1995 Oldsmobile Aurora Coolant Leak...

1995 OLDSMOBILE AURORA
160,000 MILES • V8 • FWD • AUTOMATIC
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ORIONSX
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I have a '95 Olds Aurora that I love to death, but recently experienced somewhat of a disaster. Out of the blue, the engine began leaking a considerable amount of coolant; enough to drain the reservoir in about 10 - 15 minutes. The leak appears to be coming from between the transmission and the engine; that is, on the "back" side of the engine, nearest the firewall. My grandfather suspects either a cracked head or head gasket, neither of which are extraordinarily appealing to me considering the costs involved in such a repair. Is there anything else the problem could be, such as a ruptured coolant hose, perhaps to the heater core? I'm unfamiliar with the location of the heater core, so I was wondering if it was in that general area... it should be noted that at the time this problem arose, the engine was not under any stress or even at its normal operating temperature... I had just started the car about 5 minutes earlier. Any help you could give would be great.
Jul 2, 2008 at 3:19 PM
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MERLIN2021
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If the heater core goes, you'll get coolant on the passenger floor! In your case, it can be a heater hose, if your luck...if not can be a freeze plug, or worse. The only way to tell is to spot the leak...if it comes out that fast, wait till it's cool, add water, and use a pressure tester, this will pinpont the problem without burns! Autozone may rent the tester.
Jul 2, 2008 at 4:02 PM
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ORIONSX
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Wow, really? That doesn't sound pleasant, especially if there is a passenger in the car when the heater core goes...

As for your response, a pressure tester isn't needed... All I have to do is add water. It leaks regardless of the engine temperature, even if the motor is not running. I should have mentioned that in the first post. My apologies. Does that help pinpoint the problem?
Jul 2, 2008 at 9:56 PM
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MERLIN2021
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Any way for you to take a good picture of the leak?
Try a mirror nd flashlight to get back there.
Jul 3, 2008 at 11:49 AM