URGENT COOLANT LEAK HELP

[stever1000]

I have a coolant leak, coolant has sprayed in my engine bay, it is all over my battery and air filter housing.The underside of my hood and It's inside the fan shroud. It looks like it is leaking along the bottom of the radiator, but I don't know where from. I don't understand how it ended up all over my engine bay





I drove to whistler and back on Sat/Sun, drove to home depot on Monday with no problems, the temp light didn't budge at all. Something happened as soon as I got home on Monday...

I checked all the hoses and connections, and it's not leaking from any of those places. I checked the drain plug and it's tight, however in the picture below it leaks from above the drain plug where the aluminum part of the radiator looks like little squares. It leaks a small amount during idle, but when I step on the pedal and release, it starts to leak more when the pedal is released. The reservoir was dry when I first found the leak, then I filled it up to full, and it hardly leaks unless I step on the pedal and release.





I don't know what the radiator looks like behind the black plastic, and I have no idea what to check next. I don't know if my radiator cracked or something somehow? I was under the impression that the vehicles have good radiators. Not sure what to think now??

Suggestions?

I don't want to tow it to a shop since it is safe and sound in my parking garage. If I can find the problem easily I will, otherwise I will take it to a shop next week.

[Tojo]

PM sent

[Big-Bird]

small crack in the plastic tank, a bad seal between the plastic tank and the aluminum fins or a pin hole somewhere in the metal. and the fluid is finding its way everywhere via the fans.....the one on the water pump plus the 2 fans for the AC system behind the front bumper.

There is a pressure tester that would allow you to pressurize the coolant system by hand pump. Partssource has this tool for free rental. Pressuring the system with the engine off would allow you to safely confirm the leaks source. And the throttle issue is normal.....when you rev it up the water pump moves fluid around....when the engine slows.down the pressure exerts force on the weak spot and leaks

Tojo has a near new radiator for sale....take Tojo up on the offer. A new rad is around 250-300$ plus.shipping

[Big-Bird]

Stever! Look at what I found on youtube. Its hard to hear him over the mad traffic at the house....but it does give you all the skinny on the R&R job.

[stever1000]

Big-Bird, you are the king! Thanks for finding that, that will make it 100x easier