xavior66

Ok guys, I need your help on this one. 93 Del Sol Si 5-spd. It's strange. About once every 2 weeks I have to add coolant to the overflow reservoir. See, what happens is I'll go to drive it, and it reaches normal operating temps., but then when I park it, I notice that a spot on the splash shield is moist due to coolant on it. Ya know where the drain plug is for the radiator, and that small square opening on the splash shield just below it? Well that's where I'm finding this coolant. It's not a big leak though. Well I looked under the radiator and found where the leak is coming from. Notice that there's a weep hole just below the drain plug? That's where I'm leaking coolant from.

I figured the drain plug must be somewhat loose (I drained, flushed, and refilled the cooling system using genuine Honda coolant and a 50/50 distilled water/coolant ratio), so I tightened the drain plug by hand. Well a few days later I went back to check up on it and sure enough, that square opening on the splash shield is moist again, and I can see a teeny tiny drip from that weep hole still. So this time I got out the pliers and used them to tighten the drain plug. Well after doing all this it's still leaking somewhat from that small weep hole!

So does anyone know what I can do to stop this? I've checked over and over again for possible coolant leaks elsewhere and I found none. The radiator cap is still good cuz coolant does rise towards the MAX line when the engine's warm.

I'm thinking it may be that drain plug. Before I flushed and refilled the cooling system, I had no problems, but ever since then that weep hole has been leaking. I'm thinking maybe it's the drain plug itself not sealing all the way like it should cuz I may have accidentally smashed the small O-ring gasket(s) on the drain plug, especially when I used the pliers. So would just replacing it with a new drain plug fix that small leak coming from the weep hole? And what the hell is that weep hole there for?

Bob_Digi

same thing is happening to me

chads

try the drain plug

vtecdc2

same thing happened to me, but it was my waterpump. i had that replaced, and now no problems. i guess the leak from the waterpump was running all the way to the oil pan.. (or were u referring to the coolant draing plug on the radiator?)

Bob_Digi

drain plug on rad

xavior66

Yeah I'm referring to the radiator drain plug. There's a weep hole just below it that's leaking coolant. I guess I'll buy a new drain plug and just replace the old one and see what happens.

moondoggy

i have a leak in that area too.....my old rad blew about 4 months ago....now it's leaking again.....it's actually leaking at where it sits at the bottom corners......i think the problem is the material (on the bottom corner at where the rad sits) is degraded and it's not giving the rad a softer cushion so when the car bounce, the rad slams down harder causing the rad to leak again.....lucky i'm getting a brand new rad for free (under warranty) so i'm going to Honda to pick up some new ones with the spare cash

i dunno if it'll help.....so if anyone have any insights, that would help

moondoggy

bump cause i hijacked the thread

boostin4drcivic

theres an o-ring on the radiator drain plug. the helms says to change the o-ring everytime u unplug it. i didnt cuz mine doesnt leak. try that first

King Tut33

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by xavior66 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">refilled the cooling system using genuine Honda coolant and a 50/50 distilled water/coolant ratio</TD></TR></TABLE>

I believe you are not supposed to use a 50/50 mix. The coolant is pre mixed from Honda.

xavior66

Yeah it'd be nice if they did make it a 50/50 mixture when you bought it, but I just looked at the jug and all it kept saying was use a 50/50, so I don't think it comes premixed.

rated_r

its most likely the o-ring