Long story short, I picked up a 1990 N/A fc "project car" from a guy for 350$. its got a carburetor instead of EFI. Upon my initial inspection I noticed that the primary injectors, which are no longer used are still loosely sitting in thier holes on the engine. I figured that was the reason that the car would not start back when it was running. Either way for 350$ and the overall condition of the car I couldn't lose, even if i had to rebuild it.

Now that it is in my garage and I am giving it a tune up it has come to my attention that when filling the radiator fluid leaks from the sides of the housing with the oil filler on both sides right at the base of the filler. This is without the engine running. I have not gotten that far. Any body have any ideas? does this mean my housing is shot?

 

Are you certain that the leak is in the engine housings or could it be from one of the heater hoses that I believe enter through the firewall above that point or from another coolant line in the area? I think it would be unusual for coolant to leak from the housings with the engine not powered up and the coolant system pressurized. That would be a BIG leak. But, if it is, in fact, leaking from an engine housing, you will almost certainly need an engine rebuild and perhaps some major engine part replacements as well.

EDIT: Here's a picture of what I'm referring to.

 

its definitely coming from the seams on both sides if the housing with the oil filler tube. I suppose there is no "quick fix" for this so i can see how the engine runs if at all before it gets rebuilt?

 

Are you POSITIVE that coolant is literally 'wicking' through the housings?

That's just ridiculous... Did the guy forget to install coolant seals?

 

Positive. The engine is hasn't been rebuilt, no apparent water in the oil. and it will go through a gallon in a a couple of minutes just from the two isolated seams at the base of the oil filler. any other takers?119,000 original miles btw.

 

got pictures...i just want to see.

 

if it is for 100% leaking there, then the motor was seriously overheated, and the housings have warped severly!

 

or the seals are just old.... rare to leak like that, yes, but not impossible.

 

If it is leaking like you said....... and I've NEVER seen anything like that... EVER.... Maybe Keven landers has...

Then, I'm going with a broken tensioning bolt and warped housings along with cracked coolant seals.

Pull that motor and tear it apart... at that mileage, it needs it anyway..

BUT.. you REALLY need to check the flatness of those housings before you put it back together, even it it DOES turn out that hte seals are broken.

BEFORE you rip it apart, check the torque on the tensioning bolts, the bolts in that area HAVE to be loose.. I mean.. for the water to seep out with NO pressure, there has to be something dratically wrong with this picture..