97' ls400 bad coolant leak
#1
Driver
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97' ls400 bad coolant leak
From what I've been reading I'm assuming I need a water pump and timing chain? I can't tell exactly where it's leaking from, but it looks like it's leaking right under the plastic reservoir. It is shooting it out as soon as the engine heats up and is spraying coolant out somewhere right by the reservoir. It also makes a loud whining noise when it tries to overheat. Any ideas before I take it to the shop? The reservoir cap doesn't look to good as far as the seal, but I don't think that is the problem.
#3
Moderator
it looks like it's leaking right under the plastic reservoir. It is shooting it out as soon as the engine heats up and is spraying coolant out somewhere right by the reservoir. It also makes a loud whining noise when it tries to overheat. Any ideas before I take it to the shop? The reservoir cap doesn't look to good as far as the seal, but I don't think that is the problem.
If the reservoir cap is OK, the reservoir is pressurized when the engine heats up and the crack may begin to spill the coolant.
When there is a crack, the pressure will not be high enough and this makes the coolant temperature higher though. I suggest you to do a pressure test or you check the crack carefully.
Last edited by Yamae; 04-26-14 at 07:23 AM.
#6
Lead Lap
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I had a bad radiator cap one time that was causing me to overheat, and when the car warmed up it was launching coolant at my serpentine belt, which was causing a real nasty squeak. Pressure check is def the way to go. I wasted time pulling out my entire radiator chasing steam from what I thought was a leak in the radiator, and it turned out to be a $10 cap dripping fluid onto the already hot radiator.
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#8
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It passed the pressure test and has no leaks. Mechanic is still working on it. The cap passed the pressure test but failed the water test. Shop is going to try a new cap and test drive it. I'll give an update when finished.
#9
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It looks like the reservoir cap was the culprit. It was $136 for pressure test, new cap, and drain old coolant and put in new coolant. I feel like I got ripped off, but the problem really looked extreme when I saw all that coolant spraying everywhere. I took it to the shop for piece of mind. The mechanic said the water pump and timing belt was fine. I guess all I really need was a cap but I panicked because I didn't think a bad cap could cause that much damage.
#11
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04-17-18 10:23 AM