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Coolant Leak

Tiny
ON3POINTKING
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 PLYMOUTH BREEZE
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 130,000 MILES
I seem to be experiencing a moderate coolant. The leak, or rather the puddle underneath my car, is located on the driver's side of the vehicle, but both radiator/engine hoses seem to be on the left side.

There are two smaller hoses entering the radiator on the driver side. Are these the A/C hoses? If so, would they have freon or regular coolant?

I haven't found the source of the leak yet, so if anyone has an relevant engine diagrams for coolant hoses I would be appreciative.
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Friday, March 4th, 2011 AT 9:09 PM

9 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
If you have smaller hose's going into your radiator they carry transmission fluid into the transmission cooler in your radiator. You could have a cracked radiator tank that is leaking. The best way to find the leak is to get a coolant pressure tester and pressurize the cooling system and look for where the coolant is leaking.
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Friday, March 4th, 2011 AT 9:15 PM
Tiny
ON3POINTKING
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  • 45 POSTS
Thanks.

Sadly, I don't really have the spare cash to go out and buy a pressure tester. Or get it tested by a mechanic, I suppose.

The only tank, that I know of, is also on the passenger side. Should I be looking at the radiator itself for the leak?
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Friday, March 4th, 2011 AT 9:20 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Iam talking about the plastic tank that is on each side of your radiator they crack and leak. You can see if you can rent the pressure tester from auto zone they rent tools for free you just have to leave a deposit for the tool. If you overheat the engine because of the leak you really won't be able to afford that. Let me know what you find.
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Friday, March 4th, 2011 AT 9:24 PM
Tiny
ON3POINTKING
  • MEMBER
  • 45 POSTS
Oh, well that works. As a temporary solution, could I use coolant system sealer? I'd rather bike over to a service station and get some of that then drive around leaving coolant everywhere, at the moment.
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Friday, March 4th, 2011 AT 9:27 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Iam not a big fan of the stop leak stuff that can clog up other part's of the cooling system and they don't always work you have to have a pretty small leak for them to work.
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Friday, March 4th, 2011 AT 9:43 PM
Tiny
ON3POINTKING
  • MEMBER
  • 45 POSTS
It has been a few days, but I have a few more questions in regards to removing the radiator.

The Chilton book suggests removing the fog lights to access the lower bolts. I don't have fog lights. Is there some special tool to gain access through the fascia (there are a couple of slots, but I can't seem to fit a wrench through), or does it need to be removed?

Also, there is a really small heat sink right behind the grill. The hoses seem to be constricting access to the lower bolts, in addition to the fascia. What is this radiator-type thing for? It isn't in the Chilton book at all.
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Sunday, March 13th, 2011 AT 11:50 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
To get to those bolt's holding the a/c condenser to the radiator I would use a 1/4" extension with a wobble socket and a 1/4" ratchet not a wrench. Also do you have two small hose's going to your radiator?If not then that little heat sink looking thing you found is most likely a external transmission cooler someone installed.
1. Disconnect negative cable from auxiliary jumper terminal. Remove air inlet resonator.

WARNING: DO NOT REMOVE THE CYLINDER BLOCK PLUG OR THE RADIATOR DRAINCOCK WITH THE SYSTEM HOT AND UNDER PRESSURE BECAUSE SERIOUS BURNS FROM COOLANT CAN OCCUR.

2. Drain cooling system.

3. Remove upper radiator crossmember.

CAUTION: Plastic tanks, while stronger then brass are subject to damage by impact, such as wrenches.

4. Remove hose clamps and hoses from the radiator.
5. Disconnect automatic transmission hoses from cooler and plug off.
6. Disconnect the fan wiring connector.
7. Disconnect the engine block heater wire, if equipped.

CAUTION: Avoid bending the condenser inlet tube. Care should be taken not to damage radiator or condenser cooling fins or water tubes during removal.

8. Remove the air conditioning condenser attaching screws located at the front of the radiator, if equipped. It is not necessary to discharge the air conditioning system to remove radiator.
9. Radiator can now be lifted free from engine compartment. Care should be taken not to damage radiator cooling fins or water tubes during removal.
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Monday, March 14th, 2011 AT 4:32 PM
Tiny
ON3POINTKING
  • MEMBER
  • 45 POSTS
Thanks really, you've been a big help. I don't have a wobble extension, so I'll have to run out and grab one.

Interesting though, is that I do have the a/t lines on the driver side of the radiator. What other back-stories could that radiator have? Is it possible the original transmission cooler failed, and for some reason this was installed?
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Monday, March 14th, 2011 AT 9:43 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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You can try a wobble adapter that will give you more movement then a wobble extension. Or better yet a wobble socket. If the original transmission cooler failed I would think they wouldn't have cooler line's going to it anymore. They could have just tapped into the original line's and added a aux cooler. So do the line's from the cooler go back to transmission?Because they do have aux oil cooler's too but there not as popular.
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Tuesday, March 15th, 2011 AT 12:11 AM

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