?Antifreeze Leak Continues After Multiple Repairs

[wes holland]

:unsure: I started out with an antifreeze leak which was diagnosed as a radiator leak.$520 radiator repair yieled the same leak 1.5 days later.After taking the 91 honda accord back to mechanic,I was told leak was coming from water pump.The new bill would be $950 for water pump/timing belt.

I went to a cheaper mechanic and had water pump/belt done.A few days later,leak was back!It appeared as though the leak was coming from somewhere below distributor area and water pump area stopped leaking.Mechanic showed me the leak from the coolant bypass hose.I repaired that and almost a week later,a pouring leak is back around the water pump area!?

Topic

[Aaron]

If it were me I’d see if one of the local auto parts store has a radiator pressure tester in their loaner tool program. That way you can pressure test the system and try to see where the leak is coming from better. That way if there’s an issue with the water pump the mechanic put in you can take it back for them to look at with a little bit more knowledge.

[wes holland]

A pressure test was done when radiator was done when radiator was replaced.

[Lorrin Barth]

Rubber coolant hoses on engines should be replaced every 60,000 miles. Most vehicles don’t get a new hose until one blows.

[EricTheCarGuy]

If the water pump was not installed correctly it could leak. Also, there is a water hose that runs along the back of the block from the back of the water pump to the thermostat housing. Sometimes the ‘o’ rings on this pipe leak causing a coolant leak. A pressure test would reveal this issue if you knew where to look which is along the back of the block behind the water pump.

More info here.

http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/what-to-do-when-your-engine-overheats

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Travis]

I just wanted to add, with the pressure test it will find the easiest place to leak. Then once in your case the radiator was replaced another check should have been done before the vehicle left. Same after the water pump and timing belt replacement. It would have only took 5 extra minutes to recheck. The pressure will always find the easist route to escape. Therefore it is possible to have more than one leak. Not defending the mechanic because he could have easily rechecked the pressure test.

[Author]

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