Water Leak

[David B]

Hi folks,
I have a 1989 NF Pajero with the 6G72 petrol V6. I've only had it for a few months but it has been going strong and is a good car.


Unfortunately it has recently developed a substantial coolant leak which I have been struggling to track down. Coolant is dripping steadily from the bottom of (below) the front crank oil seal. I guess the source of the leak is somewhere higher up, except that can't see any evidence of the leak elsewhere on the engine.


I've searching looking for suggestions on the web and I can't see any obvious signs of coolant in the valley or around the water pump. There is a bead of moisture around the very front of the sump gasket. It's hard to see much else in spite of having tried with a small mirror and a little flexible camera. I really can't figure out where the source of this leak could be. I pulled the power steering pump off on the weekend to look behind there, but that didn't offer any further clues. I've tried a bottle of the head gasket/leak sealant stuff but that didn't help unfortunately.


Any tips would be most sincerely appreciated.
Cheers,
David

[Jones12]

Gday David,

Do you have trouble with Idle when cold?
My 6G72 was idling ridiculously high because of a coolant leak from the throttle body,
I can't remember exactly but my mechanic said the idle speed control depends on the coolant and that's where my leak was.
They just blocked it off with a plate and all was good.

[christopher]

Bit of a long shot but I had a 1993 NH 6G72 with an impossible to find water leak, turned out to be seeping from the rear, I think it was RHS side of the engine at the small rubber hose which goes into the heater, took me 6 months to find it as the coolant would evaporate around the hose when engine got warm.

[Jones12]

Bit of a long shot but I had a 1993 NH 6G72 with an impossible to find water leak, turned out to be seeping from the rear, I think it was RHS side of the engine at the small rubber hose which goes into the heater, took me 6 months to find it as the coolant would evaporate around the hose when engine got warm.

There is that too. I just replaced the hose clamps on mine too

[TomW]

Sounds possibly like the weep hole in the water pump, this would be an indication that the water pump is on the way out and would only present its self when the car is hot / the coolant is under pressure. Other possibility's are the small bypass hose at the front of the engine or less likely the metal pipe that fits into the back of the water pump and runs through the intake valley.

I think to investigate further you would have to basically strip the front of the engine down so you can see the water pump / timing gear. Given the age / mileage this may also be a good opportunity to do the timing belt if it has not already been done.