Coolant leak/water pump?

[olivia317]

My '03 RX1 has a nagging coolant leak that Bars Leak can't seem to fix. Drips right below the water pump cover. Appears to be coming from above the screw in the pictures. Can't see where. Is there a weep hole in the water pump/housing? Only leaks when it is running. Shut it off when hot, leak stops. 210 degrees and not running, no leak. Pressurize a cold system, no leak. Loses about 1 cup over 100 miles. Is this a warning of something major?

 

[NY AttakGT]

Bump to the top for you...and me even though the post is about a year old with no responses. This is EXACTLY where mine is leaking but it is a 2007 AttakGT. Did you ever get it figured out? I was thinking maybe there was an O-ring at the joint were the metal pipe joins the water pump housing, which is secured in place with that

 

[olivia317]

Bad news, it's the water pump. The weep hole is directly above. Major job! Motor has to come out. Did it last spring and now I'm doing it again. As long as the leak is slow it's more of nuisance than a problem. Started doing it again this winter. Went through a quart of antifreeze in 20 miles, so I put in another seal. Not fun.

 

[NY AttakGT]

Bad news, it's the water pump. The weep hole is directly above. Major job! Motor has to come out. Did it last spring and now I'm doing it again. As long as the leak is slow it's more of nuisance than a problem. Started doing it again this winter. Went through a quart of antifreeze in 20 miles, so I put in another seal. Not fun.

Thanks. I assumed whatever it was wasn't going to be easy since related to water pump and engine would have to be pulled. So does the weep-hole on the water pump have a seal that went bad? Or is the seal between where the joint and the water pump housing meet?

 

[olivia317]

It's more than likely the mechanical seal in the pump. everything else is sealed by o rings. You won't know until you get it out. I've got pictures but for the life of me, I can't ever get them to upload. Get a service manual, oil pan has to come off. You're going in deep. Dealer tells me it's a 5.2 hour job. I'm pretty sharp, 2 full days minimum.

 

[NY AttakGT]

It's more than likely the mechanical seal in the pump. everything else is sealed by o rings. You won't know until you get it out. I've got pictures but for the life of me, I can't ever get them to upload. Get a service manual, oil pan has to come off. You're going in deep. Dealer tells me it's a 5.2 hour job. I'm pretty sharp, 2 full days minimum.

Thanks. I'm fine with doing the repair, yanking the motor, etc... Tried some stop-leak but didn't seem to quick fix it to get me through season. I will leave it as a spring or summer project as I know there is no real quick fix. i saw oil pan had to come off as it is the same shaft the drives the water pump. Thanks for the info. i have to imagine that is MUCH more than a 5.2 hr job for a stealer.....err, I mean dealer.