1995 Pontiac Firebird Coolant Leaking

The first thing you to do is determine where the leak is. An intake leak will usually run down the back of the motor or into the engine oil turning it into the color of a chocolate malt. A head gasket or a FROST PLUG will leak down the side of the engine block and drip off the pan. See if you can locate the leak, and we can go from there.

[quote:3e7acbd680="James R. Weizel"]The first thing you to do is determine where the leak is. An intake leak will usually run down the back of the motor or into the engine oil turning it into the color of a chocolate malt. A head gasket or a FROST PLUG will leak down the side of the engine block and drip off the pan. See if you can locate the leak, and we can go from there.[/quote:3e7acbd680]

If I am looking at the front of my engine it comes down right behind my belt and straight to the ground. Im not sure what pulley that is. I don't know if it helps but Its usually a large quantity that comes out at a time. It falls on I believe my exhaust manifold? I checked my oil and it seems fine and I have never noticed any change in color it looks clean.

That really sounds like your water pump is leaking. In re-reading your post, you had that changed at one time.
If it is the pump you'll have to look at the bottom side with a mirror to see if it's leaking from the "weep" hole. It may also be leaking from where the timing cover meets the block.

[quote:f10f6a70fa="James R. Weizel"]That really sounds like your water pump is leaking. In re-reading your post, you had that changed at one time.
If it is the pump you'll have to look at the bottom side with a mirror to see if it's leaking from the "weep" hole. It may also be leaking from where the timing cover meets the block.[/quote:f10f6a70fa]



The water pump I installed less than a week ago. Last night after getting this response I went out with a mirror and looked all along the seal of the water pump and could not see where any coolant had leaked. I guess the next step would be to check where the timing cover meets the block. Is there an easy way for me to do that?

I'm assuming you had a coolant leak before you had the water pump changed.
The coolant from the engine block to the water pump goes through passages in the timing cover. Pontiac and Buick engines are known for the gaskets to go bad and many times the water pump is blamed.
To check this area for leaks you need to clean the area around the timing cover as best you can. With the engine at operating temp, again with a mirror, check both sides of the cover where it meets the engine block. You may get a better view of the cover from down below. If you have a regular "radiator cap" you may be able to get a cooling system pressure tester and add pressure to the system to help find the leak. Let me know what you find.

[quote:10c72aa43b="James R. Weizel"]I'm assuming you had a coolant leak before you had the water pump changed.
The coolant from the engine block to the water pump goes through passages in the timing cover. Pontiac and Buick engines are known for the gaskets to go bad and many times the water pump is blamed.
To check this area for leaks you need to clean the area around the timing cover as best you can. With the engine at operating temp, again with a mirror, check both sides of the cover where it meets the engine block. You may get a better view of the cover from down below. If you have a regular "radiator cap" you may be able to get a cooling system pressure tester and add pressure to the system to help find the leak. Let me know what you find.[/quote:10c72aa43b]


First off thanks for all the help and getting back to me so fast. I believe I found out where the leak is coming from and ill explain it the best I can and see if we are talking about the same thing. When I got under my call I could see where I believe the coolant was coming from and it was directly behind the crankshaft pulley. Between what I think is the timing cover and where it meets the block. Yesterday when I had stopped running the car I could hear the coolant leaking out and when I loosed the radiator cap and releaved the pressure it stopped. So with all this I think we have founf the problem???

You're hot on the trail. Let me know how it comes out.