coolant leak at timing cain cover

    Is it possible for coolant to leak out at the top of the timing chain cover (I'm not a mechanic)? The area right near/to the left of the thermostat housing. I originally thought my bypass hose clamp was leaking, causing a coolant puddle on the timing chain cover, but I've had the hose off and had everything cleaned up for a month and haven't driven or started the car since. Found a nice puddle there when I was prepping to paint. The gasket near that area feels very soft. Any suggestions?


    I cleaned and painted the entire area and will keep my eye on it. Perhaps the paint will help seal - anything else I can do to seal or should I just go ahead and have a mechanice pull everything off and look around since I have it all accessible at this point. I do know that the timing chain was replaced about 10K miles ago, but that was also 13 years ago as well.

    Yes, the timing cover can leak around the water ports, there are 2 of them on the timing cover, one on each side. If your timing cover is corroded or cracked near the water ports, it will leak. Or, it simply may not have sealed well.


    I would recommend removing the cover and installing a new gasket with a some rtv sealer. You don't want to be doing all this work to your engine bay and have coolant spew all over that new paint!

    Pin holes from corrosion will cause the leak as well as leaking gaskets. The aluminum will decay on the inside of the cover to the point where it weakens and leaks under pressure. The cooling system can be pressurized with a pump designed for that purpose that is in most good repair shops. If it's that bad you probably won't be able to repair it wihtout a lot of clean up and welding. If you're seeing the tell-tale puddle on top of the cover and you've eliminated the hoses and thermostat housing as the cause you'll be pulling the front cover next. When you go to buy the gaskets for the front cover I would recommend Victor gaskets available from NAPA instead of Fel Pro. Fel Pro sells a gasket that is produced for both early and late cars and the material hangs out past the cover in several places. The Victor front cover set had a much better fit for the early cover.

    Edited once, last by Round2k (April 19, 2007 at 7:18 AM).

    Hi,

    I had the same thing happening to me some years ago

    and found the leak at the bottom of the thermostat

    housing. Changed the gasket and it disappeared.

    Try that first before removing the front cover.

    /Bo

    The thermostat housing was replaced last summer by a very competent mechanic who knows these cars well. I would certainly hope he replaced the gasket:) I think it's time to pull the cover since everything is apart already.


    Thanks for all your help.

    I must have the Fel Pro gasket currently as it does protrute and hang out past the cover, especially in the area where it's leaking right now..

    Quote from CharlesTurner

    When you install the new gasket, you can trim off the excess around the edge for a cleaner look.

    That's what I've done - and then I spray a little engine color into a can and touch up the ends with a detail brush (anal?). I don't know what the MCA would think about it for judging, but it does make the gasket much less noticeable.

    The intake gasket is made to leak coolant and drips on the timing cover when the car is sitting do to the temp changing . To stop that from doing it put a little gasket sealer on the gasket. When you look at the gasket you will see the thin cut out lines in the gasket by the hole for the front intake bolt.


    Mike

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