96 Subaru Outback--antifreeze on ground

I thought it was the upper radiator hose, but there are no leaks from
there. When the 96 Subaru Outback (178K miles) sits for several hours
I find antifreeze/coolant on the ground, below the engine towards the
pax side. Water pump? Can I still drive it to a mechanic? How far?
Suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

Check all connnections to hoses and the thermostat housing.

"rajp" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I thought it was the upper radiator hose, but there are no leaks from
> there. When the 96 Subaru Outback (178K miles) sits for several hours
> I find antifreeze/coolant on the ground, below the engine towards the
> pax side. Water pump? Can I still drive it to a mechanic? How far?
> Suggestions are welcome. Thanks.
>

You can still drive to a mechanic, fill it with coolant and watch the temp
guage like a hawk, if you see it going up past normal stop the car
immediately
and let it cool. This is why people get AAA you might want to just
buy a membership. But check with mechanic shops as they might have a
line on cheap towing.

Usually when water pumps start leaking the shaft doesen't fracture and
they still pump water, but the shaft can fracture without warning on a
leaking water pump, so take it slow. The temp guage is your friend!

antifreeze leanks can sometimes be a total bitch to find, and if they are in
an inaccessible spot like a heater hose, can be an even worse bitch to fix.

Ted

"Ted Mittelstaedt" > wrote in message
news:newscache$5ggphi$3c1
> antifreeze leanks can sometimes be a total bitch to find, and if they are
in
> an inaccessible spot like a heater hose, can be an even worse bitch to
fix.
>
> Ted

Ted is right. They can be tough to find. Leaky hoses, waterpumps,
thermostat housings, and 'freeze' plugs are common.

I have found that I can usually make it further without losing all my
coolant
if I loosen the radiator cap first. The pressure which builds up inside the
system blows out
the coolant and loosening the cap entends your range, usually.