Couple Issues....

[green98civic]

I bought a 98 GSX a lil while ago with a 150k on it. It is starting to leak coolant now on the drivers side. When u look underneath the car u can see it dripping off from the filter and the metal adapter. Sorry im a newbie and not sure of the name of that part. Puddles are getting bigger That side is wet looking with oil and dirt. I havent pulled off the cam cover yet. From what i have been reading possible water pump or head gasket?? i just dont want to be chasing the wrong thing. Any suggestions?

Also. its happened to me a couple times i can be driving and all of a sudden the car shuts off. i turned back on and it fires up immediately. What could be this is be?

In the end, i have seen oil on the valve cover near the spark plug area too. was thinking about getting a new valve cover and gasket and spark plug wires.

Any help would be appericated. Thanks guys.

 

[miguelmcv]

It might be just the O ring at the water pump.
Or the water pump by it self.

Clean up the grease and all the area.

Once is clean and dry, turn the car ON, and check where the water is coming from.
The O ring is located on one side of the alternator, under the Steering pump.

 

[gofer]

The coolant could be coming from the water pipe o-ring (or the pipe itself could be cracked), water pump, coolant lines on the turbo, coolant lines going to the OFH (oil filter housing), and worst case scenario its the headgasket but isn't likely.

The car shutting off could be many things describing the symptoms, you'll have to be more detailed about the situation.

The valve cover itself could have cracks in the spark plug well around the bolt holes, which would cause oil around the spark plug wires. It could also be a bad valve cover gasket if its seeping out around the VC, where it meets the sides of the head.

 

[miguelmcv]

Here is a pic of the pump so you know where is located for easy look up.
http://www.ilostmymind.com/manuals/DSM_manual/vfaq/proj-pics/Tbelt/Tbelt5.jpg
Also, your car stalling could be what (gofer) said, or just a simple malfunction ISC.

 

[green98civic]

What is a good cleaning agent to use to get off the oil and dirt?

With the car shutting off all of a sudden. It usually happens after shifting the car a lil harder than normal. All the dash lights come on and the car goes silent and coasting till I crank it up which it turns on right away.

 

[gofer]

Does it die when you give it gas and then push in the clutch pedal or when you were going a constant speed, say 65mph, then you push in the clutch to decelerate?

 

[green98civic]

It dies when I'm giving it the gas.

 

[green98civic]

It happened to me yesterday when I had the clutch pedal in.

 

[Don Lang]

The coolent leak just inspect like the others said.
If its comming from under the timming belt cover its probly time to do the water pump.
On shutting off, Have you cheaked basic stuff like battery clamps, cables, grounds.
Start with the easy stuff.

 

[mix3d_3motionz]

If you have access to a coolant system pressure tester you could find the problem rather quicky. They are pretty cheap, and a Blown headgasket could also shut your car off, depending on how hot, or how much damage it has done to the head. You can very easily warp a head...but typically once they shut off from a head gasket, you would have a very hard time getting it to start, if at all.

 

[green98civic]

Thanks guys, I picked up the car today from the state inspection place. The leak is coming from the coolant line that is suppose to go to the oil adapter. That line was zip tied and plugged. It is not hooked up to it. I have emailed the owner asking him he knew about this issue. I dont want to hook it up if it doesnt work. Therefore flooding the engine with coolant. What should i do?

Also the car died again when leaving the state inspection place going about 55mph. The engine was cold and I have realized it happens more when its cold then when the engine is hot.

 

[green98civic]

Well, I jumped to the conclusion that the leak was coming from that. When I went out to the car today there was a decent size puddle of coolant coming from the underneath the car, from the same area. I havent started the car since Friday night. The coolant line that the shop repaired wasnt leaking, so i am to believe its related to the pump. They did do a pressure test and nothing came back.

Maybe just a O-ring or pipe crack in the water pump?