Does coolant run through the timing cover? (3100)

[IsaacHayes]

Does anyone know if coolant can leak from a timing chain cover, and if the coolant circulates through the cover from the water pump to the other side on a 3100? It's either coming from up high on the timing cover by the firewall side by one of the bolts, or the headgasket is leaking, but it's hard to tell if it's that since it's kind of dry there above..

EDIT: the right side of the cover is dry. The bottom of the cover is wet from where it has rolled down from the left side (bottom pic). The top two you can see the belt tensioner right below the bolt on the cover where the leak appears to start in that area. There is no coolant in the oil.

[CNCguy]

Coolant does flow from the pump to both sides of the engine and the bolts in that area go into the coolant passages. The coolant passage is in the area with the numbers on it (top pics).

It is hard to see in the pics where the leak is coming from but my experience has been that leaks usually develop around the gasket. If it is leaking around the gasket, the cover has to be removed to install a new gasket.

If it is leaking around the bolt and not the gasket, you may get lucky and be able to reseal the threads without removing the cover. Pull the bolt out, clean it, apply sealer and reinstall the bolt. May be worth a try.

[IsaacHayes]

Sounds like cover then if you say the numbered area is a coolant passage. I think it'd be odd for the head to just leak a tiny spot there. And it was wet a little up higher at one point but I cleaned it all off and now it only seems wet by the bolt hole/etc so I'm leaning towards timing gover gasket. I have the motor torn down right now (doing intake swap) so now would be a good time to fix it. Just got to get the crank pulley off. Too bad I don't have an UDP sitting by me at this time!!!


Er... wait.. I have to drop the oil pan right? CRAP!!! that looks to be a MAJOR job then. I can't even see how to get at the bolts with the 4t60-e in the way.

Maybe I will try just the bolt for now. Thanks for the reply!

[CNCguy]

Er... wait.. I have to drop the oil pan right? CRAP!!! that looks to be a MAJOR job then. I can't even see how to get at the bolts with the 4t60-e in the way.

Maybe I will try just the bolt for now. Thanks for the reply!

If resealing the bolt does not help, you can remove the cover without removing the pan. I have had luck pulling the front cover without pulling the pan. The pan gasket is like a rubber o-ring and will stay in the pan. Just put a small bead of silicone (1/16 diameter) in the two corners where the block, pan and TC cover meet. Then smear a very small layer of silicone on the surface of the cover where it contacts the oil pan. The silicone on the lower surface helps the TC cover slide back in and seals it.

[IsaacHayes]

Great thanks for the help! I might just go ahead and do it then.

[bszopi]

I've replaced the timing cover gasket with the engine in the car (it was a PITA though), so it can be done without pulling the pan, like Marc stated.

[IsaacHayes]

Not entirely sure what I want to do with it. The leak is *minor*. Just a trickle and the coolant doesn't go down any over 6months. I may throw in a tablet of stop leak and see what happens. Or wait if it gets worse then do it. I dunno. Seems like I should do it, but it's not that big of a leak..

[SappySE107]

I have learned from the many LQ1s that letting something small goes means fixing something big real soon. It may delay your project but you should do it now.

[IsaacHayes]

It's not leakign into the oil though, so if it starts leaking outside more that won't damage anything though... Who knows how long it's been doing this. I just noticed it this last winter because I was cleaning the motor off everywhere... My oil pan gasket is a little leaky but it's been that way for years and only uses 1/3qt every 4,000 miles...

So do you realy think it's urgent?

[IsaacHayes]

Im going to leave it be. Reason is the bolts might twist off in the block as someone I know who has done those many a time before says it does that. The motor has a ton of miles on it, and while it runs good, I'm not looking for headaches trying to just fix a little leak.

The same guy knows someone with a 100,000 mile 3400 and 4t60-e(have to look into what the 4t60e is from) that I could probably get for $100. So if this motor goes, it will be 3400 time. Sure 100k miles is a lot, but that's how much this 3100 had when I bought it 7 years ago..

So I'm going to button up my intake swap and let er rip. After the intake swap it will be more ready for a 3400 anyways, since the EGR adapter/etc will be done and my intakes will bolt right up to the 3400.

I *might* put 1 stop leak tablet or half a dose of the stop leak crap into my coolant and see if it fixes it. My dad put 1/2 dose of the barrs stopleak and his BMW headgasket stopped leaking, so I'll cross my fingers... heh.

[Syn]

issac use some of the plumbin tape if you do this , i've done this oviously, simple task

oil pan can stay on

why not try it when ur bored

also stop leak is garbage

[IsaacHayes]

Have you replaced the cover gasket on an old engine with a lot of miles on it? Was it in the car?

I was advised to leave it alone or the bolts will twist off from someone who has done them before. So teflon tape on the thread bolts instead of the permatex stuff? Interesting.

[Syn]

well it was on the stand lol not as many miles as yours but if ur going 3400 soon leave it lol. like i said just something to mess with when your board, pulling out a bolt is nothing

[IsaacHayes]

well I'll have to pull them all out which means removing the dampner/etc. The gasket is leaking not the bolt I think.

And I might get another car on here that would be better of a project car and has most of the work done...