Coolant Leak / Power Steering Inoperable

[DierDesire824]

I just pulled in the driveway and noticed my power steering died and smoke billowing from under my hood

smelled like the o so famous dough that dex cool smells like when burning up

i think it broke about 4 miles before i got it shut down as i noticed for some odd reason the steering wheel locked up mid-turn scared me shitless and noticed something smelled checked the gauges everything read fine and no obsessive high temps and or codes being thrown.

it looks like maybe half a gallon of coolant is sitting under my car right now couldnt get that good of a look and i do believe the hose that broke would have to be bottom half of the engine assembly because the top half is for the most part dry

[TraceZ]

There is nothing wrong with your power steering. When the coolant gets on the serpentine belt it causes it to slip.

Fix the coolant leak and your steering will be fine.

[DierDesire824]

Thanks tracy i was just getting scared that maybe it went on something electronic and blew it

now i have just have to find whatever tube came off the radiator

[DierDesire824]

Alright i went out this morning looking for whichever tube must have fallen off and cant find any

i poured some water in the radiator and immediatly it started dripping from what appeared about the front middle of the block i guess that was the opti it was dripping from behind and then from the topside of the engine i see no evidence of a leak but from the bottom the steady stream from what appers to be the block

any suggestions on what to look for


// i read searched the board and it seems to me it might be the water pump going bad

its pissing water out onto the distributor or atleast it appears to be and its coming down onto a wire that hangs in the dead center right there




How hard will a water pump be to replace

or

am i screwed and since the distributor got wet and it already has 101,000 on it, it willprobably blow and put me back a grand due to tune up and water pump

[TraceZ]

With over 100,000 miles on it I would strongly recommend you replace both the optispark and the water pump in one shot. Depending on the age of the spark plugs and wires you may decide to replace them as well.

Look on shoebox's website for info on ordering the items for the best price.

Installing them yourself is not too hard either. If you purchase with a discount and install the parts yourself the cost will not be too awfull.

If you take it to a shop and ask them to fix it you are going to pay alot more.

[DierDesire824]

would it be the water pump if i am still getting pressure out of the bleeder valves

i am under the impression that if the water pump is still runing there wouldnt be pressure in the radiator and there wouldnt be pressure on the tubes and therefore bleeder valves would not shoot water out


so should i still stick to the idea that its the water pump ?

[TraceZ]

You will still get pressure out the bleeders.

You'll need to get under it and see if the water is coming out the weep hole in the pump. Unless you look and see it first hand, nobody here can guarantee 100% that is it. We can only speculate. But, I'm pretty sure that is it, especially because your power steering is slipping. The belt is right under the weep hole.

[DierDesire824]

Thanks for all your help tracez im going to trailor it down to my uncles this weekend where my dads 69 camaro currently is and hopefully diagnose all problems and start ordeirng parts and get under way

[Rhode Island Red]

glad to here. Good Luck

[Craig 94 TA GT]

This is probably not it, but another thing to keep in mind...I had a similar problem, but the leak was a very small stream that would occur when pressure was relieved from the system (i.e. remove the radiator cap). It was a microscopic hole in a freeze plug on the passenger's side of the block. It would leak very slowly when the cap was on, and rapidly when the cap was off. Although, if was a hole big enough, it would have leaked a lot all the time.

[Disifer]

I have noticed that on the 2 water pumps i've previously replaced (not 4th gens) that the leaking from the wp in the early stages only occurred after the car had been driven and then the engine shut off. I kept getting puddles of coolant but when I'd start it up nothing would leak as soon as I'd turn it off coolant would shoot out of the weep hole.

[G Fry33]

Same thing happened to me tonight. i realized the power steering last night and didnt really look at it till today and ive got all the same problems as you. Any suggestions on the cheapest place to get a water pump, opti, plugs, and wires may be?