help... coolant flooding out... *now with pics*

[DavidT]

so what? won't the coolant dry? Will it make the timing belt permanently slicker?

 

[LI_SHO]

supposedly it rots the belt. i left off the top timing belt cover after doing all the work...and i periodically check the belt for wear or anything unusual. nothing thus far!
i WOULD have done the belt too...but i had to do the WP when it was 20 degrees out and snowing.

 

[DavidT]

so...
will the middle timing belt cover come off without removing the lower cover?

 

[projectSHO89]

See steps 11-14 above.

Steve

 

[sdpatt]

LI_SHO:
supposedly it rots the belt. i left off the top timing belt cover after doing all the work...and i periodically check the belt for wear or anything unusual. nothing thus far!

It would be in the best interest of your timing belt and the belt's pulleys to reinstall that upper timing belt cover. The covers are there for the purpose of isolating the timing belt components from the fog of very abrasive road grit that flies around the engine compartment while the car is in motion. With the cover(s) off, you are shortening the lifespan of you timign belt.

The belt should be removed when replacing the water pump to prevent the belt from coming in contact with the very slippery coolant. The belt is not supposed to come in contact with either coolant or oil.

Before taking apart the timing covers and water pump, make sure you can determine where the coolant is coming from. It would be a good check to remove the wheel and plastic splash shield and take a good look at the lower radiator hose. This hose runs from the bottom tap on the passenger side of the radiator to the metal inlet tube below and toward the front of the car from the water pump. The water pump leak would be showing up at the bottom of the lower timing belt cover. The chance that the flat gasket at the water pump inlet tube has catastropically failed is remote. That is of course, unless the bolting at teh ****** hasn't come loose or failed.