coolant leak 1990 accord

Hi all,

My car leaks a little bit of coolant. It comes out somewhere under the
engine. The radiator is full. I had a timing belt/ water pump change last
year at the honda dealer.

If the radiator is full, could it still be a leak in the radiator? I just
hope it's not something expensive to fix. Could you give me some feedback?

thanks,
vlad

Vlad Ciubotariu wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> My car leaks a little bit of coolant. It comes out somewhere under the
> engine. The radiator is full. I had a timing belt/ water pump change last
> year at the honda dealer.
>
> If the radiator is full, could it still be a leak in the radiator? I just
> hope it's not something expensive to fix. Could you give me some feedback?
>
> thanks,
> vlad

==================

Reservoir has to be full to MAX mark or engine will boil over a lot
since fans won't cut in due to AIR in system..
Reach underneath and wipe off everything with damp rag. Later, see
what's wet., Report back.

'Curly'

I've been adding coolant to the reservoir. And the radiator is always
full to the top. Even when I leave it overnight.
So I guess, it can't be the radiator, right?

My problem is that I can't look underneath unless I bring it to a
mechanic but I think there's no other way so that I shall do.

thanks for you help
vlad


On Apr 7, 9:49 pm, motsco_ > wrote:
> Vlad Ciubotariu wrote:
> > Hi all,
>
> > My car leaks a little bit of coolant. It comes out somewhere under the
> > engine. The radiator is full. I had a timing belt/ water pump change last
> > year at the honda dealer.
>
> > If the radiator is full, could it still be a leak in the radiator? I just
> > hope it's not something expensive to fix. Could you give me some feedback?
>
> > thanks,
> > vlad
>
> ==================
>
> Reservoir has to be full to MAX mark or engine will boil over a lot
> since fans won't cut in due to AIR in system..
> Reach underneath and wipe off everything with damp rag. Later, see
> what's wet., Report back.
>
> 'Curly'

wrote:
> I've been adding coolant to the reservoir. And the radiator is always
> full to the top. Even when I leave it overnight.
> So I guess, it can't be the radiator, right?
>
> My problem is that I can't look underneath unless I bring it to a
> mechanic but I think there's no other way so that I shall do.
>
> thanks for you help
> vlad
>
>
> On Apr 7, 9:49 pm, motsco_ > wrote:
>> Vlad Ciubotariu wrote:
>>> Hi all,
>>> My car leaks a little bit of coolant. It comes out somewhere under the
>>> engine. The radiator is full. I had a timing belt/ water pump change last
>>> year at the honda dealer.
>>> If the radiator is full, could it still be a leak in the radiator? I just
>>> hope it's not something expensive to fix. Could you give me some feedback?
>>> thanks,
>>> vlad
>> ==================
>>
>> Reservoir has to be full to MAX mark or engine will boil over a lot
>> since fans won't cut in due to AIR in system..
>> Reach underneath and wipe off everything with damp rag. Later, see
>> what's wet., Report back.
>>
>> 'Curly'
>
>


as curly says, you need to identify the location. without that, we can
only guess. and if you just show up at a mechanic with an undefined
problem you could end up with an undefinably large bill to pay.

On Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:28:52 -0400, Vlad Ciubotariu
> wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>My car leaks a little bit of coolant. It comes out somewhere under the
>engine. The radiator is full. I had a timing belt/ water pump change last
>year at the honda dealer.
>
>If the radiator is full, could it still be a leak in the radiator? I just
>hope it's not something expensive to fix. Could you give me some feedback?
>
>thanks,
>vlad


Is it an original radiator? My '90 accord developed a split in the
upper chamber on the front side of the OEM composite radiator that
would leak only under pressure (temperature). Because it was on the
front side, the actual leak was hidden by the grill/frame, and it took
a while to find it. Noticed small puddle under the car and some
bounce back to the motor which threw me off.

The fix for me was to replace the radiator.

Frank

I think it's the original radiator judging by the deposits I noticed
after topping it a few weeks ago.
I booked an appointment to lift her up and see where it's coming from,
I will post back.

thanks,
vlad


On Apr 8, 8:22 am, Frank Boettcher > wrote:
> On Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:28:52 -0400, Vlad Ciubotariu
>
> > wrote:
> >Hi all,
>
> >My car leaks a little bit of coolant. It comes out somewhere under the
> >engine. The radiator is full. I had a timing belt/ water pump change last
> >year at the honda dealer.
>
> >If the radiator is full, could it still be a leak in the radiator? I just
> >hope it's not something expensive to fix. Could you give me some feedback?
>
> >thanks,
> >vlad
>
> Is it an original radiator? My '90 accord developed a split in the
> upper chamber on the front side of the OEM composite radiator that
> would leak only under pressure (temperature). Because it was on the
> front side, the actual leak was hidden by the grill/frame, and it took
> a while to find it. Noticed small puddle under the car and some
> bounce back to the motor which threw me off.
>
> The fix for me was to replace the radiator.
>
> Frank

| comes out somewhere under the engine.
Put a big sheet of paper under engine, see where leak is (
above where paper is wet ).

I had the problem diagnosed and solved. It was the thermostat housing,
deposits around there prevented it from sealing properly. Cost me 0.7
hours labour.

Thanks to all who replied!

vlad

On Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:28:52 -0400, Vlad Ciubotariu wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> My car leaks a little bit of coolant. It comes out somewhere under the
> engine. The radiator is full. I had a timing belt/ water pump change last
> year at the honda dealer.
>
> If the radiator is full, could it still be a leak in the radiator? I just
> hope it's not something expensive to fix. Could you give me some feedback?
>
> thanks,
> vlad

On Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:32:41 -0400, Vlad Ciubotariu
> wrote:

>I had the problem diagnosed and solved. It was the thermostat housing,
>deposits around there prevented it from sealing properly. Cost me 0.7
>hours labour.
>
>Thanks to all who replied!
>
>vlad
>
>On Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:28:52 -0400, Vlad Ciubotariu wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> My car leaks a little bit of coolant. It comes out somewhere under the
>> engine. The radiator is full. I had a timing belt/ water pump change last
>> year at the honda dealer.
>>
>> If the radiator is full, could it still be a leak in the radiator? I just
>> hope it's not something expensive to fix. Could you give me some feedback?
>>
>> thanks,
>> vlad

And you couldn't see this leak from the top? .7 hrs of labor is
reasonable but I would have done that myself and save the $70.

Nope, you could not see it from the top. On the day I went there was no
fluid under the car. They were able to see a few drops around the housing
hose after lifting it up and pressurizing the system with a pump.

The puddle began to form only very recently. Previously, I had topped the
coolant but I could never see it leaking.

I was glad it wasn't the pump or the rad.

vlad

On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:08:06 -0400, nick wrote:

> On Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:32:41 -0400, Vlad Ciubotariu
> > wrote:
>
>>I had the problem diagnosed and solved. It was the thermostat housing,
>>deposits around there prevented it from sealing properly. Cost me 0.7
>>hours labour.
>>
>>Thanks to all who replied!
>>
>>vlad
>>
>>On Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:28:52 -0400, Vlad Ciubotariu wrote:
>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> My car leaks a little bit of coolant. It comes out somewhere under the
>>> engine. The radiator is full. I had a timing belt/ water pump change last
>>> year at the honda dealer.
>>>
>>> If the radiator is full, could it still be a leak in the radiator? I just
>>> hope it's not something expensive to fix. Could you give me some feedback?
>>>
>>> thanks,
>>> vlad
>
> And you couldn't see this leak from the top? .7 hrs of labor is
> reasonable but I would have done that myself and save the $70.