it leaks..... :(

[289fia_cobra]

So after a couple of months of trying to figure out where I'm loosing coolant, without a single puddle under the car, I FINALLY see a puddle like 1 week AFTER I last drove it. It's the passenger side, and it appears to be coming from below the midpoint behind the water pump is my best guess; no puddling in the normal crevices above (you know where); those are bone dry so now the question is, is it the pump (i.e. weep hole... maybe that's why it's there) or just gasket(s). Is there some dye I can use so I can trace this better?

*sigh*... now that I know I have some kind of leask, I know I'll have to drain the coolant yet again. Knowing my schedule, I may not get to go to Snakes this year but I have 1 month worth of weekends so we'll see. Maybe just bite the bullet and get a pump just in case?

[zrayr]

It's very likely it is the weep hole, and yes that's why it's there. To alert you that the water pump seal is shot so you have a chance to fix it before you get stranded,

Z

[Cashburn]

Weiand pump? They all seem to do it eventually from the weep hole. Standard feature on Roush crate engines for awhile.

Switch to Edelbrock.

[289fia_cobra]

It is an Edelbrock. I used a mirror to look; there's nothing dripping from the hole and I saw some more new spots. It appears more like it's come between the block and timing-chain cover. Not sure if I should just order gaskets. The Edelbrock only has about 24,000 miles.

[289fia_cobra]

so it is dripping a bit more and I'm looking at what I could have done to have caused a leask since the only thing I did back in Dec./Jan. was change head gaskets (and making sure the 'front' stamp was facing front). The leak was really weird as I feel nothing from the weep hole and it's only on the passenger side of the pump. Then I thought: well I had to remove the alternator which is held in by a March pulley bracket... which I removed... so I took an allen wrench to the longest bolt (lowest bolt of the alternator bracket) and damn... it turned a 1/2 turn rather easily!!! F-me. It is now tightened. Wondering if I should still replace the gaskets but I'm going to drive this on Friday just to see...

[Ron61]

I am not sure this will be of any help or interest but back when I had my other Cobra I had a minor leak, just a couple of drops that I tried for months to find. I could see dampness along the timing chain cover but I didn't think it was coming from there and it would only be a couple of drops. Finally I decided to check the torque on the aluminum intake as I had tried everything else and the front bolt was about 1/2 pound loose. After that I never had another drop leak and I checked the torque after any race or hard run and still do it on my other cars.

Ron

[289fia_cobra]

Ron, before I even read your post, I proceeded to look at all 6 bolts (essentially those around the ports) and as you allude to, ALL of my bolts were loose. My leak was a puddle, not just a few drops.

I used a 3/4 torque wrench and had everything torqued to 14.5 ft-lbs. Ford say 12-14 but since the gasket is swollen, I figured a 1/2 lb. would help squeeze them back. All of my bolts are SS, not carbon steel so hopefully they aren't as brittle as to snap with just an extra half-pound. But yes, the lightest was like 6 lbs!

As a 2nd pass, I used my digitial torque reader and went over all the bolts one more time because I know my wrench is about 1/2 to 1 lb. off.

I drove it around for 30 minutes so it would get to temp. Got home, and for the first time since I rebuilt the top end, the overflow tank indicator tube rose 3" just like it used to before this all started! My cooling system FINALLY pressurized properly. This morning it sucked it back in to the normal level and not a drop anywhere.

I'm probably going to start doing good re-torque every season.