leaking coolant pipe

[j-dawg]

Just got my engine almost fully hooked up, started pouring coolant in.....and it leaks at the pipe behind the water pump (ie at #16 in the image attached). It's a fast leak. Can't really drive the car like this. I think I replaced the o-ring, but it came in a kit and it did feel a little loose so it may have been the wrong part. Should have put water in it before, I guess - lesson learned.

It's gonna be several days' work to get the engine back out and in again. Anyone removed this pipe / sealed a leak here with the engine still in the car? Any suggestions? It seems like kind of a nightmare - the bolts holding the pipe to the engine are under the exhaust manifold, and the turbo is fully installed and hooked up.

[j-dawg]

All right, desperate Google users finding this page years in the future. I knew I wasn't pulling this damn motor again so I set my jaw, cursed at the car more densely than I have in seven years of owning it, and got the pipe slid far enough over to get the o-ring out. It was actually cut into two pieces, so maybe I used too fat of an o-ring, and it felt loose after it tore in half. Kinda curious what the seal I used is actually for.

I don't think getting it out would have been possible without removing a huge amount of stuff that fortunately didn't have any fluid in it yet - power steering hose at the top of the reservoir, turbo oil drain line, turbo oil fill line, turbo coolant drain line, and turbo coolant hoses. I also had to dismantle the entire intake and the heat shields on the back of the engine.

I'll cry myself to sleep tonight and get the right seal at the dealer tomorrow.

[abscate]

Ugh.

Bookmarked for inclusion of part numbers

I’ve always looked at that pipe in terror of moving it. If you have it off, I would be interested in how easily the brass cooling system drain cock releases , too.

[bmdubya1198]

That pipe is a bear to remove... I pulled one off an '05 S60R along with the K24 turbo for my car. I dread actually replacing it on mine.

I've heard that it makes it much easier to remove the water pump to install that pipe. That way you can make for certain that the o-ring is seated properly and not crushed.

[j-dawg]

The dealer had just one o-ring, so I should be back in business today. They consistently surprise me with how much weird stuff they have out back.

If you have it off, I would be interested in how easily the brass cooling system drain cock releases , too.

As much as I'd love to help answer that question, I'm gonna let sleeping dogs lie. But if you have a 99+ car, the oil cooler hoses are very low on the engine. Between those and the lower radiator hose, you can drain the block pretty thoroughly without tempting fate :)

I've heard that it makes it much easier to remove the water pump to install that pipe. That way you can make for certain that the o-ring is seated properly and not crushed.

This would have been smart when I was putting the motor together. There is a pretty easy way to check with the water pump in - put water in the reservoir, and if you find yourself screaming and red-faced with rage, you crushed the o-ring.

[bmdubya1198]

This would have been smart when I was putting the motor together. There is a pretty easy way to check with the water pump in - put water in the reservoir, and if you find yourself screaming and red-faced with rage, you crushed the o-ring.

Works like a charm!

[j-dawg]

Much less painful getting everything back together once I'd seen how it came apart. I hit the pipe with 1000 grit to get any crusty junk off, greased up the seal and pipe, and it all went together smoothly. And no leaks!

[bmdubya1198]

Awesome, now it's sounding less scary for when I need to replace it in my car!