[200q20v] Found leaking coolant...but from where?

[Phil & Judy Rose]

At 9:47 PM -0500 1/23/01, Steve Bednarski wrote:
>I have recently begun to leak coolant from my 1991 200TQW.  A small but
>discernible puddle of antifreeze is collecting on the block at the point
>where it joins the oil pan.  The location is underneath the thermostat.  All
>hoses and sensor connections seem dry.
>
>Could this be from the water pump?  I hope not as I just had a mechanic
>replace the pump and timing belt less than a thousand miles ago.
>
>How do I confirm if it is a water pump leak?  Do I unbolt the timing belt
>cover to check?

It's possible that your leak is from the "water flange"--a cast-iron 
pipe that runs just below the intake manifold. It's the pipe into 
which the multifunction thermoswitch and the turbo afterrun sensor 
are plumbed. The leak that I (and others) have had is from the 
gasket(s) between  this pipe and the head--especially the 
triangular-shape flange section. It oozes slowly and drips down onto 
the oilpan flange.

  I was about to replace those gaskets (I got 'em from Carlsen for a 
few bucks) but then the leak just stopped when the coolant level 
dropped about 1/8" below the "maximum" mark in the overflow 
reservoir. My car seems happy with the coolant level there, so it's 
easier to just forget the "leak". --especially since the Allen head 
cap screws were not easy to loosen.

Phil
-- 

Phil Rose				Rochester, NY
'91 200q				mailto:pjrose at frontiernet.net