Strange antifreeze leak...

[starlabrite]

Hi:

I have a 1996 Acura Integra LS...it recently hit 200,000 miles, so I took it in to have the timing belt changed. As it turns out, when the timing belt gets replaced, so does the water pump and drive belts...all fine for me, but now I have a mysterious antifreeze leak.

The first week after the timing belt work, I had a hose in my coolant system burst. Okay, easy enough fix. A week later, another busted hose...a little strange. Another two weeks later, and I have a slow coolant leak...I just can't see any obvious leaking place. I hate to blame this on the radiator...that was replaced about 4 and a half or 5 years ago, and I'd imagine it should be fine. Could a faulty water pump cause strange bursting hoses and coolant leakage problems?

The first hose that broke looked pretty worn out. The second one looked just fine. Since that has happened, I've replaced the cap on the radiator, but obviously that has not solved all of my problems. Should I be looking at the bigger picture for some other strange problem, and is there any easy test for finding this problem?

[inafogg]

i would of replaced all hoses with 200K.best way to check is with system under pressure.i dont think wp is the problem & if system been flushed at rec miles rad should be ok.ck hoses/clamps if you dont see anything on ground ck for possible heat core.a small leak in time will get bigger.Good Luck

[crash_1333]

try checking your heater hoses into the firewall thats a common place for someone to overlook a leak....let me no if you find anything

[starlabrite]

The leak is actually under the front of the car underneath the radiator itself (more like underneath the front center of the car). The puddle is big enough that I haven't been able to pinpoint the problem, but I'm kind of running out of hoses to replace. I have considered the heat core, but I'm not sure that it would be causing a problem in that exact location.

[inafogg]

i agree on heater core.can you pressure test??

[starlabrite]

Since the leak is underneath the very front, center of the car...would it be possible for a bottom seal to have broken on the radiator? Or could the wp have a bad seal and cause such a leak? If it's the wp, I at least have warranty for service for about a year from the dealership that did it. But if it's the radiator...I'm sure I'd rather just go somewhere else.

Looking here makes me think the radiator has gone out.

I have been told repeatedly by my brother that pressure tests won't help me because they won't tell me where the problem is...just that I have a leak. Maybe he doesn't know what he's talking about...

[inafogg]

pressure tests help by making it leak its up to us to find it!!might want to make sure its not leaking down from s/where lower rad hose???

[TEGasaurus]

just make sure you keep topping that bitch off in the meantime, and hey - since its not winter and we have to share this planet with our chillens how bout switching to water until you pinpoint that leak homey?