Car is a 95 Civic Ex fully stock. So I've been slowing losing coolant and noticed that there is an external coolant leak from what looks like the headgasket right under the dizzy where the tranny connects to the block area. I did some research and found out that coolant leaking due to a bad head gasket is usually internal as opposed to external. The headgasket was changed about 40-50k miles ago so that makes me think it might not be the headgasket. Also (not sure if this is related) sometimes right after I change gears under low rpm, the car will sputter. I just recently changed the fuel filter and spark plugs so that's not the problem. Any help/thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

Coolant in that area can be from any number of coolant lines that run right around there. The easiest way to figure it out is to dry off the motor really well, then start the car and see if you can trace the leak.

 

^ yes,
also check the temperature sensor to see if the leak is coming from there.
best bet is to do a coolant pressure test first

 

Great I'll check those out. Any thoughts on the sputtering? You guys think it's related at all?

 

Bump

 

Is this sputter accompanied by extremely low rpms? If its just a jerk it could be something a simple as a motor mount. If the rpms drop too low then you need to shift at a higher speed.
I agree that you should clean it up and try to spot the leak but don't rule out the head gasket yet. As you said, internal leaks are more common but external leaks often result from improper installation

 

I'm the same problem. I took it to a mechanic to pressure test the cooling system and he said it was the radiator. so i replaced the radiator hoses and the thermostat but it's still leaking , and it's not leaking internally. Any help i'm getting sick of buying antifreeze

 

No it'll sputter like once or twice when I give it gas then it'll go away. There will be days where the car runs fine, then there will be days where it bogs/sputters a few times while I'm driving to work. Initially I thought it was the head gasket also, but I'm not having any of the symptoms, i.e. white smoke out of the tail pipe, milky chocolate looking oil, etc. However, I'm not ruling it out though.

 

How quick is your coolant leaking? Mine is leaking pretty slow.

 

I put in a good amount, about a whole thing of anti-freeze a week. It seems like once i put the coolantin and drive it all just ends up in the overflow

 

Any sign of a leak at the heater core?

 

I don't know, nothing has been damp but today i got in my car and it smelled, but not at all like coolant

 

Have you been using your A/C much? If the evaporator drain got clogged the condensation wouldn't escape and would begin to smell musty or mildewy

 

I don't use the a/c it doesn't blow cold air, and it hasn't even been that hot outside so i don't need it. I really don't know i'm just gonna have to live with it until winter then i can let the cold air cool my engine