When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Coolant Leak Help - Coolant Drain Plug/Freeze Plug leak?
Need help, would like to know if this is a common leak place or even if the leak is coming from here, I thought it was the intake manifold gasket but it doesn't seem like coolant is leaking from there. There is some kind of black oil like residue on the second intake hole. I believe that the circle is the freeze plug. can you guys help me out. I let my dad drive the car he was pushing it and we were having fun, I just bought the car a month ago. The next day driving for my pizza delivery job my car started to over heat. I took it to my house, slowly to make sure it doesn't fully overheat. noticed the temps will go up and when I stopped it went down pretty quickly within 3 mins back down to 3 bars. All the coolant from the radiator was gone, refilled the coolant, did entire burp and everything, went to work again and about 30 of driving into my job the overfill tank was almost empty so I took off early and went home. Took off alternator and idler pulley and now im here.
is this the coolant drain plug or freeze plug? is it normal for the head gasket to come out like that Idler pulley where coolant is building up so coming from above
That is a freeze plug. I doubt thats what's leaking. Coolant is splattered all around the area and its pooling at the plug.
One of your hoses might be leaking and spraying.
I see worm clamps on your hoses...so...they're probably leaking.
Are the hoses still good? And did someone replace the coolant hose with something that isn't coolant hose for some reason?
Do this...
Wash the engine. Spray some dish soapy water in that spot. Scrub and rinse it off.
Get a bleeder funnel and affix it to the radiator.
Flick the key to the #2 "run" position (do not start the car! just flip the key on so the climate control works) Turn the heat valve to full hot, full blast, from the dash vents.
Flip the key back off.
Do a coolant refill and bleed.
Meaning just open the bleeder valve and fill the radiator via bleeding funnel until a solid stream of coolant comes out of the bleeder.
Close the bleeder.
Start the car, keep the heat at full blast.
Keep the funnel half way full at all times while the car idles.
Look in that area (in your photos) while the car idles to see if you can find the leak.
Watch the temps very carefully. Don't let it overheat. Don't drive it when its low on coolant. Even if the temp gauge doesn't show it overheating...it might be. This is a real easy way to blow a head gasket or damage an engine.
If you haven't seen it leak yet...then once the bubbles stop in the bleeder funnel, and the heat is blowing hotter than the blazes of hell...the coolant is bled.
You can now...
Turn the car off. Remove the bleeder funnel and close the radiator cap. Start it back up and continue to let it idle while watching the area.
Again, watch the temps and keep the heat on.
If a hose is leaking, replace it with a coolant hose. Preferably a pre-molded one from Honda. But...that may not be an option since it looks like the car has an aftermarket intake? Also get rid of any worm clamps on coolant hoses. Buy a case of constant tension clamps and replace the worm clamps anywhere you see them.
Yes, its normal for the head gasket to be exposed in that area.
I'll add, bleed coolant with car parked nose up (and the Lisle type bleeder funnel).
DO NOT DRIVE until you're certain its fully bled and heat blows hot enough to burn fingers. Many engines have been lost where everything seemed ok, then one day randomly engine overheats due to air hiding in cooling system.
Overheating even just once is often fatal to this engine. Most of the tricks used to save other engines don't work for us (shaving head back to flat, etc).
Be careful, ive had that plug pop off and it was untouched stock oem plug. I guess boost had something to do with it. Removed intake manifold and replaced with the perfect one. No pops since then and im upping the power and boost. It popped on my buddy as he was driving it one am.
That is a freeze plug. I doubt thats what's leaking. Coolant is splattered all around the area and its pooling at the plug.
One of your hoses might be leaking and spraying.
I see worm clamps on your hoses...so...they're probably leaking.
Are the hoses still good? And did someone replace the coolant hose with something that isn't coolant hose for some reason?
Do this...
Wash the engine. Spray some dish soapy water in that spot. Scrub and rinse it off.
Get a bleeder funnel and affix it to the radiator.
Flick the key to the #2 "run" position (do not start the car! just flip the key on so the climate control works) Turn the heat valve to full hot, full blast, from the dash vents.
Flip the key back off.
Do a coolant refill and bleed.
Meaning just open the bleeder valve and fill the radiator via bleeding funnel until a solid stream of coolant comes out of the bleeder.
Close the bleeder.
Start the car, keep the heat at full blast.
Keep the funnel half way full at all times while the car idles.
Look in that area (in your photos) while the car idles to see if you can find the leak.
Watch the temps very carefully. Don't let it overheat. Don't drive it when its low on coolant. Even if the temp gauge doesn't show it overheating...it might be. This is a real easy way to blow a head gasket or damage an engine.
If you haven't seen it leak yet...then once the bubbles stop in the bleeder funnel, and the heat is blowing hotter than the blazes of hell...the coolant is bled.
You can now...
Turn the car off. Remove the bleeder funnel and close the radiator cap. Start it back up and continue to let it idle while watching the area.
Again, watch the temps and keep the heat on.
If a hose is leaking, replace it with a coolant hose. Preferably a pre-molded one from Honda. But...that may not be an option since it looks like the car has an aftermarket intake? Also get rid of any worm clamps on coolant hoses. Buy a case of constant tension clamps and replace the worm clamps anywhere you see them.
Yes, its normal for the head gasket to be exposed in that area.
The coolant hose that goes under the throttle body is sold by the foot from Honda, simply cut to length.
Thank you guys for the tips, this morning I cleaned the coolant and put the idler pulley / alternator back on. When I first had the issue and drove it home, I found out it was the coolant, the radiator was empty I believe it wasn't fully drained of coolant, but it did hit the RED once, hopefully nothing major happened to the engine. Turns out it was the hose with the worm clamp. after filling the coolant back up with the bleeder screw filled. its not blowing extremely hot to me, but the AC is blowing hot hot. it'll blow extremely hot if I put the rpm at 3k or drive it. Should I put the car on jack stands to tilt the car up or can I just push the car down the drive way a little to raise the front. There is a gasoline smell coming from the oil, im going to drain the oil after take it for a little drive to make sure its not leaking anymore. I just got the 2000 S2000 a month ago. slowly learning about cars and I thought this was a great start coming from a 1999 3000gt SL which was hell to work on. ill be getting the correct hose. Thank you.
I bought most of the small throttle body associated hoses from Honda since I'm using a stock intake. But they won't work if you're using an aftermarket intake, since you no longer use the hard piping.
If you want to keep your aftermarket intake, then by-the-foot 8mm (5/16") Gates coolant hose is sold at bellmetric.com
10-03-2022, 03:40 PM
Coolant Leak Help - Coolant Drain Plug/Freeze Plug leak?
