Coolant leaking from valve cover? SOHC

[jared_gibbs]

1.8l SOHC

Coolant seems to be coming from the valve cover between the injectors. ??? I'm confused why coolant would even be there. I can only get around town before loosing a significant amount of coolant. Any thoughts?

I just replaced the water pump because I saw that I was loosing this much coolant and it was spilling down onto the exhaust, I figured that's what the problem was.

Thanks for any help. I work long weeks so I may not be able to get back to this thread quickly, but again any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[fierosail]

only way i can think of coolant getting there is a cracked head or spillage

 

[bryanwheat]

The only way that would be happening is if the head is cracked, or it is spraying from the throttle body area.

 

[drewbuddy]

Check your oil for anti-freeze and your anti-freeze for oil if there is it's head gasket, are you blowing white smoke or over heating?
you just changed pump so check the bolts make sure they are tight, it could be spraying up into there and pooling. Look on under side of hood see if there is coolant that has spayed onto it. check hoses, clamps ect. If you run it to operating temp take a look under the hood for leaks, if nothing then turn it off and take a look, you should find it then cause it's pressured up (mind your eyes an face). there is a dye you can buy to put into coolant to pinpoint leaks. Good luck

 

[DSM1G90]

A possibly a good case of a cracked head, but clean up the area and check for seepage when motor is running.

Head out to a yard (Janssens Auto Salvage over there, if they're still there out on Iona Rd - used to live out there on Telford RD.), for there's tons of 4G37's out there to be had for parts.

The yard close to me has 7, complete 4G37's out there, wth one that has a 12v head which turns the 4G37 into a bit of a little screamer due to the MCA-JET head, and only two 4G63's in a major disassembled state.

Good luck - DSM

 

[jared_gibbs]

Cool, thanks for the help. That head was rebuilt not even 2 years ago and the car has sat in my back yard most of the time. I don't think I've put 10k miles on it, so I really hope that's not the problem.

Can I run the motor with the valve cover off without getting oil everywhere? I think I'd be able to determine for sure what's up if I can do that.

I'll hit up Janssens and Bonneville Auto, I'm sure somebody's got one.
Nampa feeling like fall yet? It got cold quick here!


Thanks for the replies!

 

[DSM1G90]

Can I run the motor with the valve cover off without getting oil everywhere? I think I'd be able to determine for sure what's up if I can do that.

I'll hit up Janssens and Bonneville Auto, I'm sure somebody's got one.
Nampa feeling like fall yet? It got cold quick here!

.. did that once ..hit the motor on with valve cover off (which I forgot that it was off) and oil spray everywhere-the bain of OHC motors with that cam spinning around slinging oil everywhere. Had to power wash everything under the hood after that major oil spray! Thus, "nope, keep the cover on."

Possibility, if only a recent change was in order, could be that the gasket took a split on you to cause the leaking, which would be an easy a cheap fix with just replacement of the gasket ... or even the head may only need to be retorqued down - in steps and the right torque range.

"The Falls." get's cold quick by the middle of the month and it's downhill from there until late March when it decides to chase winter away. We're still basking in mid 80's to low 90's over here, then it gradually drops down to a cool fall and mild winter. All because of the altitude of 2800 feet compared to 4800 feet over there and you being close to the Targee Mountain Range. (Grew up in the Bel-Aire dist, then out to the country, then moved in the trailer court behind Broadway Ford on Bdwy before moving over here on a job transfer...)

Keep in touch .. from a fellow "I.F." citizen and good luck as always. DSM

 

[cnordelo]

Good way to check for head issue is to take the cap off the radiator and crank the motor. See if you have some compression going into the coolant jackets

 

[BogusSVO]

Some engines have a coolant passage from the head into the intake, I am not sure if the 1.8L SOHC does.

If you do then you may just have coolent comming past the Intake mani, or just a loose mani. I would check this first.

 

[jared_gibbs]

Okay cool, thanks for the leads! I'll check the intake manifold. It did look like it could have been coming out of the manifold gasket but I couldn't make any sense of that. If that doesn't work I'll try retorquing the head. Sure hope I don't have to tear this motor down after paying a mechanic nearly $2k to do that only 2 years ago.

 

[bryanwheat]

Okay cool, thanks for the leads! I'll check the intake manifold. It did look like it could have been coming out of the manifold gasket but I couldn't make any sense of that. If that doesn't work I'll try retorquing the head. Sure hope I don't have to tear this motor down after paying a mechanic nearly $2k to do that only 2 years ago.

The manifold doesn't have any coolant going thru it, BUT, the thermostat housing does bolt on the back of the head on the passenger side, so it could be squiring over there. I highly doubt that it could be the head gasket because the surface of the head gasket is about 3 inches lower than where the coolant is at.

 

[DSM1G90]

True, for I just checked my 1.8 for similar leakage that I just noticed today after it's been sitting for a week when we put a new torque converter in the tranny along with seals and pilot bushing .. and it was the hose going to the port below the throttle body from the t-stat housing. Cinched up the clamp and all is good now.

 

[BogusSVO]

Cool beans!! Glad it was a simple fix!