Coolant Leak behind Coil Pack

[rickr84]

Hi,

Odd story but my friend lets me borrow his Aveo to use until my new ordered Silverado comes in.. just sold mine and needed a vehicle.

Bad part is, today I just noticed a pretty extensive coolant leak. Parked the car at the store, heard it, smelled it. Let the car cool down for 2 hours, put in 1.1 gallon of water, and drove it home with the heater on just in case. Made the 10 mile drive just fine. Got home and there were drops coming from it still. Steam just right behind and below the coil pack. I let it cool again and added 0.5 gallons. So in 10 miles it lost half a gallon of water. Thats a pretty big leak, but not a straight out hole/cut.

Im a capable mechanic, but know nothing about Aveos, and its very dark here right now. Any experienced Aveo people have a clue at what is actually leaking? Hoping its something common and I can just order a common hose and have it back under way for my drive to work Monday.

So, any educated guesses on what is leaking right under and behind the ignition coil pack on the drivers side of the engine of an 05 Aveo automatic?

Thanks,
Rick

[Pickles]

It sounds like the thermostat housing. Super common problem on the first gens, and very easy fix

[rickr84]

It sounds like the thermostat housing. Super common problem on the first gens, and very easy fix

Unless the diagrams Ive seen online are wrong, that is on the other side of the engine.

The coil packs on this car are on the right side. The thermostat is on the left.

My leak is right behind and below the coil packs.

I wont be able to look at the car again till its dark but I suppose with enough light I can just figure it out.

Any other ideas from Aveo owners?

[Pickles]

Ok I gotcha, I have a 2nd gen so I don't know where it is on the first gen

[rickr84]

Anyone? Bump...

[rickr84]

I went out there today, added water, and let it warm up hoping to see the water and trace it.

The water doesnt start to flow until everything gets hot, not a drop. And then once its hot, it flows at a high rate. Drop after drop in a continuous path.

Its coming from what first looked like right under the intake manifold, near the right rear corner of the engine (the side with the brake fluid).

That hose then goes into the firewall, so I assume this is a heater hose line.

Any tips on how to get to this? It looks really hard to get to, way under the intake manifold.

[Thymeclock]

I went out there today, added water, and let it warm up hoping to see the water and trace it.

The water doesnt start to flow until everything gets hot, not a drop. And then once its hot, it flows at a high rate. Drop after drop in a continuous path.

Its coming from what first looked like right under the intake manifold, near the right rear corner of the engine (the side with the brake fluid).

That hose then goes into the firewall, so I assume this is a heater hose line.

Any tips on how to get to this? It looks really hard to get to, way under the intake manifold.

Yes, the leak that you are describing is coming from a bad heater hose. No tips on how to access it. Half the battle is in making the correct diagnosis, so you are halfway there.

[rickr84]

There seems to be a guy on this forum that took apart an entire engine that ruined a head/piston...

For that guy or anyone else that knows:

Does it appear you can do this without removing the intake manifold? Can I reach in there SOMEHOW after removing a few things, or do I need to take apart everything around it including the intake manifold?

Thanks,
Rick

[Thymeclock]

Does it appear you can do this without removing the intake manifold? Can I reach in there SOMEHOW after removing a few things, or do I need to take apart everything around it including the intake manifold?

Thanks,
Rick

On most cars it's relatively easy if you can locate both ends of the hose and get at them. But on a Chevy... I've seem some pretty dumb engineering over the years so anything is possible - or maybe almost impossible.

[rickr84]

I actually took my own advice from the Stop Leak forum in General Discussions, put $3 worth of Barbs Stop Leak Heavy Duty (the one with the pellets), and by the time I got home from the store where I put it in, the leak had stopped. Let it run for 30 minutes, cycling between heater on and off, and shut it off. Not a drop leaked out.

Told my friend he has to do the timing belt soon anyway, so when hes that deep into it, spend a bit more time and take that intake manifold off and get to that hole for real. Or if its as good as my previous stop leak experiences, itll be fine for years.