johnnash

I was changing the air pump belt today. The car has been sitting for about 2 weeks. I noticed this little green puddle (in the center of the picture), what is it?



Also, does anyone know what is under the lights and stuff. A tensioner screw fell down so I reached down the first time, and on the left side in the picture, under the seeable stuff, I felt some soft wet stuff under it. Sort of like wet cloths? There's a plastic cover below right? I wasn't just touching the snow?

elmayimbe4eva27

iTrader: (2)

You need to take pics with a better camera. But any green liquid should be coolant.

johnnash

Is it better now? I couldn't get it embedded correctly before.

jjcobm

iTrader: (18)

Looks like coolant. Are you leaking coolant or do you find the need to top it off? Under the headlights is the belly pan.

johnnash

I just noticed the puddle. The coolant level is pretty low, down at the bottom. I'm planning on topping it off.

Spirit-RE

iTrader: (25)

Plan on looking for the leak too

2Fierce

iTrader: (7)

does your heat work?

johnnash

Heat works.

3vil

iTrader: (4)

does your car smoke? do you frequently need to "top it off" on coolant?

clokker

iTrader: (2)

The radiator and oil cooler have foam strips to help seal to the undertray...probably what you were feeling.

If not, it was probably something disgusting and gross.

johnnash

I'll top it off today and see when I need to top it off next time. I never really needed to top it off but it could be a new leakage from the freezing winter.

@clokker: I see. Then that's good. I was hoping for not something disgusting and gross.

AGreen

iTrader: (11)

Primordial ooze. Don't let your turtles get into it....

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

you need to find the source of the leak, topping it off and still driving the car isn't a good idea.

rent a coolant system pressure tested from a local auto parts store and see where the coolant is coming from before continuing to drive the car. it's not a good idea to keep driving it because whatever is leaking can rupture, a major loss of coolant and overheat on an original motor isn't something you will want.

jackhild59

iTrader: (7)

If I remember my old foam strips, they were disgusting and gross.

jjcobm

iTrader: (18)

Could be a fluffy dead rat covered in coolant from your leak that you were feeling down in there too : )

blackrotary23

judging by what you have described, it sounds like you need to do a pressure test on the radiator because you "do" have a leak somewhere and if i had to guess, it is probably the bottom of the radiator that has split.

Pele

iTrader: (28)

But then he can't have cool crime fighting, pizza eating friends.



I ALWAYS put eyes on things I feel in my car, especially up front.

After hitting a deer recently, I was treated to several small chunks of fur and meat in the radiator... I have at one point seen a bird stuck in a radiator too. It was stuck in there like a dart, beak between the fins and everything.



OP, It is definitely coolant. Judging that it's below the pulleys, I'd say start looking at the water pump. There is a "weep hole" on it where coolant will come out when the seals go bad on the pump.

Failing that, check gaskets, hoses, and the bottom edge of your radiator.

PROTIP: Coolant is UV reactive. Rinse out the engine bay, hit it with the black light, and prepare for psychedelic!

johnnash

Thanks guys. I'll look into it. Per Pele's suggestion, starting from the possible "weep hole" in the waterpump.

RotaryRocket88

iTrader: (7)

Possible leak points in the area:

1) Water pump weep hole
2) Water pump gasket
3) Water pump housing gasket
4) Lower radiator hose connection
5) Radiator itself

Pull the undertray and check it out. If it's not clear where it's coming from, clean the hell out of everything down there to make it obvious when a new green puddle appears. It looks pretty oily from your picture.