I've done a search on the subject and read a bunch of threads, but I was hoping that I could get some of your expert opinons on my particular case.

I don't drive the car too often (mostly on weekends), but lately i've notice a small damp puddle underneath where the car has been parked for awhile. I never had a problem with over heating before, even with the rebuilt 383 motor, however this past weekend, the leak became very apparent.

Basically, after driving the car for about an hour, i stopped somewhere and noticed that there was light grey smoke coming from the front (during the drive the temp gauge appeared to be normal). I open the hood and i could hear hissing from near the radiator cap (nothing was coming out) and the light smoke was definately from the coolant burning up, but near front of the car somewhere. I looked down below the battery and one of the hoses is wet. I checked under the car and there was a significant puddle under the car and it was running down and dripping off the air deflector. Well I add some water, about 6 small styrofoam cups full, eventho the coolant level didn't seem too low (according to the stick). When I started the car, after some difficulty starting, the temp gauge rose to the first mark. Then after about 1 min of moving slowly through the parking lot the temp gauge started climbing rapidly into the red. I didn't think I was going to get very far, i also had the heat blasting. So I stop and i was about to shut the motor off, but decided to wait a second. After a second of sitting the temp gauge dropped rapidly back down to the middle mark. Maybe it took a second for the added wated to circulate? Well since the temp went back down i continued onto the gas station. The mechanic wasn't around so I just a jug of premixed coolant and added some more. The engine was off again but this time the hissing wasn't as loud and it was dripping much slower...still not good tho. So i close her up and start heading home. However, shortly after leaving the gas station, the same thing happened (the gauge rose quickly into the red, this time the check gauges light turned on) so I pulled over (heat still blasting) and a second later the gauge dropped back down to the first notch and I proceeded to drive home. About 30 miles later, i'm home. The car seemed fine the whole way back, i kept the heat on high, and it temp rose a bit when idling at the light, but not past the third notch. As soon as I reach my drive way and shut the car off, the coolant was leaking as bad as before and running down my driveway. There was light smoke again, but I think it's from splattering onto the block or headers.

Anyways, sorry for the long post. I haven't had the chance to look into it yet, but I think it might be just one of the hoses, since the one under the battery is all wet. What are the chances that it's also the radiator? I'm going to dig into it on Thanksgiving day so I was hoping to have most if not all the parts that it will most likely be to replace the old ones with. I have plans to hit the track one last time on Friday, assuming I can get this fixed. Thanks for your help!

 

Tighten the hose clamps and see. If it's got spring clamps get some gear clamps and replace them. Then see if it is the hose or the clamp or rad.

 

I went through this about two weeks ago and it was the water pump. Literally began in one day and coolant started pouring out of it. The stuff gets everywhere and it is hard to find the origin. Get under the car and see if there is coolant coming out of the WP right over the opti.

 

same here, my water pump dripped water one day that I thought came from a hose so I tightened the clamp and the next day it wouldn't start because the pump was leaking coolant onto my opti. make sure you check out the pump and look in all areas near the opti for coolant. also, try bleeding the coolant system to make sure there is no air in it.

 

man, i hope it's not the pump. I had the stocker replaced with the mezier electric one a little over 1 year ago, about 9K miles, when I had the 383 built. Should I bleed the whole system before tampering/removing the clamps and hoses? There are bleeder screws right correct? I think i saw them on shoebox's site, and they are for bleeding air out of the system right?

I just wanted to get a real good idea of what the problem is, so I can have all the parts I possibly need. I want to get it fixed over thanksgiving day, and I doubt too many stores around me will be open. But I understand it's really hard to tell what's really up until I get under there.

If the coolant were leaking onto the opti, while the car was already running, it would just stop running right? I ask this because the coolant was coming out fast and running down the driveway when i finally got home, but the car seemed to continue to idle fine and problem free. If it were the water pump, and leaking as bad as it were, it would have been all over the opti right?

Thanks guys