Coolant Leak

[Mr. Freegard]

This coolant lesk IS NOT RELATED TO THE WATER INTAKE HOUSING IN ANY WAY PERIPHERAL OR OTHERWISE!

I had the coolant system pressurized this morning. If the igntion coil weren't obstructing the view under the intake I may have been able to see the hissing we could hear coming from somewhere under the coil but not from the gaskets or hoses attached to the water intake housing the thermostat is located in. I replaced ALL those gaskets and O rings last week.

What lines are down there that cannot be sen? Where can I go to view an exploded view? My starter was replaced by a shop a few months ago. Could this be something that that mechanic did not assemble correctly? Is there a hose down there that should have been replaced for the purpose of proactive leak prevention? Do the intake manifold gaskets have a history of e leaking if not OEM? This leak is extremely upsetting because I cannot see it nor can I even extrappolate without more facts what it might be. I bought the 94 two weeks ago and love it. But this leak must be fixed. The car has 230K miles but it is stunning. He has spent 3800. In repairs 90 days before selling it to me for 1200. I am going to take it to the next level. I put new snow tires on it this morning.

C'mon guys and gals. What is this leak?

Thank you.

I know someone out there knows precisely what it probably is. Tell me!

[billydpowell]

I think you got your answer on the other forum

[Mr. Freegard]

Well you are wrong! I haven't got my answer. I am still looking. I believe it is the hose under the manifold that may run to the heater. But no one has mentioned this yet. An exploded view of the top end of the engine is what I need. When I have the answer I will know I have it; you will not know whether or not I have it. Unless you are a prophet.

Tim

[landar]

Well you are wrong! I haven't got my answer. I am still looking. I believe it is the hose under the manifold that may run to the heater. But no one has mentioned this yet. An exploded view of the top end of the engine is what I need. When I have the answer I will know I have it; you will not know whether or not I have it. Unless you are a prophet.

Tim

No need to be caustic and demanding Tim. That will not get you answers on this forum.

You do not need an exploded view. You know there is a leak under there. It wont matter how much speculation is made. To truly know the exact cause, you will simply have to remove the manifold.

[SRK]

That's quite the attitude you've got there Tim. My advice is to go stamp your little foot someplace else. Not here.

[Banshee365]

Tim, I know exactly what your problem is. It isn't coolant that you are leaking. You have simply sprung a leak with your headlight fluid heat exchanger buried inside your flux capacitor located next to the #2 cylinder intake runner. Dump 2 can's of radiator stop leak in your gas tank and tighten your muffler bearing then you should be good to go.

[Mr. Freegard]

SRK:

Yes, I will do that as soon as I know exactly what I need to know to do it correctly. Boy how bout all these little girls and their cowardly remarks. Stamp my little foot, flux capacitor, you have what you need from another forum. Jeez I can't understand why I would have an attitude ladies! I will just stamp my size 14 foot at the level of sarcasm and bow to all of you who talk about everything but the vehicle. You are my heros. Would absolutely love to meet you.

[SRK]

Size 14 Tim? My goodness that's an awfully big foot for a twelve year old. Your poor mother.

[curiousB]

Based on the response above you must really have p%$@ed someone off. Since I didn't see the other thread here's my view:

1) Blown head gasket causing coolant leakage

2) Reuse of old gaskets (main plus two o-rings) on water pump replacement. Now it's leaking.

3) You seem so certain it’s not the water intake housing but your defense of it is not unlike a child saying he didn't take the cookie he wasn't supposed to. Suck up your pride and relook at that. The FIPG has to be cleaned to bare metal without scratching face and the routed ring needs to be cleaned too (I use a toothpick to scrape out rubber but to not scratch casting).

4) There are a couple of drain !Removed! in the general area is one of them loose?

5) The leak must be where the coolant is going. The system is pressurized so any leak=coolant mess. It’s not under vacuum. Only exception is #1 where leak cold is into cylinder.

A guys dumps $3,800 into the car and two weeks later sells to you for $1,200. Either that is an exaggeration or you're not being very transparent about the disclosures of what is wrong with car when you bought it. You'd get a lot further here if you told the complete and full story, drop the exaggerations and tell us the part of the story you're holding back. We're happy to help but don't waste our time either.

[billydpowell]

this needs to be locked, it is not going anywhere.

[dcfish]

WOW !!!

[Mr. Freegard]

Apex Automotive Seattle Wa. 206 789 1677 Invoice No. 3307

VIN JT8UF11E4R9196701

License no. 3HJF730

Date 03/03/2010

Total $1,989.92

Replaced water pump, timing belt, plugs, distributor caps, one coil, oil change, timing belt, timing belt idler pulley, camshaft gear, ignition wires

Apex Automotive LLC

Invoice No.3959

Total 1,220.55

Date 9/3/2010

Replace with OEM remanufactured starter

Apex Automotive LLC

Invoice No. 4040

Total $602.50

Alternator 100 amp remanufactured

The sellor is an Air Force Pilot stationed at Mchord AFB

The power steering IACV was pulling vast quantities of fluid into the intake manifold and billowing white smoke. That's one.

The tires were bald. That's two.

The instrument cluster has the clasic deleted dialectric in the inferior capacitors, i.e. instrument cluster takes 30 to 40 minutes to snap on. I was an avionics tech in the Navy 30 years ago. I will fix it for $3.50. Dan, the former owner was told by Bellevue Lexus it would cost $1,600 to repair.

The fuel gauge is also a capacitor issue. Extremely simple and for me enjoyable to repair.

Dan had to leave and was fed up with the car. I purchased it on December 23, for $1,200 I researched the power steering and repaired it. The power steering is perfect now. And the engine no longer uses oil due to being washed out with Dextron III! It no longer smokes at all!

It also had a coolant leak when I bought it, and Dan was adding a half gallon of antifreeze every trip from Seattle to Mchord.

One leak was at the base of the water inlet housing. I repaired that.

The waranty from Apex automotive is 18000 miles or 18 months...whicheever comes first.

Apex automotive replaced the water pump and the starter. Both requires pulling the by-pass tube out of the water pump. It vappears that that MIGHT be where the leak is. But I need to know if there is a rubber coolant line in that same general area.

Apex auomotive is telling me the warranty is non transferable; but there is nothing in writing insofar as that claim on the invoice/receipt.

So, I want to know everything before I go kick the crap out of Apex. Apex's second line of defense is that they aren't going to replace formed hoses. My contention is that those hoses should have been replaced or the owner given the choice. Dan was not given this information. If it's leaking from the O ring then Apex is screwed. They had to remove that twice. It must always be replaced.

When I walk in to apex and tell them what the issue is I must be right.

I will give them the option to repair it at no cost to me; or they can reimburse me for the bill from Seattle Lexus when what I said is conformed and the judge rules that the waranty vis transferable because they failexd to stipulate on the warranty that it wasn't.

I learned all these things from nopne of you ladies. I am a liar huh.

You got a perty mouth Bob; what was riding the short bus like boy?

[SRK]

Apex certainly offers a long warranty for an independant repair shop. Far longer than dealerships offer. That said, the warranty is established through the contract (work order) with the person for whom the work was performed. That person ( the pilot ) paid the bill. From a legal standpoint the Apex warranty expired when the car was sold. They don't have to stipulate what they won't do, only what they will do. Unfortunately I can't see that any judge will rule in your favour in this civil action. And you may very well be correct in that Apex caused the leak through their workmanship or oversight.

I can't offer advice as to the location of the leak. I think that the only solution is to begin dismantling the engine until the source is found. With the myriad covers that Lexus uses, it may be revealed quickly when they are removed.

Good work on the instruments - that's a big savings!

[curiousB]

The water pipe (called water bypass) under the intake manifold is metal (Lexus part number 16206-50080. The only way it would leak is if it was pierced or corroded with pin hole leak. Possible but not likely. If it is leaking from this it is more likely at either end. Front of engine is an O-Ring to bypass which you seem certain isn't leaking or the rubber hose at the other end 16279C (part number 99556-10050).

My bet os the O-Ring at front bypass was either reused or it was torn during instalation (not properly greased with plumbers grease, dry fit will tear it) before installing.

[RDM]

Shame I missed all the drama.

I'm betting the o-ring too. My ruptured last Winter out of nowhere, it just dried up and cracked, allowing for a good gallon of coolant to leak out during warm up one morning. It sits on the front end of the heater pipe, fitted into the back of the water pump housing. $3 for the part, about an hour to replace if you're good, 3-4 hours if not. Also, the pipe in question is not required to be removed for either a water pump or a starter replacement. Someone lied to you.

Can the crying stop now, or do we need to keep going?

[curiousB]

Can the crying stop now, or do we need to keep going?

I think he found his leaky O-Ring........