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  1. #1
    My Neighbors Hate Me!!! lvbroham1's Avatar
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    Artic White
    2001 Chevy Camaro SS

    Coolant on the Underside of my Hood??? HELP!!!

    Well, I took my ss out for a drive the other day and the all too familiar sweet scent of coolant caught my nose. First thing I'm thinking is the water pump weep hole. So long story short, I popped my hood and found coolant sprayed like a mist all over the driver side of the underside of the hood. I'm thinking something's up with the ps cooler, but I'm not exactly sure as to what could be causing the leak. All of the radiator hoses are brand new. Any help is greatly appreciated!

  2. #2
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    '02 WS.6 / '07 Suburban

    Sounds like a pinhole leak somewhere -- you'll have to sleuth it out. Make sure you have some safety glasses and protective gear on -- I had a friend recently take an unexpected bath in hot coolant and it laid him up for several days. You have a hose on the throttle body and air bleeds at the front of the heads that may be leaking in addition to what you already mentioned.

  3. #3
    My Neighbors Hate Me!!! lvbroham1's Avatar
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    Artic White
    2001 Chevy Camaro SS

    sounds like it may be something like that. I need to clean up all the mess that it left first. I'm thinking it might only be doing this when turning. I took it out on the highway and didn't smell anything (through the vents or with the windows down). On the street is when the smell gets intense. Do you think It may be a pressure thing when turning the steering wheel?

  4. #4
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    Unless it has an internal leak as well, the steering shouldn't have any impact on the coolant leak. My guess is that the leak probably gets worse as things warm up and the pressure in the cooling system builds.

  5. #5
    Junior Member F55c6's Avatar
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    Bright Red
    1998 Camaro SS

    Radiator Cap?

    Buy a new radiator cap and give it a try.

  6. #6
    Veteran Firebirdjones's Avatar
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    Clean everything up real well. Get yourself a pressure tester for the cooling system. Pump it up to about 30 PSI and sit there and watch for the leak. You'll find it.

  7. #7
    Life in the Fast lane sunsetorangess's Avatar
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    Met. Sunset Orange
    01 SS

    Quote Originally Posted by Firebirdjones View Post
    Clean everything up real well. Get yourself a pressure tester for the cooling system. Pump it up to about 30 PSI and sit there and watch for the leak. You'll find it.
    Yepp...
    J
    2001 SS, Its not the car its the Driver that matters....

  8. #8
    Member 28Marcos's Avatar
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    99 Z/28

    Quote Originally Posted by Firebirdjones View Post
    Clean everything up real well. Get yourself a pressure tester for the cooling system. Pump it up to about 30 PSI and sit there and watch for the leak. You'll find it.
    really..never heard of this, please enlighten me how this process is done!

  9. #9
    11 years of bangin gears cammed goat's Avatar
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    2004 GTO M6

    You connect the pressure tester to the radiator where the cap would normally be. Pump the tester to see where the leak is coming from.

  10. #10
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    '02 WS.6 / '07 Suburban

    Quote Originally Posted by 28Marcos View Post
    really..never heard of this, please enlighten me how this process is done!

    FBJ is logged out, so here you go:

    A coolant pressure tester consists of a hand pump, pressure gauge and hose to a cap that will fit your radiator. It generally comes in a kit with several cap styles and you may be able to rent it from your local Autozone or Advance. With the engine cold, remove your radiator cap and install the one from the kit that fits.

    You then use the hand pump to pressurize the cooling system. I wouldn't go much more than 15 psi. Even if you can't find the leak, if the pressure bleeds off on the gauge (assuming the tester is good and your seal on the cap is also good) it means you have a leak in the cooling system. This is a great way to diagnose a head gasket leak, in addition to a leak elsewhere in the system, like what you have.

  11. #11
    TerribleTed TerribleTed's Avatar
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    2000 Chevy Camaro Z28

    for oil leaks or water leaks use the special UV dies they have at auto stores,,

    First wash and clean and blow dry all areas under the hood,,then install dies as needed,,,then run car fora bit on driveway only and only untill just before the fans come on,,to prevent any leakage with die from getting all over,,

    This should help,,,islate the leak that is ...
    if its a water leak it may be your pump bearing leak hole leaking,,if it is replace the pump,,,,

  12. #12
    Member
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    2000 ss/1994 z28/1979 z28

    Quote Originally Posted by cammed goat View Post
    You connect the pressure tester to the radiator where the cap would normally be. Pump the tester to see where the leak is coming from.
    Yeah, do a pressure test and see where its coming from. Good Luck!

  13. #13
    My Neighbors Hate Me!!! lvbroham1's Avatar
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    2001 Chevy Camaro SS

    Ok everyone, after digging through my moms garage and finding my radiator pressure tester, I finally got around to pressure testing the system. Well... I was completely wrong as to where the leak was coming from. The reason I found coolant on the underside of my hood was because the radiator is cracked on the topside of the driver side outlet. I'm guessing the coolant that's coming out when the radiator is pressurized was hitting the belt and being slung on the hood and surrounding area's. THANK YOU to everyone that gave their suggestion and advise. One more question, should I get the radiator repaired, or should I replace it? Thanks again!

  14. #14
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    I would replace it.

  15. #15
    My Neighbors Hate Me!!! lvbroham1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pajeff02 View Post
    I would replace it.
    Yep that's what I was leaning towards, it's not even that expensive and the radiator has never been replaced before.

  16. #16
    O U 8 1 2 Spaz's Avatar
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    1999 trans am

    Quote Originally Posted by lvbroham1 View Post
    Ok everyone, after digging through my moms garage and finding my radiator pressure tester, I finally got around to pressure testing the system. Well... I was completely wrong as to where the leak was coming from. The reason I found coolant on the underside of my hood was because the radiator is cracked on the topside of the driver side outlet. I'm guessing the coolant that's coming out when the radiator is pressurized was hitting the belt and being slung on the hood and surrounding area's. THANK YOU to everyone that gave their suggestion and advise. One more question, should I get the radiator repaired, or should I replace it? Thanks again!
    it was more than likely being sprayed up there from your radiator fans... definintly get a new one!!!

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