update on coolant leak, need advice

[nabisco]

So after closer inspection it seems as if the leak is coming off the bottom of the engine? maybe the bottom pulley? also my coolant overflow tank is filled all the way to the top and every once and a while it starts to overflow out of the cap. can anyone tell me what my next step should be? is it my water pump?. I can see collant dripping on the lower front sway bar from somewhere. sorry if this is confusing, but I am tired and need to figure this out!oh yea and my temp gage acts crazy, I know the car has a 180 thermostat , but it always reads cold, hardly ever going past the N? does that matter?

thanks

 

[98 svt]

sounds to me like the gasket on your oil cooler is bad. the o ring is bad on mine, so it leaks oil. however, i was just recently told, that if the actual gasket is bad, it will leak coolant.
i think you need this.
http://www.seanhylandmotorsport.com/online/product_info.php?cPath=32&products_id=250

i just ordered it friday, along with a new o ring. hope this helps.

btw, your oil "cooler" looks like this. it's the part the oil filter screws to.
http://www.seanhylandmotorsport.com/online/product_info.php?cPath=32&products_id=249

 

[98 svt]

any luck? i'm still waiting for my o ring in the mail.

 

[nabisco]

Not yet, but its leaking still, and this morning when I started it up it was squelling really bad! I really need to get under there and get it fixed! how bad is it to drive with this leak?

 

[98 svt]

i dunno, cuz mine leaks oil, not coolant. i've been driving as little as possible.
get under and see if its coming from where i said.
if your leak is where i think it is, it right by the oil filter. where the oil filter adapter (cooler) meets the block. should be pretty easy to see.

 

[JETSOLVER]

Do a search. A couple of us had the water pump O-ring start seeping and it is a really easy and cheap fix. Hope thats all it is. Your symptoms are 100% mine.

 

[SNAKEYE]

Not yet, but its leaking still, and this morning when I started it up it was squelling really bad! I really need to get under there and get it fixed! how bad is it to drive with this leak?

"How bad" would you like it to be?
Loss of enough coolant could damage the engine. If the coolant pump freezes up all kind of hell could break loose under the hood.
The squeal in probably due to coolant dripping down on the lower pulley during the night, which applies a generous coating of coolant onto the serpentine belt allowing it to slip and squeal.
Chances are the seal and/or the bearing on the coolant pump shaft is/are on their way south. Because of the shape of the coolant pump's pulley you can't see where the shaft comes out of the pump. Is there any evidence of coolant being slung off of the backside of the pulley and hitting things like up under the hood or hoses? Try this: remove the serpentine belt and grab the coolant pump pulley with both hands and try giggling (technical term!) it to see/feel if it wobbles (another technical term). If it does, the bearing is going. If not wobbly, unbolt the pulley to be able to see the shaft. Look for coolant dripping.
Happy motoring!