HUGE Anti Freeze Leak!!! Help!

gsbadbmr · 03-05-2008, 04:13 AM

Hey everyone. Well my Saturn has been great and reliable the last 6 years, but it has lately given me all kinds of problems.

It's a 1997 Saturn SL1 Automatic. Tonight i was driving home and the antifreeze light started flashing, so i pulled over in a parking lot and stop the car. The reservoir box was empty which is a bad sign. So i fill up the reservoir bottle, start the car and look underneath and i can see antifreeze pouring out like crazy. I was 2 minutes from home, so i drove home, jacked up the car to see if i could see where it is leaking from...but i can't see from where.

It is leaking somewhere low down on the passenger side of the car, close to or around where the bottom pulley is for the belt...but i can't see exactly from where? Does anybody know where these lines run, or maybe if it could be something else? Any help at this point would be appreciated. Thanks!

-g

gsbadbmr · 03-05-2008, 04:20 AM

I just went back outside and the leak seems to be only when the car is running. I just started it again and i see the antifreeze dripping off the frame on the passenger side, but i can't see from where. Could it maybe be the water pump? I don't have a shop manual so i don't know where the water pump is located? Thanks again!

RC1488 · 03-05-2008, 05:15 AM

TURN THAT CAR OFF!!! AND KEEP IT OFF TILL YOU FIX IT!!!

over heating leads to warped heads and a huge $$$ pit.

Your water pump is now dead. You need a new one. heres how to replace it:

YouTube - saturn water pump inspection

YouTube - saturn water pump access

gsbadbmr · 03-05-2008, 05:25 AM

Hey RC1488...so it most likely is my waterpump...because the leak seems to be coming from that area. Question, what causes the waterpump to leak like this usually? Is it just wear and tear? I guess i'm looking at a pretty costly repair to have this done at a garage? Thanks.

-g

RC1488 · 03-05-2008, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsbadbmr

Hey RC1488...so it most likely is my waterpump...because the leak seems to be coming from that area. Question, what causes the waterpump to leak like this usually? Is it just wear and tear? I guess i'm looking at a pretty costly repair to have this done at a garage? Thanks.

-g

Its 10 years old so yea id say normal wear and tear.

Forget bringing it to a garage. Do it yourself! 40 bucks at autzone for the pump, and a basic set of tools is all you need. That along with a saturday after noon (like 45 min if youve never done it before) and your golden. I did mine in my driveway. Its a definite do it yourself job

gsbadbmr · 03-05-2008, 05:41 AM

After seeing the videos (thanks by the way), i'm sure i could do the job however here in cold Canada we are getting a huge snowstorm starting tonight & ending tomorrow night...so i'm not sure i will be able to do it. One of my best friends owns a garage and does most of the work on my 3 cars...and he gives me cost price on parts and charges little on labor...plus he's QUICK lol. Hopefully it is just the waterpump but i can't see it being anything else really.

-g

perfectvue · 03-05-2008, 09:20 PM

We had ours go on the SL2 as well. Went from small drip to huge drain in a couple months time (filling once a week to twice a day) while we found time to replace it. Not too hard at all if you're handy and can read instructions (we have the repair manual). We borrowed a friend's garage with lift, but could have done it on a nice paved driveway as well.