the gunk off. Putting a new throttle body to intake gasket was a waste of money, mine was perfectly fine. But for me the throttle body to Y-pipe o-ring was the “exciting” part, the new one made the Y-pipe much more snug fitting. Virtually no dip in speed when coming to idle.

 

Drove for an hour or so, engine is as smooth as I could want. Didn’t wind it out yet because I haven’t got a torque wrench on the pulley bolts, no room with the one I have, just did it by feel. But my mileage seems better after the cleaning, 10l/100km at 100 kph, and 9l/100 kph at 90 kph on a run I usually test it on, where I used to get 11l/100km at 100 kph. Not that anyone can drive that slow for an extended period of time.

 

I tried to free up that sticking one way valve but was only partially successful. It needs to be angled down to close properly when it should. Still need to look into that.

 

So thanks for all the help, so far this has worked out well. Now to get that **** rear wiper arm off!

 

[lewisweller]

1 hour ago, Zakowsky said:

To give a post-op wrap up, the new pump is in, checked the torque on the bolts 5 times, no leaks as of yet and seems fine. Didn’t do the vacuum re-fill of coolant; when I drained it I siphoned out the expansion tank, and then just unbolted the pump and caught the coolant in a pan as it spilled out. Just refilled through the expansion tank, ran it for a while then added another liter. It’s holding at full and engine temp is steady where it should be.

 

There was so much coolant everywhere up front I lightly pressure washed the front of the engine. Figured the water might damage the pulley bearings, but it is better than coolant drying there. Engine squealed once when I started it right after, but hasn’t since.

 

Finally had the nerve to clean the throttle body, very careful not to move the plate, but got most of the gunk off. Putting a new throttle body to intake gasket was a waste of money, mine was perfectly fine. But for me the throttle body to Y-pipe o-ring was the “exciting” part, the new one made the Y-pipe much more snug fitting. Virtually no dip in speed when coming to idle.

 

Drove for an hour or so, engine is as smooth as I could want. Didn’t wind it out yet because I haven’t got a torque wrench on the pulley bolts, no room with the one I have, just did it by feel. But my mileage seems better after the cleaning, 10l/100km at 100 kph, and 9l/100 kph at 90 kph on a run I usually test it on, where I used to get 11l/100km at 100 kph. Not that anyone can drive that slow for an extended period of time.

 

I tried to free up that sticking one way valve but was only partially successful. It needs to be angled down to close properly when it should. Still need to look into that.

 

So thanks for all the help, so far this has worked out well. Now to get that **** rear wiper arm off!

 

All sorted then Mike welldone.

 

Come to think about it the idle Dip was better on the short drive I had yesterday after replacing oring on Y pipe. Maybe it helped or maybe my imagination. Didn't Fix the hesitation! 

 

I've clean the throttle body twice and I opened the butterfly by hand carefully to clean. And if you remember is even stripped it down and fully cleaned it inside the electric dc motor and potentiometers. Who ever said the throttle won't match the engine or Ecu after is a scare monger. You don't even need to do the alignment with the software! Do the key on and throttle to the floor for 60 seconds and then key off, then key on and leave for 2 mins will relearn the throttle. Then key off and back on and start the car. Let it idle for 5 mins and go for a normal drive.  

 

[ekstroemtj]

@Zakowsky isnt it a great feeling to have something solved with your own hands?! 

Good luck and thank you for reporting your  work and your results!