Leaking anti-freeze

[Flash13783]

I'm leaking anti-Freeze looked like it was coming from thermostat housing but it also looked like it was comming from behind the pulleys. so i took off the plastic cover under the head cover and where the timing belt was covered with nasty stuff...oil...grime...possibly antifreeze, but my antifreeze is clean and i dont have a ton oil leaking anywhere is it suppose to be like this or clean? what do i do. the thermostat housing gasket was shot do i just replace it and see what happens or what else do i do.

[RotorNutFD3S]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

Sounds like it's time for a water pump and new front main seal as well as the thermostat (replace it too with an OEM, it's cheap). And since you're in there, timing belt and pulleys too.

[Flash13783]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

k I replaced thermostat and seal around the housing. Ant-freeze is still dripping all around the two pulleys and the area where the timing belt is.
a lot of it is coming out. What do i do? i really wish i could get someone to look at it that knows what there looking for. There is a ton of oil build up all under the pan and stuff, but the car doesn't seem to be leaking oil.
If i'm doing this i want to get a re build kit too. I dont want anymore problems and i want to turbo it and a 200,000mile engine needs to be sturdy to handle boost, but then again i dont know much about miata's

[Roadster]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

There's a gasket where the neck of the thermostat housing bolts to the head, but I don't think you can access that unless you pull the cam gears and backing plate off first. Do those gaskets even leak anyway? Maybe there's a crack in the housing. Hard to really make a diagnosis without seeing it.

[Flash13783]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

[metalman]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

Hmm..I'd be pulling that apart and checking the water pump.
If the water is coming from above the water pump then I'd be looking at
the t-stat neck. (bottom left of pic)
A head gasket issue is also possible.

[Flash13783]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

Thanks yea tomorrow i'll probably be pulling all that off i'm kinda nervous everything i do is a learning expireince and i've already broke the head off one of the screws holding a pulley on, but i'll tap it and just take it step by step


If anyone lives in the dallas/paulding county are and is bored around 1 and wants to stop by and give me some pointers i would be glad to have ya lol

[Flash13783]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

So i've decided since in order to fix it i will have to tear down the head anyways. To rebuild the engine. I'm thinking of getting a rebuild kit for $350 with new pistons seals, and gaskets, and getting my heads worked.
Anyone one have any idea as to whether i should get my heads redone or buy new ones? Any places in mind?

[RotorNutFD3S]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

Well, 4-cylinders only have one head. ;) And you won't need to tear it down to fix anything coolant leak related, everything that might have an issue is bolted to the outside of the head. Unless you have a bad head gasket, but the car will usually not run well, if at all, with a problem there.

I'd say before you go to the trouble of tearing down your engine (which quickly becomes a VERY expensive job), do leakdown and compression tests. That will give you the information you need to know so that you can figure out what step to take from there. You could have a sturdy engine that just needs a water pump/timing belt job done for all you know.

[Flash13783]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

lol i wish i had read this sooner. Today i got the head off and it seemed to be just the water pump with a bunch of minor problems with the cover for it, but the engine does have 200,000 miles and i want to boost it soon and it needs to be in good shape so im going to get the kit and the "head" lol will be worked. You can tell the head gasket has gone out before cause of all the oil build up EVERYWHERE but now i will be starting with a really good base for boost and dont have to worry about old seals and gaskets.

[Flash13783]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

I NEED HELP!!!
After checking into this I've figured out I cant do this alone. There's a lot of little stuff i done know how to do. sure i can take everything out alone, but i cant put it back in. i dont know sequencing, and how to do a lot of stuff. Does anyone want to help a newbie at this out and have some fun under the hood?? :)
It'll be probably later on next week if so, or i will probably end up haveing to pay main stream to do it for 4,000 vs. 1,000 if i do it with some help. i have a lot of friends with engine knowledge but no miata, and complete rebuild knowledge.

[simontibbett]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

MAINSTREAM WANTS 4K FOR A REBUILD?!!?

[RotorNutFD3S]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

I wouldn't doubt it.

[simontibbett]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

btw it sounds like just a water pump...my Miata had the same problem not long ago.

[Flash13783]

RE: Leaking anti-freeze

It was just a water pump lol, but i want the engine like new and strong before i put the turbo on it. and i got the block out tonight. now alls i have to do is dissassemble everything and get them dropped off for the work.

does anyone have a manual on how to put it back together i.e. the order to tighten the bolts and how many lbs. of pressure??