WingedMan

94 Honda Accord LX 5 speed manual non VTEC no ABS



I have a very small antifreeze leak coming down left side of the oil filter, occurs only after car driven 10-15 minutes a small dripping continues for a few minutes after car turned off.


I am trying to pinpoint the source of the leak which occured the next day after I did oil and filter change

People tell me to pressure test the radiator cold, but
I do not have a pressure tester, and to rent or buy one too expensive.

Therefore, I am considering buying the flourescent dye $4 and a UV light and glasses $28 to find this leak source

I have no experience with this flourescent dye technique wondering if this is a good means to find the source of my antifreeze leak

Anyone tell me about your experiences using the flourescent dye and UV glasses to find an antifreeze leak source

Thanks

poorman212

Never used it on/in coolant, don't see why it would be any different.


I thought that most of the time when you "rented" a tool, yu got your money back when you returned the tool?

FF for Life

Save your money, put the car up on jack stands and crawl under the car. Coolant leaves a white residue trail as well as dried up green coolant around the leak, im suspection its fromt the oil cooler around the filter mating surface (if your car has one).

WingedMan

I read some posts about antifreeze leaks which talked about lead from weep hole of the water pump back of the engine drivers side

I took another look at my Honda and found that weep hole. I felt it, and it has antifreeze leaking from it.

Seems like I finally found the source of my leak. Must been coming out at the water pump and somehow wrapping below the engine over to the oil filter.
The problems I had with overtightening filter during oil change made me wrongly think leak elsewhere.


Now looking at $700 water pump and the many belts in that area replaced at the dealer.


I am frustrated, as I believe I caused this problem by jacking up drivers side of crossbeam below engine too far with jack to get jackstand under the jack pin on drivers side to do oil and filter change. I dont know how else to get the car on jack stand than to lift it under one side of the cross beam.

Anyone with better ideas to get car on jack stands without damaging it????

Thanks all for your ideas.

phootbag

Jacking the car up like that won't damage the water pump. The location of the water pump wouln't allow this to happen.

Coolant comes out of the weep hole when the front seal fails on the water pump. This happens naturally as the water pump ages. In fact, the weep hole is there to help prevent coolant front leaking onto the timing belt when the seal fails, which would be bad since coolant degrades timing belts.

Rowdy Rod

Do NOT let a dealer rip you off for 700.00! Shop around. I bought a timing belt kit which comes with the water pump and belts needed for around $113.00. You can then find a cheaper mechanic who will do the job for you. I paid a guy $100.00 to do mine. If you have the time shop around. NEVER let dealers do work unless you have no other choice.
The mechanics get commission for all parts and charge around 90.00+ and hour for labor.

phootbag

You are incorrect. Mechanics get paid "flat rate". Meaning, they get paid an hourly wage which is multiplied by the "time" a job pays. If a technician makes $20/hour and a job pays 2 hours the technician makes $40. I do not know of any technician that gets a commision on parts. I also do not know of a technician that makes $90/hour.

Many people seem to knock dealerships as a whole rather than individually like they should.

And remember, you get what you pay for. Cheap is expensive.

dobst0sp

let me tell you what I know about dealerships they are rip off overcharge people tell him something wrong when its not and they use recycled oil to never let them change your oil I had so many problems after I always take it to the dealership to get the oil changed till I had somebody tell me they buy it by the barrel fulls.that ended my dealership Association I'll never take it to the dealership again no matter what car I'll buy

SidewaysSkinny

So, what makes that "other" shop so much better than a dealership? Because they buy oil by the quart, which costs more than by the barrel? Did you know, most shops, whether a dealership or independent, have quarts on the sales shelf, and a 55 gallon drum, (or larger) out back? Guess where your oil really comes from. And I have never heard of a shop using recycled oil for an oil change!

Let me guess, you are the kind of person that drives your car until it breaks (because there is nothing wrong with it...). But when it breaks, it's a piece of ****. Ever hear of "preventative maintenance"? It's maintenance that prevents problems from happening. Oh, and the dealership is really good at knowing what maintenance your car needs.

This is not to say all dealerships are created equal. There are many that are horrible, and have very inexperienced mechanics who use the "shotgun" approach. You come in for a misfire...you get told you need a full rebuild. Why, because the guy that looked at your car can't diagnose it properly, so during the process of rebuilding the engine, he hopes the misfire will be fixed.

There are just as many dealerships that excel in diagnostics, as well as maintenance, and do not overcharge. You can also decline any suggested work, and if you talk with a mechanic, you will get a much clearer picture of why something was suggested...but keep in mind, they work on "flat-rate", so be ready to cough up $20 or so for his time. Also, his knowledge is a big part of what allows him to make his money.

SidewaysSkinny

For the OP, glad you found the leak. Get a belt kit that comes with the water pump, and find a decent shop around your area. It's a fairly common job to change the water pump and timing belt at the same time. Should be about half of that $700 you were quoted.

DCFIVER

Very nice.


My only disagreement would be with dealership diagnostics. In my experience, it is virtually non existent anymore. Most dealerships do the shot gun approach now days, as they have chased away all of the good diagnostic techs.....