Coolant leak?

LISTER89

MEMBER
2004 HYUNDAI SONATA
2.7L
V6
2WD
AUTOMATIC
224,000 MILES

I had a coolant leak coming from underneath the water pump. So, we changed the water pump and torqued it down just right and put everything back. Then when we filled up the radiator, coolant started leaking out down there just as fast as we are putting it in. Is there anything in that area besides the water pump that it could be?

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Monday, September 25th, 2023 AT 4:15 PM

12 Replies

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
47,536 POSTS

Yes, there is a coolant inlet pipe sealed by O rings that can rot out and leak. You might need to remove the intake manifold. Here is how the job is done and exploded views of the cooling system and the coolant inlet pipe I speak of. Check out the images (below). Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem so we can see what's going on.

Images (Click to make bigger)

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Tuesday, September 26th, 2023 AT 1:03 PM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,740 POSTS

Hi,

Do you still have the timing cover off? There really isn't anything under the pump. How quickly does the coolant drain out?

Here is a link that explains how to pressure test the system. Take a look through it. It may help.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/radiator-pressure-test

Let me know.

Joe

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Tuesday, September 26th, 2023 AT 1:04 PM

LISTER89

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Pretty much immediately draining as soon as I put it in.

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Tuesday, September 26th, 2023 AT 2:17 PM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

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109,740 POSTS

Hi,

Are you sure it isn't a hose or something similar? There is a coolant inlet pipe to the pump that depends on an O-ring to seal. Have you checked around that area? See pic below.

Let me know.

Joe

See pic below.

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Tuesday, September 26th, 2023 AT 8:03 PM

LISTER89

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Got to tear it apart again. Doing it today.

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Wednesday, September 27th, 2023 AT 3:33 AM

LISTER89

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Is this it?

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Wednesday, September 27th, 2023 AT 3:37 AM

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
47,536 POSTS

Yep, that is it, be sure to check the tube because they can rust out.

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Wednesday, September 27th, 2023 AT 8:31 AM

LISTER89

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So where exactly do I access it?

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Wednesday, September 27th, 2023 AT 1:47 PM

LISTER89

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Looks like it was the water pump after all. Too much of the silicone gasket stuff was on there and there was a gap we hadn't seen before.

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Wednesday, September 27th, 2023 AT 7:46 PM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
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Hi,

I believe on this year/model, the inlet tube runs from the rear of the thermostat housing and under the intake manifold. See pics below.

Once you locate it, check to make sure that is where the leak is coming from.

Let me know.

Joe

See pics below.

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Wednesday, September 27th, 2023 AT 8:05 PM

LISTER89

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We were trying to get to that, but then we realized that it wasn't leaking out of there. Once we had the water pump exposed again, I decided to pour a little bit of water in the radiator and realized that it was coming out of the water pump after all. The dude that I had do it for me put way too much of that silicone gasket stuff on it and it left gaps.

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Thursday, September 28th, 2023 AT 2:11 AM

KEN L