I have a friend with a 1997 Camaro SS and he is having a bad coolant leak problem that I am having a hard time tracking down. I thought it would be his waterpump but it doesnt seem like it is. There is coolant coming down on the passenger side at the front of the engine and also at the rear where is drips down the y-pipe. Everything at the heads and above looks dry. Where the hell is this coming from??? Warped head maybe? What else?

He said it doesn't leak every single time, but it is a big problem and when it does leak, it leaks pretty bad. So whats the verdict???

 

probably one of the heater hoses

 

Any tips on tracking it down? I has been a lot harder than expected

 

I'm wondering if it could be either the steam pipe or a banjo bolt seal.
For the front, check the connection between the rubber hose and the steam pipe and see if it's dry. For the back, run your hand around the banjo bolt of the steam pipe on the back of the head.
Check on top of the intake as well to see if it's pooling anywhere between the head/intake.

 

Is the "steam pipe" the hard line that runs parallel to the passenger side of the intake manifold / the pipe that you connect to for the TB bypass mod? If so I did check those connections, both at the front to the hose and to the head in the rear. Both looked okay and I saw no pooling. The source seems as though it is somewhere below that point in the engine.

 

As suggested I'd check the heater core hoses then. That's about the only thing left externally related to coolant on that side of the engine. You can run a die through the coolant and it'd make it easier to spot. Make sure the engine is clean before doing so.
Just FYI... are you sure it's coolant leaking onto the collector? The A/C condensor drain is right on the firewall and has a tendency to leak condensation onto the headers.

 

Pretty sure it's coolant. I was under the car and it sure smells like coolant. I know for a fact that it is coolant at the front because it was leaking a bit when I was under it. It only leaked a drop at the back while I was under it and I was just going by what I wiped of the ground, but I am pretty sure it was coolant. He is loosing a lot of coolant so he is definitely leaking. I guess I'll check the heater hoses. Could those cause leaking near the rear???

 

The heater hoses are connected to the core at the firewall. Check around there. Dunno about the front. There are a gaggle of hoses there so it could be any one of them. I highly doubt it's leaking out of the head gasket...
It's somewhat possible the waterpump gasket is leaking. Can't tell w/ that one unless you use a die or take the pump off and examine the gasket. And even then it might be hard to tell.

 

Any certain kind of die to use? If so where would I get it? I think I would like to try that route. This may be hoping for too much but if we could use a die that was responsive to a certain light (like black light at night) that would we sooooo nice and easy.

 

Dunno what it's called. I'd try a shop and see what they'd recommend. I'm afraid if you went to any auto store you'd only get a funny look, but it's worth a shot.
JUST MAKE SURE you clean the engine before doing this.

 

Thanks a lot. You have been quite helpful Waaaaay past my bed time. I'll let you know what we find.

 

coo... good luck.