3.1 Passenger side coolant leak

[DaveB]

Hey everyone. I have a 99 Lumina and the darn thing decided to drop about a gallon of coolant on my way home in 90 degree weather. Luckily I got it home. Today is my day to try to fix the darn thing. I'll try to keep it short and sweet but basically the LIM gasket, water pump and the head gasket were replaced last year with felpro gaskets. It has been running great for a year and runs super cool.

Little bit of history: when I replaced the water pump I realized it had been rubbing against its housing. When I spun it you could feel it rubbing against the inside of its housing. The new one was nice and smooth. I have been fighting a very small and intermittent coolant leak in that area ever since. It looks like it's coming from the timing cover housing, almost like it had a super small pinhole or crack that may have been caused by the bad water pump, but it is underneath between the pump and the engine and you just can't see the darn thing no matter how you look at it. Not wanting to tear the darn thing open again (took me 3 weeks) I threw (be merciful) a half a bottle of Stop Leak in it and I hadn't had a leak until now.

Anyone have any sage knowledge you can throw at me on this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYFtU...ature=youtu.be

[ricklovin93]

timing chain cover gasket? mine blew without any warning, not too hard of a fix

[DaveB]

Hmm, I suppose it could be. I'll do it if I have to but "not too hard" sounds optimistic (for me anyway!) based on the Haynes manual:

"Remove water pump pulley"
"Remove crankshaft pulley"
"drain coolant and engine oil"
"remove alternator"
"remove starter"
"remove front exhaust manifold"
"remove right side ball joint"
"remove right side control arm"
and finally..
"remove the timing chain cover-to-engine block bolts"

That sound right?

[ricklovin93]

no all i had to do was remove power steering pump, cant remember if i had to remove the alternator or not, water pump pulley (takes two minutes) and of course the crankshaft pulley but not the starter or the exhaust manifold didnt drain the engine oil either or the control arm, was a pretty simple job if you take your time took me about a day,

[DaveB]

Thanks. I think that's what I'll try today, thanks. Here's a video of the leak under pressure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYFtU...ature=youtu.be

[DaveB]

Ewwwww. I might be having second thoughts about this, from http://www.autozone.com/autozone/rep...96b43f8036fbc7

It says:

This is a long process and requires the removal of the engine timing belt as well as the alternator. The alternator removal procedure calls for lowering the sub-frame, requiring special lifting and jacking equipment. Special tools are required. Please review the timing belt removal procedure, found in this section, before attempting to service the engine front cover (also called the Cam Interdrive Shaft Chain and Sprocket Cover). This is not a job for the inexperienced or ill-equipped.

[tornado_735]

Ewwwww. I might be having second thoughts about this, from http://www.autozone.com/autozone/rep...96b43f8036fbc7

It says:

This is a long process and requires the removal of the engine timing belt as well as the alternator. The alternator removal procedure calls for lowering the sub-frame, requiring special lifting and jacking equipment. Special tools are required. Please review the timing belt removal procedure, found in this section, before attempting to service the engine front cover (also called the Cam Interdrive Shaft Chain and Sprocket Cover). This is not a job for the inexperienced or ill-equipped.

Whoa, don't get ahead of yourself!! You're looking at the wrong engine diagram from the sound of it. You're looking at the diagram for the Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) 3.4L V6. You have the 3100 V6. These are two entirely different animals.

The 3100 does NOT have a timing belt, only a timing chain (as it's Overhead Valve, or OHV). The alternator on the 3100 is located right on top of the engine, and takes maybe an 45 to remove if you've never done it before. It will require removal of the crank pulley (harmonic balancer) to get the timing cover off, but the rest should be cake.

[ricklovin93]

listen im telling you its not that hard take the power steering pump off i beleive there is three bolts that you ca access through the holes in the pulley i cant remember for sure if you have to remove the alternator i did this three years ago, but im almost postive you dont,tahe the water pump pulley of, to the right of the water pump pulley theres that black metaltube with cooling lines going to it you can see it at 11 seconds on your video remove that bolt and lift it off the timing cover assembly remove the tensioner assembly (one bolt) crank pulley hast to come off you will need a puller, then its a matter of finding all the bolts for the cover i believ theres 13 maybe

[DaveB]

Appreciate the responses fellas. Right, I got a ahead of myself the doc doesn't differentiate between 3100 and 3400. I have had the alternator off last year when I did the head gasket so I know it doesn't require all those steps. Yep, I am starting to tear stuff down and it isn't bad so far. Rick, I'll just have faith it's not as bad as the documentation I have been looking at. The Haynes manual must be talking about the 3400 also. Again, I appreciate it. I always get a little anxious when I am in brand new territory.

[ricklovin93]

If ya need help just post some pics and I'll try to help as much as I can over the Internet

[ricklovin93]

FYI the crank sensor has to be remove you'll see it. It's held in by two small bolts I also recommend changing the crankshaft oil seal while you have the cover out

[DaveB]

I just got the timing cover gasket, only $8. It looks like it came with the oil seal. Didn't know I'd need a puller, back to the auto parts store to get one of those

[ricklovin93]

Yes to install the seal just place a large socket over it and tap it into place

[DaveB]

Found the offending area. Good news really because it means the head gaskets and lim that I did last year are probably fine. I wonder if QuickSteel would be a good permanent repair.. I would like to avoid buying a new one. Ideas?

[ricklovin93]

Wow I have never seen that before maybe try welding a few beads over those holes, or go to the junkyard and pick up another one