Trying to find source of coolant leak..

[garion]

So I'm looking at my "new" '79. While looking at the engine, I notice some coolant on the area around the lower dizzy location on the drivers side of the engine... It looks like it might be leaking from the alternator mount bolt, or possibly from the intake manifold..



Does that alternator bracket bolt/stud go into coolant? or should I just assume that the intake manifold is leaking'?

[paintdudeluke]

Start with a clean engine. Degrease and pressure wash the engine off first. Then top off the engine and let it run until it gets hot and watch for the leak. I'm not sure which bolts might go into the water jacket, but it might be rolling back from the water pump. Make sure all the hoses are tight obviously, also, you said that you noticed it under the distributor, that's on the completely opposite side from your image. Where is the water on the driver side or the front left or everywhere?

[Fi8spider]

Chances are it is coming from the manifold John, give it a clean up as mentioned and keep an eye on it. Water moves in mysterious ways mate and can be deceiving but I have seen this problem before. I'm not a fan of gasket sealant on Fiat gaskets but the water passage on the intake manifold gasket is one area I do tend to spray with a spot of hylomar sealer when reassembling. With these manifolds getting older I see the need for sealant in this area more often due to alloy corrosion.

[johndemar]

If I was guessing, which of course I am, I would look at the manifold as well. There is a port directly above the area getting wet. I need to change mine out as well and will use a bit of sealant around the ports as a precaution. Hylomar does not appear to be available in the states anymore. Permatex used to have the marketing rights to it here, but it appears that is no longer true. They do make Perma-seal(?), blue product that can be used with fuel, antifreeze, oil, etc.

[garion]

Yep.. I'll be pulling the intake hopefully today, now that I have the system drained. In my other thread, I pointed out that I found a bolt missing from the intake, right around the center coolant passage on the intake. So there's a really good chance that the cause.

[majicwrench]

I fix leaks for a living and never clean an engine. If you wish to great, you are gonna wash away some clues.
If that intake is leaking stick your finger under there and it will come out with a bit of coolant on it.
Not sure in your pic if that really is coolant or not, obviously you have car. Does any of that end up on ground?? LOTS of things seep and sweat and never cause a problem.

Keith