This afternoon I started my '79 and pulled it out of the garage. (I do this all winter long as long as it's not wet outside.)

I noticed a bit of antifreeze on my intake manifold. So I tightened up the radiator and heater hoses thinkin' they were shrinking from the cold weather. I've done this in the past and have solved the leak problem this way. However, after letting it run again I noticed a small drip on the driveway. I looked closer and it seems that anitfreeze is dripping from somewhere around the front of the motor near the fan clutch and falling on to the bottom inner part of the fan shroud. That's where a puddle of antifreeze was forming and it was being thrown all over the place by the fan blades.

 

I looked and touched as much as I could without finding the source of this leak. The seal around the water pump seems tight. I'm really scratchin' my head on this one.

 

I probably won't get a chance to get back to the Corvette for a week or so but I welcome any and all ideas from the crew here at C3VR.

 

Kevin

 

P.S. The radiator was replaced two or three years ago and it's not showing any leaks that I could see. 

|UPDATED|12/15/2012 1:52:22 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

If you are getting coolant on the inside of the fan shroud, it pretty much has to be a radiator leak. The shroud doesn't come back far enough to collect a drip from the water pump. The only place the wp normally shows a leak is from the weep hole, on the bottom. Also, you say you had some coolant on the intake...a wp leak wouldn't show there. You could have a pin hole in the radiator that is spitting coolant back onto the fan, as you said, and that would spread it out to get on the intake.
I would suggest having the radiator pressure tested to see if/where it is leaking. You should also check the lower hose coming off the wp..it might be spitting, and blowing forward into the shroud.
Worst case, you could add some dye to the coolant, but then you would need an ultraviolet light to see where the leak is....


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
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(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Also look at the vent hole on the water pump when you pressure test it . 

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1980 , ZZ430 , 3.92 rear , 700R4 2400 stall NEW EZ EFI