Antifreeze leak

[dirtrider]

Found a leak in the YJ where a small amount of antifreeze is dripping out. Heres the thing....it does not drip or leak a drop when running, just after I run it for a while and then turn it off, some leaks out (less than a shot glass). And it doesn't do this everytime? Its an 87 4.2 carbed. What would be causing it to leak after I turn the jeep off?

[zman]

Components cooling down. Probably need to replace waterpump.

zman

[Janster]

Where exactly is the leak coming from??

Is it coming from the radiator anywhere or the engine area??

Make sure you check your overflow tank and top it off with antifreeze until you get this problem figured out.

This is just a guess -pending where the leak is coming from:

Since it's not leaking while you're driving....I would tend to believe that the antifreeze is running down the engine block and evaporating before it gets to the ground. Waterpump.....

Take a closer look under the rig and find out where the leak is. If the antifreeze is evaporating - you should still see some green/white powdery looking substance where it was leaking.

Usually - waterpumps don't necessarily fail directly. The seal material that seals them to the engine block usually craps out first.

[D'sYJ]

Bars Stop Leak.....It works!!

Follow me here for a minute.....I've always been skeptical of any BS that you pour into the engine or coolant and it magically fixes or tunes up your junk.... But last Fourth of July (2004) we were gettin ready to go to the Rubicon and the heater core in my F350 goes out.... but all it was doing was steaming up the windows and dripping a little coolant on the floorboard. This happened 2 days before we were leaving..... and of course I already had about 4 days of last minute **** to fix on the YJ. My buddies dad, who drives truck, tells me to use the Bars stop leak.....AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTION!! (something like run it for 20 minutes then let it cool down) Anyways so I figure I'll try it and worst comes to worst I'll just bypass my heater core and we'll be fine... beings July in Cali. To my surprise it worked, no leaks the next day at all. Then we get to Tahoe and dump our tow rigs and we dink around in Tahoe for a day waiting for friends to get there before we hit the trail. We run into 7/11 for beer and ice and when I come out there is a puddle of Coolant under my Jeep..... I couldn't believe my luck. The seem at the top of the Radiator was seeping out coolant. We ran to Napa and got some more Bars...... No problems the reast of the trip.

Over a year later the Jeep is fine, but the heater core in the F350 did finally go out last week.....and it blew good. I replaced it cause there was no use in even tryin the Bars again.......

Sorry 'bout the novel but I highly suggest tryin it if it's small...

[Joe Dillard]

Found a leak in the YJ where a small amount of antifreeze is dripping out. <snip>
Excellent! Since you found the troubled area/component, now you know what needs to be addressed.

And it doesn't do this everytime?
I don't know if it does it everytime either.

What would be causing it to leak after I turn the jeep off?
Residual pressure within the surrounding cooling system is possibly entering the cooling system (maybe a faulty head gasket etc), and causing undue pressure and the leak you found.

[Rock WoRM]

It would be nice to know "where" the leak is coming from. But sounds like it could be the water pump. As the engine get hot and the metal expands, the leak (if it is the water pump) tends to close down while its running. As it sits and cools it starts leaking again. Sometimes hoses will do this too, but my bet is on the pump. If it was your rad., then it would most likely leak constantly.


WoRM :bsod:

[wallysheata]

you need to isolate EXACTLY where it's leaking. Mine leaked from the upper radiator hose where it went into the water pump, a few turns of the screwdriver and i clamped the hose down enough to stop the leak for good

[zman]

One morning this past winter my radiator leaked. The coolant was steaming out of the engine compartment. I add some water (about a cupful) and drove it home. I ignored the problem and it went away. One of the cheapest fixes I ever did. :wildmonk:

[Rock WoRM]

(about a cupful)
:wildmonk:
:puzzled: :puzzled: :puzzled: only a cup???

Maybe it was just rattle snake pee or something that was steaming! :damnmate: :hungover:


WoRM :bsod:

[dirtrider]

I narrowed it down to right below the waterpump. Know if it was a bad seal where the waterpump attached to the block, I would think it would leak all the time, no? Anyway I bought a new pump and will replace it tommorrow.

[Rock WoRM]

I would think it would leak all the time, no?
.
Yeah, its fairly common for pumps to do that. If U let them go for to long, then they usually will start leaking constantly or at a higher volume.


WoRM :bsod:

[zman]

:puzzled: :puzzled: :puzzled: only a cup???

Maybe it was just rattle snake pee or something that was steaming! :damnmate: :hungover:


WoRM :bsod:

It leaked at the top were plastic meets metal. Nice little green puddle on top of the radator pass side and got some on the hood to. Add little water and it went away, ok maybe it was two cups, I don't exactly remember but it was not alot. The leak has not returned, yet....

zman

[dash2]

I have the same problem with the intermittent leak. I found about an oz of rad fluid in the ground in the garage. And the other reason I think it's the water pump is when I'm sitting at an intersection or just driving along the temp gage will sometimes go above 210 and then jump back down to 180-185. I think the pump isn't working at a constant pressure. But in anycase I've got AC that works but want the system to cool better. (In AZ summers) Just got the pump and flex fan hopefully when I get off my *** and change everything I'll have good news to report.