It was too good to last. So it doesn't surprise me.
But it is a bit disappointing.
The plan for today was to work on the green Subaru engine, one last-ditch effort to try to remove that stubborn, broken-off bolt end from the engine block. So the first item on the agenda was obtaining a can of PB Blaster, which everyone (and their mother) has been touting as the be-all, end-all of lubricating/de-rusting products on the market.
But there was that pesky radiator fluid leak in the red Subaru. It was just a small leak. I'd put more coolant in the radiator the other day, thinking it was probably a bit low after leaking for so long. I was hoping it was just a leaky hose. Or bad thermostat gasket. Something simple, something small, something easily repairable in a short amount of time.
When we parked the car in the garage yesterday, though, enough fluid dripped out to half-fill the pan. (I keep a drip pan underneath all the cars, since they are all older than ten years, and all drip one fluid or another.) That was a bit much. Which made me suspicious.
I drove to the auto parts store and grabbed my can of PB Blaster, noting that the car was still leaking green fluid. A lot.
When I got home, I parked the car out in the driveway (in the sunlight) and put the drip pan underneath. And it dripped. A lot. And I got underneath the car and looked up inside to see where it was dripping from.
I was really hoping that it was the thermostat.
But it was dripping from ... the water pump.
More specifically, the water pump seal.
The manual says that, if the car starts leaking coolant from the water pump area, and there is no squeaking noise, that generally indicates that the water pump seal has gone bad.
Not the water pump itself, but the water pump seal.
Should be easy, right?
Yes, if you don't mind draining the fluid, removing the radiator and fans, disconnecting the power steering pump and air conditioning pump, removing the front timing belt cover, removing the camshaft sprockets, removing the rear timing belt cover, removing the water pump, replacing the seal, and then doing everything again in reverse.
But I do mind.
I'm tired.
And so I spent a bit of time wandering on the world wide web, looking for a reputable repair shop to do the work for me. I really don't want to be working on two cars at once.
The auto repair shops don't open til Monday.
Looks like next week is going to be lots of fun.
But it is a bit disappointing.
The plan for today was to work on the green Subaru engine, one last-ditch effort to try to remove that stubborn, broken-off bolt end from the engine block. So the first item on the agenda was obtaining a can of PB Blaster, which everyone (and their mother) has been touting as the be-all, end-all of lubricating/de-rusting products on the market.
But there was that pesky radiator fluid leak in the red Subaru. It was just a small leak. I'd put more coolant in the radiator the other day, thinking it was probably a bit low after leaking for so long. I was hoping it was just a leaky hose. Or bad thermostat gasket. Something simple, something small, something easily repairable in a short amount of time.
When we parked the car in the garage yesterday, though, enough fluid dripped out to half-fill the pan. (I keep a drip pan underneath all the cars, since they are all older than ten years, and all drip one fluid or another.) That was a bit much. Which made me suspicious.
I drove to the auto parts store and grabbed my can of PB Blaster, noting that the car was still leaking green fluid. A lot.
When I got home, I parked the car out in the driveway (in the sunlight) and put the drip pan underneath. And it dripped. A lot. And I got underneath the car and looked up inside to see where it was dripping from.
I was really hoping that it was the thermostat.
But it was dripping from ... the water pump.
More specifically, the water pump seal.
The manual says that, if the car starts leaking coolant from the water pump area, and there is no squeaking noise, that generally indicates that the water pump seal has gone bad.
Not the water pump itself, but the water pump seal.
Should be easy, right?
Yes, if you don't mind draining the fluid, removing the radiator and fans, disconnecting the power steering pump and air conditioning pump, removing the front timing belt cover, removing the camshaft sprockets, removing the rear timing belt cover, removing the water pump, replacing the seal, and then doing everything again in reverse.
But I do mind.
I'm tired.
And so I spent a bit of time wandering on the world wide web, looking for a reputable repair shop to do the work for me. I really don't want to be working on two cars at once.
The auto repair shops don't open til Monday.
Looks like next week is going to be lots of fun.
2 comments:
What can I say except that I am sorry your cars won't cooperate with you. I guess you can just think of all the experience you are getting.
I like working on cars, and the experience is actually a lot of fun. I was hoping to get to know the engine enough that I could do any repairs to it, practically in my sleep. But now I'm a bit leery of breaking more bolts. And I'd really rather not be working on two cars at the same time.
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