I just got finished installing my opti on my 95 trans am, and it runs alot better! But, I have a really bad coolant leak? It's dripping down from the front cover, and I just examined every hose and they aren't leaking. I also removed the air, so the driver side part of the pump is exposed, and it doesn't look like its leaking from that side either ( where one of the gaskets go ). I did replace both gaskets, and cleaned off the matting surfaces really well. What could cause such a bad leak? It was really bad before I shut it off.


Would installing the driveshaft for the WP backwards cause something like this? I can't remember which way I installed it..

 

Did you apply thread sealant to the water pump bolt threads? Did you clean the old water pump gasket off thoroughly? Is the bleed screw near the thermostat housing fully closed?

 

No, never did that. Would that cause a horrible leak?

To the point where you could mistake it for a mirror.

Both bleed screws are completely closed.

I am letting the radiator drain so it stops leaking all over the timing cover.

 

I think the only bolts that are tapped into the water jackets are the two bottom bolts on each side. Just pull those out, but a dab of sealant on them and retorque them. See what happens...

 

I used teflon on the bottom bolts, recleaning the entire mating surface, used black rtv along with the new gaskets, and now no leak whatsoever!!! My advice to anyone doing this also is to go back over the bolts on the WP and double check the torque on them!

Now, the car runs perfectly, but I threw an SES. I'm not sure if its from my AIR! while I was doing this, or if I forgot to plug something in?


Thanks again guys!

 

Use a tube of teflon based sealant, not teflon tape. Teflon tape will not stand up to oil and will also get trapped in the threaded holes next time you pull off the pump.

 

Thanks for the advise OBE1 95Z28.... but of course, it's acting up again!!

It ran perfectly fine last nite, drove it for an hour or two, stopped at a couple places (read: it was turned off, and started up fine). This morning, I went to go to work, and it would crank over but wouldn't start. So I let it sit for a 30 seconds, and it started right up with an SES light. Took my bro's car to work, came home, and now it won't even crank over. It clicks, and I've tried jumping it too. What might have happened??!? It always used to crank over fine, don't know what went wrong.


Update:
I ran TTS Scanmaster on my car and this is what I found.
The P/N Switch had a 1 before it in yellow. I'm not sure if that means the switch is broken and thinks it is not in neutral?
According to the program 1=Drive and 0=Parked/neutral


My battery is at a 11.3-11.4 volts, and it goes down to 10.1 when I attempt to crank it ( it just clicks), then goes right on back up to 11.3-11.4 volts.

 

I know it would be a weird coincedence, but I have had 2 water pumps fail with low miles (30-35k), and when they have, they literally gushed water out the weep hole, which would dump it on the opti. Check the weep hole under the pump from below, with the car running, and see if thats it. If not, it would have to be coming from the pump, a leaking hose, thermostat housing, or bleeder screw.

 

Thanks SS, but the car won't even crank right now. I checked the weep hole, and everything looks good and dry. Look at my post above about my park/neutral switch...

 

jump the switch and see what happens

 

How?

 

Didn't see that...sound like something my SS did about a year ago, it was the ignition switch. Drop the collumn and unplug the harness from it; mine looked burned, but the harness was ok...I have heard that it often damages the wiring, too.

 

Just unhook the wires to the ignition switch and I can fire it up if that was the problem? I'm looking now for directions on how to get to it (its 10 degrees outside and I'd like to be able to quickly disassemble it)

 

I have read a few post about this on here and from what I read if coolant leaks and get's in that new Opitspark somehow I think it can ruin it . I think it happen to a guy here.

 

Thanks 2tight, but right now I'm just trying to get my car to crank the engine I can worry about spark when that happens, but until then...