Coolant Reservoir?

Tiny
SONGMAN2007
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 SATURN SL2
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 93,000 MILES
Coolant reservoir losing its fluid in a few hours. Why?
Saturday, December 18th, 2010 AT 1:34 PM

6 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
The most common place's for those car's to leak coolant is right below the upper radiator hose on the radiator tank where the transmission cooler line goes on. Also the water pump I would check those two area's for fresh coolant. If you don't see anything there you could always rent a coolant pressure tester and pressure test the cooling system to see where it's leaking. The cap could be leaking also if your loosing that much coolant it shouldn't be hard to find the leak. Let me know what you find.
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Saturday, December 18th, 2010 AT 6:02 PM
Tiny
SONGMAN2007
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  • 3 POSTS
Yes, those are the areas that I checked. I removed the coolant reservoir and inspected it for leaks, no leaks. So I put it back on, filled it up, started the car, and I feel, what feels like a mist coming off the belt that winds around the front of the motor. So I got down on my knees and looked underneath, and water is dripping in several places, but pouring down the back of the motor onto the ground about 3-6" from the left side (passenger side) of the motor, like a sive. I am pretty sure what I am seeing is the water that is coming from the water pump. I am right? Or what else can I do to make sure it is the water pump before buying one?
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question.
Sincerely, Gary Tonissen
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Monday, December 20th, 2010 AT 5:37 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
The mist coming off the belt area is most likely the water pump. Without you pressure testing the system with a coolant pressure tester and seeing where it's leaking from. Or me actually seeing the leak I can't tell you for sure it's the pump but it sound's like the pump. Since the water pump is really the only place in the belt area coolant can leak from. You also said that you have coolant pouring down the back of the engine your not talking about the fire wall area are you?Because if you are then you could also have a bad heater hose leaking.
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Monday, December 20th, 2010 AT 6:42 PM
Tiny
SONGMAN2007
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Here is what I find. I feel a mist coming off the belt where the water pump is located, it is really fine. The on the firewall side of the motor, I see, water dripping all across the bottom side of the motor, and, a steady stream about half the size of a pencil coming off the back side of the motor, firewall side, about 4-6 inches in from the passenger side. Other than that, car starts fine, and heater works great too. Thanks for any help you can be.
Gary Tonissen
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Tuesday, December 21st, 2010 AT 8:49 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
Sound's like the water pump is leaking. As far as the water coming from the back fire wall area I know the 2000-2002 twin cam saturn S model's had a lot of intake gasket's leaking coolant. But most of them wasn't a steady stream. Your best bet on that other leak is to rent a coolant pressure tester with a universal adapter that just goes into the coolant bottle and expands. Then pump up the system and find the leak that way.
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Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010 AT 1:53 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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The coolant leaking on the bottom of the motor if it's below the belt are it's probably the water pump leaking causing that. The intake gasket's usually leak coolant over by the egr pipe.
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Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010 AT 1:55 AM

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