While I'm mechanically inclined, I'm relatively inexperienced with motors so please forgive my ignorance in terminology.

I've noticed quite a few pinkish drips on my floor, and a pink crust around a bolt/seal area at the front of my motor, viewed through the middle of my serpentine. My coolant is pink and somewhat low, and I have a manual transmission.

I've read a lot about bad water pumps or hoses, but this seems quite a bit more major on the order of a motor seal. I don't know if coolant even routes through this area, if it's coming through that seal or dripping from somewhere onto this part (I've checked parts above and they looked clean).

I'm fairly certain it's coolant, but in an odd area. Anyone else experience this? I've been reading quite a bit on it today, but I might need to take it to a shop.

PS Anyone know a good shop around Peoria/Phoenix, AZ? Cheers

 

 

pink must be coolant, in any case go to dealer. it happened to me before and it was some hose not tight up well from factory. you could see it also by coolant level is going down.

 

water pump seal....easy diy fix

 

Excellent, thanks for the responses gents. I'll check my water pump for leaks or failure, good opportunity for training. Failing a successful fix there or from checking my other seals, I'll take it to a shop.

 

Unless you plan to replace all of your coolant (100K or 150K mile maintenance item), you can put a bucket directly under the water pump and on a plastic tarp and NOT drain the radiator (which every online step-by-step says to do for some reason). Loosen the bolts around the pump, but don't remove the bottom ones. Pry the water pump gently forward from the top and let the coolant drain into the bucket (you'll get a bout a quart or two). Once it stops draining, pull the pump, dry thoroughly, and replace with a new pump. Use The Right Stuff gasket sealer--it is the best. Put engine back together, remove radiator cap, start engine, and pour 50-50 mix of the PROPER coolant into the radiator until it is almost overflowing (slowly--you can't see how high it is until it's ready to bubble over). If you do this too slowly, though, the engine coolant may start to bubble over, so don't let it get too hot. Put radiator cap back on and call it a day.

PROPER coolant: OAT or HOAT. Depends on what year Jeep you have. Don't go by color. Buy directly from Mopar. About $25 for a gallon that you mix with 50% distilled water. Don't buy the universal stuff at Wal-Mart to save a couple bucks.

Check with your city for how to dispose of the coolant you drained out. Some let you pour it down the drain, some have collection points.

 

I love your step by steps.

 

Thanks, but it's not complete. Easy to find a thread, I just expanded a little from my experience swapping out the water pump a couple months back.

 

Definitely looks like your water pump seal is leaking. I doubt this means you need to replace the water pump as much as replace the seal. Not sure if you need a gasket or just some liquid gasket.

 

This is a 2008 Jeep which presumably has the original water pump. With prices ranging from $16 to $80 or more, typically around $30-40 at your local parts store, I'd recommend just change it and avoid the possible hassle in a year or so.